CA Permit Practice Test 11

All 20 questions in test 11

Every question below comes from the California question bank on this page. Open a question to see the correct answer and the explanation. Nothing here is hidden behind a signup.

1. 1. A California school bus ahead of you in your lane is flashing its red lights, and you drive past without stopping. What penalty can follow?

   1. A fine of up to $1,000 and a possible one year suspension
   2. A $35 fine with no effect on the license
   3. A warning for a first offense
   4. A fine of up to $100
   Show answer

   A fine of up to $1,000 and a possible one year suspension. Failing to stop for a school bus with flashing red lights can bring a fine of up to $1,000, and the driving privilege could be suspended for one year. A $35 or $100 fine understates the penalty, and the handbook describes no warning in place of that penalty. Drivers must stop from either direction and stay stopped until the children are across and the red lights stop flashing. The only exception is a bus on the other side of a divided or multilane highway with two or more lanes in each direction.

   Study this in the handbook: School buses and railroad crossings

2. 2. How long must a California minor hold an instruction permit before scheduling the behind-the-wheel drive test?

   1. At least 30 days
   2. At least 1 year
   3. At least 3 months
   4. At least 6 months, or until turning 18
   Show answer

   At least 6 months, or until turning 18. An applicant under 18 must have an instruction permit from California or another state for at least 6 months, or turn 18, before scheduling the behind-the-wheel drive test. During that time the minor must complete driver education and driver training and practice for at least 50 hours with a California-licensed driver who is at least 25, ten of those hours at night. Thirty days, three months, and a full year are not the handbook's figure.

   Study this in the handbook: Instruction permit and provisional license rules

3. 3. What wheel reflectors must a bicycle have at night?

   1. No wheel reflectors are needed
   2. White or yellow front, white or red rear, or reflectorized tires
   3. Red on both wheels
   4. Blue on both wheels
   Show answer

   White or yellow front, white or red rear, or reflectorized tires. Side visibility comes from the wheels' rotation flashing reflectors at cross traffic. White or yellow leads in front while white or red trails behind, matching the lamp colors at each end. Reflectorized tire sidewalls satisfy the whole rule in one upgrade. Matching lamp colors front and rear keeps the signals consistent for drivers. Upgrade to reflectorized tire sidewalls to satisfy the rule in one step.

4. 4. What colors can crosswalk markings use?

   1. Only white lines are ever used
   2. School crossings may use yellow lines, and unmarked crossings still count
   3. Crosswalk color has no meaning
   4. Yellow means no crossing allowed
   Show answer

   School crossings may use yellow lines, and unmarked crossings still count. Most crosswalks wear white stripes, but schools get yellow paint for extra visibility around children. Paint or no paint, every intersection leg is a legal crosswalk where pedestrians hold the right-of-way. Flashing-light crossings demand the same stop-or-yield respect whether the beacons are lit or dark. Unmarked intersection legs still grant pedestrians full legal right-of-way protection. Drivers must stop for pedestrians in any crosswalk, whatever its paint.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way: who goes first

5. 5. How must carried alcohol or cannabis containers be kept?

   1. The container must be empty
   2. The container must be open for inspection
   3. Anyone may hold the container
   4. The container must be sealed and unopened
   Show answer

   The container must be sealed and unopened. Factory seals prove nobody has been drinking on the trip, which is why the transport exception demands them for both alcohol and cannabis. A broken seal converts legal cargo into an open container that must ride in the trunk or where passengers do not sit. Drivers under 21 face an even stricter version requiring a 21-or-older companion as well. Broken seals trigger the trunk-or-no-passenger-area storage rule for opened containers.

   Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and DUI

6. 6. What rights do bicyclists have on California roads?

   1. Bicycles must use sidewalks only
   2. Bicycles must always yield to cars
   3. Bicycles hold the same rights and responsibilities as drivers
   4. Bicycles are exempt from traffic signals
   Show answer

   Bicycles hold the same rights and responsibilities as drivers. Treating bicycles as vehicles cuts both ways: drivers must share lanes, give passing room, and yield appropriately, while cyclists must stop at signs and signals, ride with traffic, and signal turns. The equality rule is why right-hook turns across bike lanes and door-zone parking are driver violations. Expect bicycles on most roads, including some freeway sections where no alternate route exists.

7. 7. A California bicyclist is riding slower than traffic. When may the rider move away from the right curb?

