Parts and accessories - Colorado

Federal regulations

Colorado has adopted Part 393 of the Federal Regulations.

Applicability

Part 393 applies to a self-propelled or towed vehicle bearing an apportioned plate or having a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination rating of at least 16,001 pounds. Part 393 also applies to a vehicle used on a public highway to transport a placardable amount of hazardous materials.

First aid kit

No requirements.

Mudflaps (splash guards)

No motor vehicle may be driven or moved on any street or highway unless it is equipped with splash guards. Splash guards are defined as mudflaps, aprons made of rubber, plastic, or fabric, or other devices directly behind the rear-most wheels, designed to minimize the spray of water and other substances to the rear.

Splash guards must be wide enough to cover the full tread of the tire or tires being protected, hang perpendicular from the vehicle not more than 10 inches above the surface of the street or highway when the vehicle is empty, and generally maintain their perpendicular relationship under normal driving conditions.

Exception — There are exceptions for certain types of vehicles, including trailers equipped with fenders and truck tractors or converter dollies when used in combination with other vehicles.

Studded tires

No tire may have any block, stud, flange, cleat, spike, or other protuberances of any material other than rubber that projects beyond the tread surface.

Tire chains

Tire chains of reasonable size may be used.

Signs along the roadway indicate when the chain law is in effect and when vehicles, including commercial motor vehicles, must be chained. A commercial motor vehicle is defined as having a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 16,001 or more pounds.

Commercial motor vehicles must carry tire chains (or alternate traction devices approved by the Colorado Department of Transportation) on the following highways from September 1 to May 31 of each year:

• I-70 west of milepost 259 (Morrison to Utah state border);
• Colorado Highway 9, milepost 63 to milepost 97 (Frisco to Fairplay);
• Route 40 west of milepost 256 (Empire);
• US Route 50 west of milepost 225 (Salida);
• US Route 160 west of milepost 304 (Walsenburg);
• US Route 285 west of milepost 250 (Morrison); and
• US Route 550 from milepost 0 to 130.