DENVER — A Larimer County family wants their tragedy to be a warning.
Clarissa and Rod Stratton’s son, Ollie, was hit and killed by a texting driver in 2023. He was just 10 years old.
“He was just riding his bike home from his friend’s house,” said Rod. “It could have been any kid, and it just happened to be ours.”
“Because of distracted driving, our lives will never be the same again,” Clarissa added.
Rod went on to say that in his mind, “texting and driving is as bad as drunk driving, except it’s more intentional.”
Clarissa emphasized the impact of each car on the road, highlighting the fear of encountering distracted drivers. The prevalent sight of every driver engrossed in their cell phones while driving can be quite alarming.
A new Colorado law that went into effect Jan. 1 is targeting those distracted drivers.
Sam Cole, the traffic safety manager for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), clarified the legal ramifications of phone usage while driving. He mentioned that even holding a phone while behind the wheel could lead to being pulled over by a traffic officer if the behavior is judged as unsafe.
The Colorado State Patrol has reported a noticeable increase in citations issued to drivers for phone use since the enforcement of a new law. In the first quarter of 2025, 94 citations were handed out, reflecting a 135% surge in comparison to the same period the previous year. However, other law enforcement agencies in the Denver metro area were unable to provide similar statistics when contacted by Denver7.
“To see this law and to see it being taken seriously and being enforced really means a step in the right direction,” said Rod.
But the Strattons are calling for more changes, including harsher criminal penalties.
This month, the driver who hit and killed Ollie received the maximum sentence for careless driving causing death: one year in jail.
“How can a child’s life be worth so little as to be, like, one year in jail?” said Clarissa. “My son had 90 years left to live and they were all taken from him by the choices of another person.”
They hope our culture around using phones behind the wheel also changes.
“[Kids] go out in the world, like my little boy went out in the world. They go out there trusting that adults are going to do the right thing,” said Clarissa. “When we have adults who are not doing the right thing, and they’re taking children’s lives because of it, someone needs to speak up for them… When people put down their cell phones in the car, it will save lives, maybe even their own.”
“We grew up, you know, seat belts were optional, right?” Rod added. “But when we, you know, became adults… seat belts were the safest thing to do in the car… We always wear our seat belts. We want texting and driving to happen that way, too.”
Cole said it’s important to set a good example to drive that cultural change.
“If you’re on your phone when you drive, as a parent, your son or daughter, when they learn how to drive, they’re going to do the exact same thing,” he told Denver7. “So cut that habit and don’t pass that habit on to other family members.”
It’s a widespread habit. In a CDOT survey last year, 77 percent of drivers admitted they use their phones behind the wheel.
A survey from the National Safety Council shows 76 percent of drivers who responded felt at risk because another driver was distracted by technology, but only 25 percent said their own distraction was putting others at risk.
Since Ollie’s death, the Strattons started a charity in his name. They now also organize an annual bike parade event to honor him, bringing out the community for a day of fun while also spreading awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. This year’s Ollie’s Bike Parade will be held June 7 at Colorado State University.
