All Local, All The Time

Articles written by Master Trooper Gary Cutler


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  • Holes in our Life

    Master Trooper Gary Cutler|Jun 8, 2022

    One of my favorite movies is Groundhog Day. In the movie, Bill Murray has a line in one of his reports that is also a favorite of mine. “Well, it’s Groundhog Day…again.” That resonates with me more than you know. Well it’s pothole season…again. After a Colorado winter we see an influx of potholes around the state. This is not the fault of road crews, it's just our weather tearing into the roads as it does every year. So why bring up these axle killers? They can also be dangerous for drivers. Often, I see people driving along the roadway and...

  • Trooper Tips: Blinker Etiquette

    Master Trooper Gary Cutler, Colorado State Patrol|Mar 30, 2022

    The blinker is the most misused item in a vehicle. It's a great tool to have when trying to communicate with fellow drivers. What an invention – a system that lets others know what you're thinking and you don't have to utter one word or make any other sound. So why are so many drivers afraid to let others know what they are going to do? I know there aren't that many shy drivers out there because I've seen a lot of them. They use the horn for everything. Tapping it to say hi, letting someone k...

  • Trooper Tips: Be prepared for winter driving season

    Master Trooper Gary Cutler|Nov 24, 2021

    I guess it's that time of year to make sure everyone is ready for the impending snow season. This is mostly a list of making sure you haven't taken anything out of your vehicles that you may need when you are traveling this winter. Let's go over the basics. Are your tires in good condition and do they have at least 3/16th inch of tread as required? I know you don't take these out of your vehicle, but do you usually run snow tires during the winter? It's a good time to get ready and make sure...

  • Trooper Tips: Buckle up the little ones.

    Master Trooper Gary Cutler|Nov 10, 2021

    I always talk a lot about seatbelts, and how they save lives. Using your seatbelt is quite simple, you grab the strap, pull it over you and click the buckle. It makes sure you survive in a crash. But when it comes to securing your little ones in car seats, they are often installed improperly. It's really no fault of parents that child safety seats are not as secure as they should be. Today's car seats are complicated. That is why there is help out there for any parents, grandparents, or guardian...

  • Trooper Tips: Drive by example

    Master Trooper Gary Cutler, Colorado State Patrol|Jul 28, 2021

    The old proverb simply states, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." It means trying to do what someone else does, or think like someone else thinks is a compliment to that person. Parents, you should feel flattered, because your kids spend a large amount of time watching your actions and then imitating them. People often imitate or follow along with others without thinking about their actions, sometimes when doing unsafe acts. So, when you are in your vehicle with your kids, remember...

  • Trooper Tips: Motorcycle riding season

    Master Trooper Gary Cutler, Special to the Courier|Jun 16, 2021

    Motorcycle season is now upon us again. Dust off the motorcycle seat and check it out to see if your bike and you are ready to hit the open roads again. As fun as it is to ride a motorcycle, I wanted to let you know that the Colorado State Patrol is seeing an increase in motorcycle crashes and fatalities and we really want to curb that problem. Contrary to what a lot of people may think, a lot of these crashes haven't included other vehicles. They are single motorcycles going down. This issue...

  • Trooper Tips: Registration, driver's licenses, and insurance

    Master Trooper Gary Cutler, Colorado State Patrol|Mar 31, 2021

    Ask a Trooper about how to drive safer on the roadway, and you better take a seat because it could be a while before the Trooper finishes. I have plenty to say about driving, and the hardest part is picking a single topic among the myriad number of laws to talk about. But, if you are interested in more, try out the Colorado State Patrol YouTube channel and watch our podcast on driving in Colorado. We go more in-depth on a lot of the topics I hit on each month and have a little fun with it as...

  • Trooper Tips: What's around the bend

    Master Trooper Gary Cutler, Colorado State Patrol|Dec 30, 2020

    I hope everyone has been enjoying the holidays this year. It's been a hard and difficult year for a lot of people. With that being said, people don't need anything else sad happening to them. The last thing I want for anyone is to get that knock on the door and being told a loved one has been killed in a crash. So, this time we are going to talk about safety when it comes to curves. We have a lot of them throughout the state so I know everyone has experienced them, but a lot of us are not doing...

  • Trooper Tips: It's winter driving time

    Master Trooper Gary Cutler, Colorado State Patrol|Dec 2, 2020

    We have a couple of snowstorms under our belt already this year, and we have had our standard crashes that come with those storms. Just as you need to get used to your sea legs when sailing, you need to be ready for snow when driving and how your vehicle will respond to different surface textures. So, these are the topics I want to hit on in this article this year: freezing rain, windblown snow, and compacted snow. Freezing rain scares me the most. I've been doing this job for 17 years now, and...

  • TROOPER TIPS: Watch Your Lane

    Master Trooper Gary Cutler|Oct 28, 2020

    If you have spent anytime in the military, you have heard the term "Watch Your Lane." It means keeping your eye on your target on the rifle range. In the civilian world, I'm referring to the lane you're watching while driving in it. Watching your lane will help you get home safely. Over the years, I've covered a lot of crashes that have dealt with vehicles going off the roadway. We even have a statute that covers this problem: Failed to drive in designated lane. So why is this such a problem...

  • The 'Move Over' law just added a little more to it

    Master Trooper Gary Cutler, Special to the Courier|Jul 22, 2020

    On Nov. 26, 2016 my friend Trooper Cody Donahue was killed by a truck that failed to move over while he was investigating a crash. This is a story we hear all too often. Prior to that crash, there was a Move Over law already in effect. So why didn't it work in that situation or countless others? I believe there are several reasons for that. Fully knowing the law is one of them; the other is not paying attention to your surroundings. The Move Over law is set up to assist law enforcement, fire...