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Colorado driver handbook guide

Colorado driver handbook guide.

Use this guide to navigate the 23 chapters in the handbook edition behind Roadwise’s Colorado course. Read the source, look up a rule in the study app, or work through 46 companion lessons.

Read the handbook in Roadwise Open source PDF
Handbook chapters
23
Source PDF pages
36
Companion lessons
46
Licensing agency
DMV

A way through the handbook

Start with the application and licensing material that applies to your age and license type. Then work through the driving rules, signs, and safe-driving chapters. A rule is easier to remember when you can explain what it asks you to do in a real road situation.

For a quick refresher, use the chapter list below. For a deeper study session, follow a companion lesson and its checkpoint questions. The page numbers refer to this course’s source edition and may differ from the newest agency edition.

Chapter list

  1. Getting a Driver License Source p. 4
  2. Minor Drivers Source p. 5
  3. Driving Under the Influence Source p. 6
  4. Before You Drive Source p. 8
  5. Basic Driving Source p. 9
  6. Traffic Controls, Signals and Signs Source p. 10
  7. Lane Controls Source p. 12
  8. Right-of-Way Source p. 14
  9. Turning Source p. 15
  10. Parking Source p. 16
  11. Freeway Driving Source p. 17
  12. Changing Lanes and Passing Source p. 18
  13. Weather, Snow and Ice Source p. 19
  14. Construction Zones Source p. 20
  15. Safe Driving Tips Source p. 21
  16. Sharing the Road Source p. 22
  17. Railroad Crossing and Light Rail Source p. 24
  18. Bicyclists Source p. 25
  19. Motorcycles Source p. 26
  20. Careless and Reckless Driving Source p. 27
  21. Emergencies Source p. 28
  22. Vehicle Emergencies and Crash Tips Source p. 29
  23. Organ and Tissue Donation Source p. 30

What you will find in each chapter

Chapter 1 · source p. 4

Getting a Driver License

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Getting A Driver License
  • Name & Address Changes
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 2 · source p. 5

Minor Drivers

This chapter’s sections include:

  • How You Can Lose Your License
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 3 · source p. 6

Driving Under the Influence

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Seat Belt Laws
  • Driving Under The Influence
  • Public Service
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 4 · source p. 8

Before You Drive

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Isn’T Worth It
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 5 · source p. 9

Basic Driving

Read this chapter in the study app to see its complete text, source page references, and any accompanying illustrations.

Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 6 · source p. 10

Traffic Controls, Signals and Signs

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Traffic Signals & Road Sign Groups
  • Traffic Controls
  • Traffic Signals
  • Activated
  • Traffic Signs
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 7 · source p. 12

Lane Controls

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Pavement Markings
  • 3Ft Min
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 8 · source p. 14

Right-of-Way

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Right-Of-Way
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 9 · source p. 15

Turning

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Speed
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 10 · source p. 16

Parking

Read this chapter in the study app to see its complete text, source page references, and any accompanying illustrations.

Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 11 · source p. 17

Freeway Driving

Read this chapter in the study app to see its complete text, source page references, and any accompanying illustrations.

Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 12 · source p. 18

Changing Lanes and Passing

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Changing Lanes
  • Passing
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 13 · source p. 19

Weather, Snow and Ice

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Hills And Curves
  • Night Driving
  • Weather
  • Snow And Ice
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 14 · source p. 20

Construction Zones

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Seasonal Driving
  • Mountain Driving
  • Rural Driving
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 15 · source p. 21

Safe Driving Tips

Read this chapter in the study app to see its complete text, source page references, and any accompanying illustrations.

Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 16 · source p. 22

Sharing the Road

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Sharing The Road
  • 13.5 Bicycles And Motorcycles
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 17 · source p. 24

Railroad Crossing and Light Rail

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Railroad Crossing
  • Light Rail
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 18 · source p. 25

Bicyclists

This chapter’s sections include:

  • How to prevent
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 19 · source p. 26

Motorcycles

Read this chapter in the study app to see its complete text, source page references, and any accompanying illustrations.

Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 20 · source p. 27

Careless and Reckless Driving

This chapter’s sections include:

  • How to prevent
  • Pedestrians
  • Careless/Reckless Driving
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 21 · source p. 28

Emergencies

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Reporting aggressive or impaired drivers: Dial *CSP
  • Tips To Avoid Becoming An Aggressive Driver
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 22 · source p. 29

Vehicle Emergencies and Crash Tips

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Vehicle Emergencies
  • Crash Tips
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 23 · source p. 30

Organ and Tissue Donation

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Donate Life Colorado Organ and Tissue Donor Registry
  • Awareness Fund?
  • Notes
  • Saying Yes to Donation
  • Featured Online Services
Open this handbook chapter

Turn the reading into a study routine

The Colorado course groups the source material into 11 units. Each lesson includes handbook page references, examples, and a checkpoint in the study app.

Unit 1 · 4 lessons

Getting Your Colorado License

Permits, the drive test, GDL rules, losing your license

  1. Who needs a license & getting your permit
  2. The driving skills test
  3. Minor drivers: permits, logs & GDL limits
  4. How you can lose your license

Unit 2 · 4 lessons

Seat Belts & Impaired Driving

Restraint laws, BAC limits, drugs, DUI/DWAI penalties

  1. Seat belts & child restraints
  2. DUI, DWAI & blood alcohol
  3. Drugs, marijuana & polydrug impairment
  4. Impaired driving penalties & express consent

Unit 3 · 3 lessons

Before You Drive & Basic Driving

Fitness to drive, vehicle checks, basic controls

  1. Fit to drive: vision, hearing, fatigue & more
  2. Checking your vehicle
  3. Basic controls: starting, steering & backing

Unit 4 · 5 lessons

Traffic Signals, Signs & Markings

Lights, sign shapes and colors, pavement markings

  1. Traffic signals & arrows
  2. Regulatory signs
  3. Warning, guide & service signs
  4. Bicycle, slow-moving & disabled parking signs
  5. Pavement markings

Unit 5 · 4 lessons

Lane Controls & Right-of-Way

Special lanes, roundabouts, who goes first

  1. Lane rules & special-use lanes
  2. Roundabouts
  3. Who has the right-of-way
  4. Emergency vehicles, plows, buses & work zones

Unit 6 · 4 lessons

Speed, Turning & Parking

Speed limits, signaling, turnabouts, parking rules

  1. Speed limits & stopping distance
  2. Signaling & turning correctly
  3. U-turns & turnabouts
  4. Parking rules

Unit 7 · 3 lessons

Freeway Driving, Lane Changes & Passing

Merging, changing lanes, safe passing

  1. Entering, driving & leaving the freeway
  2. Changing lanes safely
  3. Passing rules

Unit 8 · 5 lessons

Weather & Special Conditions

Night, rain, snow and ice, mountain, rural and work zones

  1. Night driving, hills & curves
  2. Bad weather & hydroplaning
  3. Snow, ice & winter driving
  4. Mountain & rural driving
  5. Construction & work zones

Unit 9 · 3 lessons

Defensive & Safe Driving

Scanning, following distance, phones, traffic stops

  1. Scanning & following distance
  2. Phones, steering habits & traffic flow
  3. When you're pulled over

Unit 10 · 7 lessons

Sharing the Road

Trucks, buses, school buses, trains, bicyclists, motorcycles, pedestrians

  1. Large trucks & buses
  2. School buses
  3. Railroad crossings
  4. Light rail
  5. Sharing the road with bicyclists
  6. Motorcycles & common cyclist crashes
  7. Pedestrians

Unit 11 · 4 lessons

Aggressive Driving & Emergencies

Distraction, road rage, collision avoidance, crash duties

  1. Distracted, aggressive & reckless driving
  2. Avoiding collisions & animals
  3. Vehicle emergencies
  4. After a crash, Move Over & first aid