DMV Practice Test #19
If you pass a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing, you will: A) Be fined up to $1,000. B) Be fined up to $100. C) Face no legal consequences.
A) Be fined up to $1,000. 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.
When passing a row of parked vehicles, you should: A) Be prepared for a person or vehicle to unexpectedly enter your lane. B) Expect all other drivers and pedestrians to respect your right-of-way. C) Drive closely to the parked vehicles to allow more room for moving traffic.
A) Be prepared for a person or vehicle to unexpectedly enter your lane. 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.
This sign means: A) Change in direction or narrowing of roadway. B) No right turn. C) No passing zone.
A) Change in direction or narrowing of roadway. This sign warns a driver of a change in direction or a narrowing of the road. A driver may find several of these signs on the outside of a sharp curve or on approaches to a narrow bridge.
When driving on an interstate, to avoid traffic merging from on-ramps to your right, the best thing to do is to: A) Change lanes to the left. B) Slow down. C) Maintain your speed and position.
A) Change lanes to the left. 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.
Fines in a construction zone are: A) Doubled. B) Tripled. C) Cut in half.
A) Doubled. 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.
Which of these statements is true about driving and taking medications? A) Most cold medications can make a person drowsy. B) Over-the-counter medications cannot impair driving ability if taken in the recommended dosages. C) Medications are safe to take at any time, if prescribed by a doctor.
A) Most cold medications can make a person drowsy. 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.
To turn left from a one-way street with multiple lanes onto a two-way street, start the turn in: A) The far left lane. B) Any available lane. C) The lane closest to the middle of the street.
A) The far left lane. When making a left turn from a one-way street onto a two-way street, start from the far left lane.
Which of the following is true about roadways on bridges and overpasses in cold, wet weather? A) They tend to freeze before the rest of the road does. B) They do not freeze because they are made of concrete. C) They tend to freeze after the rest of the road does.
A) They tend to freeze before the rest of the road does. Bridges and overpasses tend to freeze before the rest of the road does. They can hide spots of ice.
If your car's suspension is bad, it can cause: A) Vehicle control problems. B) Squealing brakes. C) Slack in the steering.
A) Vehicle control problems. 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 means: A) Watch for bicycles. B) Bicycles not allowed. C) Bicycle repair shop ahead.
A) Watch for bicycles. 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.
This sign is a: A) Yield sign. B) School crossing sign. C) Stop sign.
A) Yield sign. A downward-facing triangular sign is always a yield sign. Drivers must be prepared to slow down or stop when approaching a yield sign.
On a green arrow, you must: A) Yield to any vehicle, bicycle, or pedestrian in the intersection. B) Yield to pedestrians only in the intersection. C) Wait four seconds before proceeding.
A) Yield to any vehicle, bicycle, or pedestrian in the intersection. 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 against the law to enter an intersection when: A) You can't get all the way across before the light turns red. B) The light is flashing yellow and you didn't stop first. C) The light is yellow and you cannot stop safely.
A) You can't get all the way across before the light turns red. 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.
When changing lanes, you should never: A) Look over your shoulder to check your blind spot. B) Change lanes abruptly or spontaneously. C) Check for other vehicles moving into the same lane.
B) Change lanes abruptly or spontaneously. 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.
To enter a gap in highway traffic: A) Watch only the vehicles behind the gap. B) Check behind you, then watch the vehicle ahead. C) Speed up and let the other vehicles make way.
B) Check behind you, then watch the vehicle ahead. 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 approaching a roundabout, you should always: A) Increase your speed. B) Decrease your speed. C) Maintain your speed.
B) Decrease your speed. When approaching a roundabout, slow down. A roundabout is designed to be driven at a low speed.
You are driving on the freeway behind a large truck. You should drive: A) Closer behind the truck than you would if following a passenger vehicle. B) Farther behind the truck than you would if following a passenger vehicle. C) To the right side of the truck and wait to pass.
B) Farther behind the truck than you would if following a passenger vehicle. It is necessary to follow farther behind a large truck than you would if following a passenger vehicle because trucks have larger blind spots.
You are driving on the freeway. The vehicle in front of you is a large truck. You should drive: A) Closely behind the truck in bad weather because the driver can see farther ahead than you can. B) Farther behind the truck than you would when following a passenger vehicle. C) No more than one car length behind the truck so the driver can see you.
B) Farther behind the truck than you would when following a passenger vehicle. 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.
If you drive faster than other vehicles on a road with one lane moving in each direction and continually pass the other cars, you will: A) Get you to your destination much more quickly and safely. B) Increase your chances of an collision. C) Help prevent traffic congestion.
