California Speed Limits & Turns Practice Test

This free test has 22 new questions on California speed limits, U-turns, turning and signaling. Every question tests a handbook rule not already covered in our five full practice tests, so it is shorter than our other topic tests. You need 18 correct (80%) to pass, and every answer links to the California Driver’s Handbook section it comes from.

Unofficial practice test 22 questions · pass at 80% (18 correct)

0 / 22 answered · 0 correct

Near a school, the usual limit is 25 mph while children are outside or crossing. According to the handbook, some school zones may have a speed limit as low as:
15 mph 20 mph 10 mph 5 mph
In the handbook, an alley is a road that serves the back or side entrances of buildings or properties. What is the greatest width an alley can have?
15 feet 25 feet 35 feet 50 feet
You come to an intersection that has no stop signs on any corner, and tall hedges block your view of the cross street. Besides keeping to the speed limit, what does the handbook tell you to do?
Speed up so you spend less time in the intersection Stop and wait until another driver waves you ahead Turn around and find an intersection with signals Move forward slowly until you are able to see
Traffic is heavy and it is raining, so you are driving below the speed limit. What does the handbook also warn you about?
You may go as slowly as you like, since slow driving is always legal You must stay within 5 mph of the posted limit at all times You should not drive so slowly that you block normal traffic flow You must turn on your emergency flashers whenever below the limit
According to the handbook, what is the top speed that neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) and low-speed vehicles (LSVs) can reach?
15 mph 25 mph 35 mph 45 mph
A driver takes part in a speed contest on a public road, and another person is injured as a result. According to the handbook, what penalty can the driver face?
Imprisonment, a fine, or both Only a written warning from DMV A fine only, never time in jail Only one point on their record
The road is icy, and a sharp curve is just ahead. According to the handbook, when should you slow down?
Only after you have made it halfway through the curve As you approach the curve and while you drive through it Never, because slowing down on ice will cause a skid Only once you have left the curve and the road is straight
You are driving on a highway during strong, gusty winds. What does the handbook say about your speed?
Speed up so you get out of the windy area sooner Keep your normal speed and let cruise control hold it Match the speed of the largest trucks around you Slow down to gain control and more time to react
You want to get the best fuel efficiency and lower your emissions. What does the handbook suggest about how you handle your speed?
Accelerate hard so you reach cruising speed quickly Speed up and slow down smoothly, keeping a steady pace Change your speed often to give the engine a rest Wait until the last moment, then brake hard to stop
You are about to make a legal U-turn. According to the handbook, which lane should you make it from?
The far-right lane, next to the curb The paved shoulder on the right side Any lane, if no cars are close behind The left turn lane or the far-left lane
You are driving mid-block on a downtown street in a business district lined with offices and shops. No NO U-TURN sign is posted. May you make a U-turn here?
Yes, because no NO U-TURN sign is posted Yes, if no vehicle is coming within 200 feet No, in business districts U-turns are made only at intersections or divider openings Yes, as long as you signal and use the right lane
You realize you are heading the wrong way and notice a fire station driveway just ahead. The station doors are closed and no fire engines are in sight. May you use the driveway to turn around?
No, a fire station driveway may not be used for turning around Yes, since no fire engines are coming in or out Yes, if you pull in and back out quickly Yes, if you signal before pulling in
On a winding road, hills and curves let you see clearly only about 150 feet in each direction. No signs about U-turns are posted. May you make a U-turn here?
Yes, as long as you signal first No, you need a clear view of 200 feet each way Yes, if no vehicles are in sight right now Yes, if you make the turn very quickly
You want to turn around, and the widest spot nearby is a railroad crossing. No train is in sight and the gates are up. May you make a U-turn on the crossing?
Yes, because the gates are up Yes, if no train is in sight Yes, if you finish the turn quickly No, U-turns are never allowed at or on a crossing
You are on a one-way street with three lanes that ends at a T intersection with a two-way street. You are in the center lane. Which turn does the handbook allow from this lane?
Only a right turn Only a left turn Either a left or a right turn No turn; you must change lanes
You have stopped at the limit line and are about to make a right turn. In what order does the handbook say to look before you turn?
Left, then right, then left again Right, then left, then right again To the right only, since you turn right Straight ahead only, then begin turning
Which of these statements about signaling matches the handbook?
Signals are needed for turns, but never for stopping Signal for a stop only when driving after dark Signal for a stop only if a car is close behind you Signal when you slow down or stop, not just when turning
A bicyclist ahead of you wants to show that they are about to turn. According to the handbook, what arm signal may a bicyclist use?
Ringing the bell once for right and twice for left Waving one arm in a circle above the helmet Holding an arm straight out, pointing the way they will turn Tapping the top of the helmet with the turning-side hand
You have just finished changing lanes, and your turn signal is still blinking. What does the handbook remind you to do?
Turn the signal off, since you no longer need it Leave it on until your next turn to warn others early Leave it on for a block to show that you just moved over Switch to your emergency flashers for a few seconds
You spot an open space where you plan to parallel park. According to the handbook, when should you turn on your signal?
Only after you begin backing into the space As soon as you find the space, to show you plan to park Only if another car is stopped right behind you Never; signals are only for turns and lane changes
On an open highway, you have just passed a slower vehicle. What does the handbook say to do before you move back into your original lane?
Signal, then return to your lane Honk to let the other driver know Slow down to the other car's speed Flash your high beams at the driver
You are driving through a roundabout and your exit is coming up. What does the handbook tell you to do?
Stop before the exit to check for traffic Tap your horn to warn drivers behind you Exit without signaling, since traffic is one-way Signal as you leave the roundabout

