Driving Tests

Colorado School Bus, Four-Way Stop and Roundabout Rules

informational·how to guide·Published April 18, 2026

When must you stop for a school bus in Colorado, and who goes first at a four-way stop or roundabout?

In Colorado, stop at least 20 feet before a stopped school bus that has its signal lights on, and stay stopped until the lights go off. At a four-way stop, the first vehicle to arrive goes first. If two vehicles arrive together, the vehicle on the left yields to the vehicle on the right. In a roundabout, entering traffic yields to traffic already circulating.

Where these Colorado rules come from

The school bus, stop sign, intersection, move over and roundabout rules come from the Colorado Revised Statutes, sections 42-4-701, 42-4-703, 42-4-705, 42-4-715 and 42-4-1903. The four-way stop and roundabout driving advice comes from the Colorado Driver Handbook of the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The information is as of 2026, and the statute text used here is the 2024 edition. Confirm the rules with the Colorado DMV (dmv.colorado.gov) before you drive.

When you must stop for a Colorado school bus

Stop at least 20 feet before a school bus that has stopped with its signal lights on. The rule covers a driver who meets or overtakes the bus, from either direction. The bus can be on your side of the road, on the opposite side, or at an intersection that you approach. The handbook measures the 20 feet from the front or rear bumper of the bus. A bus that is not required to have signal lights still makes you stop when it stops to load or unload schoolchildren. A free practice question on red school bus signals shows the same rule.

What the yellow and red school bus lights mean

What the yellow and red school bus lights mean
Signal	When it is on	What it means for you
Flashing yellow lights	At least 200 feet before the bus stops. They stay on until the bus door opens.	The bus is about to stop to load or unload children.
Red lights and stop arm	When the bus is stopped to load or unload children, or is stopped behind or across from another school bus that is doing so. They come on when the bus door opens.	Stop and stay stopped until the driver pulls in the stop arm and turns off the red lights.
No signal lights on	The stop arm is in and the red lights are off.	You may go. Watch for children near the bus and in the road.

Do you have to stop? Four school bus situations

A school bus is stopped on your side of the road with its lights on

Stop at least 20 feet away and wait until the lights are off.

The bus is on the opposite side of the road, or at an intersection that you approach

Stop. The rule covers both places.

The bus is on a different roadway of a highway with separate roadways

You need not stop. A median or another clearly indicated dividing section or island makes separate roadways.

The bus has no signal lights but stops to load or unload schoolchildren

Stop. The law requires a stop for that bus too.

What happens if you pass a stopped school bus

The school bus driver reports the violation to the school district transportation dispatcher with the color, a basic description and the license plate number of your vehicle. Police may write a citation from that report. Not stopping is a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense. It is a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense if you were convicted of the same violation within the previous five years.

How to take your turn at a four-way stop

1
Stop in the right place
Stop at the marked stop line. If there is no line, stop before the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection. If there is no crosswalk, stop at the point nearest the crossing road where you can see approaching traffic.
2
Yield to traffic already there
After you stop, yield to any vehicle in the intersection, or on the other road and so close that it is an immediate hazard.
3
Let the first vehicle go first
Yield to the vehicle that reached the intersection before you.
4
Use the right-hand rule for a tie
When vehicles reach the intersection at the same time, the vehicle on the left yields and the vehicle on the right goes first. A free practice question on a same-time four-way stop uses this rule.
5
Watch for a crash
Whoever has the right-of-way, you are always responsible for avoiding a crash.

Uncontrolled intersections and yield signs

An uncontrolled intersection has no control devices such as stop signs or traffic lights. When vehicles arrive at the same time, the vehicle on the left yields and the vehicle on the right goes first. State law sets the same rule for vehicles that reach an intersection from different highways at about the same time. At a yield sign, slow to a speed that is reasonable for the conditions, and stop if safety requires it. Then yield to any vehicle in the intersection or so close that it is an immediate hazard.

Who yields in a Colorado roundabout

A roundabout is a circular intersection where traffic flows almost continuously one way around a central island. Vehicles go to the right around the island, and entering traffic yields to circulating traffic. When you enter or leave, yield to pedestrians and bicyclists in any crosswalk and to traffic already inside. If no large vehicle is present, yield to approaching traffic on the left, and do not stop completely unless traffic prevents you from merging. Use your turn signal when you change lanes and when you exit. A free practice question on entering a roundabout checks who has priority.

The large vehicle rule in a roundabout

Colorado law adds a rule for large vehicles: a truck, bus, emergency vehicle or recreational vehicle that generally is more than 35 feet long or more than 10 feet wide. This rule took effect on October 1, 2023 (HB 23-1014).

When to yield to a large vehicle in a roundabout

A large vehicle is entering, exiting or driving in the circle at the same time as you, or so close that it is an immediate hazard

Yield to it, and slow down or yield as needed.

A large vehicle is approaching but has not yet entered the roundabout

You do not have to yield to it.

A large vehicle is driving behind you in the roundabout

You do not have to let it pass.

Two large vehicles are in the roundabout at the same time

The driver on the right yields to the driver on the left.

Move over for a stopped emergency vehicle

The move over law covers a stationary emergency vehicle with flashing red, blue or white lights. With two or more lanes in your direction, move into a lane at least one lane apart from the vehicle. If you cannot, or the road has one lane in your direction, slow to a safe speed and use care. The law presumes 25 mph or less is safe under a 45 mph limit, and 20 mph under the limit at 45 mph or more. A violation is careless driving, or a more serious offense if it injures or kills someone.

Key takeaways

Stop at least 20 feet before a stopped school bus with its signal lights on, from either direction, and stay stopped until the stop arm is in and the red lights are off.
At a four-way stop, the first vehicle to arrive goes first, and in a tie the vehicle on the right goes first.
In a roundabout, entering traffic yields to circulating traffic, and you yield to a large vehicle that is in the circle at the same time or so close that it is a hazard.
Practice these rules on the free Colorado Class R practice test, which is in English only.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I stop for a school bus that only has yellow lights flashing?

Not yet. Yellow lights warn you that the bus is about to stop. They come on at least 200 feet before the stop and stay on until the bus door opens. When the door opens, the red STOP lights and stop arm come on. Then stop at least 20 feet away and stay stopped until the driver pulls in the stop arm and turns off the red lights.

Is a painted median enough to skip stopping for a school bus?

It can be. The law says a highway has separate roadways when a depressed, raised or painted median, or another clearly indicated dividing section or island, divides it, and you need not stop for a bus on a different roadway. The handbook says a median or other physical barrier. If the bus is on your roadway or the road is not divided, stop.

Do I have to stop completely in a roundabout?

The handbook says not to stop completely unless existing traffic prevents you from merging. If no large vehicle is present, yield to approaching traffic on the left. Check the crosswalks as well, and yield to any pedestrians waiting to cross or crossing, and to bicyclists in a crosswalk.

What is the penalty for not yielding at a stop sign or in a roundabout?

In Colorado, breaking the stop sign rule, the yield sign rule, the same-time intersection rule or the roundabout yield rules is a class A traffic infraction. The school bus law is stricter: not stopping for a stopped school bus with its lights on is a misdemeanor traffic offense.