CA Permit Practice Test 7

All 20 questions in test 7

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. If your vehicle stops working on the freeway, what should you do after pulling onto the right shoulder?

   1. Stand behind the vehicle to warn traffic
   2. Walk along the freeway shoulder to find help
   3. Return to the vehicle and stay belted inside until help arrives
   4. Turn off all lights so traffic will not follow you
   Show answer

   Return to the vehicle and stay belted inside until help arrives. After a freeway breakdown, pull to the right shoulder if possible, call for help, and stay inside with your seat belt on until help arrives. Standing behind the vehicle puts you near fast traffic and gives little protection. The cue is a disabled vehicle on a freeway shoulder; use emergency flashers when helpful, enter from the right side if you got out, and avoid walking beside traffic.

2. 2. If you choose to drive slower than other traffic, which lane should you use?

   1. The right lane
   2. The far-left passing lane
   3. Any lane as long as hazard lights are on
   4. The lane beside the center divider
   Show answer

   The right lane. Slower traffic should use the right lane so faster traffic can pass without weaving or tailgating. The far-left lane choice conflicts with the handbook's lane guidance because that lane is generally for passing or left turns. The cue is a line of vehicles closing from behind while you are traveling below the flow; move right when safe and let them pass.

3. 3. When may you pass another vehicle on the right?

   1. Whenever the shoulder is wide enough for your vehicle
   2. Only when the road is wet and left passing is risky
   3. When an open highway has two or more lanes in your direction
   4. Never, because California allows passing only on the left
   Show answer

   When an open highway has two or more lanes in your direction. Passing on the right is allowed on an open highway with two or more lanes going your direction, and in other listed situations, but not by leaving the paved or main-traveled road. The shoulder choice is the dangerous trap because the handbook expressly bars driving off the main roadway to pass. The cue is whether there is a lawful traffic lane to your right, not merely extra pavement.

4. 4. When is stopping or parking on a freeway allowed?

   1. For a phone call if you keep your hazard lights on
   2. In an emergency or when a law enforcement officer requires it
   3. Any time the shoulder is wider than your vehicle
   4. Only during daylight outside commute periods
   Show answer

   In an emergency or when a law enforcement officer requires it. Freeway stopping or parking is generally illegal, with exceptions such as an emergency, a law enforcement requirement, or a specifically permitted stop. The phone-call choice is not an emergency and leaves you exposed to freeway-speed traffic. The cue is the freeway setting itself; unless a real emergency or official direction exists, continue to an exit or another lawful stopping place.

5. 5. After driving through floodwater, what should you check?

   1. Whether the brakes work correctly
   2. Whether the horn can be heard from 200 feet
   3. Whether the tires gained extra traction
   4. Whether the parking brake will hold at highway speed
   Show answer

   Whether the brakes work correctly. After crossing a flooded road, test your brakes to confirm they work correctly because water can reduce braking performance. The horn-distance choice is a drive-test equipment requirement, not the post-flood safety check. The cue is any water deep enough to reach the wheels; once clear of it, slow down in a safe place and verify braking response before returning to normal speed.

6. 6. Which road surfaces tend to freeze before the rest of the road?

   1. Bridges and overpasses
   2. Freshly painted lane markings only
   3. Flat city blocks with heavy traffic
   4. Downhill shoulders after sunrise only
   Show answer

   Bridges and overpasses. Bridges and overpasses can freeze before other pavement, so slow before reaching them on cold wet days and expect hidden icy spots. The city-block choice overlooks the exposure of bridges and overpasses to cold air. The cue is elevated pavement, shade, or a structure crossing water or another road; ease off early and avoid abrupt steering or braking on the span.

7. 7. How should you manage heavy sun glare while driving?

   1. Follow the next vehicle closely so its path guides you
   2. Keep enough space and watch carefully for pedestrians
   3. Turn on high beams to make your vehicle more visible
   4. Drive only by looking at the lane line beside your hood
   Show answer

   Keep enough space and watch carefully for pedestrians. Sun glare can hide pedestrians and brake lights, so keep extra space and scan carefully while using clean glass, sunglasses, and a working visor. The close-following choice is risky because glare also reduces your ability to judge when the vehicle ahead slows. The cue is low sun near sunrise or sunset; create more room and expect people or signals to be harder to see.

