Colorado Permit Practice Test — DMV Written Test, Free to Start

Free 10-question Colorado permit practice test, then 40-question practice tests, each question cited to the Colorado Driver Handbook.

The exam

This practice test is 40 questions, and 32 correct is a pass. Everything on it comes out of Colorado Driver Handbook. Officially it is the knowledge test; most people call it the written test, or the permit test.

Colorado does not publish how many questions its knowledge test asks. This practice test asks 40, and passes at the 80% set by Colorado’s own rules (1 CCR 204-30, Rule 8 (402)(B)(4)).

How this works

Most practice tests hand you a bank of questions and leave the manual somewhere else. This one puts them together.

You read one law and the reason behind it, then answer a question on that law while it is still fresh. Get it right and you move on; get it wrong and you have found the gap while it is cheap to fix, not on the morning of the exam.

Learning one rule at a time, and proving it immediately, is what turns a manual you skimmed into something you actually know — and it makes studying feel like getting somewhere rather than like waiting to find out.

Ask a question about Colorado road law

Easier than searching the manual: ask in your own words — how far from a fire hydrant you may park, when you must stop for a school bus — and the answer comes from Colorado Driver Handbook or Colorado’s code, with the page or the section it is in. When neither says, the answer says so rather than guess. Or tick Nationwide and compare every state on one question.

Ask a question

Colorado driving law, answered

Colorado driving questions, answered

What it costs

  • One payment, once — not a subscription. Nothing renews and there is nothing to cancel, for an exam you sit one time.
  • Free to start: a 10-question test and the first section of cards. No sign-up and no account.
  • Paying opens the rest of the cards, unlimited full-length practice tests, and retests built from exactly the questions you got wrong.
  • Every level up to Prepared — 3 tests passed in a row.
  • Do the work, fail the real exam, and we refund you.

What Colorado tests

84 concepts, 548 separate rules. Each one is a page of its own.

Questions from the Colorado test

Who may drive a moped on a Colorado public street?

A person 16 or older holding a valid driver license. Sixteen is the earliest Colorado lets anyone drive alone, and the license is the proof the state checked you first. A moped counts, which surprises people who think of it as a bicycle. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.1: “Anyone who operates a motor vehicle, motor-driven cycle or moped on Colorado’s public streets and highways must be 16 or older and have a valid driver license”

Where do the questions on the Colorado driving knowledge test come from?

From the contents of the Colorado Driver Handbook. Everything the paper can ask is in the book you were told to read. That is why studying the handbook works and studying a friend who passed does not. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.1: “The test questions cover the contents of this handbook including road signs, driving under the influence, driving rules, safety rules and legal items”

What does passing the written test make you eligible for?

An instruction permit with limited driving privileges. The permit is the state saying you know the rules well enough to start practicing. The limits on it are what make practicing safe for everyone else. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.1: “After passing a written test, you are eligible for an instruction permit”

What is the drive test for?

Showing that you can drive safely in practice. The written test shows you know the rules. Only the drive test shows you can follow them while a real road is happening around you. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.1: “This test covers practical driving skills and abilities”

How far ahead must a turn signal be on before a lane change in an urban area?

100 feet. Other drivers need warning in time to react, and a car doing 55 covers ground fast. The faster road gets the longer warning for that reason. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.2: “Turn signal is turned on continuously 100 feet before turning or changing lanes in urban areas and 200 feet before turning or changing lanes on 4-lane highways”

How long must a minor hold an instruction permit before applying for a license?

12 months. A year covers every season, so a new driver meets snow, glare and dark before driving alone. Practice packed into a month misses all of it. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.2: “Colorado law requires minors to have an instruction permit for 12 months before applying for a driver license and to submit a completed and signed driving log showing 50 hours of driving experience (10 of which must have been at night).”

Who may ride with a newly licensed 17-year-old in their first six months?

Nobody under 21, unless a licensed adult is along. Friends in the car are the biggest single risk to a new teenage driver. The first six months are when the driver is least able to handle them. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.2: “For the first six months after your license is issued, you cannot have any passengers under 21, unless a parent or another licensed adult driver is in the vehicle”

How does Colorado describe holding a driver license?

