Overview
This handbook provides essential information for driving safely in Colorado, covering licensing, rules of the road, impaired driving, sharing the road, emergencies, and safe driving practices.
Obtaining a Colorado Driver License
- Drivers must be at least 16 and obtain a license within 30 days of residency.
- A written test and skills test are required; instruction permits are issued after passing the written test.
- Name and address changes must be reported within 30 days.
- Drive tests are typically administered by certified commercial driving schools.
- Test evaluates perceptual, motor, and attentional driving skills.
Minor Drivers
- Drivers under 18 need an Affidavit of Liability and must hold an instruction permit for 12 months.
- 50 hours of driving (10 at night) required; additional training if under 16 ½.
- Passenger and curfew restrictions apply for the first year of licensure.
Loss of License
- Licenses may be suspended/revoked for accumulating points, DUIs, failing to report crashes, or not providing insurance.
- Failing child support or giving false information can also cause revocation.
Seat Belt and Child Restraint Laws
- Drivers, front passengers, and children under 16 must wear seat belts.
- Specific requirements exist for child safety seats based on age and weight.
- All passengers in vehicles driven by those under 18 must be restrained.
Driving Under the Influence (DUI/DWAI)
- Driving impaired by alcohol, drugs, or a combination is illegal.
- BAC over 0.08% is DUI; over 0.05% is DWAI; stricter for under 21 and CDL holders.
- Refusal of chemical test results in license revocation.
- Prescription and over-the-counter drugs may also impair driving.
Before You Drive
- Ensure good vision, hearing, health, and emotional fitness.
- Address distractions, fatigue, and ensure vehicle maintenance and safety.
Essential Driving Skills and Rules
- Obey all signals, signs, and pavement markings.
- Know right-of-way rules for intersections, pedestrians, and emergency vehicles.
- Use correct signaling: 100 feet before turns in urban areas, 200 feet on highways.
- Practice correct lane usage, parking, turning, and navigating special road features.
Special Driving Conditions
- Adjust speed for weather, night, mountains, and rural roads.
- Increase following distance in poor conditions.
- Use appropriate lights and yield to maintenance and emergency vehicles.
- Double fines apply in construction zones.
Sharing the Road
- Yield to pedestrians at crosswalks; never pass stopped vehicles at crosswalks.
- Give bicyclists at least three feet when passing; yield to bicyclists in bike lanes.
- Follow specific rules for school buses, trains, and light rail.
- Large vehicles have larger blind spots and need more turning/merging space.
Emergencies and Crash Response
- Know how to handle brake failure, tire blowouts, power/lighting loss, and jammed pedals.
- In a crash, stop, provide aid, notify law enforcement, and exchange information.
- Move vehicles from travel lanes if possible after a minor crash (Move It Law).
- Good Samaritan laws protect those who help at crash scenes.
Safe and Defensive Driving Tips
- Buckle seat belts, follow the three-second rule, and adjust speed to traffic.
- Avoid distractions; cell phone use by drivers under 18 is prohibited.
- Remain calm; avoid aggressive driving; report aggressive drivers to *CSP (*277).
Organ and Tissue Donation
- Drivers can register as organ donors when applying or renewing a license or ID.
- Registration does not affect medical care or eligibility due to age or medical condition.