Turns, U-Turns, Merging, Passing, Parking, Colored Curbs and Law Enforcement Stops

Written for aiforu2 as the source for a practice-test bank and the on-device tutor for the California Class C knowledge test. The facts follow the official handbook; the wording is ours.

Source: California Driver's Handbook (DL 600), California Department of Motor Vehicles, 2025 edition, section 6 "Navigating the Roads", second part (pp. 18–31).

Right turns

Drive close to the right edge; enter a designated right-turn lane at its opening, and you may use a bike lane within 200 feet of the turn after checking for bicyclists. Watch for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists between you and the curb. Signal about 100 feet before the turn, look over your right shoulder, slow down, and stop behind the limit line (the wide white line showing where to stop); with no limit line, stop before the crosswalk, and with no crosswalk, before the intersection. Look left-right-left and turn when safe, finishing in the right lane without swinging wide.

• Red light: you may turn right after a complete stop unless a NO TURN ON RED sign is posted, yielding to pedestrians.
• Red arrow: no right turn; wait for green.
• Bus lane: driving, stopping or parking in a lane signed for transit buses is illegal, but you may cross it to turn right.
• Dedicated right-turn lane: one that does not merge into another lane lets you turn without stopping, even when through traffic has a red, unless a light or sign on the right curb controls the lane; always yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk.

Left turns

Drive close to the center divider or into the left-turn lane, entering a designated lane at its opening without crossing a solid line; enter a two-way center left-turn lane within 200 feet of the turn, respecting anyone already in it and yielding to pedestrians. Signal 100 feet ahead, look over your left shoulder, slow, stop behind the limit line (or crosswalk, or intersection), look left-right-left, and proceed into the intersection to finish in the left lane. Do not turn the wheel early: keep the wheels pointed straight while waiting, because if you are hit from behind with the wheels turned left you would be pushed into oncoming traffic. Accelerate smoothly and let the wheel straighten in the new lane.

Left on red: allowed only from a one-way street onto a one-way street, with no prohibiting sign, after yielding to vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists who have the green.

Which lane to which lane

1. Left from a two-way street: start in the lane nearest the middle and end in the lane nearest the middle going your way. 2. Right turn: start and end in the lane nearest the right edge. 3. Left from a two-way onto a one-way street: start from the far-left lane; with three or more lanes in your direction you may end in any open lane. 4. Left from a one-way onto a two-way street: start from the far-left lane, end in the left lane nearest the middle. 5. Left from a one-way onto a one-way: start from the far-left lane (bicyclists may use the left-turn lane too); with three or more lanes you may end in any open lane. 6. Right from a one-way onto a one-way: start in the far-right lane; if safe you may end in any lane. 7. At a T intersection from a one-way onto a two-way street: through traffic has the right-of-way; you may turn right or left from the center lane.

Signs or arrows may allow turns from or into more than one lane.

U-turns

Signal and use the left-turn lane or far-left lane. You may U-turn across a double yellow line; in a residential district when no vehicle is approaching within 200 feet; at an intersection on a green light or green arrow unless a NO U-TURN sign is posted; and on a divided highway through a center divider opening. You may never U-turn where a sign prohibits it; at or on a railroad crossing; on a divided highway across a divider, curb, strip of land or two sets of double yellow lines; when you cannot see 200 feet in each direction; on a one-way street; in front of a fire station (never use its driveway to turn around); or in a business district except at an intersection or a divided-highway opening.

Braking, merging, exiting and entering traffic

Brake by easing off the accelerator and pressing lightly to a full stop, never over the limit line, and when stopped behind a vehicle leave enough room to see its rear wheels.

Merging: highway traffic has the right-of-way. Use the proper on-ramp lane, get at or near the speed of traffic, merge into a gap big enough for your vehicle without stopping unless absolutely necessary, use mirrors and signals and a quick look over your shoulder, keep three seconds of space ahead, never cross solid lines, and cross several lanes one at a time, checking blind spots each time. Exiting: know your exit early, change lanes one at a time, signal five seconds (about 400 feet) before the exit, slow to a safe exit speed, and never cross solid lines.