As a privilege that can be taken away. A privilege is something the state grants and can take back. Thinking of it as a right is what makes a suspension feel like a surprise. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.2: “Having a driver license is a privilege. Protect that privilege by driving with care and consideration for others”

Who must wear a seat belt under Colorado law?

The driver, front seat passengers and children under 16. A belt is what keeps you behind the wheel instead of through the windshield. The people it names are the ones a crash reaches first. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.3: “Colorado law requires a fastened seat belt to be worn in all motor vehicles with a factory-equipped seat belt system while in operation on public roadways by: ● The driver ● Front seat passengers ● Children under 16”

Who must see that a child is properly restrained when no parent is in the car?

The driver of the vehicle. A belt built for an adult crosses a small child at the neck. The right seat spreads the force across bone instead, and the driver is the one who has to check. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.3: “If a parent is not in the motor vehicle, it is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that each child is properly fastened into one of the following:”

What kind of drug is alcohol?

A depressant that reduces brain function. People think of drink as something that loosens them up. It is slowing the parts of you that decide when to brake. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.3: “Alcohol is a depressant drug that reduces brain function, which impairs thinking, reasoning, and muscle coordination”

Above what blood alcohol concentration is a driver DUI per se in Colorado?

0.08%. Above that figure the state does not have to argue about how you were driving. The number by itself is the offense. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.3: “A driver may also be convicted of DUI per se if the driver’s BAC is greater than 0.08%”

What does DWAI mean in Colorado?

The driver is impaired to the slightest degree. Colorado has two offenses, not one, so there is no level of drinking that is safely below the line. The lower charge starts at the slightest degree. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.3: “DWAI means the driver is impaired to the slightest degree”

How are drug impaired driving penalties set in Colorado?

The same as for driving impaired by alcohol. A drug from a pharmacy shelf can slow you down as much as a drink. The law looks at how you are driving, not at where the drug came from. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.4: “Driving while impaired by drugs, including illicit drugs, marijuana, prescription medications”

What does the Colorado express consent law mean?

Driving means agreeing to a chemical test. The agreement was made the moment you drove, not at the roadside. That is why refusing later costs the license rather than ending the matter. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.5: “Colorado has an express consent law, which means when you operate a motor vehicle in the Centennial State, you agree to take a chemical test to determine the presence of alcohol and/or drugs in your blood”

What does the handbook say safe driving depends on?

Seeing clearly, rest, health and emotional fitness. A car does not care how you feel, but every one of those states changes what you notice and how fast you act on it. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.5: “Being a safe driver depends on being able to see clearly, not being overly tired”

What does the handbook call the leading cause of driver error?

Distractions. A moment is all it takes at 30 mph to cover the length of a house. The car keeps going while your attention is somewhere else. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.6: “Distractions are the leading cause of driver error”

Who is responsible for a vehicle being safe to drive?

The person driving it. Nobody inspects your car before you pull out of the driveway. Whatever is wrong with it becomes your problem at the worst possible moment. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.6: “Motorists are responsible to ensure the vehicles they drive are safe to operate”

Where should your right foot be when you start the engine?

On the brake pedal. If the car is in gear when it fires, it moves. With your foot already on the brake it does not get the chance. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.6: “No matter your make and model, your right foot should be on the brake before starting the vehicle”

Why should you walk behind the car before getting in?

Children and small objects cannot be seen from the seat. The space right behind a car is invisible from inside it, and small children are exactly the height that disappears. Walking round takes ten seconds. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.7: “Children and small objects cannot be seen from the driver’s seat”

Which of these is a traffic control?

Pavement markings on the road surface. Knowing the three groups makes the rest of the handbook easier to hold on to. Markings count as a control, which drivers often forget. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.7: “Traffic controls include traffic signals, traffic signs, and pavement markings”

What does a steady red light require?

Stopping until a green light appears. Stopping is required every time. The two turns Colorado allows on red are made only after that stop, and only where no sign forbids them. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.7: “Steady red light: Stop until a green light appears”

What does a lighted red arrow require?

Stopping, with no turn in the direction shown. A red arrow is narrower than a red light: it forbids one movement while the rest of the signal may allow others. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.7: “A lighted red arrow means you must stop and may not turn in the direction shown”

What does a flashing red light require?

