CA Permit Practice Test 4

All 20 questions in test 4

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. Which headlights should you use when driving in heavy fog or smoke?

   1. Parking lights only
   2. High beams so others can see you sooner
   3. Low beams
   4. No lights unless it is nighttime
   Show answer

   Low beams. Low beams work best in fog or heavy smoke because high beams reflect back and create glare. Parking lights alone are also unsafe because they do not give enough forward visibility or make the vehicle stand out properly. The high-beam choice is tempting at night, but fog changes the rule. Use the cue from what you see through the windshield: if light bounces back at you, stay with low beams and slow down.

2. 2. Your vehicle begins to skid on a slippery surface. What should you do with the brake pedal?

   1. Press it hard until the vehicle stops
   2. Tap it rapidly while turning away from the skid
   3. Avoid using it while you ease off the accelerator
   4. Hold it halfway down to keep the wheels straight
   Show answer

   Avoid using it while you ease off the accelerator. For a slippery-surface skid, ease off the accelerator and do not use the brakes. Braking can worsen the loss of traction and make steering less effective. The hard-brake option may feel natural in a surprise, but it can lock or overload the tires. A practical cue is the sideways slide: keep your eyes where you want to go, steer in the direction of the skid, and avoid sudden pedal inputs.

3. 3. If your vehicle starts hydroplaning, what is the safest response?

   1. Brake firmly to push the tires through the water
   2. Slow down gradually and avoid braking
   3. Turn sharply toward the shoulder
   4. Accelerate until the tires regain contact
   Show answer

   Slow down gradually and avoid braking. Hydroplaning means the tires are riding on water instead of gripping the road. Slow down gradually and avoid braking so the tires can regain contact without a sudden skid. The firm-braking choice is dangerous because sudden braking may make control worse. A cue is a light or floating feel in wet conditions, especially near standing water or tire sloshing sounds; ease off and keep steering smooth.

4. 4. A tire blows out while you are moving fast. What should you avoid doing suddenly?

   1. Holding the steering wheel with both hands
   2. Looking where you want the vehicle to go
   3. Braking or abruptly lifting off the accelerator
   4. Correcting the steering as needed
   Show answer

   Braking or abruptly lifting off the accelerator. During a blowout, a sudden brake application or abrupt release of the accelerator can upset the vehicle and cost you control. Hold the wheel, keep the vehicle stable if possible, then release the accelerator gradually and steer where you want to go. The two-hands choice is actually part of the safe response. A cue is the loud pop and pulling sensation: steady the car first, then slow and leave the roadway when safe.

5. 5. Your brake pedal sinks to the floor. What should you try first?

   1. Quickly pump the brakes with gentle pressure
   2. Turn off the ignition before steering
   3. Shift into park while moving
   4. Pull the parking brake with full force
   Show answer

   Quickly pump the brakes with gentle pressure. If the brake pedal sinks to the floor, the first response is to pump the brakes by gently applying and releasing pressure. That may restore enough braking force to slow the vehicle. Pulling the parking brake hard can lock wheels or cause a skid, so it is not the first move. A cue is the pedal dropping farther than normal; keep steering, pump smoothly, then downshift or use the emergency brake carefully if needed.

6. 6. Your vehicle stalls on train tracks and a train is approaching. Which direction should you run?

   1. Straight down the tracks away from the train
   2. Diagonally away from the tracks toward the direction the train is coming from
   3. Toward the nearest crossing gate
   4. Behind your vehicle so it shields you from debris
   Show answer

   Diagonally away from the tracks toward the direction the train is coming from. Leave the vehicle immediately and run diagonally away from the tracks in the direction the train is coming from. That path helps avoid debris pushed forward from the collision area. Running straight down the tracks keeps you in the danger path, and standing behind the vehicle is also unsafe. The cue is an approaching train with warning lights: get out first, move diagonally away, then call 911.

7. 7. During a traffic stop, what should the driver do after stopping and before the officer reaches the vehicle?

