California Safe Driving Practice Test

Unofficial practice test 30 questions · pass at 80% (24 correct)

1. Your light truck has antilock brakes (ABS) on the rear wheels only. You brake too hard at high speed, the wheels lock, and the truck skids. What should you do first?

   Press the brake pedal down firmly and hold it there until the truck stops Ease off the brake but keep light pressure so the front wheels roll and you can steer Pump the brake pedal hard and fast while steering away from the skid Shift into neutral and pull the parking brake as hard as you can
2. Your car has antilock brakes (ABS) on the front wheels only. After you brake too hard at high speed, the wheels lock and the car skids. What does the handbook say to do?

   Press the brake pedal firmly and keep pressing until the car stops Take your foot off the brake, then steer where you want the car to go Pump the brake pedal quickly while turning sharply away from the skid Press the gas pedal hard so the locked wheels start turning again
3. Your car does not have antilock brakes. When you press the brake pedal, it sinks all the way to the floor. What should you do?

   Pump the brakes quickly, gently pressing and releasing the pedal Hold the pedal down against the floor and wait for it to work Press the gas pedal to build pressure back up in the brakes Shift into reverse to stop the wheels from turning forward
4. Your car has no antilock brakes. The brake pedal sank to the floor, and pumping it has not slowed you down enough. What should you try next?

   Downshift to a lower gear or neutral, then try the emergency brake Shift up to a higher gear, then press firmly on the gas pedal Keep pumping only, since the emergency brake should never be used Turn the steering wheel sharply back and forth to scrub off speed
5. According to the handbook, what usually causes a locked wheel skid?

   Releasing the gas pedal slowly on a curve Using low-beam headlights in heavy rain Keeping both hands on the steering wheel Braking too hard while traveling too fast
6. On a cold, wet day, the road ahead passes through a stretch shaded by tall buildings. Why should you be especially careful there?

   Shaded spots can hide ice because they freeze first and dry out last Shade keeps pavement warmer, so ice melts there before anywhere else Shaded areas are only slippery when the sun shines directly on them Buildings block the wind, so shaded pavement is the driest of all
7. It has been hot and dry for weeks, and a light drizzle begins to fall. What does the handbook say about the road right now?

   It is safest now, because the first drops clean the oil off the road It only gets slippery after it has rained steadily for several hours It can be very slippery, since oil and dust have not been washed away Light drizzle does not affect traction, so no change in speed is needed
8. You are driving in heavy rain and hear sloshing sounds coming from your tires. To avoid hydroplaning, what should you do?

   Speed up slightly so the tires can push the water aside Change lanes quickly to find a drier part of the road Brake hard right away to test whether the tires still grip Slow down to help keep your tires in contact with the road
9. Your car is stuck in mud. According to the handbook, how should you begin trying to get it out?

   Shift to a high gear and press the gas hard so the wheels spin free Shift to a low gear, keep the front wheels straight, and press the gas gently Turn the front wheels sharply left and right while flooring the gas Put boards under the tires while slowly driving forward over them
10. Ahead, water covers the road and you cannot tell how deep it is. A different route to where you are going is available. What should you do?

    Drive through quickly so the engine does not stall Judge the depth by looking at the water, then cross Follow closely behind another car that is crossing Take the other route instead of trying to cross
11. Strong, gusty winds are blowing across the highway you are driving on. How should you hold the steering wheel?

    Loosely, so the car can drift with the wind instead of fighting it Firmly, since a sudden gust could make you lose control With one hand, keeping the other free to adjust your mirrors Lightly with your fingertips, so you can feel each gust better
12. You must drive on a two-lane road in heavy fog. Besides driving slowly, which of these does the handbook advise?

    Switch to high beams to see farther ahead Listen for traffic that you cannot see Drive using only your fog lights Follow closely behind the taillights ahead
13. You often drive toward the low sun on your commute. Which of these does the handbook suggest to help manage sun glare?

    Clean only the outside of the windshield Follow the car ahead more closely for shade Wear polarized sunglasses while driving Keep the visor folded up and out of the way
14. At night, you pull out of a brightly lit gas station onto a dark rural road. What does the handbook advise?