Stopping, then yielding before going on. Drivers treat a flashing light as less serious than a solid one. This one is a stop sign with a bulb in it. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.7: “A flashing red light means the same as a STOP sign”

What do traffic signs do, according to the handbook?

Tell you rules, hazards, location and directions. Four different jobs share one pole. Knowing which job a sign is doing tells you whether it is an order or information. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.7: “Traffic signs tell you about traffic rules, hazards, and your current location”

What does this sign require?

Coming to a complete stop. A complete stop is the only way to get a proper look both ways. Rolling through means deciding on a glance taken while moving. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.7: “These signs mean you must come to a complete stop”

What is this sign warning you about?

A curve in the road ahead. A warning sign is the road telling you what is about to be different. Nothing on it is an order, so the response is to slow down and look. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.8: “These signs are yellow or fluorescent green with black symbols, school zone, curves, slippery surfaces, merging traffic, or pedestrian-dense areas”

What kind of sign is this?

A sign for a work zone. The color is the whole message at a distance: a normal road is about to stop being normal. Everything on an orange sign is temporary. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.8: “Work zone signs: These signs have an orange background with black letters or symbols”

What information does this sign carry?

Directions and distances to destinations. These are the signs you read while moving at speed, so they carry only places and distances. Nothing on them is a rule. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.8: “These signs have a green background and provide directional and mileage information to specific destinations”

What does this sign tell you is ahead?

A railroad crossing. It is the only round traffic sign, so it can be told apart at a glance from everything else on the road. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.21: “Advance warning signs: A railroad crossing is ahead. The warning sign is at a sufficient distance to allow you to stop”

What is true of railroad crossing signs?

They come in a variety of shapes. No other family of signs changes shape like this. Learning the whole group matters more than learning one silhouette. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.8: “These signs show information about railroad crossings and can be a variety of shapes”

What does a Bicycle May Use Full Lane sign remind drivers?

Riders may use the center of the lane. A rider in the middle of the lane is not being difficult. They are making themselves visible, usually because the edge is broken or full of grates. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.9: “They remind drivers that bicyclists have a right to ride in the center of the lane if they feel their safety is compromised by hazards or poor visibility if they were to ride in the right side of the lane”

Who may use a space marked by a disabled parking sign?

A vehicle displaying a disabled parking permit. Those spaces are wide and close to the door because somebody needs both. A car without a permit in one takes away the only space that works. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.9: “These signs mark special parking areas for only those vehicles displaying a disabled parking permit”

What do yellow lines on the road separate?

Traffic moving in opposite directions. The color tells you what is on the other side of the line before you can see it. Cross a yellow line and you are in the path of oncoming traffic. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.9: “Yellow lines: Separate traffic moving in opposite directions”

What do white lines on the road separate?

Lanes going in the same direction. White means the traffic beside you is going your way. That is why crossing one is a lane change rather than a head-on risk. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.9: “White lines: Separate lanes of traffic moving in the same direction”

Where does a crosswalk exist?

Wherever the road is marked or unmarked for crossing. Most crosswalks have no paint on them at all. Every intersection has them, which is why you look at corners rather than for lines. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.9: “A crosswalk is a marked or unmarked part of a road where pedestrians have the right-of-way to cross”

What is the general rule about which part of the road to drive on?

Drive on the right half, in one lane. Everything else on the road is built on that one rule. A car straddling a line leaves no lane for anyone to pass in. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.9: “As a general rule, you must drive your vehicle on the right half of the road. Use only one lane, do not straddle lanes”

What marking shows that a lane is restricted?

A white diamond painted within the lane. A diamond on the road is the one mark that means this lane is not for everyone. Missing it is how drivers end up in a bus lane. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.10: “There will be a white diamond painted on the road within the lane”

Who may use a two-way left-turn lane?

Drivers turning left from either direction. Both directions share it, so a driver in it is always facing somebody who may enter it head-on. It is only safe used for a few seconds at a time. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.10: “This lane is for the exclusive use of left turning vehicles and may be used by drivers making a left turn in either direction”

Who has priority at a roundabout?