8. 8. A firefighter gives you directions that conflict with a posted sign. What should you do?

   1. Follow the posted sign because it is permanent
   2. Follow the firefighter's order
   3. Wait until another driver chooses a direction
   4. Proceed only if the traffic signal is green
   Show answer

   Follow the firefighter's order. You must obey directions from a firefighter or law enforcement officer even when they conflict with signs, signals, or laws. The posted-sign choice is wrong because the manual gives the officer or firefighter's direction priority in that moment. The cue is a person officially directing traffic at a fire, collision, work zone, or emergency scene; follow the order calmly and watch for unexpected movement nearby.

9. 9. Another driver waves you forward. What should you remember about right-of-way?

   1. A hand wave transfers all legal responsibility to that driver
   2. You may go only if the maneuver is still safe after your own checks
   3. You must always refuse because right-of-way cannot be yielded
   4. The nearest vehicle automatically loses priority
   Show answer

   You may go only if the maneuver is still safe after your own checks. Never assume another driver will give you the right-of-way or that a wave makes the movement safe. The transfer-all-responsibility choice is wrong because you still must check for pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles that the waving driver may not see. The cue is any invitation from another road user; treat it as courtesy only, then make your own left, right, and ahead scan before moving.

10. 10. How may an adult driver use a cell phone while driving?

    1. By holding it for a brief call at a red light
    2. Only in hands-free mode when necessary
    3. By reading texts if traffic is stopped
    4. Only with both hands on the steering wheel and speaker off
    Show answer

    Only in hands-free mode when necessary. Adult drivers should use a cell phone only in hands-free mode when necessary, with the phone mounted and operated by a single swipe or touch if used. The red-light handheld choice still involves holding the phone while driving. The cue is whether the device is in your hand; if a call cannot wait, pull safely off the road instead of handling the phone in traffic.

11. 11. For normal push-pull steering, where should your hands start?

    1. At 10 and 2 o'clock
    2. At 12 and 6 o'clock
    3. At 9 and 3 o'clock or 8 and 4 o'clock
    4. One hand at 12 o'clock for all turns
    Show answer

    At 9 and 3 o'clock or 8 and 4 o'clock. California describes starting push-pull steering with hands at 9 and 3 or 8 and 4, keeping them there through turns. The 10 and 2 choice reflects older advice and is not the position stated in this handbook. The cue is ordinary steering, not backing or operating a control; keep both hands low enough for control and air-bag clearance while turning smoothly.

12. 12. Before backing up, what visual check does the handbook require?

    1. Use only the backup camera if the image is clear
    2. Check mirrors and look over your shoulder for traffic and pedestrians
    3. Look only through the left side window
    4. Trust a passenger outside the vehicle to guide you
    Show answer

    Check mirrors and look over your shoulder for traffic and pedestrians. Before backing, check mirrors and look over your shoulder so you can see vehicles and pedestrians that mirrors or cameras may miss. The backup-camera-only choice is inadequate because technology assists but does not replace an actual visual check. The cue is any reverse movement from a curb, driveway, or parking space; pause first, look behind and to the sides, then back at a smooth safe speed.

13. 13. Where must you not park on a two-way street?

    1. Within a marked legal space beside the right curb
    2. On the wrong side of the street
    3. In a time-limited green curb space during posted hours
    4. On a level street after setting the parking brake
    Show answer

    On the wrong side of the street. Parking on the wrong side of the street is prohibited, so on a two-way street you park with traffic on the right side unless a lawful exception applies. The green-curb choice can be legal if you obey the posted time limit. The cue is facing against approaching traffic after parking; if your vehicle would point the wrong way for that side, choose a legal space with the flow instead.

14. 14. What should you do when a traffic light is not working?

    1. Treat the intersection as if all directions have STOP signs
    2. Proceed because the larger road has priority
    3. Stop only if another vehicle reaches the intersection first
    4. Use the pedestrian signal as the only control
    Show answer

    Treat the intersection as if all directions have STOP signs. A nonworking traffic light is handled like an all-way stop: stop first, then proceed cautiously when it is safe. The larger-road choice is unsafe because the handbook does not give automatic priority to the wider or busier road in this situation. The cue is a dark or failed signal head; make a complete stop, communicate with other road users, and apply normal stop-sign right-of-way order.