   1. Get out and meet the officer beside the vehicle
   2. Roll down the window and keep hands visible
   3. Reach for documents immediately in the glove box
   4. Keep the radio on so the stop is recorded
   Show answer

   Roll down the window and keep hands visible. During a law enforcement stop, stay inside unless told otherwise, roll down the window, and keep hands where the officer can see them. Reaching for documents before contact can look unsafe because the officer cannot know what you are retrieving. The getting-out choice also conflicts with the handbook unless the officer directs it. A cue is the moment after you stop: make the vehicle calm, quiet, and visibly controlled.

8. 8. When entering a roundabout, who must you yield to?

   1. Only vehicles entering from your right
   2. All traffic already in the roundabout
   3. Only large trucks already in the circle
   4. Pedestrians only after you enter
   Show answer

   All traffic already in the roundabout. Before entering a roundabout, slow down and yield to traffic that is already circulating. Enter to the right only when there is a safe gap. The vehicles-from-your-right choice confuses roundabouts with some other intersection rules; traffic inside the circle has priority regardless of which entry you are using. Use the cue of the central island: watch the circulating lane, wait for a gap, then travel counterclockwise.

9. 9. Two vehicles meet on a steep narrow road where neither can pass. Which driver should back up?

   1. The uphill-facing driver because gravity helps them stop
   2. The downhill-facing driver until the uphill vehicle can pass
   3. The driver closest to the centerline
   4. The larger vehicle, regardless of direction
   Show answer

   The downhill-facing driver until the uphill vehicle can pass. On a steep narrow road where only one vehicle can pass, the vehicle facing uphill has the right-of-way. The vehicle facing downhill should back up because it has more control backing uphill. The larger-vehicle choice ignores the direction rule. A cue is the grade: if your vehicle is facing downhill and there is no passing room, back carefully until the uphill vehicle can get through.

10. 10. At an uncontrolled T-intersection, who has the right-of-way?

    1. Traffic on the through road
    2. The vehicle on the road that ends
    3. Whichever driver is turning right
    4. The vehicle that flashes headlights first
    Show answer

    Traffic on the through road. At a T-intersection without stop or yield signs, traffic on the through road has the right-of-way. Drivers from the road that ends must wait for vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians continuing along the through road. The turning-right choice is too broad because turning direction does not override the through-road rule. A cue is the T shape: if your road ends at another road, prepare to yield before entering.

11. 11. A flashing yellow left-turn arrow appears. What does it mean?

    1. Your left turn is protected from oncoming traffic
    2. You may turn after yielding to oncoming traffic
    3. You must stop and wait for a green arrow
    4. Oncoming vehicles must stop before you turn
    Show answer

    You may turn after yielding to oncoming traffic. A flashing yellow arrow allows the turn, but it is not protected. You must yield to oncoming traffic and proceed cautiously when the gap is safe. The protected-turn choice confuses this signal with a green arrow, where oncoming vehicles are stopped by red. A cue is the flashing yellow color: it gives permission to turn with caution, not ownership of the intersection.

12. 12. What do broken white lane lines mean on a road with traffic moving in the same direction?

    1. Changing lanes is allowed when it is safe
    2. Lane changes are prohibited until the next intersection
    3. The lane is reserved for emergency vehicles
    4. Traffic on your side is about to become two-way
    Show answer

    Changing lanes is allowed when it is safe. Broken white lines separate lanes traveling in the same direction and allow lane changes when safe. You still need mirrors, a shoulder check, a signal, and enough space. The prohibited-lane-change choice describes a solid line or signed restriction, not the broken white marking. A cue is the color and pattern together: white means same direction, and the breaks show a permitted crossing when conditions allow.

13. 13. What minimum liability insurance must California drivers carry for property damage?