Traffic already circulating in it. Nothing stops in a roundabout, so the only rule that makes it work is that the cars already going round keep going. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.10: “Vehicles travel to the right around a center island while entering traffic yields the right-of-way to circulating traffic”

What does Colorado law say about having the right-of-way?

The law says who must yield, not who has it. Right of way is something you give, never something you take. A driver who believes they have it stops looking, which is when it goes wrong. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.11: “The law states who must yield the right-of-way, but it does not give anyone the right-of-way”

Two cars reach a four-way stop, one clearly first. Who goes?

The one that arrived first. First to arrive is the one rule everybody can see from their own seat. Anything else needs two drivers to agree about something they cannot measure. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.11: “to the vehicle that reached the intersection first”

What should you do when an emergency vehicle approaches with lights and siren?

Pull to the right edge of the road and stop. They need a clear lane and they need to know where you will be. Every driver pulling right makes that lane appear in the same place. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.11: “Where possible, you must pull to the right edge of the road and come to a stop”

How far before a stopped school bus with red lights flashing must you stop?

20 feet. Children cross in front of and behind the bus where the driver cannot see them. Twenty feet is the space that keeps you out of that crossing. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.11: “You must stop your vehicle at least 20 feet before reaching a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing, and you must stop until the lights stop flashing.”

What does the handbook call the greatest factor in how severe a crash is?

The speed of the vehicle. The energy in a crash climbs faster than the speed does. Ten miles an hour less is the difference between a bad day and a funeral. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.12: “Speed is the greatest factor influencing the severity of a crash”

What does stopping distance include?

The distance covered while you react and brake. It includes the time you spend reacting, which is most of it at speed. Drivers who think only about the brakes underestimate it badly. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.12: “Stopping distance is the distance your vehicle travels from the time you realize you must stop until your vehicle actually comes to a stop.”

When must you signal, besides turning onto another road?

When leaving a parked position. Your signal is the only way anybody learns what you are about to do. Four situations are named because drivers forget the last two. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.12: “Before making any turn, whether onto another roadway, into a parking lot, into another lane of traffic, or leaving a parked position, it is extremely important that you signal”

Where in the lane should a right turn start?

From the right most part, close to the curb. Hugging the curb leaves no gap for a bicycle or a car to slip up your inside. A wide right turn is where they get caught. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.12: “When turning right you should turn from the right most part of your lane and as close to the curb as possible.”

Why are left turns a common source of crashes?

They need judging traffic and people at once. A left turn asks you to do three hard things at once while sitting still in the path of traffic. That is why so many go wrong. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.13: “Crashes are very common during left turns as drivers must see, judge and navigate oncoming traffic and pedestrians also navigating the intersection”

When is a U-turn allowed in Colorado?

When it endangers nobody and no sign forbids it. A U-turn crosses every lane and takes longer than any other maneuver. The test is whether anybody else is put at risk by it. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.13: “U-turns are forbidden unless they can be made without endangering other motorists and their passengers, and are not allowed in locations marked by No U-turn signs”

What should be done every time you leave a parked vehicle?

Set the emergency brake and remove the key. Three things hold a parked car still and any one of them can fail. The key matters because a car left running is a car somebody can take. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.13: “Set the emergency brake and remember to remove the ignition key when leaving the vehicle”

Which way should the front wheels point when parked facing downhill at a curb?

Toward the curb. If the brake lets go, the curb stops the car rather than the traffic below. Touching the tire to it is what makes the curb work. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.14: “When you stop your vehicle while headed downhill, turn your front wheels toward the curb”

What speed should you reach on a freeway on-ramp?

The speed of the traffic on the freeway. Joining slowly is what forces everybody in the through lane to brake. The acceleration lane exists to give you the speed you need. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.14: “When entering a freeway from an on-ramp, try to increase your speed to match freeway traffic”

Which freeway lane should slower traffic use?

The rightmost lane. Keeping slower traffic right means faster traffic never has to weave. A slow car in a fast lane creates the passing it was trying to avoid. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.14: “Drive in the rightmost lane when you are driving slower than the normal speed”

Where should you slow down when leaving a freeway?

