Are Colorado Vehicles Required to Have A Horn?

If you're like most people,  you probably drive for days, possibly weeks, and perhaps months without honking your horn. So are car horns really necessary in Colorado?

You may not honk your horn very often, but, when the occasion calls for it, usually you really need it - like when someone doesn't see you when they are transitioning into your lane and they nearly sideswipe you. You lay on the horn, scaring the stuffing out of the driver, sending him/her swerving back into the lane they came from. Without that horn blast, you would likely be sideswiped, your car could be heavily damaged, and, even worse, the result could be a serious accident.

Sometimes just a quick toot of the horn is needed to remind a sleeping motorist that the light is now green and it's okay to step on the accelerator. At other times, three quick raps of the horn will tell your date you have arrived and it's time for her to come on out. ( He says sarcastically.)

So, yes, it is good to have a functional car horn under your hood, but is it absolutely necessary? The answer is an absolute yes.

The Colorado State Patrol recently shared the state statute that lays down the law. It's CRS 42-4-224 which states:

"Every motor vehicle, when operated upon a highwaywith a horn capable of emitting sound audible... from a distance not less than two hundred feet.”

 

There is not a specific upper limit, but it cannot be “unreasonably loud or harsh."

How loud is too loud? Well, the Colorado statute does not specifically state what the maximum decibel level is for a horn, but you'll likely know it when you hear it.