    1. $5,000 for property damage
    2. $10,000 for property damage
    3. $15,000 for property damage
    4. $30,000 for property damage
    Show answer

    $15,000 for property damage. California minimum liability coverage includes at least $15,000 for property damage. The $30,000 figure is used for a single death or injury, so it is the wrong number for property damage. Keep the categories separate: bodily injury limits are listed by people injured, while property damage covers damage to vehicles or other property. A cue is the smallest dollar amount in the handbook's three insurance bullets.

14. 14. After moving, how soon must you notify DMV of your new California address?

    1. Within five days
    2. Within ten days
    3. Within 20 days
    4. When your license next expires
    Show answer

    Within ten days. A California driver who moves must notify DMV of the new address within ten days. Waiting until renewal is too late because DMV needs a current mailing address on record for notices and licensing matters. The five-day choice may sound familiar from vehicle sale reporting, but address changes use ten days. A cue is any move, even within California: submit the change online or by mail promptly.

15. 15. You hit a parked vehicle and cannot find the owner. What must you do?

    1. Leave a note with your contact information and report it to law enforcement
    2. Drive away if the damage appears minor
    3. Wait exactly ten minutes, then notify your insurer only
    4. Leave your license plate number only on the windshield
    Show answer

    Leave a note with your contact information and report it to law enforcement. If you hit a parked vehicle or other property and cannot locate the owner, leave a secure note with your name, phone number, and address, then report the collision to law enforcement. Notifying only an insurer is incomplete because the handbook calls for the note and law enforcement report. A cue is the absent owner: once you cannot exchange information directly, create a written record at the scene.

16. 16. Which medication-related situation can make driving illegal?

    1. Only taking medication bought without a prescription
    2. Taking any drug that affects your ability to drive safely
    3. Taking medicine only after sunset
    4. Carrying prescription medicine in the vehicle
    Show answer

    Taking any drug that affects your ability to drive safely. California treats impairment from drugs seriously, whether the drug is illegal, prescribed, or bought over the counter. If it affects your ability to drive safely, driving can be illegal. The prescription-medicine choice misses the point because possession is not the issue; impairment is. A cue is the warning label or side effect, such as drowsiness, slowed reaction, or poor attention. Read labels before deciding to drive.

17. 17. Before opening your driver-side door next to traffic, what should you check for?

    1. Only whether the parking brake is set
    2. Passing vehicles, bicycles, and motorcycles
    3. Whether the curb is painted green
    4. Only vehicles coming from the front
    Show answer

    Passing vehicles, bicycles, and motorcycles. Before exiting a parked vehicle, look carefully for traffic that could strike the door, including bicycles and motorcycles. Checking only the parking brake does not protect someone riding beside the parked cars. A cue is any door opening toward a travel lane or bike lane: use mirrors and a shoulder glance, wait for a safe gap, then open the door only as much as needed.

18. 18. A pedestrian using a white cane is at a crossing. What right-of-way rule applies?

    1. They have the right-of-way only inside a marked crosswalk
    2. They have the right-of-way at all times
    3. They must wait for all vehicles to clear first
    4. They may be warned forward with a horn tap
    Show answer

    They have the right-of-way at all times. Pedestrians using white canes or guide dogs have the right-of-way at all times. Be especially careful when turning or backing because they may rely on sound to judge nearby vehicles. The marked-crosswalk choice is too narrow; the handbook gives this rule broadly. A cue is the white cane or guide dog. Do not honk, and do not stop in the middle of the crosswalk where you could force the person into traffic.

19. 19. When you cannot change lanes to pass a bicyclist, how much clearance must you allow?

    1. At least two feet if traffic is light
    2. At least three feet
    3. One full car length
    4. As much room as your lane allows, with no minimum
    Show answer

    At least three feet. If you cannot move into another lane to pass a bicyclist, leave at least three feet between your vehicle and the bicycle. If three feet is not available, wait until it is. The no-minimum choice is wrong because the handbook gives a specific clearance requirement. A cue is a narrow lane with a bicyclist ahead: slow, hold position, and pass only when the three-foot space can be maintained.

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.