In the deceleration lane. Braking in the through lane surprises everyone behind you. The deceleration lane is where the slowing is supposed to happen. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.15: “When exiting the freeway, use the deceleration lane, which is designed to allow you to slow down before reaching the exit ramp”

Which of these counts as a lane change?

Pulling out from the curb into traffic. All four are the same maneuver wearing different names, and all four need the same checks. Pulling out from the curb is the one people forget. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.15: “Changing lanes includes: changing from one lane to another”

Where may you pass another vehicle on the right?

On a one way street or a multi-lane road. Drivers look left for a passing car and rarely right. Passing on the right is allowed only where a lane is already there for it. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.15: “You are only allowed to pass on the right on one way streets and on roadways with two or more lanes of travel in each direction”

What should you be ready for approaching a blind hill or curve?

To stop for something hidden beyond it. A familiar road is the one you stop looking at. What is round the bend today was not there yesterday. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.16: “Hills and curves can hide obstructions in the road, even on familiar roads”

When does Colorado law require headlights?

From sunset to sunrise, or under 1,000 feet visibility. Headlights are as much about being seen as about seeing. The visibility figure covers fog and snow in the middle of the day. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.16: “Colorado law requires you to drive with your headlights on from sunset to sunrise or when visibility is less than 1,000 feet.”

What are the two most important things to do in bad weather?

Slow down and leave more following distance. Both buy you the one thing bad weather takes away, which is time. Neither depends on what the car underneath you can do. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.16: “In weather conditions such as rain, fog, ice, high winds and dust, the two most important actions you can take are to slow your speed and increase your following distance”

When is a snow covered road most hazardous?

When the snow or ice starts to melt. Melting water sits on top of the ice and takes the last of the grip away. The road looks better at exactly the moment it gets worse. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.17: “When the road is slippery, your tires do not grip as well and it will take longer to stop”

What can a 4-wheel drive vehicle not do better than a normal car?

Stop in a shorter distance. Four driven wheels help you get going, and stopping uses the brakes on all four wheels either way. Drivers of these vehicles routinely forget it. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.17: “Vehicles with 4-wheel drive have increased traction, but they cannot stop any sooner than a conventional car”

How should you control speed on a long steep descent?

Shift to a lower gear. Riding the brakes down a long grade heats them until they stop working. A lower gear holds the speed with the engine instead. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.17: “Shift to lower gears to control speeds when driving down steep hills or mountains”

Which roads have the highest fatality rate per mile in the United States?

Rural highways. They feel quiet, which is what makes them dangerous. Speeds are high, help is far away and the hazards arrive without warning. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.17: “Rural highways are the most dangerous roads and have the highest fatality rate per mile driven of any roads in the U.S.”

What should you be ready for in a work zone?

To stop suddenly, with no tailgating. A work zone can change overnight, so yesterday layout means nothing. The gap in front of you is the only margin you control. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.18: “Be prepared to stop suddenly and do not tailgate in a work zone”

When may a Colorado driver use a mobile device while driving?

With a hands-free accessory, or in an emergency. Holding a phone takes a hand off the wheel and most of your attention off the road. The exceptions are the calls that cannot wait. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.18: “drivers from using a mobile device while driving, unless it is to contact law enforcement, the fire department, if it is an emergency or they are doing so with the use of a hands-free accessory”

Which hand positions does the handbook call most effective?

8 and 4 o’clock, or 9 and 3 o’clock. Hands opposite each other give you control in both directions without moving them. Low on the wheel keeps your arms clear of the airbag. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.18: “The most effective hand positions are 8 o’clock and 4 o’clock or 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock”

What does following too closely cost you?

Your view of the road and your reaction time. The car ahead is also a wall you cannot see past. Sitting close to it costs you both the time and the view. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.18: “Following the vehicle in front of you too closely limits your vision of the road and does not allow you enough time to react to avoid a crash.”

How should traffic behave approaching a lane closure?

Use both lanes, then take turns at the closure. Using both lanes to the end shortens the backup and keeps it moving. Merging early leaves half the road empty and the other half stopped. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.19: “Each car should alternate in zipper fashion into the remaining open lane until just before the point of closure”

What should you do first when an officer signals you to pull over?

