Colorado’s latest winter driving rules are turning a routine ski trip into a legal minefield for anyone in a two-wheel-drive car. A new traction law focused on Interstate 70 could sharply increase fines for unprepared drivers, especially those who show up in 2WD vehicles without chains or other approved gear when the weather turns bad.
What began as a safety push to keep traffic moving in snow and ice has morphed into a confusing “2WD crackdown” that even lawmakers now admit they did not fully intend. I am looking at what the law actually requires, how much drivers could pay, and why the debate over two-wheel drive has become a flashpoint in Colorado’s mountain economy.
How Colorado’s new traction rules ended up targeting 2WD cars
The core of the controversy is a traction law that tightens what passenger vehicles must carry or install when winter storms hit the high country. Earlier this year, lawmakers approved a change that, in practice, singles out two-wheel-drive cars on the key mountain stretch of Interstate 70, requiring them to be better equipped than before whenever conditions deteriorate. The intent was to reduce spinouts and closures on a corridor that is vital for tourism and freight, but the language has swept ordinary sedans and crossovers into a regime that many drivers assumed only applied to trucks.
According to state transportation officials, the rule allows the Colorado Department of Transportation to activate a specific Traction Law during winter storms or whenever conditions require extra grip on the road. Once that happens, every vehicle must meet minimum traction standards, but the new wording makes clear that two-wheel-drive cars on Interstate 70 now face stricter expectations about carrying chains or alternative traction devices. That shift is what has set up the possibility of higher fines for 2WD owners who are caught unprepared.
Mandatory chains on I‑70 and what “bad winter weather” really means
The most concrete change for drivers is a requirement that certain vehicles on the mountain corridor of Interstate 70 carry or use chains when the weather turns. In plain terms, if a storm is rolling through and the traction law is active, a two-wheel-drive car heading into the high country can no longer rely on all-season tires and hope for the best. Instead, it must have chains or another approved traction aid ready to install, or risk being in violation as soon as conditions deteriorate enough for the state to flip the switch on the law.
One detailed explanation of the policy notes that Colorado is now explicitly mandating tire chains for two-wheel-drive Cars on the key Interstate 70 mountain segment during bad winter weather, a rule framed as “Colorado Now Mandating Tire Chains for” that corridor. The same account stresses that this mandate applies “During Bad Winter Weather” and is part of a broader push that some describe as “Colorado Mandates Tire Ch” for safety. The reference to “70” in that discussion underscores that the focus is the high-altitude stretch where closures and crashes are most common, not every mile of interstate in the state.
SB25‑069 and the new obligation to carry chains in 2WD vehicles
Behind the scenes, the legal trigger for the current confusion is a bill identified as SB25‑069, which quietly rewrote how the traction rules apply to passenger cars. The change means that two-wheel-drive vehicles, regardless of how aggressive their tires might be, are now expected to carry chains or approved alternative traction devices whenever they travel the affected section of Interstate 70 during the winter season. For a driver in a front-wheel-drive Honda Civic or a rear-drive BMW 3 Series, that turns a simple weekend drive into a compliance exercise that starts before leaving the driveway.
One widely shared explanation of the change notes that There was a law change, identified as SB25‑069, that now requires 2WD cars, regardless of tire type, to carry chains or alternative traction devices on I‑70. That same discussion points out that some tire shops and local advisers had been recommending winter tires without a disclaimer about the new legal requirement, which helps explain why so many drivers are only now discovering that their two-wheel-drive setups are no longer enough on their own.
From $67 tickets to $650 penalties: how fines could escalate
The headline worry for many motorists is the size of the potential fines, which can jump quickly from a modest ticket to a painful hit if a driver’s lack of traction causes a bigger problem. Under the traction law, the basic penalty for violating the requirement is a $67 citation, a figure that reflects the state’s view that this is a safety rule rather than a revenue generator. However, that is only the starting point, because additional surcharges and higher tiers of penalties come into play if a driver’s unprepared vehicle ends up blocking traffic or causing a crash.
Transportation officials have explained that when the traction law is active, a violation can also carry a separate fine and a $17 surcharge if the driver’s lack of proper equipment leads to lane closures or other disruptions, a structure laid out in the During winter storms guidance. Other analyses of the new rules warn that penalties can climb as high as $650 when a motorist’s failure to install chains or traction devices ultimately blocks a roadway, a scenario that has been highlighted in coverage of a new two-wheel-drive ban that notes drivers face a $130 fine at a minimum and that The fines will increase in cost dramatically if motorists ultimately block a roadway due to their lack of preparation.
