California DMV Permit Practice Test 6
Test 6 of 10. Pick an answer for each question to see if it is right and why; your score appears at the end. You need 30 correct answers to pass, the same ratio as the real California test.
- Questions36
- Correct to pass30
- Passing score83%
- Minimum age15 years 6 months
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1. Traffic is backed up on the far side of a railroad crossing. What should you do before driving onto the tracks?
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Answer D: Wait behind the tracks until there is room to clear them completely
Never enter a crossing until you are certain you can drive completely across without stopping, because a vehicle trapped on the tracks cannot get out of a train's way.
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2. You are on a four-lane divided highway and a vehicle in your lane is stopped waiting to turn left across the median. What is the normal way past?
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Answer D: Slow down and go by in the lane to the right when it is clear
On a multilane road the free lane beside you is the lawful place to go past a vehicle waiting to turn, and the median is not part of the roadway.
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3. What happens to your field of vision as your speed increases?
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Answer C: It narrows, so you notice less at the sides of the road
The faster you travel, the more your useful field of view narrows toward the center, so a hazard coming from the side is seen late or missed altogether.
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4. In a work zone one lane sits an inch or two lower than the lane beside it. How should you change lanes?
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Answer C: Slow down and cross the edge at a shallow angle, holding the wheel firmly
A vertical edge between lanes can catch a tire and jerk the steering. Crossing slowly at a shallow angle lets the wheel climb without grabbing.
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5. What does California add to a driving record after a traffic collision the department finds the driver responsible for?
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Answer D: One point
Section 12810 counts one point for a traffic accident in which the department deems the operator responsible.
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6. What prima facie speed limit does California set when passing a facility used mainly by senior citizens that is posted with a SENIOR warning sign?
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Answer D: 25 mph
Section 22352 applies a 25 mile per hour prima facie limit when passing a senior center or similar facility contiguous to a street other than a state highway and posted with a standard SENIOR warning sign.
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7. Which shape is used for the school advance warning sign and the school crossing sign?
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Answer B: An upward-pointing pentagon
The five-sided pentagon with its point up identifies school signing, so the outline alone tells a driver that children may be present.
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8. May you park in front of a public or private driveway?
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Answer A: No, blocking a driveway is prohibited even for a short time
Parking in front of a driveway blocks the property owner from entering or leaving, and the prohibition does not depend on how long you stay.
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9. What speed limit applies in California when approaching a railway grade crossing without a clear view of 400 feet in both directions along the track?
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Answer B: 15 mph
Section 22352 sets a 15 mile per hour prima facie limit at a railway grade crossing when the driver lacks a clear and unobstructed view for 400 feet in both directions during the last 100 feet of the approach.
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10. A funeral procession with headlights on is crossing an intersection when your light turns green. What should you do?
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Answer A: Wait and let the whole procession go through
Most states let a funeral procession stay together once the lead vehicle has lawfully entered an intersection, and in every state you must yield to vehicles already in the intersection, so wait until the line has passed.
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11. You are about to pass a bicyclist on a narrow two-lane road. What is the correct way to do it?
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Answer A: Wait for a clear gap and move well left, giving the rider wide space
Pass a cyclist as you would a car: wait for clear road, change lane position to leave generous clearance, and return only when the rider is well behind you.
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12. How many attempts does California allow on the knowledge test before an applicant must reapply?
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Answer D: Three
California allows three attempts to pass the knowledge test on one application; after that the applicant must reapply and pay again.
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13. A separate right-turn lane leads onto the cross street and carries a yield sign. What does it require?
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Answer D: Slowing and giving way to traffic and people, stopping if needed
A yield requires you to slow, give way to traffic in the lane you are joining and to pedestrians, and stop only if that is what safety demands.
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14. Absent a different local limit, what is the prima facie speed limit on a California highway in a business or residence district?
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Answer C: 25 mph
Section 22352 sets 25 miles per hour as the prima facie limit in a business or residence district unless a local authority determines a different speed.
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15. On which California roadways may a low-speed vehicle be operated?
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Answer A: Roadways with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less
Section 21260 bars a low-speed vehicle from any roadway with a speed limit above 35 miles per hour, apart from limited crossings at intersections.
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16. You are the first driver on a road just after a storm. What should you plan for?
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Answer B: Branches, mud and other debris hidden around the next bend
Storm debris lands where nobody has cleared it yet, often just beyond a curve or a crest, so reduce speed and look much further ahead.
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17. A rectangular marker with alternating black and retroreflective yellow stripes set at a slant is used to
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Answer C: mark an obstruction, with the stripes sloping down toward the side on which traffic should pass
This striped panel is an object marker, and the direction in which the stripes slope shows the driver which side of the obstruction to pass on.
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18. Why can a motorcycle ahead of you slow down without any warning light showing?
