Colorado Governor signs bill to honour legacy of Magnus White and 'turns tragedy to action'

Colorado Governor Jared Polis has signed into law a new bill named 'Magnus' Law' in memory of 17-year-old cyclist Magnus White, who was fatally struck by an impaired driver near Boulder in 2023. The legislation, SB26-132, mandates that law enforcement officers offer a voluntary alcohol breath test to drivers involved in crashes causing injury or death, whether between vehicles or involving pedestrians and cyclists. This measure aims to address gaps in investigations of impairment at crash scenes, a key issue highlighted by the circumstances surrounding White’s death. Magnus White was training for the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships when he was killed during a midday ride. The driver responsible, Yeva Smilianska, was not tested for alcohol at the scene, and it took nearly 20 months and a lengthy trial before she was found guilty of reckless vehicular homicide. The trial revealed that Smilianska had consumed alcohol prior to the crash, which contributed to her falling asleep at the wheel. The delay in uncovering this fact has been a central grievance for White’s family and advocates pushing for legislative reform. Michael White, Magnus’s father, spoke poignantly about the frustration and heartbreak caused by the lack of immediate impairment testing, emphasising that only Magnus was tested at the scene, not the driver who killed him. The White family has since established The White Line Foundation to campaign for safer roads and better enforcement of impairment investigations. The foundation stresses that the new law ensures no family will have to endure uncertainty about whether impairment was properly investigated after serious crashes. Sponsored by Colorado legislators Dylan Roberts, John Carson, Junie Joseph, and Matt Soper, the bill represents a significant step toward improving road safety for vulnerable users such as cyclists and pedestrians. The foundation also highlighted that even if a driver refuses a breath test, law enforcement can still pursue DUI convictions, making the offer of testing a crucial procedural safeguard. The enactment of Magnus’ Law seeks to prevent future tragedies by closing the investigative gaps that allowed the circumstances of Magnus White’s death to go unaddressed at the time. Following her conviction, Yeva Smilianska was sentenced to four years for reckless vehicular homicide and recently received an additional jail sentence for an unrelated offence. The new legislation stands as a lasting tribute to Magnus White’s legacy, turning a personal tragedy into proactive legal reform aimed at protecting all road users in Colorado.