Colorado DMV Permit Test cheat sheet

Colorado default urban speed limit is 25 mph unless posted otherwise; rural highways are 55 mph and interstate limits are posted, up to 75 mph on rural interstates.

Right turn on red is permitted after a full stop unless a sign prohibits it; left turn on red is allowed only from a one-way street onto another one-way street.

Colorado's Safety Stop law lets a bicyclist treat a stop sign as a yield and a red light as a stop-then-go when no traffic is present, but only in locations where local ordinance allows it.

Four-way stop right-of-way: first vehicle to arrive proceeds first; if two arrive simultaneously, the vehicle on the right goes first; a left-turning vehicle yields to oncoming traffic going straight.

Move Over law: on multi-lane roads, change lanes away from stopped emergency, tow, or maintenance vehicles with flashing lights; if a lane change is impossible, slow to at least 20 mph below the posted limit.

Seat belts are required for the driver and front-seat passengers, and children under 16 must be properly restrained; children under 8 must use an approved child restraint system.

Following distance rule: use at least three seconds behind the vehicle ahead in good conditions, and increase to four or more seconds at highway speeds or in poor weather.

Passing on the right is legal when the vehicle ahead is turning left and there is room on a paved shoulder or an extra lane, but never by driving off the paved roadway.

Sign shape carries meaning: octagon means stop, inverted triangle means yield, pennant means no-passing zone, diamond means warning, and pentagon means school zone or school crossing.

Sign color carries meaning: red means stop or prohibition, yellow warns, fluorescent yellow-green marks school and pedestrian areas, orange marks construction, and green guides on guide signs.

A flashing red signal is treated exactly like a stop sign: come to a full stop, yield, then proceed when clear; a flashing yellow means slow down and proceed with caution.

A steady yellow light means the signal is about to turn red; stop if you can do so safely, and never accelerate to beat the change.

Solid white lines separate traffic moving in the same direction and mark the right edge; crossing a solid white line is discouraged though not always illegal.

Double solid yellow lines mean no passing in either direction; a single dashed yellow line on your side permits passing when it is safe and legal.

Broken white lane lines mean you may change lanes when safe; a solid white line at an intersection means lane changes are discouraged or prohibited.

A red X over a lane means the lane is closed to your direction; a green arrow means the lane is open; a yellow X warns the lane will close soon.

The three-second rule scales with conditions: add one second for rain, two for snow or ice, and more when following large vehicles that block your view.

Hydroplaning begins around 35 mph on wet pavement; ease off the accelerator, do not brake hard, and hold the wheel steady until tires regain contact.

Anti-lock brakes require firm, continuous pressure during emergency braking; do not pump the pedal, and steer where you want to go while braking.

Colorado's Express Lane and high-occupancy rules aside, the core defensive habit is scanning 12 to 15 seconds ahead and checking mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds.

If a tire blows out, grip the wheel firmly, release the accelerator, and let the vehicle slow gradually; brake only after you have control and are off the travel lane.

When skidding, steer in the direction you want the front of the vehicle to go and avoid hard braking; look where you want to travel rather than at the obstacle.

Headlights are required from sunset to sunrise and whenever visibility is limited to 1,000 feet or less, and windshield wipers on means headlights on under Colorado law.

Colorado's point system suspends a driver at 12 points in 12 months for adults; a driver under 18 is suspended at 9 points in 12 months.

Bicyclists have the same rights and duties as motor vehicle drivers; give them at least three feet of clearance when passing, and more at higher speeds.

Pedestrians in a marked or unmarked crosswalk have the right-of-way; a driver must yield and must not pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk.

Motorcyclists are entitled to a full lane; never share a lane with a motorcycle, and check blind spots twice before changing lanes.

Large trucks have deep blind spots on both sides, directly behind, and in front; a good rule is that if you cannot see the truck driver's mirrors, the driver cannot see you.

School buses with flashing red lights and an extended stop arm require traffic in both directions to stop; only a divided highway with a median separates you from the requirement.

When a school bus is loading or unloading, remain stopped until the red lights stop flashing and the stop arm retracts, even if you are in a hurry.

Emergency vehicles approaching with lights and siren: pull to the right edge and stop until they pass; never follow an emergency vehicle closer than one block.

Slow-moving vehicles such as farm equipment display an orange triangle; slow early and pass only when you have clear sight distance and a legal passing zone.