   1. When passing, preparing to turn left, or avoiding a hazard or road condition
   2. When the rider is wearing a helmet and bright clothing
   3. When the rider wants to keep pace with the speed of traffic
   4. When the road has a posted speed limit under 25 mph
   Show answer

   When passing, preparing to turn left, or avoiding a hazard or road condition. Bicyclists traveling slower than the flow of traffic must ride as close as possible to the right curb or edge of the road, unless they are passing a vehicle or another bicycle in the same direction, preparing to make a left turn, avoiding a hazard or road condition, or the lane is too narrow to share. Drivers should expect a bicycle to move left for those reasons and leave three feet when passing. Wearing bright clothing, wanting to keep pace with traffic, and low speed limits are not exceptions.

8. 8. Your wheels drift off the pavement onto the shoulder. As you steer back on, what must you avoid?

   1. Pulling or turning the steering wheel with too much force
   2. Gripping the steering wheel firmly
   3. Removing your foot from the accelerator
   4. Checking traffic behind you before returning
   Show answer

   Pulling or turning the steering wheel with too much force. When wheels drop off the pavement edge, the height difference grabs the tires, and the instinct to yank the car back onto the road is exactly what causes head-on crashes. The handbook's recovery sequence is grip the wheel firmly, ease off the gas, brake gently, check behind you, then steer back carefully at a slight angle. Forcing the wheel can sling the vehicle across the centerline into oncoming traffic before you have time to correct.

   Study this in the handbook: Blowouts, breakdowns and brake failure

9. 9. Which cannabis rule applies to vehicle passengers in California?

   1. Passengers may smoke but drivers may not
   2. Sealed cannabis may be used by passengers only
   3. Passengers may eat cannabis products at red lights
   4. It is illegal for passengers as well as drivers to smoke or eat a cannabis product in a vehicle
   Show answer

   It is illegal for passengers as well as drivers to smoke or eat a cannabis product in a vehicle. California treats cannabis in a moving vehicle like open alcohol: consumption is banned for everyone inside, not just the person steering. Passengers cannot smoke, vape, or eat cannabis products while riding, and stopping at a light changes nothing. Sealed containers may be transported only when properly stored, never opened and used en route. The rule keeps the cabin free of impairment and secondhand smoke and removes any dispute about who consumed what. Save all cannabis use for a private place after the trip ends.

   Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and DUI

10. 10. What do highway construction and maintenance signs warn drivers about?

    1. Only permanent lane-number changes
    2. Workers, slow-moving equipment, and closed lanes ahead
    3. Parking time limits near stores
    4. Railroad crossings without signals
    Show answer

    Workers, slow-moving equipment, and closed lanes ahead. Construction and maintenance warning signs tell drivers to expect workers, slow-moving equipment, and closed lanes. A permanent lane-number change is not the main meaning of these work-zone signs. The cue is the work-zone message board or warning sign ahead. Slow down, allow more room, expect sudden stops, and obey flaggers or special instructions as cones and barriers guide the path.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, emergency vehicles, bicycles and work zones

11. 11. How far ahead should you scan the road to give yourself time to react?

    1. One full mile ahead at all speeds
    2. Only as far as the car directly ahead
    3. About 2 seconds ahead in city traffic
    4. At least 10 seconds ahead of your vehicle
    Show answer

    At least 10 seconds ahead of your vehicle. California recommends keeping your eyes moving and scanning at least 10 seconds ahead. Looking only at the vehicle immediately in front can hide stopped traffic, lane changes, and hazards developing farther up the road. The cue is a moving visual search, not a fixed stare. Check the road ahead, sides, mirrors, and potential escape spaces early enough that your response can be smooth instead of sudden.

    Study this in the handbook: Scanning, following distance and skids

12. 12. What is the speed limit at a blind intersection when your view is blocked?

    1. 10 mph until you see both directions
    2. 25 mph because it is still an intersection
    3. 15 mph unless posted otherwise
    4. 35 mph if no stop signs are posted
    Show answer

    15 mph unless posted otherwise. A blind intersection with blocked sight lines has a 15 mph limit. The lower speed gives you time to edge forward, find cross traffic and pedestrians, and stop if needed. The 25 mph option confuses this situation with the broader business or residential default. Use the cue from the handbook: if the corner has no stop signs and buildings, bushes, or parked vehicles block your view, move slowly and obey 15 mph.

    Study this in the handbook: School buses and railroad crossings

13. 13. Once in the proper freeway exit lane, how far before exiting should you signal?

    1. After leaving the freeway
    2. Only when your tires enter the ramp
    3. Ten feet before the ramp
    4. Five seconds, approximately 400 feet
    Show answer

    Five seconds, approximately 400 feet. Signal five seconds, or approximately 400 feet, before exiting once you are in the proper lane. This communicates the departure before the vehicle reaches the ramp. Waiting until the tires enter the ramp gives nearby drivers little warning. The instruction concerns the exit itself, so being correctly positioned in the exit lane does not remove the need to signal your departure from the freeway.

