CO Permit Practice Test 7

All 20 questions in test 7

Every question below comes from the Colorado question bank on this page. Open a question to see the correct answer and the explanation. Nothing here is hidden behind a signup.

1. 1. You approach a Colorado roundabout and no one is in or waiting at the crosswalk. When should you come to a complete stop?

   1. Every time, at the yield line, before entering
   2. Only when existing traffic keeps you from merging
   3. Only when a vehicle is waiting to enter on your right
   4. Never, even if traffic is blocking the entry
   Show answer

   Only when existing traffic keeps you from merging. Roundabouts are built for a slow, continuous approach. Colorado tells drivers not to stop completely unless traffic already in the circle prevents them from merging. A full stop every time is not the rule, and refusing to stop when the entry is blocked forces a merge into circulating vehicles. Slow down, look left for a gap, and keep moving if one is there. People in or waiting at a crosswalk still come first, so this rule is about vehicle traffic.

   Study this in the handbook: Lines, crosswalks and special lanes

2. 2. Unless otherwise posted, what is the Colorado speed limit on urban interstates and highways?

   1. 65 mph
   2. 45 mph
   3. 55 mph
   4. 75 mph
   Show answer

   55 mph. The handbook sets 55 mph on urban interstate and highways unless another limit is posted. Sixty-five to 75 mph is reserved for designated rural interstates and highways, so both 65 and 75 describe rural roads, not urban ones. Forty-five mph is the limit for vehicles in the business of hauling trash. Cities and towns may adopt lower limits by ordinance, so always obey posted signs.

   Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles, school buses and work zones

3. 3. Can a Colorado driver plea bargain out of an alcohol or drug related driving offense?

   1. No, Colorado law does not allow it
   2. Yes, on a first offense
   3. Yes, if BAC was under 0.08%
   4. Yes, if the driver completes a class first
   Show answer

   No, Colorado law does not allow it. Colorado law does not allow you to plea bargain out of an alcohol or drug related driving offense. There is no first offense exception, no BAC exception, and no class that unlocks a plea deal in the handbook's rule. The handbook adds that the only sure way to avoid the consequences, which can include jail, fines and loss of the license, is not to use alcohol or drugs at all when driving.

   Study this in the handbook: Drugs, penalties and express consent

4. 4. A parking space is marked with this disabled parking sign, and a car displays a valid disabled placard. When may that car park in the space?

   
   1. Any time the placard is hanging, even if its owner is not along
   2. Only when the placard's owner is entering or exiting the vehicle
   3. For up to 15 minutes while a family member runs an errand
   4. Only when every other space in the lot is already taken
   Show answer

   Only when the placard's owner is entering or exiting the vehicle. Disabled parking signs mark spaces reserved for vehicles displaying a disabled parking permit, but the permit alone does not make parking legal. Colorado says the person who owns the placard must be entering or exiting the vehicle. A relative who hangs the placard and shops alone is breaking the rule, even for a quick errand, and a crowded lot creates no exception. Using someone else's placard or plate can bring jail time, loss of driving privileges, towing, and fines double the normal amount. Leave these spaces for the people they are meant to serve.

   Study this in the handbook: Warning, guide, work zone and special signs

5. 5. When is a driver not required to stop for a school bus with flashing red lights?

   1. When a median or other physical barrier separates the bus from the vehicle
   2. When the driver is traveling in the opposite direction on any road
   3. When the driver cannot see children near the bus
   4. When the driver slows to walking speed before passing
   Show answer

   When a median or other physical barrier separates the bus from the vehicle. The Colorado exception depends on roadway separation, not on direction alone or the driver's speed. A median or other physical barrier must separate the bus from the approaching vehicle. On an undivided road, opposite-direction traffic still stops. Seeing no children does not remove the requirement, and creeping past at walking speed remains passing a stopped bus. Identify the actual barrier before continuing, and otherwise stop at least 20 feet away until the red lights stop flashing.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections, roundabouts and mountain roads

6. 6. Which colors identify a Colorado work zone sign?

   1. Yellow background with black symbols
   2. Black letters on a white background
   3. Orange background with black letters or symbols
   4. Blue background with white symbols
   Show answer

   Orange background with black letters or symbols. Colorado work zone signs have an orange background with black letters or symbols. When you see orange, expect equipment, workers, and possibly changed routes ahead. These signs work with other traffic control devices and flaggers to guide traffic safely through the work area and protect roadway workers. Yellow warning signs, black and white regulatory signs, and blue service signs each carry a different kind of message. In a work zone, slow down, obey work zone speed limit signs and flagger instructions, and remember that fines are doubled there.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory signs: stop, yield and speed

7. 7. If an emergency vehicle approaches while you are in an intersection, what should you do?

