CO Permit Practice Test 8

All 20 questions in test 8

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. Who may sign the Affidavit of Liability for a Colorado applicant under 18?

   1. Only a biological parent
   2. Any licensed driver 16 or older
   3. A parent, stepparent, grandparent with power of attorney, legal guardian, spouse older than 18, or another responsible adult
   4. The applicant, once they turn 17
   Show answer

   A parent, stepparent, grandparent with power of attorney, legal guardian, spouse older than 18, or another responsible adult. A Colorado applicant under 18 needs an Affidavit of Liability (DR2460) signed and verified by a parent, stepparent, grandparent with power of attorney, legal guardian, spouse older than 18, or any other responsible adult willing to accept legal liability. Limiting it to a biological parent is too narrow. A 16 year old is not an adult who can take on legal liability, and the minor cannot sign for themselves. The affidavit is signed in front of a DMV employee or a notary.

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

2. 2. What license action does Colorado list for a third or later DWAI or DUI for a driver 21 or older?

   1. Revocation for 1 year
   2. Revocation for 2 years
   3. Revocation for 9 months
   4. Permanent cancellation
   Show answer

   Revocation for 2 years. A third or subsequent DWAI or DUI carries a 2 year revocation in the table, along with a $600 to $1,500 fine, 60 to 365 days in jail and 48 to 120 hours of public service. One year is the second offense revocation and 9 months the first DUI revocation. The table does not list permanent cancellation. Jail time rises sharply at this level, with a 60 day minimum instead of 10.

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

3. 3. When stopping quickly with ABS, what does the Colorado handbook advise?

   1. Use the parking brake before touching the service brake
   2. Pump the pedal rapidly until the vehicle stops
   3. Release the pedal as soon as it pushes back
   4. Apply hard, firm pressure and keep the brake pedal down
   Show answer

   Apply hard, firm pressure and keep the brake pedal down. With ABS, apply the brakes with hard, firm pressure and keep the pedal down while the system works. You might feel the brake pedal pushing back, and that is not a signal to release it, because the handbook says the ABS system will only work with the brake pedal pushed down. Pumping the pedal lets up on it, which the handbook tells you not to do. The parking brake is not the handbook's quick stop step. With ABS you can also turn while braking without skidding.

   Study this in the handbook: Avoiding collisions, animals and vehicle failures

4. 4. A bicyclist riding on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk has the same rights and responsibilities as which road user?

   1. A train
   2. A parked car
   3. A maintenance vehicle
   4. A pedestrian
   Show answer

   A pedestrian. Colorado gives a bicyclist on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk the same rights and responsibilities as a pedestrian. That means a driver should look for the bicycle at the crossing and yield as required, rather than treating it like a vehicle traveling in a normal traffic lane. The parked car and train options have no connection to the rule. Scan for a bicycle entering from either side before turning across a sidewalk or crosswalk.

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

5. 5. Does a Colorado bike lane continue through an intersection when paint does not connect on both sides?

   1. Only if a bicycle is already inside the intersection
   2. No, the lane ends whenever the paint is interrupted
   3. Yes, the bike lane extends through the intersection
   4. Only during daylight hours
   Show answer

   Yes, the bike lane extends through the intersection. Colorado treats the bike lane as continuing through an intersection even when the painted line disappears between approaches. The missing paint does not remove bicyclists' right to use the lane or authorize a driver to occupy it casually. The other choices add conditions that the handbook does not state. When crossing or turning through a bike lane, check for bicyclists, yield as required, and cross only for the permitted maneuver while keeping the path clear.

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

6. 6. A Colorado child is younger than 2 and weighs less than 40 pounds. What restraint is required?

   1. A seat belt alone in any seating position
   2. A forward-facing restraint in the front seat
   3. A rear-facing child restraint properly secured in the rear seat
   4. A booster seat in the rear seat
   Show answer

   A rear-facing child restraint properly secured in the rear seat. For a child younger than 2 who weighs less than 40 pounds, Colorado requires a rear-facing child restraint properly secured in the rear seat. A forward-facing device changes the required orientation, while a seat belt alone or a booster seat does not match this age and weight category. The rear-seat requirement is part of the protection rule, not merely a suggestion about comfort. Confirm both measurements before choosing the restraint, because the handbook gives different options when the child is 40 pounds or more.

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

7. 7. What does Colorado report about polydrug impairment, which comes from using two or more drugs at the same time?

   1. It is less common than impairment by marijuana alone
   2. It is less dangerous because the drugs tend to cancel each other out
   3. It counts only when at least one of the drugs is illegal
   4. It is more common than any single drug other than alcohol, and more dangerous
   Show answer

   It is more common than any single drug other than alcohol, and more dangerous. Polydrug impairment means mixing two or more substances, such as alcohol with marijuana, prescription medicine, or over-the-counter products. Mixing can increase each substance's effects. Colorado reports that this kind of impairment shows up more often than impairment from any one drug except alcohol, and that it is also more dangerous. The idea that drugs cancel each other out is wrong, and legal medications count too, because the definition includes prescription and over-the-counter drugs. If you have taken more than one substance, do not drive.

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

8. 8. What do Colorado speed limit signs show?

   1. The maximum speed allowed in ideal conditions
   2. A speed that must be held in rain, snow, and fog
   3. The average speed of traffic on that road
   4. A recommended speed that may never be enforced
   Show answer

   The maximum speed allowed in ideal conditions. A posted limit is a ceiling for ideal conditions, not a promise that traveling at that number is safe during snow, poor visibility, congestion, or a hazard near the roadway. The choice “A speed that must be held in rain, snow, and fog” ignores the need to reduce speed when conditions require it. The choice “The average speed of traffic on that road” confuses a legal maximum with typical traffic flow. The choice “A recommended speed that may never be enforced” is wrong because speed limit signs communicate an enforceable rule. Check the road and weather before choosing your speed.

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

9. 9. What action does a Colorado yield sign require?

   
   1. Stop every time, even when the intersection is empty
   2. Slow or stop and yield to pedestrians and vehicles with the right of way
   3. Continue at the posted speed because the sign is advisory
   4. Enter only after a traffic officer waves you through
   Show answer

   Slow or stop and yield to pedestrians and vehicles with the right of way. A yield sign requires a driver to reduce speed and give priority to pedestrians and vehicles that already have the right of way. Stopping is required when needed, but an empty approach does not require an unnecessary full stop. The choice saying the sign is merely advisory is unsafe because regulatory traffic signs carry legal requirements. A useful cue is to scan for people walking and traffic with priority before entering, then stop if either makes proceeding unsafe.

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

10. 10. How should a driver treat a railroad crossbuck sign?

    
    1. As a warning that U-turns are required
    2. The same as a green traffic signal
    3. As permission to stop on the tracks
    4. The same as a yield sign
    Show answer

    The same as a yield sign. Colorado says a railroad crossbuck should be treated the same as a yield sign. Slow down, look and listen for a train, and enter only when the crossing is safe. A crossbuck does not give permission to stop on the rails, and it is not equivalent to a green signal. If another sign below it lists more than one track, continue checking because a second train may be approaching. The U-turn option invents a maneuver that the railroad sign never commands. Leave enough room beyond the tracks to clear them completely.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings and light rail

11. 11. There is no painted stop line at a Colorado railroad crossing. How far from the tracks must you stop while a train passes?

    1. At least 3 feet
    2. At least 50 feet
    3. At least 10 feet
    4. At least 20 feet
    Show answer

    At least 10 feet. Always stay behind the painted stop line while waiting for a train. If no line is visible, you must be at least 10 feet from the tracks, because trains overhang the tracks by 3 feet. Three feet is the overhang itself, so stopping there puts you in the train's path. Twenty feet is the school bus stopping distance, and 50 feet is not the Colorado rule for this situation.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings and light rail

12. 12. If pumping failed brakes does not stop the vehicle, what should a driver try next?

    1. Use the parking brake slowly
    2. Turn the ignition key off at highway speed
    3. Shift immediately into reverse
    4. Aim for the nearest parked vehicle
    Show answer

    Use the parking brake slowly. Colorado’s brake-failure sequence starts with lifting off the accelerator and pumping the brake pedal. If that fails, the parking brake can help, but it must be applied slowly so the rear wheels do not lock and skid. Turning the engine off or shifting into reverse can remove control. The cue is a brake pedal that no longer slows the car.

    Study this in the handbook: Avoiding collisions, animals and vehicle failures

13. 13. Several snow plows are clearing a highway together in a staggered diagonal formation. May you pass them?

    1. Yes, on the left, if you stay under the speed limit
    2. No, passing plows working in that formation is illegal
    3. Yes, but only by using the shoulder away from the plows
    4. Yes, once you flash your headlights to warn the operators
    Show answer

    No, passing plows working in that formation is illegal. Snow plows can throw up clouds of blowing snow that hide the plow itself, so Colorado calls for special caution around them. When plows are working together in a staggered diagonal formation, passing them is illegal. Passing on the left within the limit is still passing, and driving on the shoulder is not a legal way to get around other vehicles. Flashing your headlights does not create permission. Stay back, be patient, and let the formation finish clearing the road ahead of you.

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

14. 14. What fine range does the Colorado handbook give for a conviction for parking in a disabled space without a placard or plate?

    1. $25 to $100
    2. $350 to $5,000
    3. Exactly $200 and no other penalty
    4. A $10,000 minimum
    Show answer

    $350 to $5,000. The Colorado handbook says illegally parking in a designated disabled space without a placard or plate can bring a charge and, on conviction, a fine of $350 to $5,000, plus possible jail time, loss of driving privileges or impoundment. Colorado law scales the fine by offense: $350 to $1,000 for a first offense, $600 to $1,000 for a second, and $1,000 to $5,000 for a third or later. A $25 penalty understates the rule, and no fixed $200 or $10,000 minimum applies. Using someone else's placard brings doubled fines.

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

15. 15. When may a driver proceed after stopping for a school bus stop arm?

    
    1. After the stop arm is retracted and the red warning lights are off
    2. As soon as all visible children reach the curb
    3. After waiting exactly twenty seconds
    4. When another driver starts moving first
    Show answer

    After the stop arm is retracted and the red warning lights are off. A stopped school bus creates a controlled danger zone for children, so traffic must remain stopped until the bus driver retracts the stop arm and turns off the red warning lights. Moving just because children are no longer visible is risky because another student may cross late or from behind the bus. The stop arm and red lights are the cues that control your movement.

    Study this in the handbook: Bicyclists, motorcycles, trucks and pedestrians

16. 16. What should you do if a traffic signal is malfunctioning?

    1. Follow the vehicle ahead without stopping
    2. Proceed as if you have a green light
    3. Wait only for a flashing yellow signal
    4. Treat the intersection as a four-way stop
    Show answer

    Treat the intersection as a four-way stop. A malfunctioning signal removes the normal assignment of movement, so Colorado treats the intersection as a four-way stop. Approach cautiously, stop, check for other road users, and proceed according to stop-sign right-of-way. Assuming a green light or following another vehicle can put you into the path of traffic that also lacks a working signal. A flashing yellow signal is a separate operating condition and does not replace the four-way-stop instruction for a broken signal.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and arrows

17. 17. What background color do Colorado guide signs use?

    1. Green
    2. Brown
    3. Blue
    4. Yellow
    Show answer

    Green. Guide signs have a green background and give directional and mileage information to specific destinations, such as the route to a town and how far away it is. Knowing the color helps you sort signs at a glance before you can read them. Brown backgrounds point to recreational, historic, or cultural areas, blue backgrounds give directions to service facilities, and yellow is used for warning signs. When you see green, read it for route and distance information while still obeying the regulatory and warning signs around it.

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

18. 18. If a vehicle with ABS begins to skid, what should the driver do?

    1. Let up on the accelerator, press the brake, and steer where the car should go
    2. Pump the brake rapidly and steer opposite the intended path
    3. Release the steering wheel and wait for the vehicle to stop
    4. Apply the parking brake and turn the wheel fully
    Show answer

    Let up on the accelerator, press the brake, and steer where the car should go. For a skid in a vehicle with anti-lock brakes, Colorado advises easing off the accelerator, pressing the brake, and turning the front wheels in the direction you want the car to go. The goal is controlled braking with steering, not a panic maneuver. Pumping the brake is not the handbook procedure for ABS, and abandoning the wheel or applying the parking brake can remove useful control. Keep inputs measured and look toward the path you need to follow.

    Study this in the handbook: Hills, curves, snow, ice and mountain roads

19. 19. A circular green light remains on after the green arrow goes off, and no sign or red arrow prohibits turning. When may you still turn?

    1. Without yielding because the arrow was green earlier
    2. Only if a police officer is standing nearby
    3. After yielding to through vehicles and pedestrians
    4. Never, because the missing arrow always prohibits turns
    Show answer

    After yielding to through vehicles and pedestrians. When the arrow ends but the circular green remains, Colorado allows the turn only after yielding to through vehicles and pedestrians unless a sign or red arrow prohibits it. The earlier arrow phase no longer protects the movement. Treat the circular green as permission to proceed when the path is clear, not as priority over crosswalk users or oncoming traffic.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and arrows

20. 20. What is Colorado's rule for an open alcohol container in the passenger area of a vehicle on a public road?

    1. It is lawful if the container is below half full
    2. Possessing one is unlawful
    3. It is lawful whenever the vehicle is moving slowly
    4. Only an open marijuana container is prohibited
    Show answer

    Possessing one is unlawful. Colorado prohibits possessing an open alcohol container in the passenger area of a motor vehicle that is on a public road. The prohibition is not limited by how full the container is or by the vehicle's speed. It also reaches an open marijuana container, so the choice “Only an open marijuana container is prohibited” is incomplete. Keep containers closed and outside the passenger area as required. A designated driver does not turn an otherwise prohibited open container into a lawful one.

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