California CAR DMV Practice Test 15

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.

Drivers must always wear seat belts and may be cited for failure to do so.

It is illegal to drive while wearing a headset or earplugs in both ears.

The "Basic Speed Law" means that you may never drive faster than would be safe in current conditions. For example, if you drive 45 mph in a 55 mph zone during a dense fog, even though you are below the posted limit, you may be cited for driving too fast for conditions.

If you are already within an intersection when the traffic light turns yellow, you should clear the intersection as quickly as possible.

Bridges and overpasses tend to freeze before the rest of the road does. They can hide spots of ice.

If you are convicted of DUI for the first time and you have an excessive BAC level, you may be sentenced to serve up to six months in jail and may be required to pay a fine between $390 and $1,000. Your vehicle may be impounded and is subject to storage fees.

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 parking on a hill (either uphill or downhill) where there is no curb, you should turn your wheels so that the vehicle will roll away from the center of the road if the brakes fail.

You may proceed in the direction that a green arrow signal is pointing if you are in the proper lane, regardless of any other signals that are displayed. Before turning, you must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and vehicles already within the intersection.

Keeping space around your vehicle is important to ensure that you have time to safely react if another driver makes a mistake. For example, extra space around your vehicle may give you time to brake or maneuver out of the way of a vehicle veering into your lane.

A flashing yellow signal means "proceed with caution." You should slow down and be alert before entering the upcoming intersection and must yield to any pedestrians, bicycles, or vehicles in the intersection; however, you do not have to stop.

An octagonal (eight-sided) sign always means "stop." You must always come to a complete stop at this sign.

Yellow lines separate lanes of traffic moving in opposite directions. A broken yellow line next to your driving lane means that you may pass.

You may turn left onto a one-way street that moves to the left if there is no sign prohibiting the turn. You may not turn left onto a one-way street where traffic moves to the right.

Alcohol reduces all of the important abilities you need to drive safely. Alcohol goes from your stomach to your blood, then from your blood to all other parts of your body. Alcohol affects the areas of your brain that control judgment and skill.

At a green light, you must give the right-of-way to any vehicle, bicyclist, or pedestrian in the intersection. If a pedestrian begins crossing the street after the traffic signal light starts flashing, wait until they have crossed the street before proceeding.

A pennant-shaped sign marks the beginning of a no passing zone.

Use your right foot for both braking and accelerating. You should apply the brakes gently with increasing pressure so that your vehicle stops gradually and smoothly.

You must stop at a railroad crossing when directed to do so by a flagger, stop sign, or warning signal. Use caution when driving near railroad tracks.

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.

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.

Most rear-end collisions are caused by tailgating. To avoid tailgating, use the “Three Second Rule.” When the vehicle ahead of you passes a certain point, such as a sign, count “one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand-three.” If you pass the same point before you finish counting, you are following too closely.

An animal must not be transported in the back of a pickup or other truck unless the animal is properly secured to prevent it from falling, jumping, or being thrown from the vehicle.

If a traffic signal is displaying a steady red arrow, traffic in the indicated lane may not proceed in the direction shown by the arrow. Drivers must come to a full stop and wait for a green signal to proceed.

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.

At a railroad crossing marked with this sign, a driver should look both ways, listen for any trains, and be prepared to stop if any trains are nearby. Never try to outdrive an oncoming train.

The "Basic Speed Law" states that you may never drive faster than is safe for current conditions. For example, if you drive at 45 mph in a 55 mph zone during a dense fog, even though you are below the posted limit, you may be cited for driving "too fast for conditions."

When planning to pass, do not count on having enough time to pass several vehicles at once or assume that other drivers will make room for you. When you can see both headlights of the passed vehicle in your rearview mirror, you may have enough room to return to your driving lane.

Although the right-of-way rules provide a guide to determine who should yield the right-of-way at an intersection, no one should assume they automatically have the right-of-way. The situation and circumstances at an intersection must always be considered. Drivers should yield their legal right-of-way if it can help prevent a collision.