   1. Turn left and follow the emergency vehicle
   2. Stop immediately in the intersection
   3. Drive through the intersection, then pull over
   4. Reverse to the edge you just entered from
   Show answer

   Drive through the intersection, then pull over. A driver already in an intersection should not stop where the emergency vehicle needs to travel or reverse into other traffic. Continue through the intersection, then pull over when clear. Stopping in the crossing can block the responder and expose your vehicle to a second conflict. Following the emergency vehicle is also unsafe because it removes the required separation. Watch for pedestrians and other vehicles while clearing the intersection, then stop at the right edge when possible.

   Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles, school buses and work zones

8. 8. At an uncontrolled intersection, when vehicles arrive at the same time, who yields?

   
   1. The faster vehicle always proceeds first
   2. The vehicle on the right yields to the vehicle on the left
   3. The larger vehicle always proceeds first
   4. The vehicle on the left yields to the vehicle on the right
   Show answer

   The vehicle on the left yields to the vehicle on the right. At an uncontrolled intersection, equal arrival time creates a right-of-way rule: the driver on the left yields and lets the vehicle on the right go first. Vehicle size and speed do not replace that rule. Even with priority, each driver remains responsible for avoiding a crash, so scan for late arrivals and pedestrians before moving. Reduce speed as you approach an intersection without control devices, and be ready to yield if the situation is not clear.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections, roundabouts and mountain roads

9. 9. Before turning left, what traffic must a driver yield to?

   
   1. All oncoming traffic unless protected by a green arrow or first at a four-way stop
   2. Only vehicles that are turning right
   3. Only pedestrians who are already in the roadway
   4. No traffic when the turn signal has been on for three seconds
   Show answer

   All oncoming traffic unless protected by a green arrow or first at a four-way stop. A left turn crosses the path of oncoming road users, so the driver must yield to all oncoming traffic unless a green arrow protects the movement or the driver arrived first at a four-way stop. A turn signal communicates intent but never grants priority. Restricting the yield to right-turning vehicles or pedestrians already in the lane misses bicyclists, motorcyclists, and other vehicles. Wait at the stop line or crosswalk until the gap is large enough to complete the turn safely.

   Study this in the handbook: Signaling, turns, U turns and parking

10. 10. What does a flashing yellow arrow require from a driver turning left?

    1. Stop and wait until a green arrow appears
    2. Proceed with caution and yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians
    3. Turn immediately because opposing traffic must yield
    4. Use the arrow as permission to pass through the intersection
    Show answer

    Proceed with caution and yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. A flashing yellow arrow permits a left turn only after the driver checks the path and yields to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. It is not the same as a protected green arrow, so the opposing lane still controls whether the turn can safely begin. Stopping forever for a green arrow misunderstands the signal, while turning immediately ignores the required yield. Slow down, scan the crosswalk and opposing lane, and enter only when the route is clear.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and arrows

11. 11. Two large vehicles, such as a truck and a bus, enter a Colorado roundabout at the same time. Which driver must yield?

    1. The driver on the right yields to the driver on the left
    2. The driver on the left yields to the driver on the right
    3. The bus driver always yields to the truck driver
    4. The driver of the shorter vehicle always yields
    Show answer

    The driver on the right yields to the driver on the left. Colorado gives large vehicles priority in roundabouts, which raises the question of what happens when two of them arrive together. The law says the driver on the right must yield to the driver on the left. That is the reverse of the four-way stop rule, where the vehicle on the left yields, so the left-yields choice is the tempting wrong answer. Vehicle type or length does not decide it. If you drive a truck, bus, or RV, check to your left before entering and let that large vehicle go first.

    Study this in the handbook: Lines, crosswalks and special lanes

12. 12. What does the arrow on a ONE WAY sign indicate?

    
    1. Drivers may turn only when the signal is red
    2. The arrow identifies a lane reserved for buses
    3. Traffic may travel only in the arrow's direction
    4. The road permits travel in either direction
    Show answer

    Traffic may travel only in the arrow's direction. A ONE WAY sign limits travel to the direction shown by its arrow. This applies to the roadway or portion of roadway controlled by the sign, not merely to a preferred lane. The two direction choice is especially risky because it could place a driver against traffic. Look at the arrow before entering, and keep the vehicle aligned with that direction through the block or ramp.

    Study this in the handbook: Regulatory signs: stop, yield and speed

13. 13. What proof must Colorado drivers have while operating a vehicle?

    1. A mechanic's inspection report from that day
    2. A receipt for the most recent fuel purchase
    3. A printed map of every planned trip
    4. Valid evidence of insurance
    Show answer

    Valid evidence of insurance. Colorado requires drivers to have valid evidence of insurance while operating a vehicle and identifies failure to provide it when requested by an officer as a way the driving privilege may be affected. A fuel receipt, trip map, or same-day inspection report does not prove financial responsibility. Keep the accepted insurance evidence available before driving, including when using a vehicle that belongs to someone else. The document requirement follows operation on the roadway, not ownership.

    Study this in the handbook: Losing your license, seat belts and child restraints

14. 14. What does Colorado's handbook say about marijuana used for medical purposes and DUI or DWAI?

