Home » Bike Laws » State Bike Laws

State Bike Laws

Riding a bike is a healthy, fun and safe activity. However, it isn't without some risk. The following information highlights 13 areas of law that may minimize that risk and have the potential to reduce conflicts between bikes and cars (and other traffic). These highlights only cover statewide laws and are not comprehensive.

If you want to learn more about state bicycling policies and efforts, check out our Bicycle Friendly State program.

Check out our Smart Cycling videos if you are interested in bicycling education videos.

All laws mentioned here were compiled as part of a research project in the fall of 2012 and may be subject to change. We update laws as we work with our member advocacy organizations to pass better laws and as advocates or the public tell us about changes. Please help us keep them updated by contacting [email protected] with any updates.

Select your state from the list below to review that state's bike laws.

Colorado

Safe Passing Laws

Colorado has codified a three foot passing requirement in three rules to address the variety of circumstances in which a bicyclist may be overtaken by a motorist. These circumstances are:

  • Passing oncoming vehicles
  • Passing to the left
  • Passing to the right

In each case the motorist must maintain at least a three foot distance between the side of their vehicle facing the bicyclist, including all mirrors or other projections, and the bicyclist being overtaken.

Sources: Colo. Rev. Stat. §§42-4-1002; 42-4-1003; 42-4-1004

Helmet Law

Colorado has no helmet law. It is legal for all persons of any age to operate a bicycle without wearing a helmet unless otherwise provided by a municipal regulation.

Source: N/A

Share the Road license plates

Colorado, in conjunction with Bicycle Colorado, offers Share the Road license plates. For more information on such plates please visit: https://www.bicyclecolorado.org/get-involved/share-the-road/

Source: Colo. Rev. Stat. §42-3-226

Vulnerable Road User Laws

Colorado defines a “vulnerable road user” as:

(a) A pedestrian; (b) A person engaged in work upon a roadway or upon utility facilities along a roadway; (c) A person providing emergency services within a right-of-way; (d) A peace officer who is outside a motor vehicle and performing the peace officer’s duties in a right-of-way; (e) A person riding or leading an animal; OR (f) A person lawfully using any of the following on a public right-of-way, crosswalk, or shoulder of the roadway:

(I) A bicycle, electrical assisted bicycle, tricycle, or other pedal-powered vehicle;

(II) A farm tractor or similar vehicle designed primarily for farm use; (III) A skateboard; (IV) Roller skates; (V) In-line skates; (VI) A scooter; (VII) A moped;(VIII) A motorcycle; (IX) An off-highway vehicle; (X) An animal-drawn, wheeled vehicle; (XI) Farm equipment; (XII) A sled; (XIII) An electric personal assistive mobility device; (XIV) A wheelchair; (XV) A baby stroller; OR (XVI) A nonmotorized pull wagon.

In Colorado, a person who drives a motor vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner and whose actions are the proximate cause of serious bodily injury to a vulnerable road user commits the offense of “Infliction of Serious Bodily Injury to a Vulnerable Road User.”

“Infliction of Serious Bodily Injury to a Vulnerable Road User” is a class 1 traffic misdemeanor. A court may order the violator to: 1) Attend a driver improvement course; and 2) perform useful public service for a number of hours, which must not exceed three hundred twenty hours. A court may also impose: 1) License suspension; and 2) An order of restitution.

In addition:

  • Any person who knowingly projects any object or substance at or against a bicyclist commits a class 2 misdemeanor.
  • Any driver of a motor vehicle who, in a careless and imprudent manner, drives the vehicle unnecessarily close to, toward, or near a bicyclist is guilty of the offense of careless driving, which is a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense. If the careless driving results in serious injury or death then it is a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense.

Sources: Colo. Rev. Stat. §§18-9-116; 42-4-1008.5; 42-4-1402; 42-4-1402.5

Distracted Driving Laws

Colorado currently has the following laws aimed at distracted driving, subject to limited exceptions:

  • Persons less than eighteen years of age from using a wireless telephone while operating a motor vehicle.
  • Persons eighteen years of age or older are prohibited from using a wireless telephone for the purpose of engaging in text messaging or other similar forms of manual data entry or transmission while operating a motor vehicles.
  • No person shall operate a motor vehicle while wearing earphones, which is defined as a device which provides the listener with radio programs, music, or other recorded information through a device attached to the head and which covers all of or a portion of the ears.

Sources: Colo. Rev. Stat. §§42-4-239; 42-4-1411

Where to Ride

Colorado has some of the most specific laws regarding where a bicyclist should ride, and just as importantly, where a bicyclist should not be obligated to ride in the nation. The general rule is that:

If the right-hand lane then available for traffic is wide enough to be safely shared with overtaking vehicles, a bicyclist shall ride far enough to the right as judged safe by the bicyclist to facilitate the movement of such overtaking vehicles unless other conditions make it unsafe to do so. A bicyclist may use a lane other than the right-hand lane when:

  • Preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private roadway or driveway;
  • Overtaking a slower vehicle; or
  • Taking reasonably necessary precautions to avoid hazards or road conditions.

