CA Permit Practice Test 6

All 20 questions in test 6

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. What is the safest response to a slippery-when-wet sign?

   1. Brake sharply at the sign to test traction
   2. Use high beams so pavement glare shows standing water
   3. Slow down and make steering and braking inputs gently
   4. Move close behind the vehicle ahead to follow its tire tracks
   Show answer

   Slow down and make steering and braking inputs gently. A slippery-when-wet sign warns that traction can drop when the pavement is wet, so reduce speed before the hazard and avoid sudden moves. Braking sharply at the sign is the trap because hard braking can start the skid the sign is warning about. The cue is the skidding car symbol; when you see it, add space and keep both steering and pedal pressure smooth.

2. 2. A yellow curved-arrow sign warns you about what ahead?

   1. A gradual curve where you should reduce speed before entering
   2. A required right turn at the next intersection
   3. A T intersection with cross traffic only from one side
   4. A detour route marked for construction equipment
   Show answer

   A gradual curve where you should reduce speed before entering. A curve warning tells you the road bends ahead, so set a safe speed before reaching the curve and keep steady control through it. The required-turn choice confuses a warning with a regulatory direction; this sign alerts you to roadway shape rather than ordering a turn. The cue is the smooth curved arrow on yellow, which means look through the bend and avoid hard braking in the middle.

3. 3. A yellow right-angle turn arrow is warning you to expect what?

   1. A lane added for passing slow traffic
   2. A sharp change in road direction ahead
   3. A crossroad controlled by four stop signs
   4. A one-way street beginning after the sign
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   A sharp change in road direction ahead. A right-angle arrow warns of a sharper turn than a gentle curve, so slow before the turn and stay well inside your lane. The added-lane choice is unrelated because it describes extra pavement, not a change in direction. The cue is the abrupt bend in the arrow; prepare for a tighter steering path and watch for advisory speed signs or hidden traffic around the corner.

4. 4. What does a yellow winding-road sign tell you?

   1. A single sharp turn is immediately followed by a stop sign
   2. Several curves are ahead and speed should be controlled early
   3. A high-wind area begins and trailers are prohibited
   4. A road crew is directing alternating one-way traffic
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   Several curves are ahead and speed should be controlled early. A winding-road sign warns that more than one curve is ahead, so choose a speed you can hold through the sequence instead of reacting curve by curve. The high-wind choice is tempting because of the word winding, but the sign describes road alignment, not weather. The cue is the snaking arrow; look farther ahead for each bend and leave extra space before entering the first one.

5. 5. A yellow crossroad sign tells you to watch for what?

   1. Traffic entering or crossing from another road ahead
   2. A hospital zone where sirens have priority
   3. A no-turn area controlled by red regulatory signs
   4. A railroad crossing with gates and flashing red lights
   Show answer

   Traffic entering or crossing from another road ahead. A crossroad warning points to an intersection ahead where vehicles, bicycles, or pedestrians may cross your path. The railroad choice describes a different family of signs and warning devices, so it would aim your attention at tracks instead of side traffic. The cue is the plus-shaped symbol on yellow; ease off the accelerator and search both side approaches before you reach the conflict point.

6. 6. At a no-passing pennant near a hazardous area, what must you avoid?

   1. Passing another vehicle where the road or sign bars the maneuver
   2. Changing lanes after checking mirrors on a multilane freeway
   3. Letting a faster driver pass when your lane is clear
   4. Driving below the posted limit in heavy weather
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   Passing another vehicle where the road or sign bars the maneuver. A no-passing pennant marks a place where passing is unsafe or prohibited, commonly because sight distance or a hazard is ahead. The freeway lane-change choice is different because a normal lane change on a multilane road is not the same as passing across a restricted zone. The cue is the sideways pennant shape; before pulling out, check for yellow lines, hills, curves, intersections, and signs that remove passing space.

7. 7. A vehicle is stopped at a crosswalk in the lane next to you. What should you do?

   1. Pass only if you can stay under 10 mph
   2. Stop or slow enough to yield because a pedestrian may be hidden
   3. Honk once, then continue if the driver does not move
   4. Change lanes away from the vehicle and keep normal speed
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   Stop or slow enough to yield because a pedestrian may be hidden. California warns not to pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk because that vehicle may be blocking your view of a pedestrian. The 10 mph choice borrows a rule for stopped buses or streetcars at safety zones, not crosswalks. The cue is a stopped vehicle at the crosswalk line; treat it as evidence that someone may be crossing and wait until the whole crosswalk is visible.

8. 8. When may you make a U-turn in a residential district?

   1. Whenever your turn signal has flashed for 100 feet
   2. Only at a traffic light showing a green arrow
   3. If no vehicle is approaching within 200 feet
   4. Only when the street has two lanes in each direction
   Show answer

   If no vehicle is approaching within 200 feet. A residential U-turn is allowed only when no vehicles are approaching within 200 feet and no other listed ban applies. The green-arrow choice is too restrictive because the handbook separately allows some intersection U-turns, but residential districts have their own 200-foot condition. The cue is neighborhood driving with driveways and parked vehicles; check both directions for approaching traffic before starting the turn.

9. 9. 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. Give room and do not try to pass one in the same lane
   4. Follow within one second so other cars cannot enter the gap
   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.

10. 10. What following distance does the handbook call for behind a motorcycle?

    1. One second because motorcycles accelerate quickly
    2. Two seconds only when pavement is dry
    3. A safe three-second following distance
    4. Five seconds at all speeds and on every surface
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    A safe three-second following distance. Behind a motorcycle, use at least a three-second following distance so you have time if the rider brakes quickly or falls. The one-second choice is especially unsafe because motorcycle size can make distance look larger than it is. The cue is any rider ahead of you, especially on bridge gratings, railroad tracks, gravel, or wet pavement, where a small surface change can force sudden speed or direction changes.

