§ 54-73. Brakes.
(a)
Brake equipment required:
(1)
Every motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle or low-power scooter, when operated upon a roadway, shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop and hold such vehicle, including two (2) separate means of applying the brakes, each of which means shall be effective to apply the brakes to at least two (2) wheels. If these two (2) separate means of applying the brakes are connected in any way, they shall be so constructed that failure of any one (1) part of the operating mechanism shall not leave the motor vehicle without brakes on at least two (2) wheels.
(2)
Every motorcycle, low-power scooter, and bicycle with motor attached, when operated upon a roadway shall be equipped with at least one (1) brake, which may be operated by hand or foot, which enables the operator to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level, clean pavement.
(3)
Every trailer or semitrailer of a gross weight of three thousand (3,000) pounds or more, when operated upon a roadway, shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop and to hold such vehicle and so designed as to be applied by the driver of the towing motor vehicle from the cab, and the brakes shall be so designed and connected that in case of an accidental breakaway of the towed vehicle the brakes shall be automatically applied, except for trailers owned by farmers when transporting agricultural products produced on the owner's farm or supplies back to the farm of the owner of the trailer, tank trailers not exceeding ten thousand (10,000) pounds gross weight used solely for transporting liquid fertilizer or gaseous fertilizer under pressure, or distributor trailers not exceeding ten thousand (10,000) pounds gross weight used solely for transporting and distributing dry fertilizer when hauled by a truck capable of stopping within the distance specified in subsection (b).
(4)
Every motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer constructed or sold in this city or operated upon the streets of the city shall be equipped with service brakes upon all wheels of every such vehicle; except that any trailer or semitrailer of less than fifteen hundred (1,500) pounds gross weight, or any horse trailer of a capacity of two (2) horses or less, or trailers owned by farmers when transporting agricultural products produced on the owner's farm or supplies back to the farm of the owner of the trailer, or tank trailers not exceeding ten thousand (10,000) pounds gross weight used solely for transporting liquid fertilizer or gaseous fertilizer under pressure, or distributor trailers not exceeding ten thousand (10,000) pounds gross weight used solely for transporting and distributing dry fertilizer when hauled by a truck capable of stopping with loaded trailer attached in the distance specified by subsection (b) need not be equipped with brakes, and any two-wheel motor vehicle need have brakes on only one (1) wheel; and except that any truck or truck tractor, having three (3) or more axles, need not have brakes on the wheels of the front or tandem steering axles if the brakes on the other wheels meet the performance requirements of subsection (b).
(b)
Performance ability of brakes:
(1)
The service brakes upon any motor vehicle or combination of vehicles shall be adequate to stop such vehicle when traveling twenty (20) miles per hour within a distance of forty (40) feet when upon dry asphalt or concrete pavement surface free from loose material where the grade does not exceed one (1) percent.
(2)
Under the conditions stated in subsection (b)(1), the hand brakes shall be adequate to stop such vehicle within a distance of fifty-five (55) feet, and hand brake shall be adequate to hold such vehicle stationary on any grade upon which operated.
(3)
Under the conditions stated in subsection (b)(1), the service brakes upon a motor vehicle equipped with two (2) wheel brakes only, when permitted under this section, shall be adequate to stop the vehicle within a distance of fifty-five (55) feet.
(4)
All braking distances specified in this section shall apply to all vehicles mentioned, whether such vehicles are not loaded or are loaded to the maximum capacity permitted under this chapter.
(5)
All brakes shall be maintained in good working order and shall be so adjusted as to operate as equally as possible with respect to the wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle.
(Code 1950, § 507.4; Ord. No. 686-09, § 4, 11-23-09)
State law reference
Similar provisions, C.R.S. 1973, 42-4-220.