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Answer B: The rider may slow by downshifting or rolling off
Riders often lose speed by closing the throttle or changing down, which does not switch on the brake light, so watch the machine itself and keep back.
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19. Which passengers may a California provisional driver not carry during the first 12 months without a qualifying adult on board?
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Answer A: Passengers under 20 years old
California bars provisional drivers from carrying passengers under 20 years old during the first 12 months unless a parent, guardian or other California-licensed driver at least 25 years old rides along.
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20. The vehicle you have borrowed is larger and heavier than your own. How should you drive it?
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Answer B: Allow more room for stopping and for turns until you are used to it
Extra weight and length mean longer stopping distances and wider turns, so give yourself more room until you are used to it.
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21. How long should a glance at a mirror or an instrument take?
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Answer A: A brief glance of about a second, returning your eyes to the road at once
Checks should be quick flicks of the eyes. At highway speed, a few seconds with your eyes off the road covers a distance long enough for a hazard to appear.
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22. Is it safe to check your phone while stopped at a red light?
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Answer B: No, you may miss the signal change and hazards around you
Attention does not return instantly when the light changes, and emergency vehicles, pedestrians or a rear-end threat can appear while you are stopped. Stay focused on the road.
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23. At what age may a California applicant obtain an instruction permit without having completed driver education and driver training?
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Answer C: Over 17 years and 6 months of age
Section 12509 lets the department issue an instruction permit without the driver education and driver training requirement once the applicant is over 17 years and 6 months of age.
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24. Your vehicle has a backup camera. What is the right way to use it?
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Answer C: Use it as an aid, but still turn and look behind you
A camera has a limited field of view and can be dirty or wet, so it supplements looking over your shoulder and using the mirrors rather than replacing them.
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25. In California, what is the speed limit within 500 feet of a school while children are outside or crossing the street?
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Answer D: 25 mph
California sets 25 mph within 500 feet of a school when children are present, and some school zones are posted as low as 15 mph.
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26. You have stopped after a crash. Why should the engines of the vehicles involved be switched off?
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Answer A: To reduce the risk of a fire starting around any fuel that has spilled
Crashes often break fuel lines, and a running engine is a source of ignition, so switching off lowers the risk of fire.
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27. You have a small extinguisher and a fire has started under the hood. What is the safe way to use it?
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Answer B: Release the latch and spray through the gap without raising the hood at all
Opening the hood feeds the fire a rush of air, so spraying through the gap at the base of the flames is both safer and more effective.
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28. You have turned right into the nearest lane but you need the left lane soon. When should you move over?
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Answer A: After the turn is finished, once you have checked mirrors and blind spot
Complete the turn in the proper lane first, then make a normal lane change with mirror and blind spot checks once you are established on the new street.
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29. Crossing a parking lot on a hot day, you see a young child alone in a locked car. What should you do?
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Answer A: Call 911 right away and stay with the vehicle
The inside of a parked car can reach lethal temperatures within minutes, so a child left alone in one is an emergency.
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30. A hands free phone conversation is which kind of distraction?
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Answer C: Cognitive, because your mind leaves the road
Hands free equipment removes the manual and visual parts of a call but not the mental load, and it is the mental load that makes a driver miss hazards.
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31. Why does a long downhill grade lengthen the distance you need to stop?
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Answer C: Because gravity keeps pulling the vehicle forward as you brake
On a downgrade gravity works with the vehicle and against the brakes, so the same speed needs noticeably more distance than it would on level ground.
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32. You want to turn right from a lane marked for through traffic and right turns, and the driver behind you wants to go straight. What should you do?
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Answer C: Signal, stay in the lane and make the turn when it is safe
A shared lane is the correct place to turn right from, so signal early and turn from the lane; the driver behind must wait or use another lane.
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33. How should the outside mirrors be aimed to reduce your blind spots?
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Answer A: Outward, so each one covers the lane beside you rather than repeating the inside mirror
Mirrors aimed too far inward show you the same road three times and leave a large gap beside the vehicle, so aiming them outward shrinks the blind spot.
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34. What trailer may a California Class C license holder tow?
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Answer A: A trailer with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less
Section 12804.9 lets a Class C driver operate a two-axle vehicle of 26,000 pounds or less while towing a trailer rated at 10,000 pounds or less.
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35. What does California law say about an open container of cannabis in a vehicle being driven on a highway?
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Answer C: It is prohibited unless the container is kept in the trunk
Section 23222 bars a driver from possessing an open cannabis receptacle or loose cannabis flower, with an exception for cannabis kept in the trunk of the vehicle.
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36. How does marijuana affect a driver?
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Answer C: It slows reaction time and impairs judgment of time and distance
Marijuana impairs coordination, attention and the ability to judge speed and distance. Driving while impaired by it is illegal everywhere, even where its use is legal.