Signal and pull to the right when it is safe. The officer is about to walk beside moving traffic. Where you stop decides how much room they have while they do it. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.19: “Activate your turn signal and pull off or to the right side of the roadway as soon as it is safe to do so”

What does sharing the road mean?

Everyone has a right to use it and to look out. The road is not the property of whoever is heaviest. Bicycles, buses and trucks behave differently and all of them belong there. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.19: “Sharing the road means that everyone has a right to use the road and a responsibility to follow the driving laws and look out for each other.”

What should you do at a railroad crossing with no lights or gates?

Stop if needed and check for approaching trains. An unmarked crossing tells you nothing about whether a train is coming. The only warning available is the one you go and look for. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.21: “When approaching a railroad crossing that is not marked with flashing lights or gates you should stop (if necessary) before reaching the crossing, to check for approaching trains”

How are light rail vehicles treated on the street?

The same as other motorists, obeying signals and signs. A light rail vehicle is traffic, not a train on a separate right of way. It obeys the same signals you do and gets the same treatment. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.21: “The LRVs are governed by all traffic signals and signs and have the same rights and responsibilities as other motorists when operating on the streets”

How does Colorado treat people riding bicycles on the road?

As road users with rights and duties like drivers. Treating a rider as traffic makes both of you predictable to each other. Treating them as an obstacle is what produces the sudden move. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.22: “People on bikes have many of the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as motorists”

What makes a motorcyclist especially vulnerable?

They have minimal crash protection. There is nothing around a rider but clothing. The same collision that dents your door ends their riding for good. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.23: “With minimal crash protection, motorcyclists are very vulnerable to injury, even death, when hit by a larger vehicle”

Whose responsibility is it to watch out for pedestrians?

The driver of the vehicle. Nothing about a person on foot protects them. The whole of the safety in that encounter is in what the driver does. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.24: “As a driver, it is your responsibility to watch out for pedestrians because motor vehicles are heavy objects that can cause serious injuries or death”

What counts as a driving distraction?

Anything taking your attention from driving. Three different ways to be distracted and only one of them is visible from outside the car. The one in your head is the hardest to notice. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.24: “A distraction is anything that takes your attention away from driving”

What makes driving behavior aggressive?

Willful action that endangers others or property. The test is whether the act was deliberate and dangerous, not whether anyone was hurt. That is what separates it from a mistake. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.24: “behavior that places others and/or property in danger through willful action without regard to safety”

What are the three options for avoiding a collision?

Slow or stop, turn, or speed up. Many drivers freeze because they think braking is the only choice. There are three, and sometimes the brake is the worst of them. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.25: “To avoid a collision, drivers have three options”

When do about 90% of crashes with deer and elk happen?

Between dusk and dawn. Nine in ten of these crashes happen in the dark, when headlights reach only so far and an animal is the color of the roadside. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.26: “Always stay alert for animals in or near the roadway, particularly in rural and mountainous regions and between dusk and dawn when approximately 90% of crashes with deer and elk occur”

What should you do first if the brakes fail?

Take your foot off the gas and pump the brake. Most brake failures are a loss of pressure rather than a loss of the brakes. Pumping can put enough back to stop the car once. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.26: “Take your foot off the accelerator. Pump the brake pedal several times”

What should you do first at the scene of a crash?

Stop immediately and never leave the scene. The four steps are in order of who needs help first. Leaving before you have done them is a separate offense from the crash itself. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.26: “Stop immediately and never leave the scene”

What does the Move Over Law require when passing a stopped vehicle with hazards on?

Move over one lane if you safely can. Anybody outside a stopped car is standing in traffic. One empty lane is the difference between a fright and a fatality. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.27: “When you encounter any stationary vehicle on a highway with its hazards flashing, you must move over one lane if you can do so safely”

What do Good Samaritan laws require of someone who helps?

Common sense and skill within their training. People hold back from helping because they are afraid of being sued. The law removes that fear as long as you stay within what you know. Colorado Driver Handbook, p.27: “Good Samaritan laws were developed to encourage people to help others in emergency situations”

Where these come from

Every rule here is checked against Colorado Driver Handbook, published by the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, and against the state code itself. Last checked 2026-09-16.