A bicyclist shall not be expected or required to:

  • Ride over or through hazards at the edge of a roadway, including but not limited to fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or narrow lanes; or
  • Ride without a reasonable safety margin on the right-hand side of the roadway.

Source: Colo. Rev. Stat. §42-4-1412(5)

Sidewalk Riding

Colorado provides that no person shall drive any vehicle other than a bicycle, electric assisted bicycle, or any other human-powered vehicle upon a sidewalk or sidewalk area, except upon a permanent or duly authorized temporary driveway.

In addition, when a person is riding a bicycle upon a sidewalk, pathway or crosswalk the bicyclist shall:

  • Yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian in a manner that is safe for pedestrians.
  • Not ride a bicycle where such use is prohibited by official traffic control devices or local ordinances. A person riding a bicycle shall dismount before entering any crosswalk where required by official traffic control devices or local ordinances.
  • Have all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances.

Sources: Colo. Rev. Stat. §§42-4-710; 42-4-1412(10)

Mandatory Use of Separated Facilities

Colorado does not require that bicyclists use any lane or path other than a normal vehicular traffic lane.

Source: N/A

Bicycling Under the Influence

In Colorado, bicycles are defined as vehicles. Colorado’s law prohibiting driving while under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances is written so that it applies to all vehicles and therefore applies to bicyclists. Bicycles should not be operated while intoxicated and operating a bicycle while under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances may result in severe punishments.

Sources: Colo. Rev. Stat. §§42-4-1301; 42-1-102

“Idaho Stop” and Vehicle Detection Errors

Colorado provides that a person who is fifteen years of age or older or who is under fifteen years of age and accompanied by an adult and who is operating a low-speed conveyance and approaching a controlled intersection with a stop sign shall slow down and, if required for safety, stop before entering the intersection. If a stop is not required for safety, the pedestrian or person operating a low-speed conveyance shall slow to a reasonable speed and yield the right-of-way to any traffic or pedestrian in or approaching the intersection. After the pedestrian or person operating a low-speed conveyance has slowed to a reasonable speed and yielded the right-of-way if required, the pedestrian or person operating a low-speed conveyance may cautiously make a turn or proceed through the intersection without stopping.

According to Colorado law, a reasonable speed is ten miles per hour or less. A municipality, by ordinance, or a county, by resolution, may raise the maximum reasonable speed to twenty miles per hour if the municipality or county also posts signs at the intersection stating that higher speed limitation.

A person who is fifteen years of age or older or who is under fifteen years of age and is accompanied by an adult and who is operating a low-speed conveyance and approaching a controlled intersection with an illuminated red traffic control signal shall stop before entering the intersection and shall yield to all other traffic and pedestrians. Once the person operating a low-speed conveyance has yielded, the person operating a low-speed conveyance may cautiously proceed in the same direction through the intersection or make a right-hand turn. When a red traffic control signal is illuminated, a person operating a low-speed conveyance shall not proceed through the intersection or turn right if an oncoming vehicle is turning or preparing to turn left in front of the person operating a low-speed conveyance.

Colorado’s law has several other distinct provisions about how to properly proceed through intersections and an explanation from the Colorado Department of Transportation is available here: https://www.codot.gov/safety/shift-into-safe-news/2022/may/assets/safety-stop-pamphlet-final.pdf

Source: Colo. Rev. Stat. §42-4-1412.5

Authorization for Local Regulation of bicycles

Colorado provides that its traffic laws shall not be deemed to prevent local authorities, with respect to streets and highways under their jurisdiction and within the reasonable exercise of the police power, except those streets and highways that are parts of the state highway system, from regulating the operation of bicycles and requiring the registration and licensing of same, including the requirement of a registration fee, consistent with state traffic laws.

Source: Colo. Rev. Stat. §42-4-111

Dooring law

Colorado requires that no person open the door of a motor vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so and can be done without interfering with the movement of other traffic. In addition, no person shall leave a door open on the side of a vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.

Source: Colo. Rev. Stat. §42-4-1207

Treatment as a Vehicle

In Colorado bicycles are vehicles according to the statute that defines vehicles and a person riding a bicycle has all of the rights and duties of the driver of a vehicle as provided in Article 42-4.

Source: Colo. Rev. Stat. §§42-1-102(112); 42-4-1412

Source of Laws

The laws regulating the operation of bicycles in the state of Colorado are generally found in the Colorado Revised Statutes (Colo. Rev. Stat.), available here http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/Colorado/.

Other Resources

The following resources may be useful: