CA Permit Practice Test 2

All 20 questions in test 2

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. When may you pass another vehicle on a broken yellow line?

   1. Only when the broken line is next to your lane and passing is safe
   2. Whenever the vehicle ahead is below the posted limit
   3. Only within 100 feet of a railroad crossing
   4. Across any yellow line if you signal first
   Show answer

   Only when the broken line is next to your lane and passing is safe. A broken yellow line allows passing only when that broken line is beside your lane and the maneuver can be made safely. Signaling first does not permit crossing any yellow marking, and passing within 100 feet of a railroad crossing is prohibited. The cue is both the line pattern and the traffic view ahead. Confirm adequate space, oncoming traffic, hills, curves, and a safe return path before moving out.

2. 2. What is the speed limit near a railroad crossing when you are within 100 feet and cannot see 400 feet both ways?

   1. 15 mph
   2. 25 mph near schools, not this crossing
   3. 35 mph
   4. 55 mph
   Show answer

   15 mph. California sets a 15 mph limit within 100 feet of a railroad crossing when you cannot see the tracks for 400 feet in both directions. The 25 mph figure is for many school zones, not this low-visibility rail setting. Your cue is poor sight distance near tracks. Slow early, scan both directions, and remember that gates, warning signals, or a flagman may permit a higher speed only when they control the crossing.

3. 3. After parallel parking, how close must your vehicle be to the curb?

   1. Within 18 inches of the curb
   2. Within 3 feet of the curb
   3. Within 6 inches of the curb
   4. No set distance if the wheels are straight
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   Within 18 inches of the curb. After parallel parking, the vehicle should be parallel and within 18 inches of the curb. Three feet appears in the straight-line backing practice, but it is not the final parallel parking curb distance. The cue is the last alignment step: straighten the car, pull forward or back if needed, and check that the vehicle sits close enough to the curb before turning it off and setting the parking brake.

4. 4. When entering a highway, what speed should you aim for on the on-ramp?

   1. At or near the speed of highway traffic
   2. 15 mph below the slowest vehicle
   3. A complete stop before every merge
   4. The posted alley speed until fully merged
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   At or near the speed of highway traffic. When merging onto a highway, California advises being at or near the speed of traffic before entering. A complete stop is only for situations where it is absolutely necessary, because stopping on the ramp can make the gap harder to use. The cue is the flow of highway traffic beside you. Use the ramp to match speed, check mirrors and blind spots, signal, and merge into a large enough space.

5. 5. How soon must you dim high-beam headlights for an oncoming vehicle?

   1. Within 500 feet of the oncoming vehicle
   2. Within 100 feet of the oncoming vehicle
   3. Only after the other driver flashes lights
   4. Within 300 feet when vehicles approach each other
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   Within 500 feet of the oncoming vehicle. For an oncoming vehicle, dim high beams to low beams within 500 feet. The 300-foot number applies when you are following another vehicle, so it is not the oncoming-traffic distance. Waiting for the other driver to flash lights risks blinding them first. The cue is headlights approaching in the opposite lane. Switch down early enough that the other driver can keep their view of the road.

6. 6. Who may park at a blue curb?

   1. A disabled person or someone driving a disabled person with the proper placard or plate
   2. Any driver loading freight for a short time
   3. Only buses during posted commute hours
   4. Any driver who stays inside the vehicle
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   A disabled person or someone driving a disabled person with the proper placard or plate. A blue curb is reserved for a disabled person or someone driving a disabled person when the vehicle has the special placard or license plate. Staying with the vehicle does not create permission, and freight loading is a yellow curb rule. The cue is blue paint paired with disability access. Before parking there, confirm that the required placard or special plate is displayed and that the trip actually involves eligible use.

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

   1. Slow down and prepare to stop
   2. Pass quickly before red lights appear
   3. Stop only if children are already in the street
   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.

8. 8. What does California's Basic Speed Law require?

   1. Never drive faster than is safe for current road conditions
   2. Always drive exactly at the posted speed limit
   3. Use the same speed in clear weather and fog
   4. Drive faster than traffic when passing is legal
   Show answer

   Never drive faster than is safe for current road conditions. The Basic Speed Law means the posted limit is not permission to drive too fast for conditions. You may need to slow for weather, road surface, congestion, pedestrians, or bicyclists. Driving exactly at the sign speed can still be unlawful if fog, rain, or crowding makes that speed unsafe. The cue is changing conditions around you. Match speed to what you can see, stop for, and control.

9. 9. What insurance proof must you have when you drive and during a drive test?

   1. Proof of financial responsibility
   2. A dealership sales contract
   3. A DMV knowledge test receipt
   4. A maintenance log for the vehicle
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   Proof of financial responsibility. California requires proof of financial responsibility, commonly insurance, when you drive and for a drive test. A sales contract or maintenance record does not show liability coverage. The cue is any time you operate the vehicle or arrive for the behind-the-wheel test: be ready to show valid insurance proof. After a collision, the same proof must be shown to other involved drivers.

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

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

11. 11. A pedestrian using a wheelchair is crossing. How should a driver treat that person?

