Colorado Car / Permit practice
Colorado Car / Permit: Signals & Pavement Markings practice test
How to read traffic signals, lane lines, and pavement markings — including yellow and white lines, arrows, and flashing lights.
Content reviewed against official driver handbooks · August 12, 2026
14 questions · pass with 11 correct. You get instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.
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12 sample Signals & Pavement Markings questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.
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1. A steady yellow traffic light means:
Correct answer: the light is about to turn red, so stop unless you are already in the intersection
A steady yellow warns that red is next; stop if you can do so safely, but do not stop abruptly if you have already entered the intersection.
Source: Colorado Driver Handbook — Traffic Signals (Steady Yellow Light)
2. If a traffic signal is completely dark or malfunctioning, you should treat the intersection as:
Correct answer: a four-way stop
When a signal is not working, handle the intersection as a four-way stop, yielding in turn to other vehicles.
3. Turning left at a red light is permitted in Colorado when:
Correct answer: you are turning from a one-way street onto another one-way street and no sign bans it
A left turn on red is allowed only from a one-way street onto another one-way street, after stopping and yielding, unless prohibited by a sign.
Source: Colorado Driver Handbook — Traffic Signals (Steady Red Light)
4. A lighted green arrow at an intersection means the driver:
Correct answer: may turn in the direction the arrow points
A green arrow gives a protected movement in the direction it points; a green arrow that turns off while the circular green stays on means you may still turn after yielding.
Source: Colorado Driver Handbook — Traffic Signals (Green Arrow)
5. Shared-lane markings, or 'sharrows', painted on a street tell road users that:
Correct answer: the lane may be too narrow to share side by side, and cyclists may ride in its center
Sharrows indicate a lane that may be too narrow for a car and bicycle to travel abreast, so a cyclist may ride in the middle of the lane.
Source: Colorado Driver Handbook — Pavement Markings (Sharrows)
6. A solid white line along the roadway is used to:
Correct answer: discourage lane changes and mark the edge of the road
A solid white line separates lanes going the same way and asks you to stay in your lane; it also marks the shoulder or edge of the roadway.
Source: Colorado Driver Handbook — Pavement Markings (White Lines)
7. A flashing yellow arrow displayed for a left turn tells the driver to:
Correct answer: turn cautiously after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians
A flashing yellow arrow lets you turn left but only after yielding to oncoming vehicles and people in the crosswalk, so check for a clear path first.
Source: Colorado Driver Handbook — Traffic Signals (Flashing Yellow Arrow)
8. Green-painted pavement on the roadway is generally used to mark:
Correct answer: an area set aside for bicyclists to improve their visibility
Green paint designates a lane or space for bicyclists and helps make riders more visible to drivers.
Source: Colorado Driver Handbook — Pavement Markings (Green Paint)
9. Two solid yellow lines down the middle of a road mean that:
Correct answer: neither direction may pass, except to give a bicyclist three feet when the oncoming lane is clear
Double solid yellow lines prohibit passing on both sides; the lone exception is crossing to give a cyclist the required three feet when no oncoming traffic is present.
Source: Colorado Driver Handbook — Pavement Markings (Yellow Lines)
10. A white diamond symbol painted in a lane usually identifies:
Correct answer: a restricted lane such as a high-occupancy vehicle lane
A white diamond marks a restricted lane; on HOV lanes accompanying signs state how many occupants a vehicle must carry to use it.
Source: Colorado Driver Handbook — Lane Controls (High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes)
11. A broken yellow center line between opposing lanes indicates that:
Correct answer: passing is allowed when it is safe
A broken yellow line separates opposing traffic and shows that passing is permitted on that side when the way is clear.
Source: Colorado Driver Handbook — Pavement Markings (Yellow Lines)
12. A flashing red traffic signal should be treated exactly like:
Correct answer: a stop sign
A flashing red light has the same meaning as a stop sign: come to a full stop, then proceed after yielding to pedestrians and other traffic.
Source: Colorado Driver Handbook — Traffic Signals (Flashing Red Light)
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Every Colorado question is written from the official Colorado driver handbook and checked against its current edition. DMV Test Free is a free, independent study resource — not affiliated with any DMV or government agency. About DMV Test Free