Free · 23 short lessons · Quoted from the manual
Colorado Driver Handbook, Chapter by Chapter
Start with lesson 1Every chapter of the Colorado Driver Handbook that matters for the written test, cut down to the rules and exact numbers you need. Each point links to the manual text it comes from, with the page, and ends with questions from our free Colorado practice test.
23 lessons in handbook order
Read one lesson, answer its 3 check questions, then drill that topic in the practice test. Most lessons take about 5 minutes.
- Lesson 1Getting a Driver License and Minor DriversLaws and paperwork
Getting a license, instruction permits and the drive test
You must be 16 or older with a valid license to drive in Colorado, and a permit driver needs a licensed adult 21 or older beside them. Minors hold a permit for 12 months and log 50 hours, 10 at night, before applying for a license.
10 key points · 8 numbers · Handbook pp. 1 to 2
- Lesson 2Minor DriversLaws and paperwork
Passenger limits and curfew for young drivers
Licensed drivers under 18 face passenger limits that loosen at six months and one year. For the first year they may not drive from midnight to 5 a.m. without an instructor, parent or guardian, with a few exceptions.
7 key points · 5 numbers · Handbook p. 2
- Lesson 3How You Can Lose Your License and Seat Belt LawsLaws and paperwork
Losing your license, seat belts and child restraints
Points, DUI, refusing a test and leaving a crash scene can all cost you your license, and you must carry proof of insurance. Drivers, front seat passengers and children under 16 must be belted, and young children need the right child restraint.
8 key points · 4 numbers · Handbook pp. 2 to 3
- Lesson 4Driving Under the InfluenceAlcohol and DUI
DUI, DWAI and how alcohol works
Colorado charges DWAI when you are impaired to the slightest degree and DUI when you are substantially incapable of driving safely. A BAC over 0.08% is DUI per se, and only time lowers your BAC.
7 key points · 4 numbers · Handbook p. 3
- Lesson 5Driving Under the InfluenceAlcohol and DUI
Drugs, penalties and express consent
Under 21, a DUI or DWAI can cost you your license, and using marijuana or other drugs for medical purposes is no defense. Refusing a chemical test means a one year revocation and two years with an ignition interlock.
7 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook pp. 3 to 5
- Lesson 6Before You Drive and Basic DrivingSafe driving
Fitness to drive, distractions and basic control
Break long drives into rest periods, pull over to handle distractions, and never drive wearing earphones that cover both ears. Start with your right foot on the brake, hold the wheel at 3 and 9 or 4 and 8, and remember mirrors do not show the area right behind you.
8 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 5 to 7
- Lesson 7Traffic Controls and Traffic SignalsSignals and markings
Traffic signals and arrows
Obey police, highway workers and crossing guards, and treat a dark or broken signal as a four way stop. A flashing red works like a stop sign, and a flashing yellow arrow means turn left only after yielding.
9 key points · 0 numbers · Handbook p. 7
- Lesson 8Traffic SignsRoad signs
Regulatory signs: stop, yield and speed
Regulatory signs are black or red on white, and ignoring them is a traffic violation. Know exactly where to stop at a stop sign and what yield, do not enter and speed signs require.
7 key points · 0 numbers · Handbook pp. 7 to 8
- Lesson 9Traffic SignsRoad signs
Warning, guide, work zone and special signs
Warning signs are yellow or fluorescent green, work zone signs are orange, and service signs are blue or brown. Give bicyclists 3 feet when passing, and know that illegal disabled parking can bring a heavy fine.
8 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook pp. 8 to 9
- Lesson 10Pavement Markings and Lane ControlsSignals and markings
Lines, crosswalks and special lanes
Yellow lines separate opposing traffic and white lines separate traffic going your way. Colorado lets you pass a bicyclist across double solid yellow lines with at least three feet of space when the oncoming lane is clear.
9 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook pp. 9 to 10
- Lesson 11Right-of-WayRight of way
Right of way at intersections, roundabouts and mountain roads
The law says who must yield but gives no one the right of way, even on green. At a four way stop the first to arrive goes first, and when two arrive together the driver on the left yields.
8 key points · 0 numbers · Handbook pp. 10 to 11
- Lesson 12Right-of-WayEmergencies
Emergency vehicles, school buses and work zones
Pull right and stop for emergency vehicles, and slow down sharply when passing one stopped on the roadside. Stop at least 20 feet from a school bus with flashing red lights unless a median separates you.
