Greeley will become the first city in the state of Colorado to start ticketing you for applying makeup, shaving or reading while driving.
It’s already illegal statewide to text while driving.
Tuesday night, Greeley City Council voted 6-1 to move forward with a proposed distracted driving ordinance.
The proposal came after a cyclist was killed by a woman reaching for a McDonald's sandwich while driving.
The ordinance is not specific. It leaves much the officer's discretion when determining what is distracted driving.
“What that ordinance does require is some discretion, judgement and common sense on the officer's part,” said Greeley Police chief Jerry Garner. “Is somebody changing the station on the radio, is that distracted driving? It shouldn't be."
On the other hand, Garner says he witnessed a woman reading a book while driving which would definitely qualify as distracted driving.
“I was also driving down 10th Street here in Greeley next to another driver who was putting on makeup,” he said. “She was using both hands to do that. I'm still not sure how she was steering."
The single voice of opposition on the council argued the ordinance could lead to profiling by officers.
The chief said any instance of profiling would not be tolerated.
If you were to get a ticket in Greeley, it would be a zero points violation. The fines will range from $60 to $100, according to the chief.