Lawmakers admit “unintended” confusion over two-wheel-drive rules
As the winter season has unfolded, even some of the politicians who backed the traction bill have acknowledged that the final wording created more confusion than they expected. The law’s focus on two-wheel-drive vehicles, combined with the technical language around chains and alternative traction devices, has left many residents unsure whether their car is suddenly illegal in the mountains or simply subject to stricter rules when the traction law is active. That uncertainty has fueled social media debates and prompted clarifications from law enforcement agencies trying to explain who will actually be ticketed.
One detailed local report describes how State Sen. Marc Catlin, identified as a Republican from Montrose, helped sponsor the bill but later faced questions about the unintended changes to passenger traction rules for two-wheel-drive vehicles. That account notes that State Sen. Marc Catlin of Montrose did not respond to an email request for comment about the confusion, even as local officials stressed that the goal was to protect “our mountain economy” and recommended that drivers install proper traction devices rather than risk fines or closures.
Police, “2WD bans,” and what officers say they will enforce
As word of the new traction rules spread, some coverage framed the change as a sweeping “2WD ban” that would keep front- and rear-wheel-drive cars off mountain roads altogether. In practice, law enforcement agencies have tried to tamp down that interpretation, explaining that officers are focused on whether a vehicle meets the traction requirements when the law is active, not on the number of driven wheels by itself. That nuance matters for drivers in vehicles like a Toyota Camry or a Ford Mustang, which are still allowed on the corridor as long as they carry and use the required chains or devices when conditions demand it.
One analysis of the situation notes that the state’s confusing “2WD ban” has forced police to clarify who they will actually ticket, with officers explaining that they are targeting unprepared vehicles rather than every two-wheel-drive car on the road. In that account, the writer, identified as Henry Cesari, describes how law enforcement had to weigh in on when they will and will not enforce the apparent ban, underscoring that the real issue is traction compliance during storms, not a blanket prohibition on a particular drivetrain layout.
What the new law demands from everyday drivers heading to the mountains
For most Coloradans and visitors, the practical question is simple: what do I need to do before driving a two-wheel-drive car into the mountains this winter. The answer now starts with checking whether the vehicle is 2WD and, if so, making sure chains or an approved alternative traction device are in the trunk before heading toward the passes. That preparation is especially important for popular models like the Subaru Crosstrek in its front-wheel-drive base form, or rental fleet staples such as the Nissan Altima, which may not have the all-wheel-drive systems that locals rely on.
One consumer-focused explanation spells it out bluntly for anyone Heading to the mountains of Colorado in a two-wheel-drive car. It notes that if a vehicle only has two-wheel drive, the driver has some extra work ahead, including carrying chains or an approved alternative and being ready to install them when the traction law is active. That same guidance warns that failing to do so could expose drivers to increased fines, especially if their unprepared car contributes to a crash or a blocked lane on a busy ski weekend.
Why Colorado is tightening winter rules on its busiest mountain highway
Behind the legal language and the fines is a straightforward safety and economic rationale. Interstate 70 is the lifeline between Denver and the state’s major ski resorts, and every closure ripples through hotel bookings, restaurant shifts, and freight deliveries. When a single underprepared two-wheel-drive sedan spins out on an icy grade and blocks a lane, the resulting backup can stretch for miles, stranding thousands of people and costing local businesses a day’s worth of revenue. Lawmakers and transportation officials argue that stricter traction rules are a necessary tradeoff to keep that corridor open more reliably.
State transportation guidance on the CDOT Traction Law emphasizes that it is activated only during winter storms or when conditions require, and that the goal is to prevent crashes and closures rather than to punish drivers. Local reporting that quotes State Sen. Marc Catlin of Montrose highlights similar themes, stressing the importance of protecting “our mountain economy” by ensuring that vehicles have enough grip to keep moving. From that perspective, the focus on two-wheel-drive cars is less about blaming a particular drivetrain and more about targeting the vehicles that are statistically most likely to struggle when the snow piles up.
How drivers can adapt without giving up their 2WD cars
For drivers who own two-wheel-drive vehicles and cannot or do not want to switch to all-wheel drive, the new rules do not have to mean the end of mountain trips. The law’s emphasis on chains and alternative traction devices gives motorists a clear path to compliance, even in older cars that lack modern traction control systems. A set of quality cable chains or textile traction socks, combined with a practice session in a dry parking lot, can turn a front-wheel-drive hatchback into a surprisingly capable winter machine when used correctly.
State and local guidance repeatedly recommends that drivers install proper traction devices before they reach the steepest grades, rather than waiting until they are stuck on the shoulder in a blizzard. The same local report that quotes Marc Catlin notes that officials recommend that drivers install them proactively, both to stay within the law and to avoid contributing to the very closures the traction rules are meant to prevent. For many motorists, that means adding a set of chains to the winter checklist alongside snow brushes and emergency blankets, rather than abandoning their existing cars altogether.
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