California Driver License: Turns, Passing and Parking

25 questions with the correct answer and an explanation for each. Topic: Turns, Passing and Parking. Free, no account needed.

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1. You're approaching an intersection where you plan to turn right. About how far before the turn should you signal?

  1. 100 feet
  2. 300 feet
  3. 200 feet
  4. 400 feet

Answer: A — 100 feet

You should give a right-turn signal about 100 feet ahead of the turn, before looking over your shoulder and slowing to a stop.

2. A traffic signal shows a red arrow for your direction. May you turn right?

  1. Yes, after coming to a complete stop and checking for pedestrians
  2. Yes, if a right-turn lane is present
  3. No, you must wait for green
  4. Yes, if there is no oncoming traffic

Answer: C — No, you must wait for green

A red arrow forbids a right turn entirely; the stop-then-go rule only applies to a plain red light.

3. You're in a right-turn lane that does not merge into another lane, and the light facing through traffic is red. What can you do?

  1. Not allowed; you must wait for the through light to turn green
  2. Come to a complete stop first, exactly as at any red light
  3. Turn right without stopping, unless a light or sign specifically controls that lane
  4. Wait for a green arrow before moving

Answer: C — Turn right without stopping, unless a light or sign specifically controls that lane

A dedicated right-turn lane that doesn't merge lets you turn without stopping even on a red for through traffic, unless its own sign or light says otherwise.

4. You're stopped in an intersection, wheels ready, waiting for a gap in oncoming traffic to complete a left turn. How should your front wheels be positioned, and why?

  1. Turned toward your target lane, so the turn finishes faster
  2. It makes no difference as long as you are stopped
  3. Turned away from oncoming traffic, for a side-impact buffer
  4. Pointed straight ahead, so a rear-end hit would not push you into oncoming traffic

Answer: D — Pointed straight ahead, so a rear-end hit would not push you into oncoming traffic

Keeping the wheels straight means a rear-end collision pushes you forward, not into the oncoming lane.

5. Turning left on a red light is only legal in which situation?

  1. Only at T intersections with no cross traffic
  2. From any street, as long as no pedestrians are crossing
  3. From a one-way street onto another one-way street, with no prohibiting sign
  4. From a one-way street onto a two-way street

Answer: C — From a one-way street onto another one-way street, with no prohibiting sign

Left turn on red is limited to one-way-to-one-way turns, and only where no sign prohibits it.

6. You're turning left from a two-way street onto a one-way street that has three lanes going your way. Which lane should you start from, and which lane may you end in?

  1. Start in the far-left lane; you must end in the lane nearest the middle
  2. Start in the far-left lane; you may end in any open lane
  3. Start in the far-right lane; end in the far-right lane
  4. Start in the lane nearest the middle; end in the lane nearest the middle

Answer: B — Start in the far-left lane; you may end in any open lane

Turning left onto a one-way street starts from the far-left lane, and with three or more lanes you may end in any open one.

7. At a T intersection where a one-way street ends into a two-way street, you're turning from the center lane. Who has the right-of-way?

  1. The vehicle turning right
  2. Whoever enters the intersection first
  3. Through traffic on the two-way street
  4. The vehicle turning left

Answer: C — Through traffic on the two-way street

At this kind of T intersection, through traffic on the two-way street has the right-of-way over turning vehicles.

8. You want to make a U-turn on a residential street with no posted signs. How close can an oncoming vehicle be for the turn to still be legal?

  1. No closer than 500 feet
  2. No closer than 100 feet
  3. No closer than 300 feet
  4. No closer than 200 feet

Answer: D — No closer than 200 feet

In a residential district a U-turn is allowed only when no vehicle is approaching within 200 feet.

9. In which situation is a U-turn always illegal, regardless of visibility or signs?

  1. At an intersection with a green light and no NO U-TURN sign
  2. At or on a railroad crossing
  3. Across a double yellow line on an ordinary two-way street with good visibility
  4. Through an opening in a divided highway's center divider

Answer: B — At or on a railroad crossing

A U-turn at or on a railroad crossing is always prohibited, while the other three situations are specifically allowed.

10. You need to turn your car around, and a fire station sits right in front of you. What should you do?

  1. Never U-turn there, and never use the station's driveway to turn around
  2. Allowed if no vehicle is approaching within 200 feet
  3. It's fine as long as no emergency vehicles are visible
  4. Use the driveway, not the street, to turn around

Answer: A — Never U-turn there, and never use the station's driveway to turn around

U-turns in front of a fire station are prohibited, and its driveway may never be used to turn around either.

11. You come to a stop behind another vehicle at a red light. How much space should you leave in front of you?

  1. Enough to see the license plate clearly
  2. Enough room to see the rear wheels of the vehicle ahead
  3. About one car length, regardless of visibility
  4. Close enough that another car can't merge in front of you

Answer: B — Enough room to see the rear wheels of the vehicle ahead

The rule of thumb is to leave enough room to see the rear wheels of the vehicle ahead.

