Prepare for the Colorado POST Exam with essential study materials including multiple choice questions and detailed explanations. Achieve your goal of becoming a licensed peace officer!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


If a drunk driver hits a drunk pedestrian and kills them, what charge may the driver face?

  1. Negligent homicide

  2. Involuntary manslaughter

  3. Vehicular Homicide

  4. Traffic violation

The correct answer is: Vehicular Homicide

In the scenario where a drunk driver hits and kills a drunk pedestrian, the charge the driver may face is vehicular homicide. This charge is applicable because vehicular homicide often involves the operation of a vehicle in a reckless manner while under the influence of alcohol, which can lead to the death of another person. In many jurisdictions, including Colorado, the law specifically addresses deaths that occur due to the negligent or reckless use of a motor vehicle. Vehicular homicide generally signifies that the driver’s actions—driving while intoxicated—were substantially harmful and directly resulted in the accidental death of the pedestrian. This reflects the legal recognition of the seriousness of such conduct, emphasizing that a driver's impaired state significantly increases the likelihood of fatal accidents. Therefore, the circumstances surrounding this incident—both the driver's inebriation and the associated reckless behavior—support this charge being applied.