State Patrol

The Colorado State Patrol handed out more than 2,500 tickets in 2025 to drivers who lingered in the left passing lane on highways with speed limits of 65 mph or higher. The enforcement targeted roadways like I-70 and I-25, where slower traffic in the left lane creates bottlenecks and hazards. Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the patrol, emphasized that even driving at the speed limit does not justify occupying the passing lane.