California CAR DMV Practice Test 14

Any time that you merge into city or highway traffic, you should wait for a gap in traffic large enough for your vehicle to get up to the speed of other traffic.

As daylight begins to fade, turn on your low beams to help others see you. Only use your high beam headlights in an open area where no other drivers are present.

If a tire suddenly goes flat while you are driving, hold the steering wheel tightly and keep the vehicle moving straight. Slow down gradually by taking your foot off the gas pedal and using the brakes lightly.

Before changing lanes, you should check your side mirrors and look over your shoulder to make sure it is safe to proceed.

Because they are larger, trucks take longer to stop than cars traveling at the same speed. Other drivers should not pull in front of a truck and then slow down or stop.

You should always signal when turning, changing lanes, slowing down, or stopping so that other drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians will know your intentions.

You may never drive through a safety zone. This space is set aside for pedestrians.

A flashing red signal means "stop." After coming to a stop, you may proceed once it is safe, observing all right-of-way rules.

The term “distracted driving” refers to driving while anything takes your eyes, hands, or mind away from the task at hand. Distracted driving is the most common contributing factor to reported traffic collisions. Distractions of any sort cause drivers to miss key visual and audio cues needed to avoid a crash.

California has a "Basic Speed Law," which means that you may never drive faster than would be safe in current conditions. Even if your speed is slower than the posted limit, you may still be cited if you are going too fast for conditions. When deciding how quickly to drive, drivers should take multiple factors into account, such as the speed of surrounding vehicles, the condition of the road surface, the presence of bicyclists and pedestrians, and weather conditions.

When parking alongside the curb on a level street, the front and back wheels of your vehicle must be parallel with and within 18 inches of the curb.

This sign indicates parking spaces that are reserved for vehicles displaying Persons with Disabilities license plates, Disabled Veteran license plates, and/or disabled parking placards.

A truck's blind spots are much larger than a smaller car’s blind spots. The driver cannot see your car behind their vehicle and you can't see what’s happening in traffic ahead if you're driving too closely behind the truck. Whether you are driving behind or to the side of the truck, if you can’t see the driver’s face in their side view mirror, then they can’t see you.

Diamond-shaped signs are used to warn of actual or possible hazards. The color orange is used for warning signs usually found in construction or maintenance areas.

An octagonal sign always means stop. When approaching a stop sign, you must come to a complete stop at the marked stop line and proceed only when it is safe to do so. If there is no stop line, stop before the crosswalk. If there is no crosswalk, stop before the intersection at a point from which you can see oncoming traffic.

Your vehicle's blind spots are the areas that you cannot see in your mirrors. Look over the appropriate shoulder to check your blind spot when changing lanes.

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.

A driver must yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian within a crosswalk. The driver should wait until the intersection is clear to proceed.

If a tire blows out or suddenly goes flat while you are driving, grip the steering wheel firmly and keep the vehicle aiming straight. Take your foot off the accelerator and do not brake. Allow the vehicle to slow by itself and use the brakes gently, but only if necessary. Pull off the road when it is safe to do so.

As driving speeds increase, the chance of a fatality in the case of a collision increases. If you are going faster than 80 miles per hour, you have almost no chance of living through a crash. The speed you drive affects your stopping distance, so you should increase your following distance as you increase your speed.

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.

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

Every time you want to change lanes or otherwise move your vehicle to the right or left, signal to alert other drivers to your intentions. Always check your mirrors and turn your head to check your blind spot before attempting any lateral move.

You should check carefully for motorcycles when changing lanes because their small size makes it easy for them to disappear into your blind spots.

Warning signs are usually yellow with black markings. They alert you to conditions that are immediately ahead. These signs may be accompanied by speed advisory plaques that indicate the speed with which you should proceed.

Both hands should be placed on opposite sides of the steering wheel. This position is comfortable and promotes safe turning on high-speed roadways.

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.

Before returning to your original lane after passing, you must make sure you are not dangerously close to the vehicle you have just passed. When you can see both of the vehicle's headlights in your rearview mirror, you may have enough room to return to the lane.

When broken yellow lines separate the lanes of traffic on a two-lane roadway, any driver may pass when there is no oncoming traffic.

When passing, you should not return to your original lane until you can see both headlights of the passed vehicle in your rearview mirror. Always check your blind spots before moving back into your original lane.