In early August, two deadly car crashes shocked the Grand County community. After these crashes, the Grand County Sheriff’s Office announced a zero tolerance policy against unsafe drivers on Aug. 16.

Over the past month, sheriff’s deputies have strictly enforced violations such as excessive speeding, aggressive driving and illegal passes, with penalties including immediate arrest, vehicle towing and fines.

This effort, in line with increased traffic enforcement throughout 2025, has led to marked increases in ticketing violations.

So far this year until Sept. 15, there have been 833 citations issued. Up until that time in 2024, the sheriff’s office had issued 629. This marks a 32% increase for 2025 thus far.

From Aug. 16-Sept. 15, 2024, 90 citations were issued. During that time period this year, since the start of zero tolerance, there have been 161. This represented a 78% increase during that time period.

The policy’s message is “Don’t Risk a Life to Save a Minute.”

Grand County Sheriff discusses “zero tolerance”

Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin shared with Sky-Hi News how the zero tolerance policy has impacted roads since its implementation last month.

Traffic safety and enforcement have always been a priority at the Grand County Sheriff’s Office and its deputies make a significant number of traffic stops. As standard procedure across most law enforcement agencies, the office historically relied on personal responsibility and voluntary compliance coupled with verbal warnings and citations as necessary to enforce traffic laws, Schroetlin said.

However, recently in Grand County and beyond, the sheriff’s office have observed a change in driver behavior.

“We have noticed that motorists are driving more aggressively and at excessive speeds; frequently 30-40 mph or more over the posted speed limit, passing multiple vehicles on the left, passing on the right and other aggressive-type driving offenses,” Schroetlin stated in a Sept. 19 email. “Unfortunately, the culture across our state has led to less accountability for the criminal offender, which includes these types of traffic offenses. Without this accountability, and some subsequent consequences for poor driving behavior, there is no reason for a driver to follow the law.” 

Schroetlin gave an example to explain his point further.

“Currently, if a driver decides to pass illegally on a double yellow line, the violation is financially punishable by a $100 fine plus surcharges, along with four points accessed against their driving privileges,” he wrote. “However, the real risk of these intentional and dangerous behaviors is serious injury or death to the driver or other motorists. 

“Everyone thinks that if they get caught, ‘it’s just a ticket,’ but they disregard the other risks, with the belief that the inevitable is never going to happen to them. Until the state increases the penalty for such offenses, we will be unable to fully correct the driving behavior at issue.”

Schroetlin believes strict enforcement in Grand County can make a difference here. This includes additional consequences such as being booked into jail for significant violations or having a vehicle towed, along with a related public messaging campaign reiterating these increased consequences and the risk of poor driving.

“Our goal is do the best we can on the enforcement part of the equation, while the legislative and judicial processes continue to play out,” he stated.

The sheriff’s office is already seeing a significantly higher number of traffic complaints being called in to the dispatch center from citizens reporting other drivers’ aggressive driving violations. 

“We have also heard from some citizens that they are noticing and appreciative of the increased enforcement, with one citizen reporting that she believed (Colorado) Highway 9 was now safer for her newly licensed young driver,” Schroetlin wrote. “This won’t be solved in a few short weeks. We recognize that we are entering our shoulder season with less traffic, and then the winter season, which comes with its own challenges, but we will continue throughout the winter and into the spring and summer.”

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