Colorado: Cheat Sheet

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Licensing basics

A new resident must get a Colorado driver license within 30 days of becoming a resident.
An instruction permit holder must have a person 21 or older with a valid Colorado license in the front passenger seat.
Colorado law requires minors to hold an instruction permit for 12 months before applying for a license.
The driving log must show 50 hours of driving experience.
For the first year as a licensed driver, driving between midnight and 5 a.m. is not allowed, with some exceptions, such as driving with a parent or legal guardian or to and from school or work with a signed statement.

Insurance

The handbook says drivers are required to have proof of insurance while operating a vehicle.

Seat belts and child safety

The seat belt law covers the driver, front seat passengers and children under 16.
Such a child must be secured in the rear seat in a rear-facing child restraint system.
The child must be secured in a child restraint system or booster seat in the rear seat, if one is available.

Alcohol and drugs

Possessing an open container of alcohol or marijuana in the passenger area on a public road is unlawful.
The handbook says DUI per se applies when the BAC is greater than 0.08%.
Licenses may be revoked based on a BAC over .02 if the driver is under 21.
Licenses may be revoked based on a BAC over .04 for a CDL driver.
Only time makes a person sober, as the body eliminates alcohol through normal bodily processes.
The handbook sets the permissible inference for DUI at 5 ng/ml of THC in the blood.
Refusing the test or not complying leads to a one-year revocation.

Distracted driving and fitness

The handbook says you may not operate a motor vehicle while wearing earphones.
The handbook says distractions are the leading cause of driver error.
The manual says drivers are not allowed to use a mobile electronic device while driving unless it is hands-free or in an emergency.

Traffic signals

The manual says to treat the intersection as a four way stop when the signal is not operating or is malfunctioning.
After stopping and yielding to pedestrians and other traffic, you may turn right on red unless a sign prohibits it.
A left turn on red is allowed only from a one-way street onto another one-way street, unless a sign prohibits it.
A steady yellow light warns that red is about to appear, so you stop unless you are already in the intersection.
A flashing red light means the same as a STOP sign: you stop, then go only after yielding to pedestrians and other traffic.

Sign shapes and colors

Regulatory signs are black or red on a white background.
Work zone signs have an orange background with black letters or symbols.
Warning signs are yellow or fluorescent green with black symbols.

Road signs

With no stop line, you stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection.
Yield signs indicate you must slow or stop to yield to all pedestrians and any vehicle with right of way.
The manual says not to proceed past a Do Not Enter or Wrong Way sign.

Pavement markings and lane controls

With double solid yellow lines neither side can pass, unless to pass a bicyclist with a minimum of three feet of space when the oncoming lane is clear.
You may not pass if the solid line is on your side; if the broken line is on your side you may pass if it is safe.
A broken white line means you may change lanes if it is safe.

Pedestrians

You must not pass and must stop behind the vehicle, or behind the crosswalk in the adjacent lane on a multi-lane roadway.
The manual says pedestrians have the right-of-way at all intersections and crosswalks, even if the lines are not marked or painted.
The manual says not to stop with any portion of your vehicle covering the crosswalk area.

Right-of-way and turning

Entering traffic yields the right-of-way to circulating traffic.
At a four-way stop you yield to the vehicle that reached the intersection first.
When more than one vehicle arrives at the same time, the vehicle on the left yields and lets the vehicle on the right go first.
The vehicle on the left must yield and allow the vehicle on the right to go first.
You must yield to all oncoming traffic, unless you have a green arrow or arrived first at a four-way stop.
The vehicle going downhill must yield by backing up to a wider place or stopping, leaving enough space for the vehicle going uphill, except where it is more practicable for the vehicle going uphill to return to a wider space or turnout.
The handbook says to change one lane back when you can see both headlights of the passed vehicle in the rearview mirror.
The handbook lists passing within 100 feet of any intersection as illegal.

Emergency vehicles and work zones

Where possible you must pull to the right edge of the road and stop.
If you are in an intersection, you drive through it and then pull over.
Failure to follow the speed limit in a work or construction zone can result in double fines.
Keeping your hands on the steering wheel or in a visible location lets the officer easily observe them.
The handbook says to move over one lane if you can do so safely.

Speed and following distance

Colorado's speed limit on narrow, winding mountain highways and blind curves is 20 mph unless otherwise posted.
The handbook lists 25 mph in any business district.
The handbook lists 30 mph in any residence district.
The two most important actions in inclement weather are to slow your speed and increase your following distance.
Overpasses, bridges, shaded areas and snow packed portions of the road can be icy even when other pavement is not.
You should look down the road at least 10 seconds ahead of your vehicle.
Under normal conditions use the three-second rule to gauge the space between you and the vehicle ahead.

Signals and vehicle controls

In urban areas you must signal continuously for 100 feet before a turn or lane change.
Colorado law requires headlights on from sunset to sunrise or when visibility is less than 1,000 feet.
You must dim high beams (or low beams with fog lights) before coming within 500 feet of any oncoming vehicle.

Parking rules

You may not park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
When headed downhill, the front wheels are turned toward the curb so the curb can act as a block.

Freeway driving and lane changes

The handbook says to try to increase your speed to match freeway traffic when entering from an on-ramp.
The handbook says to signal at least 200 feet before you change lanes on a freeway and to avoid frequent lane changes.

Emergencies

Steering slowly in the direction of the hydroplane helps your tires realign with the vehicle.
The handbook says to take your foot off the accelerator and pump the brake pedal several times, which will often build up enough pressure to stop.
The handbook says to hold the steering wheel tightly and keep the vehicle going straight as you slow down gradually.
The handbook’s first step after a crash is to stop immediately and never leave the scene.
The handbook lists name, address, phone numbers, registration and insurance information.

Sharing the road

The handbook calls the blind spots around trucks and buses “No Zones.”
The driver activates the amber warning lights when the bus is about to stop and load or unload children.
Vehicles must stop no less than 20 feet from the front or rear bumper of the school bus.
On a two-lane roadway, traffic in both directions is required to stop.
The manual requires a minimum of three feet from the outermost part of the vehicle or any attachments.
The manual describes the Dutch Reach as using the hand closest to the center of the vehicle to open your door.
The manual says motorcyclists are entitled to the same full lane width as other vehicles.

Railroad crossings and light rail

You should get everyone out and move as far away as possible right away, even if you do not see a train approaching.
The handbook says that if no line is visible, you must be at least 10 feet from the tracks.
The handbook says crossbuck signs should be treated the same as a yield sign.
The handbook says to always stop when the lights flash and not to cross until they have stopped flashing.

Penalties and your driving record

The handbook says that if convicted, up to eight points can be assessed against your driving record.