Colorado's per se limits are 0.08% BAC for drivers 21 and older, 0.05% for drivers with a commercial driver's license, and 0.02% for drivers under 21 under the zero-tolerance law.

A first DUI offense in Colorado can bring up to 364 days in jail, fines, a license revocation, and mandatory alcohol education or treatment.

Colorado law recognizes DUI (impaired to a degree that affects driving) and DWAI (BAC of 0.05% to 0.079%), and either can apply even below 0.08%.

Refusing a chemical test triggers an express-consent revocation of the driver's license independent of any criminal case outcome.

Impairment begins before the legal limit: alcohol, cannabis, prescription drugs, and over-the-counter medicines can all degrade reaction time, judgment, and lane control.

Cannabis impairment is treated like alcohol impairment; a driver may not use marijuana and drive, and open containers of cannabis in the vehicle are prohibited.

The only reliable way to sober up is time; coffee, cold showers, and food do not lower BAC, which falls roughly 0.015% per hour on average.

Designate a sober driver before drinking, and remember that a person under 21 with any measurable BAC faces license consequences even without signs of impairment.

In fog, use low-beam headlights; high beams reflect off the moisture and reduce visibility, and slow down because you cannot judge distance accurately.

On ice or snow, accelerate and brake gently and steer smoothly; stopping distances can increase ten times compared with dry pavement.

In heavy rain, avoid cruise control so you can respond instantly to hydroplaning, and turn on headlights whenever wipers are on.

If your vehicle begins to hydroplane, ease off the gas, keep the wheel straight, and avoid braking until the tires regain contact with the pavement.

If you are stranded in winter weather, stay with the vehicle, run the engine briefly for warmth with a window cracked, and clear the exhaust pipe of snow to prevent carbon monoxide buildup.

Colorado's mountain passes can require chains or traction devices; check Colorado DOT traction and chain law status before driving I-70 or high passes in winter.

If your brakes fail, pump the pedal, downshift to a lower gear, and use the parking brake gradually; look for an escape route such as an uphill grade or runaway truck ramp.

If you must stop on a highway shoulder, pull as far right as possible, turn on hazard lights, and raise the hood to signal that you need help.

Colorado default urban speed limit is 25 mph unless posted otherwise; rural highways are 55 mph and interstate limits are posted, up to 75 mph on rural interstates.

Right turn on red is permitted after a full stop unless a sign prohibits it; left turn on red is allowed only from a one-way street onto another one-way street.

Colorado's Safety Stop law lets a bicyclist treat a stop sign as a yield and a red light as a stop-then-go when no traffic is present, but only in locations where local ordinance allows it.

Four-way stop right-of-way: first vehicle to arrive proceeds first; if two arrive simultaneously, the vehicle on the right goes first; a left-turning vehicle yields to oncoming traffic going straight.

Move Over law: on multi-lane roads, change lanes away from stopped emergency, tow, or maintenance vehicles with flashing lights; if a lane change is impossible, slow to at least 20 mph below the posted limit.

Seat belts are required for the driver and front-seat passengers, and children under 16 must be properly restrained; children under 8 must use an approved child restraint system.

Following distance rule: use at least three seconds behind the vehicle ahead in good conditions, and increase to four or more seconds at highway speeds or in poor weather.

Passing on the right is legal when the vehicle ahead is turning left and there is room on a paved shoulder or an extra lane, but never by driving off the paved roadway.

Sign shape carries meaning: octagon means stop, inverted triangle means yield, pennant means no-passing zone, diamond means warning, and pentagon means school zone or school crossing.

Sign color carries meaning: red means stop or prohibition, yellow warns, fluorescent yellow-green marks school and pedestrian areas, orange marks construction, and green guides on guide signs.

A flashing red signal is treated exactly like a stop sign: come to a full stop, yield, then proceed when clear; a flashing yellow means slow down and proceed with caution.

A steady yellow light means the signal is about to turn red; stop if you can do so safely, and never accelerate to beat the change.

Solid white lines separate traffic moving in the same direction and mark the right edge; crossing a solid white line is discouraged though not always illegal.

Double solid yellow lines mean no passing in either direction; a single dashed yellow line on your side permits passing when it is safe and legal.

Broken white lane lines mean you may change lanes when safe; a solid white line at an intersection means lane changes are discouraged or prohibited.

