§ 42-4-1005 — Limitations on overtaking on the left

Colorado § 42-4-1005

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 42: Vehicles and
• Art.: Regulation of Vehicles and Traffic

Text

(1) No vehicle shall be
driven to the left side of the center of the roadway in overtaking and passing
another vehicle proceeding in the same direction unless authorized by the
provisions of this article and unless such left side is clearly visible and is free of
oncoming traffic for a sufficient distance ahead to permit such overtaking and
passing to be completed without interfering with the operation of any vehicle
approaching from the opposite direction or any vehicle overtaken. In every event
the overtaking vehicle must return to an authorized lane of travel as soon as
practicable and, in the event the passing movement involves the use of a lane
authorized for vehicles approaching from the opposite direction, before coming
within two hundred feet of any approaching vehicle.

(2) No vehicle shall be driven on the left side of the roadway under the
following conditions:

(a) When approaching or upon the crest of a grade or a curve in the highway
where the driver's view is obstructed within such distance as to create a hazard in
the event another vehicle might approach from the opposite direction;

(b) When approaching within one hundred feet of or traversing any
intersection or railroad grade crossing; or

(c) When the view is obstructed upon approaching within one hundred feet of
any bridge, viaduct, or tunnel.

(3) The department of transportation and local authorities are authorized to
determine those portions of any highway under their respective jurisdictions where
overtaking and passing or driving on the left side of the roadway would be
especially hazardous and may by appropriate signs or markings on the roadway
indicate the beginning and end of such zones. Where such signs or markings are in
place to define a no-passing zone and such signs or markings are clearly visible to
an ordinarily observant person, no driver shall drive on the left side of the roadway
within such no-passing zone or on the left side of any pavement striping designed
to mark such no-passing zone throughout its length.

(4) The provisions of this section shall not apply:

(a) Upon a one-way roadway;

(b) Under the conditions described in section 42-4-1001 (1)(b);

(c) To the driver of a vehicle turning left into or from an alley, private road, or
driveway when such movement can be made in safety and without interfering with,
impeding, or endangering other traffic lawfully using the highway; or

(d) To the driver of a vehicle passing a bicyclist moving the same direction
and in the same lane when such movement can be made in safety and without
interfering with, impeding, or endangering other traffic lawfully using the highway.

(5) Any person who violates any provision of this section commits a class A
traffic infraction.

Legislative History

Source: L. 94: Entire title amended with relocations, p. 2359, � 1, effective January 1, 1995. L. 2009: (4)(d) added, (SB 09-148), ch. 239, p. 1088, � 4, effective August 5.