Sharing the road in Colorado

By the end of this topic you can

• You can yield to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks.
• You can pass a bicyclist with at least 3 feet of space.
• You can respond correctly to an approaching emergency vehicle.
• You can stop safely at a railroad crossing.
• You can stay out of a large truck's blind spots.

What you need to know and understand

• Where there is no working signal, yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk on your half of the road or approaching close from the other half.
• Never pass a vehicle that has stopped at a crosswalk to let someone cross.
• Give a bicyclist at least 3 feet of space, measured from your mirrors, when passing.
• When an emergency vehicle approaches with lights or siren, pull to the right edge, clear of intersections, and stop until it passes.
• At a railroad crossing, if you must stop and there is no stop line, stop between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail.
• Never drive around, through or under a closed or moving railroad gate.
• Do not park within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing.

People on foot and on bikes

Pedestrians do not always use crosswalks or look first, so scan sidewalks and corners, especially near schools, parks and transit stops. When a walk signal is lit, people crossing in that direction have the right of way, and you must also yield to anyone still finishing a crossing when the signal starts flashing.

Cyclists have the right to use the road. When passing, leave at least 3 feet between your car (including mirrors) and the rider, and wait until it is safe to give that room. On a one-way street where a cyclist rides on the left, the same 3-foot gap applies on that side. Check for bikes before opening your door and before turning right across a bike lane.

Motorcycles, trucks and emergency vehicles

• Motorcycles are small and easy to miss. Look twice before turning left and allow extra following distance.
• Large trucks have big blind spots at the front, back and both sides. If you cannot see the driver in their mirror, they cannot see you.
• Trucks need much more distance to stop, especially downhill on mountain grades. Do not cut in front of them.
• For an approaching emergency vehicle using lights or siren, clear the left lane, pull to the right and stop until it has passed.
• For stationary emergency, tow, utility or hazard-flashing vehicles, follow the move over law.

Railroad crossings step by step

1. Slow down when you see the round advance warning sign.
2. Look and listen both ways; turn down the radio.
3. If lights flash, a gate is down or a train is near, stop at the line, or 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail.
4. Wait for the gate to rise fully and the lights to stop.
5. Cross only when there is room for your whole car on the other side.

Common mistakes

• Passing a car stopped at a crosswalk, where a hidden pedestrian may be crossing.
• Squeezing past a cyclist without the full 3 feet.
• Stopping in the middle of an intersection for an ambulance instead of pulling right beyond it.
• Driving onto tracks when traffic ahead is stopped and there is no room to clear them.

Test yourself: Sharing the road in Colorado

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Colorado Traction Law and Mountain Winter Driving for New Drivers
• Colorado Hands-Free Law
• Colorado 30-Hour Driver Ed vs 4-Hour Driver Awareness Course