Colorado Revised Statutes

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-1003 (2026)

Overtaking a vehicle on the left

✓ current as of July 2026

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(1) The following rules shall govern the overtaking and passing of vehicles proceeding in the same direction, subject to the limitations, exceptions, and special rules stated in this section and sections 42-4-1004 to 42-4-1008:

(a) The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left of the vehicle at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle.

(b) The driver of a motor vehicle overtaking a bicyclist proceeding in the same direction shall allow the bicyclist at least a three-foot separation between the right side of the driver's vehicle, including all mirrors or other projections, and the left side of the bicyclist at all times.

(c) Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle on audible signal and shall not increase the speed of the driver's vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle.

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

Source: L. 94: Entire title amended with relocations, p. 2358, § 1, effective January 1, 1995. L. 2009: (1) amended, (SB 09-148), ch. 239, p. 1088, § 2, effective August 5.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 42-4-903 as it existed prior to 1994, and the former § 42-4-1003 was relocated to § 42-4-1103.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 2 cases, 1993–1994 · leading case: Moody v. Ungerer, 885 P.2d 200 (Colo. 1994).

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Moody v. Ungerer, 885 P.2d 200 (Colo. 1994). · cites it 2× “Section 42-4-1003,17 C.R.S. (1984), grants a police officer authority to issue a traffic citation to the driver of a vehicle who is impeding traffic.”

Ungerer v. Moody, 859 P.2d 251 (Colo. Ct. App. 1993). · cites it 2× “If plaintiff had been impeding traffic, his conduct would have been in violation of § 42-4-1003, C.R.S. (1984 Repl.Vol. 17). Because this is a “class A traffic infraction,” defendant would have been authorized to stop plaintiff and issue a “penalty assessment notice,” see §…”

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