    1. As a pedestrian or vulnerable road user
    2. As a slow vehicle that must yield
    3. As a bicyclist only in a marked lane
    4. As traffic only when using a motor
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    As a pedestrian or vulnerable road user. California includes a person with a disability using a wheelchair for transportation among pedestrians or vulnerable road users. Calling the wheelchair a slow vehicle is wrong because pedestrian right-of-way and crossing duties still apply. The cue is the person crossing the roadway, not whether the chair is manual or electric. Reduce speed or stop as needed so the person can finish crossing safely.

12. 12. If you cannot see a truck's side mirrors, what should you assume?

    1. The truck driver cannot see you
    2. The truck is about to stop
    3. You are safely outside every blind spot
    4. The truck must change lanes first
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    The truck driver cannot see you. Large trucks have No Zones where a smaller vehicle can disappear from the driver's view. If you cannot see the truck's side mirrors, assume the truck driver cannot see you either. The about-to-stop choice invents a signal the mirror rule does not provide. The cue is mirror visibility: stay out of those blind areas, avoid lingering alongside, and pass on the left when you can do so safely.

13. 13. 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
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    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.

14. 14. While waiting to turn left, how should you hold your wheels before it is safe to turn?

    1. Pointed straight ahead
    2. Turned left toward the oncoming lane
    3. Turned right toward the curb
    4. Alternating left and right
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    Pointed straight ahead. When waiting to turn left, keep the wheels pointed straight ahead until it is safe to begin turning. Turning them left early is dangerous because a rear impact could push your vehicle into oncoming traffic. The cue is your waiting position in the intersection or turn lane. Hold the steering wheel steady, check pedestrians and approaching vehicles, then turn only when the gap is safe.

15. 15. Besides turning the wheels correctly on a hill, what should you do before leaving the vehicle?

    1. Set the parking brake and leave the vehicle in park or in gear
    2. Leave the transmission in neutral so the curb stops it
    3. Keep the engine running until the wheels touch the curb
    4. Release the parking brake after checking mirrors
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    Set the parking brake and leave the vehicle in park or in gear. Hill parking requires more than wheel direction. California says to set the parking brake and leave an automatic in park, or a manual transmission in gear. Neutral is wrong because it removes a layer of protection if the brake or curb hold fails. The cue is the slope itself. Once positioned, secure the drivetrain and brake before you exit so the vehicle cannot roll into traffic.

16. 16. During the first 12 months of a provisional license, when may a minor drive without an adult passenger under the standard restriction?

    1. Not between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
    2. Any time after holding the license for 6 months
    3. Between midnight and 4 a.m. only for social trips
    4. With passengers under 20 whenever school is in session
    Show answer

    Not between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.. For the first 12 months, a provisional driver may not drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless an exception applies and the required note is carried. Holding the license for only six months does not end the 12-month time restriction. The cue is the word provisional and the first year after licensing. Outside the restricted hours, solo driving may be allowed if the passenger restriction is also obeyed.

17. 17. From a one-way street onto another one-way street, where should you start a left turn?

    1. From the far-left lane
    2. From the far-right lane
    3. From any open lane without signaling
    4. From the center lane only
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    From the far-left lane. A left turn from one one-way street to another starts from the far-left lane. The far-right lane is used for a right turn, so choosing it would swing across traffic. Your cue is the one-way to one-way setup. Move to the left lane in advance, signal, check for pedestrians and bicyclists, and complete the turn into an open lane when the movement is safe and legal.

18. 18. When must a collision be reported to DMV within 10 days?

    1. When property damage is more than $1,000 or anyone is injured or killed
    2. Only when a driver is cited at the scene
    3. Only when damage is more than $5,000
    4. When police decide not to write a report
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    When property damage is more than $1,000 or anyone is injured or killed. A DMV collision report is required within 10 days when property damage exceeds $1,000 or when anyone is injured or killed, even for minor injuries. Waiting for a citation is wrong because fault or enforcement action is not the trigger. The cue is the damage amount or injury outcome. Each driver must file the SR 1 or have a representative file it, even if the crash happened on private property.

19. 19. What are two sets of solid double yellow lines spaced two or more feet apart?

    1. A barrier you must not drive over except at designated openings
    2. A passing lane for faster traffic
    3. A center left turn lane for 200 feet
    4. A shoulder marking for disabled vehicles
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    A barrier you must not drive over except at designated openings. Two sets of solid double yellow lines spaced at least two feet apart are treated as a barrier. They are not a center left turn lane, which has a broken inner line and a solid outer line on both sides. The cue is two separate double-yellow pairs with space between them. Do not drive on or across that area, and do not make a left turn or U-turn across it except at a marked opening.

20. 20. When preparing for a right turn across a bicycle lane, when may you enter the bike lane?

    1. Within 200 feet of the intersection after checking for bicyclists
    2. At any point in the block if traffic is heavy
    3. Only after stopping in the crosswalk
    4. Never, even when making the turn
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    Within 200 feet of the intersection after checking for bicyclists. A driver may enter a bicycle lane for a turn within 200 feet of an intersection, but only after checking blind spots and watching for bicyclists. The never-enter option ignores California's turning exception. The cue is the dashed or ending bike-lane area near the corner. Merge safely behind any cyclist, signal about 100 feet before turning, and avoid cutting across the bicyclist's path.