Entering traffic from a stop needs a gap of about half a block (150 feet) on city streets and a full block (300 feet) on the highway. Even on a green, do not enter an intersection that pedestrians or vehicles are blocking. When turning left, do not assume an oncoming car with its right signal on will turn before reaching you; wait until it actually begins to turn.

Passing

Judge the space whenever an oncoming vehicle or bicyclist, a hill, curve, intersection or obstruction is ahead; to pass safely a hill or curve should be at least one-third of a mile away. Do not pass when a hill or curve hides oncoming traffic, within 100 feet of an intersection, bridge, tunnel or railroad crossing, at crossroads and driveways, or without room to return to your lane. To pass on an open highway: signal, check the blind spot over your shoulder, move into the passing lane, speed up, then signal and return. Pass on the right only on a highway with two or more lanes in your direction, on a one-way street, or when the driver ahead is turning left and it is safe (never pass on the left of a driver signaling a left turn). Never leave the paved or main-traveled road to pass. When someone passes you, hold your lane and speed.

Parking

Parallel parking: find a space at least three feet longer than the car and signal; pull alongside the car ahead, about two feet away, with your rear bumper even with the front of the space, signal still on; check blind spots; back in at about a 45-degree angle; start straightening when the rear wheel is within 18 inches of the curb, ending parallel and within 18 inches of the curb. Turn off the engine, set the parking brake, and look for traffic before opening the door.

Straight-line backing: check traffic, signal before pulling to the curb, check blind spots, back three vehicle lengths while staying within three feet of the curb, at a smooth safe speed.

Hills: set the parking brake and leave the car in park (or in gear). Downhill: wheels toward the curb or toward the side of the road. Uphill with a curb: wheels away from the curb and let the car roll back until the tire touches it. No curb, up or down: wheels to the right so the car rolls away from the road if the brakes fail. On a sloping driveway, turn the wheels so the car cannot roll into the street.

Colored curbs: white, stop only to pick up or drop off passengers; green, limited-time parking as posted; yellow, loading and unloading of passengers and freight for the posted time, and a noncommercial driver usually must stay with the vehicle; red, no stopping, standing or parking (buses may stop at a red zone marked for buses); blue, only for a disabled person, or someone driving one, with a placard or special plate.

Never park: where a NO PARKING sign is posted; on a marked or unmarked crosswalk; on or partly blocking a sidewalk, or in front of a driveway; within three feet of a sidewalk ramp for disabled people, or on a curb giving wheelchair access; in the crosshatched area beside a disabled space; in a space for parking or charging zero-emission vehicles unless you drive one; in a tunnel or on a bridge unless signs allow; within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or fire station driveway; within 20 feet of a crosswalk (15 feet where there is a curb extension); between a safety zone and the curb; double parked; or on the wrong side of the street or on a freeway except in an emergency, when an officer requires it, or where a stop is specifically permitted. If you must stop on a freeway, get completely off the pavement and stay inside with the doors locked; a vehicle left on a freeway for more than four hours may be towed. Local authorities may reserve street spaces for electric vehicle charging.

Driving green: accelerate and slow smoothly at a steady speed, keep the tires inflated and the oil and filters fresh, and remove extra weight.

Law enforcement stops

Turn on the right signal to show you have seen the officer, move completely onto the right shoulder even from an HOV lane, stop in a well-lit place if possible, turn off the radio, stay inside unless told to get out, roll the window down before the officer arrives, and have everyone keep their hands in clear view. Officers must state the reason for the stop before questioning about a violation or crime, unless withholding it is needed to protect life or property, and the reason goes on the citation or report.

Your rights: you may say no when an officer asks permission for something, such as a search, but you may not interfere if the officer proceeds anyway; state clearly that you do not consent, and do not resist. The driver must produce a license, proof of insurance and registration; if not, officers may conduct a limited search for them. Passengers may decline to identify themselves, though in some circumstances they must, and must not interfere. An officer can legally require everyone to get out or stay in. Only federal officers may ask about immigration status; state and local officers may not, and you may decline to answer. You may record the stop in public (say so at once, and do not reach into concealed areas for the device); an officer may not confiscate the device, delete the recording or destroy it just because you are recording, and you may generally refuse to unlock your phone. Never resist physically; voice an objection instead. Anyone may file a complaint with the agency that employs the officer, which must investigate, and retaliation is illegal.

Practise this with California Driver License questions

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