California CAR DMV Practice Test 19

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

When it is difficult to see due to darkness or poor weather, increase your following distance. This will give you more time to react to hazards that you may not see in advance.

Turn on your headlights when it is cloudy, raining, snowing, or foggy. If weather conditions require you to use your windshield wipers, you are required to turn on your low beam headlights.

Remember that all medications, prescription or over-the-counter, are potentially dangerous and could impair your driving. Over-the-counter medicines that you take for colds and allergies can make you drowsy and affect your driving ability. It is your responsibility to know how your medication affects your ability to drive.

When there is a solid yellow line and a broken yellow line in the center of the road, passing is permitted from the side of the road next to the broken line.

Drivers should not use a cell phone without a hands-free device. For minors, it is illegal to use any cell phone while driving, except in an emergency. Even if you do have a hands-free device, it is recommended that you let calls go to voicemail while driving in order to avoid distractions.

When driving on an interstate highway, be aware of upcoming on-ramps. When traffic permits, move out of the right-hand lane to allow vehicles to enter from the on-ramps to your right.

Warning signs are usually yellow with black markings. Warning signs may alert drivers to areas where animals, people, and vehicles are likely to cross traffic.

When approaching a roundabout, slow down. A roundabout is designed to be driven at a low speed.

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.

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. Tailgating a truck, or any vehicle, is dangerous because you take away your own cushion of safety if the vehicle in front of you stops quickly.

Work zones on highways have become increasingly dangerous places for both workers and drivers. When approaching a work zone, watch for materials such as cones, barrels, signs, large vehicles, and workers in brightly colored vests to warn you and direct you.

Do not enter an intersection if you cannot get completely across before the traffic signal light turns red. If you block the intersection, you can be cited.

Pavement on bridges and overpasses can become icy even when other surrounding pavement is dry. Bridges often freeze before, and thaw out after, the rest of a road.

Keep a space between your vehicle and parked vehicles. A person may step out of a parked vehicle or out from between the parked vehicles without looking. A driver may begin moving their vehicle before realizing you are there.

Drivers must come to a complete stop when approaching a school bus stopped with its red lights flashing. Failure to stop until the red lights stop flashing may result in license suspension and a fine of up to $1,000.

Fines for moving traffic violations are doubled in highway construction or maintenance zones where workers are present. When operating in a construction zone, you must drive carefully and follow all directions provided by signs, signals, officers, and flaggers.

Your suspension helps you control your vehicle and provides a comfortable ride over varying road surfaces. If your vehicle bounces a lot after driving over a bump, or is generally hard to control, you may need new suspension parts.

This sign indicates that the road ahead may be slippery when wet.

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.

The only way to remove the impairing effects of alcohol is to give the body time to remove it from the body. Drinking coffee, physical activity, or taking a cold shower will not speed up this process. It takes about one hour to cancel the effects of one drink.

When driving in heavy rain at speeds as low as 30 mph, your tires may lose all contact with the road and instead ride up on a layer of water above the surface of the road. This is called "hydroplaning." If your vehicle starts to hydroplane, slow down gradually and do not apply the brakes.

When changing lanes, you must be sure that there are no vehicles in the space you want to enter. Check for other vehicles behind and to the side of your vehicle by checking your mirrors and blind spots. Always use the proper turn signal before changing lanes to allow surrounding vehicles time to react to your movements.

When making a left turn from a one-way street onto a two-way street, start from the far left lane.

If you collide with a parked car or other property, leave a note with your name, phone number, and address securely attached to what you hit. You must report the collision to the local city police or, if the collision was in an unincorporated area, to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

You may not stop, stand, or park at a red-painted curb.

You should avoid passing other vehicles on two-lane roads. Every time you pass a vehicle, your odds of being in a collision increase.

A green arrow means "go." You must turn in the direction the arrow is pointing after you yield to any vehicles, bicycles, or pedestrians who are still in the intersection.

It is necessary to follow farther behind a large truck than you would if following a passenger vehicle because trucks have larger blind spots.

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.