California CAR DMV Practice Test 1

While waiting to turn left, keep your wheels pointed straight ahead until it is safe to start your turn. If a vehicle hits you from behind, this will prevent you from veering into oncoming traffic. When parked facing either uphill or downhill, turn the wheels so the vehicle will not roll into traffic if the brakes fail.

Low beam headlights should be used in fog, rain, and snow. The light from high beams will reflect back to the driver under these weather conditions, causing a glare that will make it difficult to see ahead.

This sign indicates that you are approaching a railroad crossing. You must look, listen, slow down, and prepare to stop. Wait for any trains to pass before you proceed.

If you try to insert your vehicle between a turning truck or bus and a curb, you may suffer a serious crash. To avoid a collision, do not turn until the truck or bus has completed its turn.

When being tailgated, create extra space in front of your vehicle and do not brake suddenly. Slow down gradually or merge into another lane to prevent a collision with the tailgater.

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.

A broken yellow centerline means that a driver may cross the centerline to pass another vehicle on the left as long as there is no oncoming traffic. Drivers should never cross a solid yellow centerline in order to pass.

Before changing lanes, signal, look in all your mirrors, and look over your left or right shoulder to make sure the lane next to you is clear. Looking over your shoulder is a way to check your blind spot to be sure there is no vehicle, motorcycle, or bicycle traffic in the next lane.

When being closely followed by a tailgater, you should slow down gradually or merge into another lane to prevent a collision with them.

Instructions given by police officers directing traffic always override posted traffic signals and signs. Follow the officer's instructions.

Factors affecting a person's absorption of alcohol include the person's weight, their biological sex, the amount of food in their digestive tract, and the number of alcoholic beverages they have consumed. The only thing to do to remove alcohol from a person's system is to wait.

A white, rectangular sign indicates that you must obey important rules. This sign means that drivers should allow the left lane to remain open, when possible, for passing and for faster traffic.

Slow-moving vehicles, such as farm tractors, road maintenance vehicles, and animal-drawn carts, display an orange and red triangle on the back.

Fatigue causes errors related to speed and distance, increases your risk of being in a crash, and causes you to take more time to make decisions. When you are fatigued, you could fall asleep behind the wheel and crash, injuring or killing yourself or others.

When approaching this sign, you must yield the right-of-way. Slow down and let vehicles and pedestrians crossing your path pass before you proceed. If necessary, stop before going ahead.

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.

When making a right turn, you should begin signaling about 100 feet before the turn.

When entering and driving through a work zone, slow down and be prepared to stop. Obey posted speed limits and be alert to conditions around you. Workers could be present.

When backing up, place your right arm on the back of the passenger seat and look directly through the rear window. Do not depend on your rearview or side mirrors as mirrors do not show directly behind your vehicle. Only drive in reverse at a low speed.

A solid yellow light means "caution" and signals that the light will soon turn red. You should stop at a solid yellow light if you can do so safely; otherwise, you should cautiously cross the intersection.

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

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.

When following a motorcyclist, allow for at least a three- to four-second following distance. Motorcycles can stop quickly and following them too closely endangers your life and that of the motorcyclist. If the motorcyclist should fall, you need extra distance to avoid the rider. The chances of a fall are greatest on wet and icy roads, gravel roads, and metal surfaces such as bridges, gratings, and streetcar or railroad tracks.

You should drive more slowly at night than during the day because it is not possible to see as far ahead at night. You should make sure that you can stop within the area illuminated by your headlights.

Warning signs are usually yellow with black markings. This sign alerts drivers to where pedestrians may be crossing. If a pedestrian is crossing in a crosswalk marked with this sign, drivers must stop and remain stopped until the pedestrian is no longer in the crosswalk.

Even if your light is green, you must not enter an intersection unless you can get completely through the intersection before the light turns red. If you block the intersection, you can be cited.

When being passed, you must yield to the passing vehicle and not increase your speed. Allow the vehicle to safely merge back into your lane.

To drive quickly, pass, or turn left, use the left lane. Use the right lane when driving more slowly than surrounding traffic, entering the road, or turning right.

A triangular red and white sign indicates that you must yield the right-of-way.

Yellow lines mark the center of a road used for two-way traffic. A solid yellow centerline indicates that drivers may not cross the line to pass. A broken yellow centerline indicates that drivers may cross the line to pass, but only if passing would not interfere with traffic.