CA Permit Practice Test 5

All 20 questions in test 5

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

   1. At the sign post
   2. With the front wheels in the intersection for a better view
   3. Before entering the intersection
   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.

2. 2. At this yield sign, what must you be ready to do?

   1. Speed up to match traffic before entering
   2. Stop if needed to let vehicles, bicyclists, or pedestrians pass
   3. Stop only if another driver honks
   4. Proceed first because cross traffic has the sign
   Show answer

   Stop if needed to let vehicles, bicyclists, or pedestrians pass. A yield sign tells you to slow down and be prepared to stop so other traffic or pedestrians with priority can pass. It does not always require a full stop, but it does require one when needed. The speed-up choice is unsafe because yielding begins with slowing and checking. A cue is the red inverted triangle: approach expecting to give way, then enter only after the conflict area is clear.

3. 3. What does this DO NOT ENTER sign tell you?

   1. The road may be entered after stopping
   2. Do not enter the road or ramp where it is posted
   3. Only trucks are barred from the ramp
   4. The lane is closed only during rush hour
   Show answer

   Do not enter the road or ramp where it is posted. A DO NOT ENTER sign is a regulatory sign that bars entry to the road or ramp where it stands. Stopping first does not make entry legal. The trucks-only choice adds a limitation the sign does not contain. A cue is the red-and-white sign facing you at a ramp or roadway entrance. Treat it as a hard prohibition and choose another legal route before reaching opposing traffic.

4. 4. You see this WRONG WAY sign facing you. What should you do when safe?

   1. Continue slowly until the next exit
   2. Back out or turn around
   3. Move to the left lane and keep going
   4. Stop in the lane and wait for a tow
   Show answer

   Back out or turn around. A WRONG WAY sign means you have entered a roadway against traffic. When it is safe, back out or turn around to leave the wrong-direction path. Continuing slowly is not acceptable because it keeps you exposed to head-on traffic. A night cue is red road reflectors shining in your headlights. If you see the sign or red reflectors, stop compounding the error and get out of that direction safely.

5. 5. This ONE WAY sign means traffic on that road moves:

   1. Only in the direction shown by the arrow
   2. Both directions, but right turns have priority
   3. One direction for trucks and both directions for cars
   4. The arrow direction only during commute hours
   Show answer

   Only in the direction shown by the arrow. A ONE WAY sign is a white regulatory sign that controls the direction of travel. Drivers must travel only in the direction shown by the arrow on that roadway. The commute-hours choice invents a time limit; if a time restriction applies, another sign would say so. A cue is the black arrow and words: before turning onto the street, match your turn with the arrow direction and avoid entering against traffic.

6. 6. What movement does this sign prohibit?

   1. A left turn only
   2. A U-turn
   3. A right turn only
   4. A lane change
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   A U-turn. A red circle with a red slash means the pictured movement is not allowed. On this sign, the U-shaped arrow is crossed out, so a U-turn is prohibited at that location. The left-turn choice is wrong because the symbol is not a simple left arrow. A cue is the exact picture inside the circle: identify the movement shown, then understand that the red slash cancels that movement.

7. 7. This red-slash sign with a left-turn arrow tells you:

   1. Left turns are not allowed here
   2. Left turns are protected only on green
   3. Only buses may turn left here
   4. You must make a U-turn instead
   Show answer

   Left turns are not allowed here. The sign prohibits the movement shown inside the red circle. Because the image shows a left-turn arrow crossed by a red slash, you may not turn left at that location. The protected-green option confuses a prohibition sign with a traffic signal rule. A cue is the slash, not the arrow alone: the arrow names the movement, while the red circle and slash say that movement is forbidden.

8. 8. This red-slash sign with a right-turn arrow means:

   1. Right turns are prohibited at this location
   2. Right turns are allowed after a complete stop
   3. Right turns are allowed only from the bus lane
   4. Right turns must be made from the left lane
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   Right turns are prohibited at this location. A regulatory sign with a red circle and slash forbids the movement pictured. Here the pictured movement is a right turn, so a driver must not turn right where the sign applies. The after-stop choice confuses this with a red traffic light rule; a no-right-turn sign remains a prohibition even if you stop. A cue is the arrow under the slash: it names the turn you may not make.

9. 9. A white SPEED LIMIT sign with black lettering is what type of sign?

   1. A warning sign for changing road conditions
   2. A guide sign for destinations
   3. A regulatory sign you must obey
   4. A temporary construction advisory
   Show answer

   A regulatory sign you must obey. White rectangular signs communicate rules drivers must obey, and a speed limit sign is one of those regulatory signs. It is not merely a warning about a possible condition ahead. The guide-sign choice is also wrong because guide signs point to routes, places, or services instead of setting legal duties. A cue is the white rectangle with black text: read it as a rule, then adjust speed before passing the sign.

10. 10. This keep-right sign is posted beside an obstruction. What should you do?

    1. Pass to the right of the obstruction
    2. Stop and wait for a flagger
    3. Pass on either side if clear
    4. Move left because the arrow curves right
    Show answer

    Pass to the right of the obstruction. A keep-right regulatory sign gives a direction you must follow around an obstruction, island, or divided roadway feature. The arrow tells you to pass on the right side. The either-side choice is wrong because the sign removes that choice at this location. A cue is the curved arrow around a barrier symbol: position the vehicle early, check the right path, and do not drift left of the obstruction.

