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Colorado driving lesson · Before You Drive & Basic Driving

Checking your vehicle

A 3-minute lesson from the Colorado course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Before You Drive & Basic Driving
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
9

You are responsible for making sure the vehicle you drive is safe. A car in poor shape costs more to run, can break down or crash, and can earn you a citation. Follow your owner's manual for routine maintenance.

Know the rule

Brakes: if they don't seem to work properly, have a mechanic check them immediately.

Handbook p. 9 ↗

Know the rule

Lights: make sure turn signals, brake lights, tail lights and headlights work properly.

Handbook p. 9 ↗

Know the rule

Windshield and wipers: replace damaged glass, replace wiper blades that aren't working well, keep the washer fluid full, and clear snow, ice or frost from all windows.

Handbook p. 9 ↗

Know the rule

Worn or bald tires increase stopping distance, make turning harder, can cause hydroplaning on wet roads and raise the chance of a flat.

Handbook p. 9 ↗

Know the rule

Low tire pressure and unbalanced wheels increase tire wear, reduce fuel economy and make the vehicle harder to steer and stop.

Handbook p. 9 ↗

Signs you need a mechanic:

  • Vehicle bounces, steering wheel shakes, or it pulls to one side: check tires
  • Vehicle is hard to turn: check steering
  • Bounces excessively or keeps bouncing after a bump or stop: check suspension/shocks
  • Exhaust sounds leaky: repair it
Handbook p. 9 ↗

Know the rule

Exhaust fumes can kill in a very short time. Never run the motor in your garage, or sit in the car with the motor running without opening a window.

Handbook p. 9 ↗

Know the rule

A poorly tuned engine can lose power, fail to start, waste fuel, pollute and stall on the road. Check the horn regularly.

Handbook p. 9 ↗

Adjusting side mirrors

Adjusting side mirrors
MirrorHead positionWhat you should see
Driver's sideAgainst the left side windowBarely the side of the car
Passenger's sideCentered under the inside mirrorJust the side of the car
Handbook p. 9 ↗

Know the rule

Secure loose objects on the rear shelf or back seat, and keep anything off the floor that could roll under the brake or gas pedal.

Handbook p. 9 ↗

Know the rule

Adjust head rests so the head restraint touches the back of your head.

Handbook p. 9 ↗

Put it into practice

After hitting a pothole, your car keeps bouncing long after the bump. That's the suspension system warning you: you may need new shocks, so have a mechanic check it.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

When adjusting your driver's side mirror, what should you be able to see in the mirror when your head is against the window?
  1. The entire rear bumper
  2. The passenger in the back seat
  3. Barely the side of your car
  4. Nothing but the road behind you

Answer: Barely the side of your car

Place your head against the window and set the mirror so you can just barely see the side of the car.

Handbook p. 9 ↗
Which vehicle part, when worn, can cause hydroplaning on wet roads?
  1. Windshield wiper blades
  2. Shock absorbers
  3. Tires
  4. Brake pads

Answer: Tires

Worn or bald tires increase stopping distance, make turning harder, and can cause hydroplaning on wet roads.

Handbook p. 9 ↗
What should you do if your vehicle's brakes do not seem to be working properly?
  1. Continue driving but avoid highways
  2. Wait until your next scheduled service
  3. Press the brake harder at each stop
  4. Have a mechanic check them immediately

Answer: Have a mechanic check them immediately

If brakes seem faulty, you should have a mechanic check them immediately rather than continuing to drive.

Handbook p. 9 ↗
How should a head restraint be adjusted for proper safety?
  1. Touching the back of your head
  2. So it angles forward
  3. It does not need adjustment
  4. So it sits well above your head

Answer: Touching the back of your head

Head rests should be adjusted so the head restraint touches the back of your head for proper protection.

Handbook p. 9 ↗
Why should you never run the motor in your garage?
  1. It can overheat the engine
  2. It drains the battery quickly
  3. Exhaust fumes can kill quickly
  4. It can damage the muffler

Answer: Exhaust fumes can kill quickly

Fumes from a leaky exhaust system can cause death in a very short time, so never run the motor in your garage.

Handbook p. 9 ↗
What should you check if your vehicle bounces excessively or keeps bouncing after a bump?
  1. The suspension system
  2. The brake system
  3. The exhaust system
  4. The steering system

Answer: The suspension system

Excessive or continued bouncing after a bump suggests you may need new shocks or other suspension parts.

Handbook p. 9 ↗
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