10 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook pp. 11 to 12
- Lesson 13SpeedSpeed limits
Speed limits and stopping distance
Speed is the greatest factor in crash severity, and driving below a posted minimum is a violation unless road or weather conditions require it. Learn Colorado's default limits, from 20 mph on winding mountain roads to 75 mph on designated rural interstates.
8 key points · 5 numbers · Handbook p. 12
- Lesson 14Turning and ParkingSignals and markings
Signaling, turns, U turns and parking
Signal for 100 feet in town and 200 feet on fast four lane highways, and never turn your wheels left while waiting to turn. Do not park within 30 feet of a signal or stop sign or within 15 feet of a hydrant.
9 key points · 5 numbers · Handbook pp. 12 to 14
- Lesson 15Freeway Driving, Changing Lanes and PassingSignals and markings
Freeways, lane changes and passing
Merge only after the solid white line ends, and signal at least 200 feet before changing lanes. Pass on the right only where the road allows it, and never pass in a no passing zone, above the speed limit or within 100 feet of an intersection.
8 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook pp. 14 to 16
- Lesson 16Night Driving and WeatherSafe driving
Headlights, night driving and bad weather
Colorado requires headlights from sunset to sunrise and whenever you cannot see 1,000 feet. In bad weather, slow down and increase your following distance, and ease off the gas if your tires lose traction.
8 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook p. 16
- Lesson 17Hills, Snow and Ice, Mountain and Rural DrivingSafe driving
Hills, curves, snow, ice and mountain roads
Slow down before a hill you cannot see over and before every curve, or your tires may not grip. On snow and ice, take your feet off both pedals when you lose traction, and remember that uphill vehicles have the right of way over downhill vehicles.
9 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook pp. 16 to 17
- Lesson 18Safe Driving TipsSafe driving
Scanning, following distance, phones and traffic stops
Look at least 10 seconds ahead, check your mirror every 5 to 8 seconds, and keep a three second gap. If you see emergency lights behind you, stay calm, pull off to the right and keep your hands where they can be seen.
8 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook pp. 18 to 19
- Lesson 19Sharing the Road: Bicyclists, Motorcycles and PedestriansRight of way
Bicyclists, motorcycles, trucks and pedestrians
Give bicyclists at least three feet when passing, stay behind them if you cannot, and yield to them in intersections and bike lanes. Motorcyclists are entitled to a full lane, and pedestrians have the right of way at every intersection and crosswalk.
10 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook pp. 19 to 24
- Lesson 20Railroad Crossing and Light RailRoad signs
Railroad crossings and light rail
Treat a crossbuck like a yield sign, wait until the gates rise and the lights stop flashing, and never stop on the tracks. The round advance warning sign means a crossing is ahead, and it is the only round traffic sign.
9 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook p. 21
- Lesson 21Careless/Reckless DrivingSafe driving
Distracted, reckless and aggressive driving
Mobile devices are allowed only hands free or in an emergency, so pull off the road to use your phone. Reckless driving can cost up to eight points, and the best response to an angry driver is to back off and let them go.
7 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 24 to 25
- Lesson 22Emergencies and Vehicle EmergenciesEmergencies
Avoiding collisions, animals and vehicle failures
To avoid a collision you can stop, turn or speed up, and with ABS you press hard and keep the pedal down. Know what to do for brake failure, a blowout, a power failure and a stuck gas pedal, and watch for deer and elk between dusk and dawn.
9 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook pp. 25 to 26
- Lesson 23Crash TipsEmergencies
Crash duties, the Move It Law and the Move Over Law
After a crash, stop, check for injuries, call law enforcement and exchange information. Move minor crashes off divided highways, and move over or slow to at least 20 mph below the limit for any stopped vehicle with hazards flashing.
8 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 26 to 27
Read, check, then practice
- Read a lesson. Open any point's source to see the exact manual wording and page.
- Answer the 3 check questions at the end without looking back.
- Drill that topic in the free Colorado practice test, then take a full test when every lesson feels easy.
- Keep the Colorado cheat sheet for a last look before test day.
Source: the Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337 (12/05/24)). Lessons are plain English summaries, not the law itself; where they differ, the manual and the statute govern. Every quote on these pages is checked against our saved copy of the manual. Last checked 2026-09-27.