    Speed up quickly so you can blend in with traffic Turn on your interior dome light to help you see Keep your high beams on even when cars approach Drive slowly until your eyes get used to the dark
15. At night you are on an open country road where high beams are legal, and no other vehicles are near you. Which lights does the handbook say to use?

    High-beam headlights Low-beam headlights only Parking lights only Front fog lights only
16. You are planning a winter drive through snowy mountain areas. What does the handbook say about snow chains?

    Chains are only needed by trucks and buses, not by cars One chain on any single tire is enough for most cars Carry chains that fit your vehicle, in the right number and type Chains reduce traction, so it is best to leave them home
17. On a multilane freeway, you notice you have been traveling right next to another car for a long time. What does the handbook advise?

    Avoid staying beside it, since you may be in its driver's blind spot Stay beside it, because matching speed with others is safest Move closer to it so its driver can see you in the mirror Drift toward the lane line so the other driver notices you
18. On a very cold morning, your windows start fogging up on the inside as you drive. What does the handbook suggest?

    Turn off the defroster so the engine warms up Close all vents and keep every window shut tight Wipe the glass with one hand while you keep driving Use the defroster or open your windows slightly
19. According to the handbook, what is the main source of distracted driving?

    Eating and drinking Using a cell phone Billboards along the road Talking with passengers
20. You are a 30-year-old driver with your phone in a dashboard mount. An email notification pops up while you are driving. What does the handbook say?

    Do not read or send emails or texts while you are driving You may read it because the phone is mounted You may read it if you keep one hand on the wheel You may read it as long as traffic is moving slowly
21. An adult driver's phone is properly mounted on the dashboard and set up for hands-free use. How does the handbook say the driver may operate it while driving?

    By holding it in one hand during short calls With a single swipe or tap on the mounted phone By typing short text messages with one thumb By taking it out of the mount to dial a number
22. It is a cold morning, and you want to warm up your gas-powered car before leaving. The car is parked inside your garage. What does the handbook say?

    It is fine to let it idle in a closed garage for a few minutes Exhaust gas is easy to smell, so you will know if it is unsafe Never start it in the garage while the garage door is closed Only diesel vehicles give off carbon monoxide, so it is safe
23. In slow traffic, you lightly bump the car ahead. You see no damage, and the other driver has not gotten out. What must you do?

    Keep driving, since there is no visible damage Stop only if the other driver signals you to pull over Stop; leaving the scene of a collision is a hit-and-run Leave now and phone DMV about it later that day
24. You are in a collision, and the other driver tells you they are hurt. What should you do right away?

    Leave to report it at the nearest police station Call 911 right away to get help for them Wait and let the injured driver call for help Swap insurance details first, then call for help
25. After a minor collision, you and the other driver have moved your cars out of traffic. What must you show the other driver?

    Just your first name and a phone number Only the name of your insurance company License, registration, insurance info and address Nothing at all until an officer gets there
26. On a rural road, your car hits a deer. It is injured and lying at the roadside. What does the handbook tell you to do?

    Drag it off the road yourself so it will not cause another crash Lift it into your vehicle and drive it to a veterinarian Contact the closest humane society or the police, and do not move it Drive away without reporting it, since only an animal was hit
27. On the highway, you see a vehicle's emergency flashers blinking up ahead. What does the handbook advise?

    Slow down and pass carefully, as there may be a collision Speed up to get past the area before traffic backs up Stop in your lane until the flashers are turned off Keep your speed, since flashers mean the car is parked
28. You are in a collision on a city street that causes about $3,000 in property damage. A police officer comes and writes a report. What about your SR 1 report to DMV?

    You must still file it, because police will not file it for you You do not need to file one, since the officer made a report Only the driver who caused the collision needs to file one The officer will send your SR 1 to DMV within 10 days
29. An officer signals a driver to pull over, but the driver speeds away to escape. No one is hurt. Under California law, what is using a vehicle to flee an officer?

    A minor infraction that is punished with a warning A traffic violation handled only with a small fine Not a crime if the driver stops within a few miles A crime punishable by up to one year in county jail
30. You have been driving for many hours and are starting to feel drowsy. According to the handbook, how can this affect your driving?

    It only matters after dark, when traffic is usually lighter It sharpens your focus, since your body is more relaxed It affects only your hearing, not your vision or reactions It can affect your vision and slow your reaction to hazards

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