California DMV Practice Test – Sample Questions – 3

You must not try to pass a bicyclist just before making a turn. Watch out for traffic coming up on your left before you make the turn.

A yellow signal light means caution. The red signal is about to appear. When you see the yellow light, stop if you can do so safely. If you cannot stop safely, enter the intersection cautiously.

When the bus flashes red lights, you must stop in either direction. You do not need to stop if the school bus is on the other side of a divided or multilane highway (two or more lanes in each direction).

If you drink alcohol, there are ways to control the effects. The best is to space out your drinking. The concentration of alcohol in the blood primarily changes with the number of drinks consumed, time spent drinking, gender, and body weight. It does not depend on what alcoholic beverage you drink, how physically fit you are, or how well you can hold your liquor. Food in the stomach causes alcohol to be absorbed more slowly, slowing down the rate and the amount of intoxication. It will not prevent the alcohol from getting into your blood.

If you must stop after crossing the tracks, wait until you can completely cross the tracks before proceeding. Make sure your vehicle clears the tracks before you stop. Never stop on the railroad tracks. Remember that a train cannot stop quickly or swerve out of the way. If you are on the tracks, you risk injury or death.

An eight-sided red stop sign indicates that you must make a full stop whenever you see this sign. Stop at the white limit line (a broad white line painted on the street) or before entering the crosswalk. Stop before entering the intersection if a limit line or crosswalk is not painted on the street.

Be careful when following a motorcycle. Maintain a safe following distance at all times. Motorcycles generally can stop faster than passenger vehicles.

The One-Direction Large Arrow sign is used either as a supplement or alternative to the Chevron signs. It can also supplement a Turn or Reverse Turn sign. The sign is not used in roundabouts, at the beginnings and ends of medians, or at center piers.

In California, you may never drive faster than is safe for the current road conditions. This is known as the Basic Speed Law.

If you are driving slowly on a two-lane highway or road where passing is unsafe and five or more vehicles are following you, drive into the turnout areas or lanes to let them pass. Some two-lane roads have passing lanes, and others have special turnout areas. Drive into these areas when you need to allow cars behind you to pass.

Never park a car on a crosswalk.

Overdriving headlights is a common and dangerous practice. You must be able to stop within the distance you can see ahead with your headlights. Remember to drive more slowly at night because you cannot see as far ahead, and you will have less time to stop for a hazard.

Use hand-and-arm signals if bright sunlight makes the signal lights hard to see.

You must never make a U-turn at or on a railroad crossing.

During an enforcement stop, it is important to acknowledge the officer's presence by turning on your right turn signal. Move your vehicle to the right shoulder of the road. Pull your vehicle as far off the roadway as possible and stop. Roll down your window. Limit the movements of the driver and passengers. Remain inside your vehicle unless otherwise directed by the officer. Place your hands in clear view, preferably on the steering wheel. All passengers should also keep their hands in plain view. Obtain your driver's license and vehicle registration only when requested.

Do not allow a person to ride in the back of a pickup or other truck unless the vehicle has seats and the person uses both the seat and a safety belt.

Watch for vehicles around you. Use your mirrors and turn signals. Turn your head to glance over your shoulder before changing lanes or merging in traffic. Drivers who fail to check their blind spots by looking over their shoulders cause many crashes.

A blue curb tells you that parking is permitted only for a disabled person or a driver of a disabled person who displays a placard or a special license plate for disabled persons or disabled veterans.

A container of liquor, beer, or wine carried inside the vehicle must be full, sealed, and unopened. Otherwise, it must be in the trunk or where passengers do not sit. Keeping an opened alcoholic drink in the glove compartment is specifically against the law in California. If you are under 21, you may not have beer, wine, or liquor in your vehicle unless accompanied by a parent or other person as specified by law. The law specifies the parent, responsible adult relative, any other adult designated by the parent, or legal guardian.

You can only make a left turn against the red light from a one-way street onto another one-way street if there is no sign prohibiting the turn.

You must slow or stop your vehicle and yield the right-of-way for a pedestrian crossing at a crosswalk (marked or unmarked) when the pedestrian steps off the curb at the entrance to the crosswalk or is within any portion of the crosswalk.

If the high beams of an oncoming car are not dimmed, avoid looking directly at the bright lights. Glance toward the right side of the road, then look ahead to determine the other vehicle's position. Keep doing this until you have passed the other vehicle.

If it reaches the intersection simultaneously, you must yield to the vehicle that arrives first or to the car on your right. This question asked who must yield (not who should be given the right-of-way).

You must obey any traffic direction, order, or signal by a traffic or police officer or a firefighter, even if it conflicts with existing signs, signals, or laws.

It is illegal to wear a headset covering, earplugs in, or earphones covering, resting on, or inserted in both ears while driving. With some exceptions, using a cellphone with a hands-free device is not illegal.

Discuss health concerns such as poor vision, heart problems, diabetes, or epilepsy with your physician and follow their advice. Notify the DMV if your condition might affect your ability to drive safely.

As other vehicles, bicycles, or pedestrians may cross or enter your path at any time, you should look to the sides to make sure no one is coming. This is especially true at intersections, railroad crossings, or when changing lanes. Remember, to be a good driver, you must know what is happening around your vehicle. You must look ahead, to the sides, and behind your vehicle.

You must comply with speed limits. If you have to speed to pass, you probably do not need to pass.

Signal at least five seconds before you change lanes on a freeway.

White dashed or broken lines separate traffic lanes on multi-lane highways. Broken lines are permissive in character.

Driving under the influence of any drug that impairs your ability to drive safely is always illegal.

You may make a legal U-turn at an intersection on a green traffic signal light or green arrow unless a No U-turn sign is posted.

If you must stop on a freeway, park completely off the pavement and stay in your vehicle with the doors locked until help arrives.

Anyone convicted of assaulting a highway worker faces fines of up to $2,000 and imprisonment for up to one year.

It is against the law for a minor to use a cell phone or electronic wireless device to answer calls and send or respond to text messages while driving. However, they may use a cell phone to call for emergency assistance.

If you are involved in a crash, you must stop, regardless of the extent of damage.

Use the left lane to drive faster, pass, or turn left. Use the right lane when driving slowly, entering, or turning off the road. If you can choose between three lanes, pick the middle lane for the smoothest driving.

To prevent skidding on slippery surfaces, drive slowly and stay farther behind the vehicle ahead of you. Slow down as you approach curves and intersections. Avoid fast turns and quick stops. Avoid slippery areas like ice patches, wet leaves, oil, or deep puddles.

When you follow so closely behind a truck that you cannot see the truck driver's side view mirrors, the trucker cannot see you and has no way of knowing you are there.

Merge sign. You are approaching a point where other traffic lanes come together with your lane. Watch for traffic from that direction.