Alabama CAR DMV Practice Test 6

Children are often the least predictable pedestrians and the most difficult pedestrians to see. Take extra care to look out for children, especially near schools, bus stops, playgrounds, parks, and ice cream trucks. Be aware of children riding bikes on the sidewalk, as they may come onto the road unexpectedly.

The Alabama Mandatory Liability Insurance Law says that no person shall operate, register, or maintain registration of a motor vehicle designed to be used on a public road or highway unless it is covered by a liability insurance policy. This protects consumers when they are involved in an accident.

Legal prescription and over-the-counter drugs can impair your ability to drive, including drugs taken for colds, hay fever, allergies, or to calm nerves or muscles. It is illegal to drive while under the influence of any drug that impairs your ability to drive safely; this law does not differentiate between illegal, prescription, or over-the-counter drugs.

Whenever you want to change lanes or enter traffic, you must be sure that there are no vehicles in your way in the lane you want to enter. Always check for traffic to the side of and behind your vehicle before you change lanes.

"No zones" are areas around trucks or buses in which cars disappear into the larger vehicle's blind spots. "No zones" can also be defined as areas in which cars are so close to the larger vehicle that they restrict the truck or bus driver’s ability to stop and maneuver safely. A car being in a "No zone" greatly increases the potential for a crash.

Use high beam headlights only when driving in rural areas and when other cars are not nearby. Lower your headlights to their low beam setting when you are following closely behind another driver.

When a vehicle makes a turn, the rear wheels follow a shorter path than the front wheels. The longer the vehicle, the bigger the difference between the paths of the front and rear wheels. Therefore, long trucks often have to swing wide to complete a right turn.

You are driving defensively when you are looking down the road for potential hazards. Constantly staring at the road directly in front of your vehicle is dangerous. As you scan ahead, be alert to vehicles around you.

Passing on the right is permissible only if it is possible to do so without driving off the roadway. Never pass another vehicle on the shoulder because the other driver will not expect you to be there and may pull off the road.

A white rectangular sign indicates that you must obey the stated rule. This sign means that drivers should not pass other vehicles for any reason.

This sign warns of of an approaching traffic signal.

When passing a motorcycle, allow a full lane to the motorcycle. Never crowd into the same lane as the motorcycle. Returning to the original lane too soon can force a rider to swerve to the right and into traffic or off the road.

This sign indicates that U-turns are prohibited.

If it feels like your tires have lost contact with the surface of the road, you should ease your foot off the gas pedal and stay off the brakes. Do not try to stop or turn until your tires are gripping the road again.

If worried, ill, nervous, frightened, angry, or depressed, let someone else drive. Driving while your mind is occupied by distracting thoughts is never safe.

A flashing red traffic light means the same thing as a stop sign. When arriving at an intersection with a flashing red light, you must come to a full stop and proceed when it is safe to do so.

Certain offenses committed while driving will count against the driver in Alabama's uniform system of suspending driver licenses. If a driver accrues 24 points or more within a two-year period, their license will be suspended for 365 days.

Only use your horn when it is necessary to avoid collisions. Do not use your horn if a driver or bicyclist is moving slowly and you want him or her to drive faster or get out of your way.

Drivers making a left turn must yield to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction. This includes bicycles and motorcycles.

A flashing red traffic light means the same thing as a stop sign. You must come to a complete stop, yield to other traffic and pedestrians, and then proceed when it safe to do so.

Allow for extra space when driving behind a motorcycle. Motorcycles can stop more quickly than other vehicles can and you must have adequate room to stop if the motorcyclist brakes or falls off. Also, remember that motorcycles are difficult to see at night because they only have one tail light.

A broken yellow centerline next to your side of the road indicates that traffic may cross the centerline to pass from your side of the road.

You should always change lanes gradually and carefully. Only change lanes when necessary. Every lane change increases the possibility of a traffic accident.

Driving during the first half hour of rainfall is dangerous because roadways become extremely slippery when the water mixes with oil and other chemicals on the road surfaces that have not yet washed away. Use extra caution when driving on slippery roads.

When parking uphill on a road that does not have a curb, your front wheels should be turned to the right (toward the edge of the road). This will ensure that the vehicle will roll off of the road if the brakes fail.

Before merging into interstate traffic, you should identify a gap, accelerate to the speed of traffic, and signal. Merge into the gap when it is safe to do so. Be alert to other traffic and do not expect other drivers to clear the lane.

Solid yellow lines on two-lane roads indicate zones where passing is prohibited. If a solid yellow line appears next to a broken yellow line, drivers in the lane nearest to the solid yellow line may not pass. In some instances, both yellow lines will be solid, indicating that it is not safe to pass from either direction.

To avoid the need for last-minute braking or turning, consistently watch the road far ahead of your vehicle. By looking ahead and being ready to stop or change lanes if needed, you can drive more safely, save fuel, and help keep traffic moving at a steady pace.

When passing another vehicle, move back into your original lane only when you can see the passed vehicle’s headlights in your rearview mirror. This ensures that you will have enough room to safely pull back in front of the other vehicle.

Rubbernecking (the practice of slowing down to look at collisions or other out-of-the-ordinary things) contributes to traffic congestion and should be avoided.

This sign prohibits drivers from making a U-turn. You cannot turn around to go in the opposite direction at an intersection where this sign is posted.

The color orange is used only for construction and maintenance warning signs.

A diamond-shaped yellow sign warns of possible danger ahead. Orange signs, which are mostly diamond-shaped, are used to warn of possible dangers in or near work areas.

Only the passage of time can remove alcohol and its impairing effects from the body.

This is a low clearance warning sign. It indicates the distance from the road surface to the bottom of a bridge or overpass (in this case, 12 feet, 6 inches).

A downward-facing triangular sign is always a yield sign. Drivers must be prepared to slow down or stop when approaching a yield sign.

Warning signs are usually yellow with black markings. They alert you to conditions that are immediately ahead. This sign warns drivers about an upcoming winding road.

When driving under snowy or icy conditions, you should make speed and directional changes gradually. Never use cruise control when driving on snow or ice because your tires may lose contact with the road and you will lose control of your vehicle.

When parking either uphill or downhill on a road that has no curb, you should turn your wheels so that the vehicle will roll away from the center of the road if the brakes fail.

While driving, you should remain aware of the actions of surrounding drivers. If you notice an aggressive driver nearby making erratic or improper lane changes, you should not challenge them. The safest way to handle an aggressive driver is to get out of their way.