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California speed limits

Where	Limit	Practice
Most California highways	65 mph	Test 3
Two-lane road with no divider	55 mph	Test 3
Towing a trailer	55 mph	Test 3
Business or residential district	25 mph	Test 3
Within 500 feet of a school while children are outside or crossing	25 mph. Some school zones post limits as low as 15 mph.	Test 1, this test
Alley (a road no wider than 25 feet)	15 mph	Test 1, this test
Blind intersection: no stop signs on any corner and your view is blocked	15 mph. Move forward slowly until you can see.	Test 2, this test
Within 100 feet of a railroad crossing with no gates, signal or flagman, when you can see less than 400 feet down the tracks	15 mph	Test 3
Neighborhood electric and low-speed vehicles	Their top speed is 25 mph.	this test

Adjusting your speed

Situation	What to do	Practice
Basic Speed Law	Never drive faster than is safe for current conditions, whatever the posted limit.	Test 3
Wet road	Slow down by 5 to 10 mph.	Test 3
Heavy rain or snow, 100 feet visibility or less	No faster than 30 mph.	Test 3
Ice and a sharp curve ahead	Slow down as you approach the curve and while you drive through it.	this test
Strong, gusty wind	Slow down to keep control and give yourself more time to react.	this test
Driving slowly	Do not drive so slowly that you block the normal flow of traffic.	this test
Speed contests	If someone is injured, the driver can face imprisonment, a fine, or both.	this test
Saving fuel	Speed up and slow down smoothly and keep a steady speed.	this test

U-turns

Rule	What to know	Practice
Which lane	Make a U-turn from the left turn lane or the far-left lane.	this test
Residential district	Allowed when no vehicle is approaching within 200 feet.	Test 1
Business district	Only at an intersection or an opening in a divider, never mid-block.	this test
Never allowed	On a one-way street, at or on a railroad crossing, using a fire station driveway, or where you cannot see clearly for 200 feet each way.	Test 1, this test

Turns and signals

Situation	What to do	Practice
Before any turn	Look left, then right, then left again.	this test
Right turn on red	Allowed after a full stop at the limit line and yielding, unless a sign forbids it.	Test 1
T intersection from a one-way street	From the center of three lanes you may turn left or right onto the two-way street.	this test
Signal distance	Start signaling about 100 feet before a turn.	Test 1
Slowing or stopping	Signal when you slow down or stop, not only when you turn.	this test
After the turn or lane change	Turn the signal off once you no longer need it.	this test
Parallel parking	Signal as soon as you find the space.	this test
Passing	Signal before you move back into your lane.	this test
Roundabout	Signal as you exit.	this test
Bright sun	Use hand-and-arm signals if your signal lights are hard to see.	Test 5
Bicyclists	May signal a turn by holding an arm straight out toward the turn.	this test

These rules come from Section 6: Navigating the Roads and Section 7: Laws and Rules of the Road of the California Driver’s Handbook. The limits above apply unless a sign posts a different one.

Keep studying

Try the lane markings test and the right-of-way test, or read how to study for the California permit test.

California Speed Limits and Turns Practice Test

California speed limits

Adjusting your speed

U-turns

Turns and signals

Keep studying