CA Permit Practice Test 12

All 20 questions in test 12

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. For a California driver age 21 or older operating a noncommercial vehicle, what is the lowest general per-se DUI BAC threshold?

   1. 0.04% or higher only when not towing
   2. 0.08% or higher
   3. 0.10% or higher after midnight
   4. Any reading only if a crash occurs
   Show answer

   0.08% or higher. For a noncommercial driver over 21, California sets the illegal BAC threshold at 0.08% or higher. The 0.04% figure belongs to commercial driver license vehicles and passenger for hire driving, so using it for every over-21 driver changes who the rule covers. A useful cue is the ordinary adult limit: eight hundredths is the number tied to drivers over 21, while lower numbers apply to probation, underage, or commercial situations.

   Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and DUI

2. 2. A yellow pedestrian-crossing warning sign means you should do what?

   
   1. Continue normally unless a signal turns red
   2. Look for pedestrians and be prepared to stop
   3. Speed up before a pedestrian reaches the lane
   4. Stop only if the crosswalk lines are painted yellow
   Show answer

   Look for pedestrians and be prepared to stop. A pedestrian warning sign tells you people may be crossing ahead, including at places where the crosswalk is not immediately obvious. The choice about a red signal is too narrow because the warning applies before you reach a person, not only after a light changes. Use the walking-person symbol as a cue to search curb edges, median islands, and parked-vehicle gaps where someone could step into the road.

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

3. 3. At an uncontrolled intersection, you and another vehicle arrive at the same time. Who should yield?

   1. The vehicle going straight must stop first
   2. The larger vehicle must always yield
   3. Yield to the vehicle on your left
   4. Yield to the vehicle on your right
   Show answer

   Yield to the vehicle on your right. At an uncontrolled intersection, simultaneous arrivals require you to give way to the vehicle, pedestrian, or bicyclist on your right. The left-side option reverses the California rule. Vehicle size does not decide priority, and going straight does not cancel the right-side rule. Your cue is arrival timing: first to the intersection goes first, but a tie is resolved by yielding to the road user on your right.

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

4. 4. May you leave children or animals in a hot parked vehicle?

   1. Never; it is dangerous and illegal even with a window cracked
   2. Yes, if the window is slightly open
   3. Yes, for under five minutes
   4. Yes, if the car is in the shade
   Show answer

   Never; it is dangerous and illegal even with a window cracked. A parked car's interior turns into an oven within minutes in the sun, and a cracked window barely slows the rise. Heat stroke kills children, pets, and the elderly quickly because their bodies cannot shed heat fast enough. California makes hot-car abandonment a crime precisely because good intentions do not change the physics; take everyone with you or stay with the car.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and the Basic Speed Law

5. 5. What does California say about parking in front of a driveway?

   1. It is allowed if the driveway appears unused.
   2. It is never allowed to park in front of a driveway.
   3. It is allowed for passenger loading only.
   4. It is allowed when at least one lane remains open.
   Show answer

   It is never allowed to park in front of a driveway.. California lists parking in front of a driveway among places where you must never park or leave a vehicle. The unused-driveway option is wrong because the rule does not depend on whether the driveway currently has traffic. Blocking access can trap vehicles or force unsafe backing. The cue is the curb break or driveway entrance: if your parked vehicle would cover that access point, choose another legal space instead.

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

6. 6. What does an orange and red triangle on the back of a vehicle indicate?

   1. A vehicle with a disabled parking placard.
   2. A vehicle carrying passengers for hire.
   3. A school bus preparing to stop.
   4. A slow-moving vehicle that usually travels 25 mph or less.
   Show answer

   A slow-moving vehicle that usually travels 25 mph or less.. An orange and red triangle on the rear of a vehicle identifies a slow-moving vehicle. The handbook gives road maintenance vehicles as an example and notes they usually travel at 25 mph or less. The school-bus option confuses this triangle with flashing school bus lights. Use the cue of the reflective triangle on the back: expect a much slower vehicle ahead and adjust speed early instead of closing the gap at normal traffic speed.

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

7. 7. You are already inside a California intersection when an emergency vehicle with its lights on appears. What should you do?