B) Increase your chances of an collision. You should avoid passing other vehicles on two-lane roads. Every time you pass a vehicle, your odds of being in a collision increase.
You should use your horn when: A) Another vehicle is in your way. B) It may help prevent a collision. C) Another driver makes a mistake.
B) It may help prevent a collision. 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.
If your cell phone rings while you are driving and you do not have a hands-free device, you should: A) Answer the call because it may be an emergency. B) Let the call go to voicemail. C) Check the incoming number before answering the call.
B) Let the call go to voicemail. 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.
A large truck is ahead of you and is turning right onto a street with two lanes in each direction. The truck: A) May complete its turn in either of the two lanes. B) May have to swing wide to complete the right turn. C) Must stay in the right lane at all times while turning.
B) May have to swing wide to complete the right turn. 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.
If you can see that the roadway up ahead is covered by heavy smoke, you should: A) Turn on your four-way flashers and continue. B) Reduce your speed, move as far to the right as possible, and stop off the roadway. C) Turn on your high beam headlights and continue.
B) Reduce your speed, move as far to the right as possible, and stop off the roadway. If you notice that the road ahead is covered by heavy smoke, reduce your speed immediately, drive as far as possible to the right, and stop off the roadway. Only then should you determine if it is safe for you to continue. Remember that certain kinds of smoke can irritate your eyes and lungs or even kill you.
On rainy, snowy, or foggy days, turn on your windshield wipers and use your headlights: A) On the high beam setting. B) So other drivers can see you. C) Only when driving on the freeway.
B) So other drivers can see you. 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.
If you have had several beers, the effects of alcohol will be reduced only by: A) Taking a cold shower. B) Waiting several hours. C) Drinking several cups of coffee.
B) Waiting several hours. 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.
The center of the roadway is marked with one solid yellow line and one broken yellow line. If the broken yellow line is directly next to your traffic lane, it means: A) You are not allowed to pass in this area. B) You are in a passing zone and it is safe for you to pass other vehicles on the left if no oncoming traffic is present. C) You are only allowed to make right turns in this area.
B) You are in a passing zone and it is safe for you to pass other vehicles on the left if no oncoming traffic is present. 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.
Which of the following road surfaces freezes first? A) A tunnel B) An intersection C) A bridge
C) A bridge 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.
Your license can be suspended if you are under 21 and drive with a blood alcohol level of: A) 0.15 percent or more. B) 0.08 percent or more. C) Any amount.
C) Any amount. There is zero tolerance for alcohol use by drivers under age 21. If you are under 21, the detection of any trace of alcohol in your system will result in stiff penalties, including the suspension of your license for two years.
You have been involved in a minor traffic collision with a parked vehicle and you can't find the owner. You must: A) Leave a note on the vehicle. B) Report the collision without delay to the city police or, in unincorporated areas, to the California Highway Patrol. C) Both of the above.
C) Both of the above. 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).
When entering an interstate highway, you should: A) Stop, check for cars, and enter when safe. B) Check for cars and reduce your speed to 25 mph before entering the traffic lane. C) Check for cars, increase your speed to match the flow of traffic, and merge when the way is clear.
C) Check for cars, increase your speed to match the flow of traffic, and merge when the way is clear. Rather than stopping (as you would when entering other roads), you must use the merging or acceleration lane to speed up and smoothly merge with fast-moving traffic already on the interstate.
If bad weather makes it difficult for you to see clearly, you should: A) Speed up to get off the road quickly. B) Drive in the lane closest to oncoming traffic. C) Increase your following distance.
C) Increase your following distance. 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.
Work zone barriers, drums, cones, and signs are used to: A) Make drivers angry about slow traffic. B) Inconvenience drivers. C) Keep traffic out of hazardous work zones.
C) Keep traffic out of hazardous work zones. 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.
A curb painted red means: A) Loading zone. B) The area is reserved for picking up or dropping off passengers. C) No parking, standing, or stopping.
C) No parking, standing, or stopping. You may not stop, stand, or park at a red-painted curb.
How many alcoholic drinks does it take to affect your driving ability? A) Three B) Two C) One
C) One It is not advisable to drive after drinking any amount of alcohol. Even a single drink will affect your ability to drive safely.
If your vehicle starts to lose traction because of water on the road, you should: A) Drive at a constant speed to gain better traction. B) Apply the brakes firmly to prevent your vehicle from sliding. C) Slow down gradually and not apply the brakes.
C) Slow down gradually and not apply the brakes. 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.
This yellow signs means: A) The road ahead has many curves. B) There is a sharp curve in the road ahead. C) The road ahead may be slippery.
C) The road ahead may be slippery. This sign indicates that the road ahead may be slippery when wet.