11. 11. At this railroad crossbuck, what should you do before crossing?

    1. Look, listen, slow down, and be ready to stop
    2. Stop only when a gate is present
    3. Maintain speed because trains must sound a horn
    4. Cross immediately after the first train passes
    Show answer

    Look, listen, slow down, and be ready to stop. A railroad crossbuck marks a crossing where you must watch and listen for trains, slow down, and prepare to stop. Gates or flashing lights are not the only warning that matters. The gate-only choice is dangerous because many crossings require careful checking even without gates. A cue is the X-shaped railroad sign: look both ways, listen for bells or horns, and cross only when the tracks are clear.

12. 12. This round yellow railroad sign warns of a crossing with several tracks. What does the California handbook say to expect there?

    1. Trains only on the track nearest you
    2. A train on any track, at any time, traveling in either direction
    3. Trains only during posted hours
    4. No train once one has just passed
    Show answer

    A train on any track, at any time, traveling in either direction. The handbook tells drivers to expect a train on any track, at any time, traveling in either direction. Many crossings have multiple tracks, so look in both directions and cross only when it is safe, and never stop on the tracks. A train that has just passed can hide a second one coming the other way on another track. If gates stay down with no train visible, call the posted railroad emergency number or 911.

13. 13. What does a five-sided school sign require you to expect?

    1. A park entrance where vehicles may stop in the travel lane
    2. A school area, with children who may be in or near the crosswalk
    3. A hospital driveway with emergency vehicles entering traffic
    4. A playground where only bicycles must yield
    Show answer

    A school area, with children who may be in or near the crosswalk. A five-sided sign points to a school area, so slow before reaching it and watch the crosswalks and curb. The park entrance choice misses the school-specific warning and would leave you looking for parked cars instead of children. The practical cue is the pentagon shape with walking figures, which should make you cover the brake, obey crossing guards, and stop if children enter or wait at the crossing.

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

    1. Continue normally unless a signal turns red
    2. Speed up before a pedestrian reaches the lane
    3. Look for pedestrians and be prepared to stop
    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.

15. 15. When you see a yellow traffic-signal-ahead sign, what should you expect?

    1. A traffic light is ahead, possibly hidden until you get closer
    2. A stop sign replaces the next signal at all times
    3. A railroad signal controls the next crossing
    4. A lane-use control signal begins immediately above you
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    A traffic light is ahead, possibly hidden until you get closer. The traffic-signal-ahead sign warns that a signalized intersection is coming, so check speed and prepare for stopped or slowing traffic. The stop-sign choice is a specific different sign and can make you react to the wrong control. The cue is the signal-head symbol on yellow, often posted where curves, hills, buildings, or trees delay your view of the actual light.

16. 16. A yellow sign showing a small STOP sign ahead tells you to do what?

    1. Maintain speed because it only marks a future parking rule
    2. Start slowing and prepare to make a full stop soon
    3. Turn right at the next intersection without stopping
    4. Stop immediately at the warning sign itself
    Show answer

    Start slowing and prepare to make a full stop soon. A stop-ahead warning means the actual stop sign is coming soon, so start reducing speed and get ready for a complete stop at the proper line or crosswalk. Stopping immediately at the warning sign is the likely trap; the warning sign is advance notice, not the legal stop location. The cue is the miniature stop symbol on a yellow background, which gives you time to react before the red octagon appears.

17. 17. What should a yellow merging-traffic sign make you do?

    1. Hold your lane and adjust speed so entering traffic can blend safely
    2. Move onto the shoulder to leave the lane open
    3. Stop in your lane until all ramp traffic has entered
    4. Cross a double solid white line to avoid the merge area
    Show answer

    Hold your lane and adjust speed so entering traffic can blend safely. A merging-traffic sign warns that another traffic stream will join yours, so keep scanning, leave room, and change speed smoothly if needed. Stopping in your lane is dangerous unless traffic control or an emergency requires it, because following drivers may not expect a full stop. The cue is the side line joining the main line, which should make you check mirrors and nearby gaps before the merge point.

18. 18. A lane-ends warning sign means which action is needed?

    1. Stay beside another vehicle until the lane disappears
    2. Merge into the continuing lane when a safe gap is available
    3. Stop at the sign and wait for a driver to wave you over
    4. Use the ending lane as a passing lane through the merge
    Show answer

    Merge into the continuing lane when a safe gap is available. A lane-ends sign means the lane you are using will run out, so signal, check beside you, and merge into a lane that continues. Using the ending lane to pass turns the warning into a last-second squeeze and increases conflict at the taper. The visual cue is the narrowing lane line on yellow; respond early enough that your speed and position do not surprise traffic already in the through lane.

19. 19. What does a yellow sign with two opposing arrows warn about?

    1. A one-way street is beginning
    2. Only buses may use the next lane
    3. Traffic will be moving in both directions
    4. A divided highway starts at the sign
    Show answer

    Traffic will be moving in both directions. Two opposing arrows warn that traffic is or will be traveling both ways, so keep right and expect oncoming vehicles. The one-way choice reverses the message and could put you mentally in the wrong lane pattern. The cue is that the arrows point against each other; treat it as a warning to watch center lines, passing restrictions, and vehicles approaching from the opposite direction.

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

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