    1. Medical use is not a defense to DUI or DWAI
    2. Medical use always makes driving legally safe
    3. Medical use is a defense whenever the driver has a prescription
    4. Medical use matters only for commercial drivers
    Show answer

    Medical use is not a defense to DUI or DWAI. The handbook states that marijuana or other drugs used for medical purposes do not provide a defense to DUI or DWAI. A prescription does not erase impairment or transform unsafe driving into legal driving. The choices “Medical use always makes driving legally safe” and “Medical use is a defense whenever the driver has a prescription” improperly create immunity, while the commercial-driver limitation is not in the rule. Medication decisions belong before the trip: check warnings, ask a health professional about side effects, and do not drive when a substance can impair safe operation.

    Study this in the handbook: Drugs, penalties and express consent

15. 15. What does the Colorado handbook say about alcohol in the body?

    1. It has no effect unless the driver is over 21
    2. It affects everyone identically after the same number of drinks
    3. It depends only on the vehicle being driven
    4. It affects people differently even when they consumed the same amount over the same time
    Show answer

    It affects people differently even when they consumed the same amount over the same time. The handbook warns that alcohol in the body affects people differently, even when they have consumed the same amount over the same time period. That difference means one person cannot safely rely on another person’s experience as a measure of impairment. The identical-response choice ignores individual variation, while vehicle type and age do not remove alcohol’s effects. Factors such as body weight, time spent drinking, time since the last drink, and sex also influence BAC. The safest driving decision is to avoid driving after drinking rather than estimate a personal limit.

    Study this in the handbook: Losing your license, seat belts and child restraints

16. 16. Which of these people is exempt from Colorado's seat belt law?

    1. A driver on a short trip under 5 miles
    2. A front seat passenger over 65
    3. A driver whose car has air bags
    4. A driver of a delivery van while on the job
    Show answer

    A driver of a delivery van while on the job. The only exceptions Colorado lists are emergency personnel, passenger and school buses, farm equipment, the driver of a delivery van while on the job, and anyone carrying a written medical statement from a physician. Short trips, age over 65 and air bags are not exceptions. A car with air bags still requires the driver to buckle up, because the handbook lists no air bag exception. Passengers riding with a driver under 18 must all be restrained.

    Study this in the handbook: Losing your license, seat belts and child restraints

17. 17. What does a lighted yellow arrow tell a driver?

    1. The driver must turn before checking traffic
    2. The turn has permanent priority
    3. A red arrow is about to appear
    4. Pedestrians may no longer cross in any direction
    Show answer

    A red arrow is about to appear. A yellow arrow warns that the protected arrow phase is ending and a red arrow is about to appear. It is not permission to hurry through without checking traffic. If you are not already in the intersection and can stop safely, prepare to stop. Treat the yellow arrow as a transition cue, especially when oncoming traffic and pedestrians are nearby.

    Study this in the handbook: Fitness to drive, distractions and basic control

18. 18. You move to a new address in Colorado. How long do you have to notify the DMV?

    1. 10 days
    2. 60 days
    3. Until your license renewal
    4. 30 days
    Show answer

    30 days. The handbook says you have 30 days to notify the DMV of a name or address change. Ten and 60 days are not the Colorado period. Waiting until renewal is not allowed either, because the handbook sets the 30 day deadline for any name or address change. The same 30 day figure also appears in the rule for new residents getting a Colorado license, so the number is worth remembering.

    Study this in the handbook: Getting a license, instruction permits and the drive test

19. 19. How often should you check traffic behind you in the rearview mirror?

    1. Only before backing up
    2. Every 5 to 8 seconds
    3. Every 30 seconds on city streets
    4. Only after another vehicle honks
    Show answer

    Every 5 to 8 seconds. Rear scanning should be routine, not limited to lane changes or backing. Colorado recommends checking the rearview mirror every 5 to 8 seconds so you know whether a vehicle is closing fast or following too closely. Waiting thirty seconds can leave you unaware of a developing hazard. Use each straight, low-workload moment as a cue to glance behind. Frequent checks keep surprises from building unnoticed.

    Study this in the handbook: Scanning, following distance, phones and traffic stops

20. 20. What is the purpose of an advisory speed sign near a sharp turn?

    
    1. It sets a required minimum speed for the entire highway
    2. It shows a safe speed around a curve or corner in ideal conditions
    3. It identifies the legal speed for a school zone in all weather
    4. It authorizes drivers to ignore the posted speed limit
    Show answer

    It shows a safe speed around a curve or corner in ideal conditions. An advisory speed sign gives cautionary guidance for a curve, corner, or off-ramp under ideal conditions. It is not a blanket minimum speed, and it never authorizes ignoring a regulatory speed limit. Because the figure assumes ideal conditions, poor weather or a slick surface can call for going slower than the plaque shows. The school-zone choice assigns the plaque a different purpose. Use the number as a cue to reduce speed before the turn, then account for traction, visibility, and traffic.

    Study this in the handbook: Regulatory signs: stop, yield and speed