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.
Drive calmly and ignore aggressive drivers. Colorado law limits phone use behind the wheel, and a few habits, like good hand position, keeping pace with traffic and merging zipper-style, make the road safer for everyone.
Know the rule
Make sure everyone in the vehicle is wearing a seat belt.
You may not use a mobile device while driving unless it's to contact law enforcement or the fire department, in an emergency, or with a hands-free accessory.
Texting while driving is prohibited unless it's to contact law enforcement or the fire department or it's an emergency. The hands-free exception does not apply to texting.
Signs warn that the right lane closes in a mile. Keep driving in your lane rather than squeezing left early. At the merge point, cars alternate one by one, like a zipper, and then resume full speed.
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.
Under Colorado law, when is it legal to use a hand-held mobile device to make a call while driving?
Anytime you are driving under 25 mph
Only to contact law enforcement, fire department, or in an emergency
Only when stopped at a red light
Anytime, as long as you keep one hand on the wheel
Answer: Only to contact law enforcement, fire department, or in an emergency
Colorado law prohibits mobile device use while driving unless using a hands-free accessory or contacting emergency services.
Does the hands-free exception that allows phone calls while driving also apply to text messaging under Colorado law?
Yes, any hands-free method is allowed for texting too
No, texting is banned except in an emergency
Yes, if the vehicle is stopped at a light
Yes, but only using voice-to-text apps
Answer: No, texting is banned except in an emergency
Colorado law separately prohibits text messaging while driving, without the hands-free carve-out that applies to voice calls, except to contact emergency services.