California Driver License Practice Exam Questions

California Driver License Practice Exam Questions and correct Answers (Verified Answers) with Rationales

1. When driving in fog, you should use your:

• High-beam headlights
• Low-beam headlights
• Parking lights only
• Emergency flashers

Rationale: Low-beam headlights reduce glare and help you see better in fog. High beams reflect off fog and impair visibility.

2. You must notify the DMV within 5 days if you:

• Sell or transfer your vehicle
• Fail a smog check
• Change your insurance
• Get a traffic ticket

Rationale: The DMV requires notification within 5 days when you sell or transfer ownership of your vehicle.

3. A red arrow on a traffic light means you:

• Can proceed after stopping
• Can turn after yielding 1 / 4

• Must stop and cannot go in that direction until it turns green
• Can turn right after checking traffic

Rationale: A red arrow means no movement in that direction until the light turns green.

• When parking uphill on a two-way street with no curb, your front wheels

should be:

• Turned to the right (away from the street)
• Turned to the left
• Parallel with the road
• Facing straight ahead

Rationale: If there's no curb, turn your wheels toward the shoulder to prevent

rolling into traffic.

5. A solid yellow line next to a broken yellow line means vehicles:

• Can pass from either direction
• On the side with the broken line may pass
• On the side with the solid line may pass
• May not pass in either direction

Rationale: Vehicles next to the broken line may pass if it's safe; vehicles next to the solid line may not.

6. It is illegal to park your vehicle:

• In a school zone
• In a crosswalk
• Along a curb painted white
• More than 18 inches from the curb

Rationale: Parking in a crosswalk is illegal and can block pedestrians.

• / 4

7. When approaching a roundabout, you must:

• Yield to traffic already in the roundabout
• Enter quickly to match traffic
• Stop before entering
• Signal left as you enter

Rationale: Vehicles in the roundabout have the right-of-way.

• Which of the following increases your chances of having a collision?
• Looking 10–15 seconds ahead
• Continuously changing lanes to pass other vehicles
• Staying in one lane
• Checking your mirrors regularly

Rationale: Constant lane changing increases risk and reduces predictability.

• If two vehicles meet on a steep road where neither can pass, the vehicle

facing downhill must:

• Continue downhill
• Yield and back up
• Turn around
• Honk and proceed

Rationale: The downhill vehicle must yield because it's harder to reverse uphill.

• When can you legally use a cell phone without a hands-free device while

driving?

• To send a text
• To make a call
• To call emergency services
• Never

Rationale: Calling emergency services is the only legal exception.

• / 4

11. You must turn on your headlights:

• One hour after sunset
• Only during rain
• 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise
• Whenever you use windshield wipers

Rationale: The law requires headlights from 30 minutes after sunset to 30

minutes before sunrise.

12. If you see orange construction signs and cones on a freeway, you must:

• Be prepared for workers and equipment
• Speed up to pass through quickly
• Ignore them if no one is visible
• Continue driving normally

Rationale: Orange signs warn of construction zones and require caution.

• You are driving on a freeway posted for 65 MPH. Traffic is moving at 70

MPH. You may legally drive:

• No faster than 65 MPH
• 70 MPH to keep up
• 75 MPH in the fast lane
• As fast as necessary

Rationale: The maximum posted speed limit is still the law, regardless of other

drivers.

14. You see a school bus ahead with flashing red lights. You must:

• Stop as long as red lights are flashing
• Slow down and pass with caution
• Honk to alert the bus driver
• Stop only if children are present

Rationale: Red flashing lights mean you must stop, no matter what.

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