11. 11. When passing a large truck, which practice is safest?

    1. Pass on the left and avoid staying beside the truck longer than needed
    2. Pass on the right so you remain near the shoulder
    3. Match the truck's speed while alongside so the driver can see you
    4. Move back in front as soon as your rear bumper clears the cab
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    Pass on the left and avoid staying beside the truck longer than needed. Large trucks have substantial blind spots, so pass on the left, move ahead, and avoid lingering beside them. The right-side choice is poor because it can put you in a larger blind area and near turning conflicts. The cue is losing sight of the truck's side mirrors; if you cannot see those mirrors, assume the truck driver cannot see your vehicle either.

12. 12. How close may you follow an emergency vehicle with its siren or flashing lights on?

    1. No closer than 100 feet
    2. No closer than 300 feet
    3. No closer than 500 feet
    4. Any distance if you are not using the same lane
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    No closer than 300 feet. Do not follow within 300 feet of an emergency vehicle when its siren or flashing lights are operating. The 500-foot choice may sound safer, but the handbook's legal minimum for following is 300 feet. The cue is an active fire engine, ambulance, law enforcement vehicle, or other emergency vehicle ahead; drop back instead of using its path through traffic. Keeping that distance also leaves the responders room to stop, turn, or back up without a car crowding their bumper, and it keeps you out of the path of any second emergency vehicle following the first.

13. 13. Who can be ticketed if a passenger under 16 is not wearing a seat belt?

    1. The driver
    2. Only the passenger's parent or guardian
    3. Only the unbelted passenger
    4. The vehicle owner, even if not present
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    The driver. The driver can receive a ticket when a passenger under 16 is not buckled. The passenger-only choice is wrong for this age group because the handbook puts responsibility on the driver as well. The cue is the passenger's age: if the rider is younger than 16, confirm the seat belt is fastened before moving, just as you would check mirrors or doors.

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

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

15. 15. Which use of your horn matches the California handbook?

    1. Honking to make a slow driver move when the light turns green
    2. Honking to warn others of a hazard or help avoid a collision
    3. Honking whenever you enter a marked crosswalk area
    4. Honking at a blind pedestrian who has the right-of-way
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    Honking to warn others of a hazard or help avoid a collision. Use the horn as a warning device when your presence or a hazard needs immediate attention, especially to avoid a crash. The slow-driver choice is not a safety warning and can escalate tension without reducing risk. The cue is urgency: if a driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist needs an alert to prevent danger, a brief horn use fits; annoyance or greeting does not.

16. 16. If oncoming headlights are too bright at night, where should you look?

    1. Directly into the headlights until your eyes adjust
    2. At your rearview mirror to avoid the glare
    3. Toward the right edge of your lane
    4. At the centerline between the vehicles
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    Toward the right edge of your lane. When oncoming lights are too bright, avoid staring into them and guide your path by looking toward the right edge of your lane. The centerline choice keeps your eyes near the glare source and may draw you toward oncoming traffic. The cue is discomfort or reduced vision from headlights; shift your gaze right while keeping the approaching vehicle in peripheral vision.

17. 17. At night, what does it mean to avoid overdriving your headlights?

    1. Use only parking lights when streetlights are present
    2. Drive slowly enough to stop within the distance your headlights illuminate
    3. Keep high beams on whenever another vehicle follows you
    4. Look away from the roadway whenever headlights reflect
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    Drive slowly enough to stop within the distance your headlights illuminate. At night, your speed must let you stop within the distance lit by your headlights, because hazards outside that light are not visible soon enough. The parking-lights choice is illegal and reduces what you can see. The cue is your stopping distance: if your headlights reveal only a short stretch, reduce speed until you could stop before reaching the end of that visible area.

18. 18. How do you know the minimum number of people needed to use an HOV lane?

    1. It is always exactly two people statewide
    2. It is printed on signs at the on-ramp or along the road
    3. It depends only on whether the vehicle is a sedan
    4. It is shown by the number of diamond symbols on the pavement
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    It is printed on signs at the on-ramp or along the road. HOV lane occupancy is controlled by posted signs, so check the on-ramp and roadside signs for the minimum number of people and the hours. The always-two choice is unreliable because some locations require a different number or have time limits. The cue is the HOV sign near the lane entrance; read it before entering rather than assuming the same rule applies everywhere.

19. 19. How should you enter or exit an HOV lane bordered by double solid lines?

    1. Cross the lines whenever traffic is moving below the speed limit
    2. Cross only if your vehicle has the required number of occupants
    3. Wait for a designated entrance or exit instead of crossing the double solid lines
    4. Use the double solid lines as a passing area for slower traffic
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    Wait for a designated entrance or exit instead of crossing the double solid lines. Double solid lines next to an HOV lane are a barrier, so enter and leave only at designated openings. The occupancy choice is incomplete because having enough people lets you use the lane, but it does not let you cross the double solid lines. The cue is continuous paired white lines; keep your lane until the marking changes to an allowed entrance or exit.

20. 20. You miss your intended turn after entering an intersection. What should you do?

    1. Keep driving until you can turn around safely and legally
    2. Stop in the intersection and back up to the lane you wanted
    3. Make an immediate U-turn from any lane
    4. Signal and reverse only if no vehicle is directly behind you
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    Keep driving until you can turn around safely and legally. Once you are moving through an intersection, continue and recover by turning around later where it is safe and legal. The backing-up choice creates a sudden conflict in a place drivers and pedestrians expect forward movement. The cue is realizing the mistake after you have already committed; abandon the missed turn, continue with traffic, and choose a lawful place to correct your route.