   1. Stop immediately in the intersection.
   2. Back up to the limit line.
   3. Turn left to clear the middle faster.
   4. Continue through, then drive right and stop as soon as safe.
   Show answer

   Continue through, then drive right and stop as soon as safe.. If you are already in an intersection when an emergency vehicle appears, California says to continue through the intersection, then drive to the right and stop as soon as it is safe. Stopping in the middle can block the emergency route and cross traffic. The backing-up option creates another conflict because drivers behind you may not expect it. The cue is your vehicle's position: inside the intersection means clear it first, then yield from the right edge.

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

8. 8. Where is a U-turn allowed in a California business district?

   1. Anywhere traffic is light enough.
   2. Across two sets of double yellow lines.
   3. Only at an intersection or on a divided highway with an opening.
   4. In front of a fire station driveway.
   Show answer

   Only at an intersection or on a divided highway with an opening.. California generally forbids U-turns in business districts, but allows them at an intersection or on a divided highway where an opening has been provided. The light-traffic option ignores the location rule. The two-sets-of-double-yellow option is also barred because that painted barrier cannot be crossed for a U-turn. Use the cue of offices and businesses along the street: in that district, look for an intersection or a divider opening before turning around.

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

9. 9. What does the handbook say about weaving through traffic?

   1. Stay in one lane; do not weave in and out of traffic
   2. Weave to get ahead faster
   3. Change lanes every few seconds
   4. Swerve around slower cars abruptly
   Show answer

   Stay in one lane; do not weave in and out of traffic. Weaving trades tiny time gains for large crash risk, since every unsignaled dart surprises drivers who cannot predict the next swerve. Last-minute lane and direction changes spike collision risk at exactly the moments attention is thinnest. Pick the lane that fits your speed and destination, signal early for needed changes, and hold your line through intersections. Signal early for every needed change instead of darting across at the last moment.

   Study this in the handbook: Lane markings and special lanes

10. 10. Starting May 2025, when must your license or ID be REAL ID compliant?

    1. To buy groceries
    2. To vote in any election
    3. To board domestic flights and enter military bases and most federal facilities
    4. To park in state parks
    Show answer

    To board domestic flights and enter military bases and most federal facilities. The federal REAL ID Act sets the May 2025 deadline after which standard licenses no longer clear airport security or federal checkpoints. Californians who want one card for driving and federal access must apply with proof of identity, residency, and legal presence. A passport remains an alternative for flights and federal entry. Passports remain an accepted alternative for flights and federal building entry.

11. 11. Which behavior is listed as one of the most common causes of collisions?

    1. Driver distractions
    2. Using low-beam headlights in rain
    3. Stopping at a red arrow
    4. Leaving extra space in work zones
    Show answer

    Driver distractions. California lists driver distractions among the most common collision causes. Low beams in rain, stopping at a red arrow, and extra space in work zones are safe behaviors rather than collision causes. The cue is anything pulling attention away from driving, such as a phone, navigation display, children, pets, or controls. Keep the driving task primary so hazards, signs, and changes in traffic are noticed early.

    Study this in the handbook: Insurance, collisions and paperwork deadlines

12. 12. In the evening, from what point does California require your headlights to be on?

    1. Beginning 30 minutes after sunset
    2. Beginning one hour after sunset
    3. Only once streetlights switch on
    4. Exactly at sunset, not before
    Show answer

    Beginning 30 minutes after sunset. California sets a clock rule for headlights: they must be on beginning 30 minutes after sunset and until 30 minutes before sunrise. The same list also requires them whenever it is too dark to see from 1,000 feet away, so a cloudy dusk can call for them even earlier. Waiting a full hour leaves you hard to see during twilight. Streetlights are not the trigger, and the handbook does not tie the rule to the exact moment of sunset.

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

13. 13. What do flashing yellow lights on a school bus warn you to do?

    1. Stop only if children are already in the street
    2. Pass quickly before red lights appear
    3. Slow down and prepare to stop
    4. Continue at speed unless the stop arm is out
    Show answer

    Slow down and prepare to stop. Flashing yellow lights on a school bus warn that the bus is preparing to stop and you should slow down and get ready to stop. Passing quickly is the dangerous choice because yellow usually comes before children unload and red lights require a full stop. The cue is the color change on the bus. Ease off the accelerator, cover the brake, and watch for children near the curb.

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

14. 14. Which pavement marking identifies an HOV lane?

    1. A row of white yield triangles
    2. A diamond symbol and the words Carpool Lane
    3. A red painted curb
    4. A bicycle symbol with green pavement
    Show answer

    A diamond symbol and the words Carpool Lane. A diamond on the pavement together with the words Carpool Lane identifies an HOV lane. Yield triangles describe where to give way, while bicycle symbols identify space associated with bicycles. Look at the lane surface as well as nearby signs before entering. Recognizing the lane helps you find its operating instructions and determine whether your vehicle qualifies, rather than assuming every open lane is available to every driver.

    Study this in the handbook: Lane markings and special lanes

15. 15. Unless a sign posts a different limit, how fast may you drive in an alley?

    1. No faster than 10 mph
    2. No faster than 25 mph
    3. No faster than 20 mph
    4. No faster than 15 mph
    Show answer

    No faster than 15 mph. California sets the default alley speed at 15 mph. Alleys are narrow routes used for rear or side access, so pedestrians, vehicles backing out, trash bins, and blocked sight lines are common. The 25 mph choice may sound familiar because it applies in many business or residential districts, but an alley has its own lower limit. A cue is the narrow access road behind buildings or properties.

    Study this in the handbook: School buses and railroad crossings

16. 16. When DMV suspends your driving privilege because of too many points, what procedural right do you have?

    1. The right to drive until the points expire
    2. The right to ignore the notice
    3. The right to a hearing
    4. The right to delete convictions yourself
    Show answer

    The right to a hearing. A driver facing DMV action for too many points has a right to a hearing. That right provides a way to address the action through the proper process; it does not authorize ignoring the notice or continuing to drive while suspended. Read the written notice and follow the hearing procedure. Trying to remove convictions yourself or simply waiting for time to pass is not the procedural right described.

    Study this in the handbook: Tickets, points and suspensions

17. 17. How should you treat motorcycles that are lane splitting in California?

    1. Move to reduce room because sharing lanes is illegal
    2. Open your door only after the motorcycle passes your mirror
    3. Follow within one second so other cars cannot enter the gap
    4. Give room and do not try to pass one in the same lane
    Show answer

    Give room and do not try to pass one in the same lane. California recognizes lane splitting, so drivers should leave room, check mirrors, and avoid blocking a motorcycle moving between lanes. The choice saying sharing lanes is illegal reverses the handbook and could lead to a dangerous squeeze. The cue is a motorcycle approaching between slow or stopped lanes; hold your position, avoid sudden lateral moves, and check before opening a door next to traffic.

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

18. 18. How should you enter a center left-turn lane?

    1. Merge fully into the center lane so you do not block traffic
    2. Stop in the through lane to wait
    3. Use it as a passing lane
    4. Enter it a mile early
    Show answer

    Merge fully into the center lane so you do not block traffic. The shared center lane works only when turning drivers clear the through lanes completely before waiting for a gap. Stopping half-in blocks the lane you came from and invites rear-end crashes. Enter near your turn, never travel long distances in it, and never use it to pass or as a merge lane. Opposing turners share the lane, so long travel inside it courts head-on crashes.

    Study this in the handbook: Lane markings and special lanes

19. 19. What hidden dangers can flooded roads hold?

    1. They improve your tire traction
    2. They create flood hazards including electrocution from fallen lines
    3. They make the water shallower
    4. They mark the safe route across
    Show answer

    They create flood hazards including electrocution from fallen lines. Floodwater hides almost every danger it carries: debris that can puncture or trap the car, pavement that may have washed away, stalled engines in deep spots, and live current from toppled power lines spreading through the water. Depth cannot be judged by looking, which is why the handbook's first advice is finding another route and its fallback is driving through slowly only when no option exists.

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

20. 20. What does California’s Administrative Per Se law require DMV to do after a DUI arrest?

    1. Erase the driver’s earlier record
    2. Wait for a second DUI conviction
    3. Suspend the driving privilege
    4. Return the license without any action
    Show answer

    Suspend the driving privilege. The Administrative Per Se law requires DMV to suspend the driving privilege after a DUI arrest. This is an administrative consequence of the arrest, not a rule that waits for a second conviction. The separate court process does not make the arrest itself irrelevant to licensing. Read the documents issued after an arrest carefully because they concern your ability to drive as well as any later criminal proceedings.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and DUI