Colorado left turn laws require you to approach the turn from the farthest left lane going your direction, yield to oncoming traffic and any pedestrian in the crosswalk, signal continuously for at least 100 feet ahead of the turn (200 feet where the speed limit tops 40 mph), and finish in the leftmost lane of the road you’re entering. Break one of those rules and you’re looking at a class A traffic infraction: 3 points for an improper turn or failure to yield, 4 points for disobeying a sign or signal, and a base fine of $15 to $100 before court costs and surcharges.
How to Position and Complete the Turn
Two statutes carry most of the weight. C.R.S. § 42-4-901 tells you where to be: approach from the extreme left-hand lane available for your direction, pass to the left of the intersection’s center when practical, and end up in the extreme left-hand lane of the road you’re entering.1Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-901 – Required Position and Method of Turning
C.R.S. § 42-4-702 tells you when to go: yield to any vehicle coming from the opposite direction that is already in the intersection or close enough to be an immediate hazard.2Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-702 – Vehicle Turning Left The statute doesn’t define “immediate hazard” for you. If you misjudge an oncoming car’s speed and pull into its path, the violation is yours.
A green arrow lets you enter the intersection to make the turn it points to, but you still have to yield to pedestrians lawfully in an adjacent crosswalk and to traffic already in the intersection.3Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-604 – Traffic Control Signal Legend
Signal Distances
Failing to signal is its own violation, so a bad turn without a blinker can produce two tickets from one maneuver. Under C.R.S. § 42-4-903, the turn signal must run continuously for at least the last 100 feet before the turn in urban or metropolitan areas. On four-lane highways or any road posted above 40 mph, that stretches to 200 feet. Weather doesn’t change the requirement.4Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-903 – Turning Movements and Required Signals
Signs, Signals, and Flashing Yellow Arrows
Disobeying any official traffic control device — a “Left Turn Yield on Green” sign, a no-left-turn sign, a lane-use arrow painted on the pavement — is a class A traffic infraction under C.R.S. § 42-4-603.5Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-603 – Obedience to Official Traffic Control Devices This one carries 4 points, a step above the 3 points assigned to a positioning error, because the state treats ignoring a posted device as the more serious lapse.6Justia. Colorado Code 42-2-127 – Authority to Suspend or Deny License
Flashing yellow left-turn arrows are increasingly common at Colorado intersections. A flashing yellow arrow means you may turn, but you must yield first to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. Unlike a solid green arrow, it does not give you a protected phase. Treat it as an unprotected left with a visible reminder to check for conflicts.
A malfunctioning signal or an obscured sign may be a defense to a citation for disobeying the device, but you’re still expected to use reasonable caution. Driving blindly through an obviously broken signal won’t protect you from liability if a crash results.
What to Do If an Emergency Vehicle Approaches Mid-Turn
When an authorized emergency vehicle approaches with lights and sirens, the normal rules give way. Colorado law requires you to clear the farthest left lane, move parallel to and as close as possible to the right-hand curb, and stop until the vehicle passes.7Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-705 – Operation of Vehicle Approached by Emergency Vehicle If you’re already mid-turn in the intersection, clear it first and then pull over. Stopping in the middle of the turn blocks the lane the emergency vehicle needs.
Points and Fines
Colorado’s point system assigns specific values to left-turn-related offenses:
- Improper turn: 3 points
- Failure to yield right-of-way: 3 points
- Failure to observe a traffic sign or signal: 4 points
One botched turn can produce more than one citation. Running a no-left-turn sign and failing to yield to oncoming traffic together could total 7 points from a single incident.6Justia. Colorado Code 42-2-127 – Authority to Suspend or Deny License
The base statutory fine for a class A traffic infraction runs from $15 to $100.8Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-1701 – Traffic Offenses and Infractions Classified That’s the starting figure. Court costs, surcharges, and fees routinely push the amount you actually pay well above the base. The exact total depends on the court and the specific violation.
If the left turn causes a crash or injury, the consequences move beyond traffic court into potential civil liability, and in cases involving reckless driving or serious negligence, criminal charges can follow.
When Points Trigger a License Suspension
Points from left-turn violations count toward Colorado’s cumulative suspension thresholds. The Department of Revenue suspends your license when points reach these levels:
- Adults 21 and older: 12 points in any 12-month period, or 18 points in any 24-month period
- Drivers ages 18–20: 9 points in any 12-month period, or 12 points in any 24-month period
- Drivers under 18: 6 points in any 12-month period, or 7 points at any time while under 18
The under-18 thresholds are especially unforgiving. A single incident producing both an improper-turn citation and a failure-to-yield citation puts a 17-year-old at 6 points and into suspension territory. After a points-based suspension, reinstatement requires proof of insurance and a $95 fee.
Commercial Driver Consequences
CDL holders carry a separate layer of exposure. Federal law classifies improper or erratic lane changes as a “serious traffic violation” for commercial drivers, and the disqualification periods escalate fast:
- Second serious violation within 3 years: at least 60-day CDL disqualification
- Third serious violation within 3 years: at least 120-day CDL disqualification
Under 49 CFR § 383.51, those disqualification periods apply whether you were in a commercial vehicle or your personal car at the time of the violation, as long as the conviction produces action against your license.11eCFR. 49 CFR 383.51 – Disqualification of Drivers If your job depends on a CDL, even a routine left-turn ticket is worth contesting.
Removing 3 Points With a Defensive Driving Course
Colorado lets drivers take 3 points off their record by completing an approved defensive driving course, once every 12 months. The course doesn’t erase the underlying conviction, which still appears on your record, but the reduction can keep you below a suspension threshold.
Because an improper-turn conviction carries exactly 3 points, the course can effectively zero out the point penalty from that specific ticket. If you’re sitting at 9 or 10 points and facing suspension territory, it buys breathing room. Only once every 12 months, though, so timing matters.