15. 15. If a tire blows out, what should you do with the accelerator?

    1. Press it hard to keep the vehicle straight
    2. Abruptly remove your foot from it
    3. Gradually release it while keeping control
    4. Alternate quickly between accelerator and brake
    Show answer

    Gradually release it while keeping control. During a tire blowout, hold the wheel, keep control, and gradually release the accelerator after the vehicle stabilizes enough to slow safely. Abruptly lifting off is a trap because the handbook warns that sudden braking or sudden accelerator release can cause loss of control. The cue is a bang, pull, or vibration from a tire; resist panic inputs and steer where you want the vehicle to go.

16. 16. When passing a stopped bus, streetcar, or trolley at a safety zone, what speed limit applies?

    1. No more than 10 mph
    2. No more than 15 mph
    3. No more than 25 mph
    4. Normal posted speed if the lane is clear
    Show answer

    No more than 10 mph. When a bus, streetcar, or trolley is stopped at a safety zone or traffic light, you may pass at no more than 10 mph. The 25 mph choice confuses this rule with school and business or residential speed limits. The cue is a stopped transit vehicle beside a safety zone marked for pedestrians; slow to a crawl and watch for people entering or leaving the vehicle.

17. 17. What does California law say about throwing a lit cigarette from a vehicle?

    1. It is allowed if the road has no dry brush nearby.
    2. It is illegal to throw a flaming or glowing substance from the vehicle.
    3. It is allowed from a stopped vehicle only.
    4. It is illegal only inside city limits.
    Show answer

    It is illegal to throw a flaming or glowing substance from the vehicle.. California prohibits throwing a cigarette, cigar, or any other flaming or glowing material from a vehicle. That rule is not limited to dry rural areas, so the brush-related option narrows the law incorrectly. Treat anything lit as a fire hazard before it leaves the vehicle. A practical cue is simple: if the object is burning, glowing, or could ignite debris after landing, keep it inside until you can dispose of it safely.

18. 18. A railroad crossing gate is lowered, but no train is visible. What should you do?

    1. Drive around the gate after looking both ways.
    2. Cross slowly if another driver has already crossed.
    3. Wait, and call the posted railroad emergency number or 911 if no train appears.
    4. Stop 5 feet from the gate and then proceed.
    Show answer

    Wait, and call the posted railroad emergency number or 911 if no train appears.. A lowered railroad gate controls the crossing even when you cannot see a train. Do not drive around it or under it. California directs drivers to use the emergency phone number posted at the crossing, or 911, when gates stay down and no train is approaching. The option about following another driver is unsafe because a second vehicle's choice does not remove the warning. Use the gate position as the cue: down means stay off the tracks.

19. 19. Unless signs show a different limit, how fast may a vehicle towing a trailer travel on a California highway?

    1. 55 mph.
    2. 60 mph.
    3. 65 mph.
    4. 70 mph when traffic is light.
    Show answer

    55 mph.. California lists 55 mph as the normal maximum for vehicles towing trailers unless a posted sign creates a different rule. The 65 mph option belongs to most California highways generally, not to towing. A driver pulling a trailer needs more room and time to stop and maneuver, so the lower limit applies. The cue is the trailer itself: once you are towing, read the speed rule as the towing rule, not the general freeway rule.

20. 20. Why does the California handbook say never to start a vehicle inside a garage with the door closed?

    1. The battery drains faster in an enclosed space
    2. Carbon monoxide from the exhaust is deadly and has no odor
    3. The engine cannot warm up properly
    4. Garage fumes fog the windshield
    Show answer

    Carbon monoxide from the exhaust is deadly and has no odor. All gas-powered vehicles produce carbon monoxide, a deadly odorless gas released from the exhaust pipe, so never start your vehicle inside the garage with the door closed. Because it cannot be smelled, the first warning may be symptoms such as tiredness, yawning, dizziness, nausea, headache or ringing in the ears. If you notice them while driving, have the exhaust system checked. Battery, warm-up and fogging are not the danger the handbook describes.