CA Permit Practice Test 23

All 20 questions in test 23

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. How should a pregnant occupant position the lap portion of the seat belt?

   1. Across the middle of the abdomen
   2. Above the abdomen, just below the ribs
   3. As low as possible under the abdomen
   4. Loosely across the abdomen to leave extra room
   Show answer

   As low as possible under the abdomen. If you are pregnant, wear the lap belt as low as possible under your abdomen. The handbook also directs you to place the shoulder strap between your breasts and to the side of your abdomen’s bulge. Do not confuse the two parts of the belt: the lap portion belongs low, while the shoulder strap follows the described upper-body path. A belt across or above the abdomen does not match that placement.

   Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and cell phones

2. 2. If you must get out on the freeway, which side should you use?

   1. On the left, near traffic
   2. Through the sunroof
   3. On the right side, away from traffic
   4. It does not matter which side
   Show answer

   On the right side, away from traffic. The right side faces the shoulder and the barrier instead of 65-mph traffic, so every entry and exit should use it. Children, elderly passengers, and pets especially must go right-side only. Once out, move behind the barrier if one exists and never stand between the car and the travel lanes. Never stand between the disabled car and the live travel lanes.

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

3. 3. How far before a turn should you begin signaling on a street?

   1. Only after entering the intersection
   2. At least 100 feet before turning
   3. At least 25 feet before turning
   4. Exactly one block before every turn
   Show answer

   At least 100 feet before turning. California tells drivers to start the turn signal at least 100 feet before the turn. Waiting until the intersection gives drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists too little time to understand your movement. The one-block option can be too early or too vague depending on the street. Use the distance cue: begin signaling early enough that nearby traffic can see your plan before you brake or move toward the curb.

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

4. 4. You see a blind pedestrian waiting to cross. What does the handbook say about your horn?

   1. Do not honk your horn at a blind person
   2. Honk lightly to signal it is safe
   3. Honk twice to announce your presence
   4. Honk only after stopping fully
   Show answer

   Do not honk your horn at a blind person. Blind pedestrians navigate by listening to traffic sounds, so a horn blast near them destroys the very information they need instead of helping. A honk can startle them into stepping the wrong way or freeze them in a dangerous spot. There is no coded honk pattern that communicates safety, and stopping first does not make honking useful. The correct response is to yield the right-of-way quietly, stop well short, and wait patiently until they finish crossing, keeping the soundscape clean for their judgment.

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

5. 5. For which situation does the handbook recommend hand-over-hand steering?

   1. Cruising straight on a freeway at highway speed
   2. Changing lanes quickly at high speed
   3. Turning at low speed, parking, or recovering from a skid
   4. Only while the vehicle is shut off
   Show answer

   Turning at low speed, parking, or recovering from a skid. Hand-over-hand steering is described for low-speed turns, parking, and situations where you need to recover from a skid. It is a steering method for particular maneuvers, not something restricted to a parked vehicle with the engine off. When practicing a slow turn in a suitable area, learn the controlled hand movements so you can turn the wheel as needed without losing a secure grip.

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

6. 6. A yellow divided-highway sign with arrows separating around a median means what?

   
   1. Opposing traffic will be separated by a divider ahead
   2. A lane ends and traffic must merge left immediately
   3. You may cross the median to make a U-turn anywhere
   4. The road changes to one lane for both directions
   Show answer

   Opposing traffic will be separated by a divider ahead. The divided-highway warning means a physical or marked divider separates opposing directions ahead, so stay to the right of the median and follow lane markings. The U-turn choice is wrong because a divider is not permission to cross wherever you like. The cue is the pair of arrows splitting around a central shape, which shows traffic streams separating rather than merging into one lane.

7. 7. A flashing raised hand appears while you are waiting at a crosswalk. What should you do?

   1. Begin crossing if the countdown shows enough seconds
   2. Do not start crossing
   3. Cross diagonally only
   4. Step into the street and wait on the centerline
   Show answer

   Do not start crossing. A flashing raised hand means pedestrians should not start across because the traffic signal is about to change. The countdown choice is wrong for someone still waiting, since the number tells how much crossing time remains for people already using the crosswalk. The cue is the hand symbol flashing before you leave the curb: stay out of the roadway and wait for the next walk indication.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and pedestrian signals

8. 8. Scooters, neighborhood electric vehicles, and golf carts share your road. What must you do?