    Study this in the handbook: Turns, U-turns, merging and passing

14. 14. Which use of your horn matches the California handbook?

    1. Honking to make a slow driver move when the light turns green
    2. Honking whenever you enter a marked crosswalk area
    3. Honking to warn others of a hazard or help avoid a collision
    4. Honking at a blind pedestrian who has the right-of-way
    Show answer

    Honking to warn others of a hazard or help avoid a collision. Use the horn as a warning device when your presence or a hazard needs immediate attention, especially to avoid a crash. The slow-driver choice is not a safety warning and can escalate tension without reducing risk. The cue is urgency: if a driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist needs an alert to prevent danger, a brief horn use fits; annoyance or greeting does not.

    Study this in the handbook: Turn signals, horn and headlights

15. 15. Where may a green curb’s parking time limit be displayed?

    1. Through a notice mailed to the registered owner
    2. On nearby signs or painted on the curb
    3. On the driver's registration card
    4. Only on the road’s speed-limit sign
    Show answer

    On nearby signs or painted on the curb. The time limit for a green curb may appear on a sign or be painted directly on the curb. Do not assume there is no limit just because you were never sent a notice. Read the actual posted information when you arrive so you know how long the space may be used. This question concerns where to find the duration, rather than choosing a standard number of minutes for every green curb.

    Study this in the handbook: Parallel parking, hills and colored curbs

16. 16. When parallel parking, at what angle should you back into the space?

    1. Straight back at no angle
    2. At about a 90-degree angle
    3. At about a 45-degree angle
    4. At about a 10-degree angle
    Show answer

    At about a 45-degree angle. The 45-degree entry swings the nose clear of the car ahead while aiming the rear wheels at the curb in one smooth arc. After checking mirrors and blind spots over the shoulder, begin backing and turn into that angle, then straighten when the rear wheel nears 18 inches from the curb. Pulling forward and back as needed finishes the car parallel and tight to the curb.

    Study this in the handbook: Parallel parking, hills and colored curbs

17. 17. When may pedestrians use a diagonal crossing through an intersection?

    1. Whenever the countdown is above zero
    2. Whenever turning vehicles stop briefly
    3. Only when the WALK signal allows it
    4. Whenever they can run across before a car arrives
    Show answer

    Only when the WALK signal allows it. A diagonal pedestrian crossing opens movements across the intersection in several directions during the permitted WALK interval. A temporary break between cars is not a substitute for that signal. Look for the crossing layout and pedestrian indication together before stepping into the street. The diagonal route can be longer than an ordinary crossing, making it especially important to begin during the authorized phase instead of trying to rush through a traffic gap.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and pedestrian signals

18. 18. How can poor road conditions affect motorcyclists?

    1. They can make motorcyclists suddenly change speed or direction
    2. They never affect motorcycles
    3. They only affect cars
    4. They make motorcycles stop instantly
    Show answer

    They can make motorcyclists suddenly change speed or direction. Potholes, wet leaves, gravel, and grooved pavement that cars barely notice can throw a two-wheeled vehicle offline without warning. That is why drivers should give motorcyclists a full lane and extra following room, move aside within the lane to offer passing space, and never share a lane beside them. Expect the unexpected move and leave room for it. Check mirrors and blind spots twice, since bikes hide easily behind pillars and traffic.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, emergency vehicles, bicycles and work zones

19. 19. At this stop sign there is no limit line and no crosswalk. Where must a California driver stop?

    
    1. At the sign post
    2. Before entering the intersection
    3. With the front wheels in the intersection for a better view
    4. Ten feet past the sign
    Show answer

    Before entering the intersection. A limit line is a wide white line that shows drivers where to stop before an intersection or crosswalk. If there is no limit line, stop before you enter the crosswalk, and if there is no crosswalk either, stop before you enter the intersection. The sign post is not the reference point, and nosing into the intersection puts the vehicle into cross traffic. After stopping, look left, right and left again and go only when it is safe.

    Study this in the handbook: Road sign shapes, colors and meanings

20. 20. You approach a stopped tow truck with flashing amber warning lights. What should you do?

    1. Move over and slow down when safe
    2. Stop behind it until the lights are off
    3. Keep your speed because amber lights are advisory only
    4. Pass on the shoulder to give more room
    Show answer

    Move over and slow down when safe. California drivers must move over and slow down for certain stopped emergency, tow, and road work vehicles displaying flashing lights. Stopping behind the tow truck is not the normal rule unless traffic conditions require it; the handbook calls for moving over and slowing down. A cue is a stationary roadside vehicle with flashing amber or emergency lights. Check adjacent lanes early, change lanes if safe, and reduce speed as you pass.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, emergency vehicles, bicycles and work zones