2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 42 - VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC (§§ 42-1-101 — 42-21-106) › REGULATION OF VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC (§§ 42-4-101 — 42-4-2501) › Article 4 - REGULATION OF VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC (§§ 42-4-101 — 42-4-2501) › Part 14 - OTHER OFFENSES (§§ 42-4-1401 — 42-4-1416) › Section 42-4-1412.5 - Statewide regulation of certain persons approaching intersections who are not operating motor vehicles - status of existing local ordinance or resolution - legislative declaration - definitions

(1)
The general assembly hereby finds and declares that:
(a)
The regulation of persons approaching controlled intersections is a matter of mixed state and local concern; and
(b)
It is necessary, appropriate, and in the best interest of the state to reduce injuries, fatalities, and property damage resulting from collisions at controlled intersections between motor vehicles and persons who are not operating motor vehicles by allowing most persons approaching controlled intersections who are fifteen years of age or older or who are under fifteen years of age and accompanied by an adult and who are not operating motor vehicles to approach controlled intersections in the manner set forth in this section.
(2)
(a)
(I)
A pedestrian or 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.
(II)
For purposes of this subsection (2)(a), 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.
(b)
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.
(c)
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 approaching an intersection of a roadway with an illuminated red traffic control signal may make a left-hand turn only if turning onto a one-way street and only after stopping and yielding to other traffic and pedestrians. However, a person operating a low-speed conveyance shall not turn left if an oncoming vehicle is turning or preparing to turn right.
(d)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection (2), if a county or municipality has placed a traffic sign or a traffic control signal at a controlled intersection and the traffic sign or traffic control signal provides instructions only to one or more specified types of low-speed conveyances, the operator of a low-speed conveyance to which the traffic sign or traffic control signal is directed shall obey the instructions provided by the sign or traffic control signal.
(e)
If a county or municipality adopted a valid ordinance or resolution that regulates bicycles or electrical assisted bicycles substantially as described in subsections (2)(a.5), (2)(b.5), and (2)(c.5) of this section prior to May 3, 2018, that ordinance or resolution remains valid to the extent that it applies to the operation of bicycles or electrical assisted bicycles by persons who are under fifteen years of age and who are not accompanied by an adult.
(2.5)
This section supersedes any conflicting ordinance that a municipality, county, or city and county adopts, but nothing in this section affects the validity of any ordinance or resolution adopted by a municipality, county, or city and county that regulates the conduct of persons approaching controlled intersections and does not conflict with this section.
(3)
This section does not diminish or alter the authority of the department of transportation or the state transportation commission, as those entities are defined in section
43-1-102
, regarding the department's or commission's authority to regulate motor vehicle traffic on any portion of the state highway system as defined in section
43-2-101 (1)
.
(3.5)
This section does not create any right for a pedestrian or the operator of a low-speed conveyance to travel on any portion of a roadway where travel is otherwise prohibited by state law or by an ordinance or resolution adopted by a municipality, county, or city and county.
(4)
As used in this section:
(a)
"Controlled intersection" means an intersection of a roadway that is controlled by either a stop sign or a traffic control signal.
(b)
"Low-speed conveyance" means:
(I)
A vehicle, as defined in section
42-1-102
(112), that is not a motor vehicle, as defined in section
42-1-102 (58)
, a low-power scooter as defined in section
42-1-102
(48.5), or a low-speed electric vehicle, as defined in section
42-1-102
(48.6);
(II)
A toy vehicle, as defined in section
42-1-102
(103.5), that is exclusively human-powered; or
(III)
An electric personal assistance mobility device or EPAMD, as defined in section
42-1-102
(28.7), or a device that would be an electric personal assistance mobility device or EPAMD but for the fact that it has fewer or more than two wheels or has tandem wheels.
Amended by 2022 Ch. 96, § 2, eff. 4/13/2022.
Amended by 2019 Ch. 271, § 15, eff. 5/23/2019.
Added by 2018 Ch. 193, § 1, eff. 5/3/2018.
L. 2018: Entire section added, (SB 18-144), ch. 193, p. 1279, § 1, effective May 3.
Section 19 of chapter 271 (HB 19-1221), Session Laws of Colorado 2019, provides that the act changing this section applies to conduct occurring on or after May 23, 2019.