   1. Honk until they pull over
   2. Pass them on the shoulder
   3. Adjust your speed to share the road with them
   4. Follow closely to push them faster
   Show answer

   Adjust your speed to share the road with them. Scooters, NEVs, and golf carts are legal slow traffic on their designated public roads, not obstacles to bully aside. Their small size and low speed demand patience: slow early, pass only where legal with full clearance, and expect sudden stops. Crowding or honking at these vulnerable road users causes exactly the panicked swerves that end in crashes. Never pressure them with tailgating or honking; their limits are legal and mechanical.

9. 9. What does California law say about drinking alcohol while riding as a passenger in a vehicle?

   1. It is illegal while riding as a passenger.
   2. It is allowed if the driver is sober.
   3. It is allowed in the front seat only.
   4. It is illegal only for passengers under 21.
   Show answer

   It is illegal while riding as a passenger.. California bars drinking alcohol, and smoking or eating cannabis products, while driving or riding as a passenger in a vehicle. The sober-driver option is wrong because the passenger conduct is prohibited separately. The handbook lists narrow exceptions for passengers in a bus, taxi, camper, or motorhome, but not for an ordinary moving car. The cue is an open container or active use inside the passenger area: keep alcohol and cannabis sealed and unopened during the ride.

   Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and DUI

10. 10. If you cannot see farther than 100 feet in heavy rain or snow, what speed does California identify as unsafe to exceed?

    1. 30 mph
    2. 45 mph
    3. 55 mph
    4. The posted limit if traffic is light
    Show answer

    30 mph. When heavy rain or snow limits visibility to 100 feet, California says it is unsafe to drive faster than 30 mph. The posted limit choice ignores that visibility can require a much lower speed than the sign allows. A concrete cue is losing sight of details beyond a short city lot ahead, at which point low beams, wipers, defroster, and a slower pace are needed.

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

11. 11. How must drivers treat school safety patrols and crossing guards?

    1. Wave them aside to keep traffic moving
    2. Honk to hurry them along
    3. Proceed around them carefully
    4. Obey their directions at all times
    Show answer

    Obey their directions at all times. Safety patrols and crossing guards stand in the road as the school's traffic authority, with legal power to stop cars for children. Their raised hand or stop paddle carries the force of a traffic signal. Patient obedience protects small pedestrians who cannot judge gaps themselves and keeps drivers clear of school-zone penalties. A guard's stop paddle carries the same force as a red traffic signal.

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

12. 12. If animals or livestock are near the roadway, what should you do?

    1. Honk repeatedly so the animals scatter
    2. Slow down or stop and continue only when safe
    3. Drive between the animals before they move
    4. Speed up because animals usually avoid vehicles
    Show answer

    Slow down or stop and continue only when safe. California instructs drivers who see animals or livestock near the road to slow down or stop and proceed only when safe. Honking is a poor choice because sudden noise can scare animals and make them harder to predict. The cue is an animal warning sign, rider, herd, or handler near the shoulder, where your job is to reduce speed and follow the directions of the person in charge.

13. 13. When turning left, which road users must you yield to?

    
    1. No one if your turn signal is on
    2. Only vehicles that are already stopped
    3. Only traffic approaching from behind
    4. Pedestrians and approaching vehicles close enough to be dangerous
    Show answer

    Pedestrians and approaching vehicles close enough to be dangerous. For a left turn, California says to check for pedestrians and yield to any pedestrian or approaching vehicle close enough to be dangerous. Having a turn signal on communicates intent, but it does not give priority over people or vehicles in the conflict path. The cue is waiting in the left turn position while oncoming traffic or pedestrians approach; turn only after the gap is safe.

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

14. 14. When may a child age 6 or younger be left unattended in a vehicle?

    1. When the windows are partly open.
    2. When the vehicle is parked in shade.
    3. When the driver will return within five minutes.
    4. When supervised by a person at least 12 years old.
    Show answer

    When supervised by a person at least 12 years old.. California makes it illegal to leave a child age 6 or younger unattended in a vehicle unless the child is supervised by someone who is at least 12. Shade, open windows, or a short errand do not replace that supervision. The window option is especially misleading because the handbook warns that heat can rise rapidly even with a window slightly open. Use the child's age as the cue: 6 or younger requires an older responsible person present.

    Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and cell phones

15. 15. At what BAC does California presume a commercial-license driver is driving under the influence?

    1. 0.01% or higher
    2. 0.04% or higher
    3. 0.08% or higher
    4. 0.10% or higher
    Show answer

    0.04% or higher. Drivers of vehicles requiring a commercial license answer to a stricter 0.04% limit because heavy trucks and buses multiply the harm of any impairment. The familiar 0.08% threshold applies to ordinary adult drivers, while 0.01% is the zero-tolerance line for drivers under 21. There is no 0.10% tier in California law. Commercial drivers should treat any drinking before driving as disqualifying: at half the regular limit, even one drink can end a career, and a DUI in a personal car still jeopardizes the commercial privilege.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and DUI

16. 16. When may a person ride in the back of a pickup or other truck?

    1. Whenever the trip is under one mile
    2. Only when the truck stays below 25 mph
    3. If the person is at least 18 years old
    4. If the vehicle has secure seats and safety belts
    Show answer

    If the vehicle has secure seats and safety belts. A person may not ride in a pickup or other truck bed unless secure seating and seat belts are provided. The adult-passenger choice is wrong because age alone does not create an exception. The cue is whether the rider has an actual seat and belt, not whether they can sit against the cab, hold the side rail, or take a short low-speed trip.

    Study this in the handbook: School buses and railroad crossings

17. 17. You drive a noncommercial vehicle and stop at a yellow curb to unload groceries. What rule applies?

    1. Load or unload promptly without exceeding the posted time, and usually stay with your vehicle
    2. Park for up to one hour while shopping
    3. Leave the vehicle locked and return within 30 minutes
    4. Yellow curbs are for commercial trucks only, so you must move immediately
    Show answer

    Load or unload promptly without exceeding the posted time, and usually stay with your vehicle. Yellow curbs mark active loading zones, not parking spaces: freight and passengers move in and out while the clock runs on the posted time limit. Noncommercial drivers may use them but must keep the stop short and usually stay with the vehicle so it can move the moment loading finishes. Treating the curb as an hour of free parking or walking away for half an hour blocks deliveries and earns a ticket. The color does not ban private cars outright; it bans lingering, so unload quickly and clear the zone.

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

18. 18. You develop dizziness, nausea, and ringing in your ears while driving, possible symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure. Which vehicle system should be checked?

    1. The air bag wiring
    2. The windshield washer system
    3. The steering linkage
    4. The exhaust system
    Show answer

    The exhaust system. Dizziness, nausea, and ringing in the ears are among the handbook’s warning signs of carbon monoxide exposure. Have the exhaust system checked if these symptoms occur. Washer fluid or an air bag electrical fault is not the source described here. Symptoms may resemble ordinary fatigue, so do not dismiss the pattern simply because you cannot smell fumes. The relevant vehicle component is the system carrying engine exhaust away.

    Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and cell phones

19. 19. How many attempts does a California applicant get to pass the knowledge test for an original license before having to reapply?

    1. One
    2. Two
    3. Three
    4. Unlimited attempts within one year
    Show answer

    Three. California allows three attempts at the knowledge test on an application for an original driver license. After the third failure, the applicant must start a new application. One or two attempts understates the allowance, and there is no unlimited window. Testing aids such as the handbook or a cell phone are not allowed in the test, so every attempt is closed book. Minors also face a seven day wait between knowledge test attempts, which means three tries can take a few weeks for a teen applicant.

    Study this in the handbook: Knowledge test, drive test and vehicle check

20. 20. A California driver is convicted of manslaughter from evading police during a pursuit. What prison term applies?

    1. Up to one year in county jail
    2. A minimum of 4 to 10 years in state prison
    3. Up to seven years in state prison
    4. Probation only
    Show answer

    A minimum of 4 to 10 years in state prison. Manslaughter resulting from evading law enforcement during a pursuit carries a state prison term with a minimum of 4 to 10 years. Up to one year in county jail is the penalty for the basic misdemeanor of fleeing officers. Up to seven years in state prison applies when the pursuit causes serious bodily injury, not death. Probation alone is not a listed outcome. The penalties climb with the harm the pursuit causes.

    Study this in the handbook: Tickets, points and suspensions