Colorado Revised Statutes

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-603 (2026)

Obedience to official traffic control devices

✓ current as of July 2026

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(1) No driver of a vehicle shall disobey the instructions of any official traffic control device including any official hand signal device placed or displayed in accordance with the provisions of this article unless otherwise directed by a police officer subject to the exceptions in this article granted the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle.

(2) No provision of this article for which official traffic control devices are required shall be enforced against an alleged violator if at the time and place of the alleged violation an official device is not in proper position and sufficiently legible to be seen by an ordinarily observant person. Whenever a particular section does not state that official traffic control devices are required, such section shall be effective even though no devices are erected or in place.

(3) Whenever official traffic control devices are placed in position approximately conforming to the requirements of this article, such devices shall be presumed to have been so placed by the official act or direction of lawful authority unless the contrary is established by competent evidence.

(4) Any official traffic control device placed pursuant to the provisions of this article and purporting to conform to the lawful requirements pertaining to such devices shall be presumed to comply with the requirements of this article unless the contrary is established by competent evidence.

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

Source: L. 94: Entire title amended with relocations, p. 2340, § 1, effective January 1, 1995.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 42-4-504 as it existed prior to 1994, and the former § 42-4-603 was relocated to § 42-4-703.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 4 cases, 1981–2015 · leading case: Smith v. Charnes, 649 P.2d 1089 (Colo. 1982).

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Smith v. Charnes, 649 P.2d 1089 (Colo. 1982). · cites it 3× “Section 42-4-603, C.R.S.1973 (1981 Supp.).”

Vititoe v. Rocky Mountain Pavement Maint., Inc., 412 P.3d 767 (Colo. Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 2× “); proceed in a timely manner through a green light, see § 42-4-603(1), C.R.S.2014 (no driver may disobey the instructions of an official traffic control device); and remove his truck from the road after he had become fatigued.”

Zoske v. People, 625 P.2d 1024 (Colo. 1981). · cites it 3× “1973), and for a stop sign violation (section 42-4-603, C.R.S. 1973). We affirm the judgment of conviction for the stop sign violation, and reverse the conviction for driving under the influence, and remand for a new trial on that charge.”

People v. Trimble, 839 P.2d 1168 (Colo. 1992). “); and failing to yield or to stop before entering intersection, § 42-4-603, 17 C.R.S. (1992 Supp.). . The People filed this appeal pursuant to section 16-12-102(1), 8A C.”

— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-603(1) — 1 case

Vititoe v. Rocky Mountain Pavement Maint., Inc., 412 P.3d 767 (Colo. Ct. App. 2015). “); proceed in a timely manner through a green light, see § 42-4-603(1), C.R.S.2014 (no driver may disobey the instructions of an official traffic control device); and remove his truck from the road after he had become fatigued.”

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