Colin's Law
Saving Lives and Protecting Communities through Improved Traffic Safety
The Teenage Years
Growing up, Colin participated as most youth his age in Scouts, Soccer, Little League, Skiing and Snow Boarding. He loved fishing, swimming and body surfing in the waves down the street where he grew up in Charlestown, Rhode Island. He also was quite artistic, always carrying a drawing tablet wherever he went. Colin created some watercolor paintings treasured by his family. He was an intricate airplane model builder, influenced by both of his grandfathers having extensive military combat aviation duty during WWII. One was a B-24 Heavy Bomber Waist Gunner in the European Theater with 50 missions over Italy and Germany. The other, a Naval Aviator piloting scout observation float planes, catapult-launched from Heavy Cruisers in the Pacific Theater.
Colin had an incredible sense of humor often with an irreverent spin. He was extremely popular and earned many friends through his humor, sincerity, generosity and sensitivity. In high school he was chosen, along with his long-time girlfriend, to be “King & Queen” of his senior prom. Colin and several of his classmates who shared a passion for movies and art, made three videos in which Colin contributed significantly - in-part as an actor, writer and producer.
Like most young men, Colin loved cars. In high school he had access to the family’s 1999 Mustang Convertible. Along with his dad, he built a 1967 Shelby AC Cobra Sports car that he made a short video of for a college film class. During college, he shared a 2003 “Anniversary” VW GTI with his brother, Chris, also a Connecticut College student He worked hard to buy a beautiful yellow 2008 Audi A4s which he cherished and maintained in immaculate condition.
Colin’s coup de grâce was the nearly single-handed restoration and refreshing of a first-year red 1970 Datsun 240Z. His work on the car over a two-year period won several awards and received the “Best Datsun” award at the August 2008 Larz Anderson Japanese Car & Motorcycle Day. His 240Z competed with a like-new Nissan restoration example and his incredible attention to detail and meticulous hard work was evident.
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Later in 2008 Colin convinced his dad to buy a green 1972 Datsun 240Z, an exact match of the first car his father owned after graduating college. While this Z was a very well preserved, original example, Colin worked tirelessly in his free time to achieve the same perfection as the 1970, because now, it had a very deep personal family connection. Working with his dad, Colin replaced with as many original Nissan parts he could find, the interior seats & carpet, complete suspension and bushings refreshed the engine compartment and buffed out the minor scratches on the original paint. He was well on his way to produce a restored beauty.
Unfortunately, however, he was never able to complete the total restoration. His father did his best to wind up the work Colin began and had the car completely repainted in its very rare, original color-code, with subtle metallic in a somewhat muted green color. Today, these two cars were recently acquired by the Audrain Automobile Museum in Newport, RI. His family is overjoyed that the public will have an opportunity to see them on display at the 2023 Audrain Concours & Motor Week in Late September. They will be joined by Nissan’s newest and exciting Z design that proudly incorporates many of the classic lines that the first Z possessed making it an International success.
Mission Statement
Our objective is very simple - our goal is to save lives and protect communities through improved traffic safety. Our singular focus is on “making our roads safer for everyone’s family and loved ones”. Our initial means to achieve this goal was by researching, monitoring and distributing information about existing and emerging technology for intersections that can reduce injury and deaths and improve driver behavior. Working with residents, the RI DOT and Charlestown, RI Town Council, red light cameras were installed at two dangerous Charlestown intersections, one at the location where Colin was killed. and another 1/4 mile away at a similar, dangerous intersection.
In addition, within three months of Colin's death in 2010, we worked intently with the state legislature to unanimously pass new safe driving legislation, "The Colin B. Foote Act , known as "Colin's Law". This new statute:
Identified, tracked and adjudicated multiple traffic offenders who
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Provide up to 60 hours of community service
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Loss of license of up to a year
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Pay court costs & fines up to $1,000
As a result, more than 1,000 violators of Colin's Law have been adjudicated and those that complete the program have evidenced less than a 7% rte of reviticism.
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We are presently working with the RI DMV and Attorney General's office to ensure that, after 20 years or more of it not being enforced, the state's Habitual Offender statute is re-implemented. In 2021 it was confirmed that the statute had again begun to be enforced.
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What We Do
monitoring and distributing information about existing and emerging technology for intersections that can reduce injury and deaths at intersections and improve driver behavior. We also engage in awareness, education and media coverage to inform the public about the benefits of Colin's Law that, according to the courts, police and defense lawyers, have unquestionably reduced the number injuries, and fatalities clearly demonstrating the ability to save countless lives every year.
We're a Non-Profit
ColinsLaw.Org was founded in 2010 by the Foote family in honor and memory of their son, Colin B. Foote. We are registered with the office of the Secretary of State of Rhode Island and have been issued 501(c)(3) approval by the Internal Revenue Service as a not-for-profit organization. ColinsLaw.Org is State-Wide Organization, we exist through tax-deductible contributions and gifts from individuals, private and public organizations. Our members and supporters include those who represent concerned citizens, the traffic safety industry, safety organizations, and individuals who are active in advocating for safer roads through the use of technology.