Colorado Traffic Laws and Rules of the Road
What this domain covers
Colorado's rules-of-the-road questions test whether you can apply right-of-way, speed, turning, and occupant-protection laws to everyday situations, not just recite them. Expect intersections, school zones, lane use, and graduated-license restrictions for drivers under 18.
Core rules
- At a four-way stop, the first vehicle to stop goes first. If two arrive at the same time, yield to the vehicle on the right. A vehicle going straight has priority over one turning left across its path.
- Right turn on red is permitted after a complete stop unless a sign prohibits it; you must yield to pedestrians and cross traffic. Left on red is allowed only from a one-way street onto another one-way street, after stopping, unless posted otherwise.
- School zones in Colorado are 20 mph when children are present unless a lower limit is posted. The posted limit is a maximum for ideal conditions; rain, snow, or ice can make a lower speed the lawful safe speed.
- Seat belts are required for drivers and front-seat passengers, and all passengers under 18 must be restrained. Children under 8 must use an appropriate child restraint.
- A driver under 18 must hold an instruction permit for at least 12 months and log 50 supervised hours, including 10 at night, before getting a minor's license. For the first six months, no passengers under 21 except immediate family; for the first year, no driving between midnight and 5 a.m. unless for school, work, or an emergency.
Worked example
You stop at a four-way stop. A car on your right is already stopped, and a pedestrian is waiting at the crosswalk on your left. You want to turn right. Who goes first? The car on your right has the right-of-way because it is on your right and arrived first; you yield. Even when your turn comes, the pedestrian in or entering the crosswalk has priority, so you wait until the crosswalk is clear before turning. The common error is to wave the other driver through while ignoring the pedestrian.
Traps that cost marks
A rolling stop does not satisfy the stop requirement; all wheels must cease moving. Right turn on red is not automatic at every intersection. Do not treat the posted speed as a target in bad weather. Do not assume a left turn on red is legal from a two-way street.