A red X over a lane means the lane is closed to your direction; a green arrow means the lane is open; a yellow X warns the lane will close soon.

The three-second rule scales with conditions: add one second for rain, two for snow or ice, and more when following large vehicles that block your view.

Hydroplaning begins around 35 mph on wet pavement; ease off the accelerator, do not brake hard, and hold the wheel steady until tires regain contact.

Anti-lock brakes require firm, continuous pressure during emergency braking; do not pump the pedal, and steer where you want to go while braking.

Colorado's Express Lane and high-occupancy rules aside, the core defensive habit is scanning 12 to 15 seconds ahead and checking mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds.

If a tire blows out, grip the wheel firmly, release the accelerator, and let the vehicle slow gradually; brake only after you have control and are off the travel lane.

When skidding, steer in the direction you want the front of the vehicle to go and avoid hard braking; look where you want to travel rather than at the obstacle.

Headlights are required from sunset to sunrise and whenever visibility is limited to 1,000 feet or less, and windshield wipers on means headlights on under Colorado law.

Colorado's point system suspends a driver at 12 points in 12 months for adults; a driver under 18 is suspended at 9 points in 12 months.

Bicyclists have the same rights and duties as motor vehicle drivers; give them at least three feet of clearance when passing, and more at higher speeds.

Pedestrians in a marked or unmarked crosswalk have the right-of-way; a driver must yield and must not pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk.

Motorcyclists are entitled to a full lane; never share a lane with a motorcycle, and check blind spots twice before changing lanes.

Large trucks have deep blind spots on both sides, directly behind, and in front; a good rule is that if you cannot see the truck driver's mirrors, the driver cannot see you.

School buses with flashing red lights and an extended stop arm require traffic in both directions to stop; only a divided highway with a median separates you from the requirement.

When a school bus is loading or unloading, remain stopped until the red lights stop flashing and the stop arm retracts, even if you are in a hurry.

Emergency vehicles approaching with lights and siren: pull to the right edge and stop until they pass; never follow an emergency vehicle closer than one block.

Slow-moving vehicles such as farm equipment display an orange triangle; slow early and pass only when you have clear sight distance and a legal passing zone.

Colorado's per se limits are 0.08% BAC for drivers 21 and older, 0.05% for drivers with a commercial driver's license, and 0.02% for drivers under 21 under the zero-tolerance law.

A first DUI offense in Colorado can bring up to 364 days in jail, fines, a license revocation, and mandatory alcohol education or treatment.

Colorado law recognizes DUI (impaired to a degree that affects driving) and DWAI (BAC of 0.05% to 0.079%), and either can apply even below 0.08%.

Refusing a chemical test triggers an express-consent revocation of the driver's license independent of any criminal case outcome.

Impairment begins before the legal limit: alcohol, cannabis, prescription drugs, and over-the-counter medicines can all degrade reaction time, judgment, and lane control.

Cannabis impairment is treated like alcohol impairment; a driver may not use marijuana and drive, and open containers of cannabis in the vehicle are prohibited.

The only reliable way to sober up is time; coffee, cold showers, and food do not lower BAC, which falls roughly 0.015% per hour on average.

Designate a sober driver before drinking, and remember that a person under 21 with any measurable BAC faces license consequences even without signs of impairment.

In fog, use low-beam headlights; high beams reflect off the moisture and reduce visibility, and slow down because you cannot judge distance accurately.

On ice or snow, accelerate and brake gently and steer smoothly; stopping distances can increase ten times compared with dry pavement.

In heavy rain, avoid cruise control so you can respond instantly to hydroplaning, and turn on headlights whenever wipers are on.

If your vehicle begins to hydroplane, ease off the gas, keep the wheel straight, and avoid braking until the tires regain contact with the pavement.

If you are stranded in winter weather, stay with the vehicle, run the engine briefly for warmth with a window cracked, and clear the exhaust pipe of snow to prevent carbon monoxide buildup.

Colorado's mountain passes can require chains or traction devices; check Colorado DOT traction and chain law status before driving I-70 or high passes in winter.

If your brakes fail, pump the pedal, downshift to a lower gear, and use the parking brake gradually; look for an escape route such as an uphill grade or runaway truck ramp.

If you must stop on a highway shoulder, pull as far right as possible, turn on hazard lights, and raise the hood to signal that you need help.