12. You're merging onto the highway from an on-ramp. What speed should you try to match?

  1. The speed of the slowest vehicle in the nearest lane
  2. The posted speed limit for the on-ramp itself
  3. At or near the speed of the traffic already on the highway
  4. A slow, cautious speed until a gap appears

Answer: C — At or near the speed of the traffic already on the highway

Merging traffic should get up to at or near the speed of the highway traffic before merging into a gap.

13. You're pulling out onto a highway from a complete stop. About how large a gap in traffic should you have?

  1. About 100 feet
  2. Half a block, about 150 feet
  3. A full block, about 300 feet
  4. About three seconds, regardless of speed

Answer: C — A full block, about 300 feet

Entering a highway from a stop needs about a full block, roughly 300 feet, of gap; the smaller half-block figure is for city streets.

14. You want to pass another vehicle on a two-lane road and there is a curve ahead. How far away should that curve be for the pass to be safe?

  1. At least a quarter mile
  2. At least 500 feet
  3. At least 100 feet
  4. At least one-third of a mile

Answer: D — At least one-third of a mile

A hill or curve that could hide oncoming traffic should be at least one-third of a mile away before you attempt to pass.

15. In which of these situations may you pass another vehicle on the right?

  1. On a two-lane road with one lane each way, whenever the road ahead is clear
  2. On a one-way street
  3. Whenever the driver ahead signals a right turn
  4. By leaving the paved road and going around on the shoulder

Answer: B — On a one-way street

Passing on the right is limited to a highway with two or more lanes in your direction, a one-way street, or a driver ahead who is turning left; leaving the paved road to pass is never allowed.

16. You're looking for a spot to parallel park. How much longer than your vehicle should the open space be?

  1. At least six feet longer
  2. At least three feet longer
  3. At least one foot longer
  4. The same length as your vehicle

Answer: B — At least three feet longer

A parallel parking space should be at least three feet longer than the car.

17. While backing into a parallel parking space at roughly a 45-degree angle, at what point should you begin straightening your wheels?

  1. When your rear wheel comes within 18 inches of the curb
  2. Only after your car is completely stopped in the space
  3. When your front bumper passes the car parked ahead
  4. As soon as you begin backing up

Answer: A — When your rear wheel comes within 18 inches of the curb

You start straightening out once the rear wheel is within 18 inches of the curb, ending parallel and within 18 inches of it.

18. You park facing downhill on a street that has a curb. Which way should your front wheels point?

  1. Toward the center of the road
  2. Straight ahead
  3. Away from the curb
  4. Toward the curb

Answer: D — Toward the curb

Facing downhill with a curb present, the wheels should turn toward the curb so the car rolls into it if it moves.

19. You park on a hill with no curb, facing uphill. Which way should your front wheels point?

  1. Toward where the curb would be
  2. To the right, so the car rolls away from the road if the brakes fail
  3. Straight ahead, same as on flat ground
  4. To the left, so the car rolls toward the road if the brakes fail

Answer: B — To the right, so the car rolls away from the road if the brakes fail

With no curb, wheels turn to the right on any hill so a rolling car moves away from the road rather than into it.

20. You see an open space at a yellow-painted curb. What is it for?

  1. Free parking with no time limit
  2. Parking reserved for disabled persons with a placard
  3. Brief stops to pick up or drop off passengers only
  4. Loading and unloading passengers and freight for the posted time

Answer: D — Loading and unloading passengers and freight for the posted time

A yellow curb is for loading and unloading passengers and freight for the time posted.

21. You want to park at a blue-painted curb. Who is allowed to do so?

  1. Only vehicles with a valid city parking permit
  2. Delivery drivers loading freight
  3. A disabled person, or someone driving one, displaying a placard or special plate
  4. Anyone, for up to 15 minutes

Answer: C — A disabled person, or someone driving one, displaying a placard or special plate

Blue curbs are reserved for a disabled person, or someone driving one, with a placard or special plate.

22. How close to a fire hydrant may you legally park your car?

  1. No closer than 15 feet
  2. No closer than 20 feet
  3. No closer than 5 feet
  4. No closer than 3 feet

Answer: A — No closer than 15 feet

Parking is prohibited within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or fire station driveway.

23. You want to park near a marked crosswalk that has no curb extension. How close to the crosswalk may you legally park?

  1. No closer than 25 feet
  2. No closer than 10 feet
  3. No closer than 15 feet
  4. No closer than 20 feet

Answer: D — No closer than 20 feet

Without a curb extension, the no-parking zone extends 20 feet from a crosswalk; the shorter 15-foot distance only applies where there is a curb extension.

24. An officer signals for you to pull over. What should you do first?

  1. Turn on your hazard lights and stop immediately in your travel lane
  2. Turn on your right signal to show you've seen the officer, then move completely onto the right shoulder
  3. Roll down all your windows right away
  4. Get out of the car and wait beside it for the officer

Answer: B — Turn on your right signal to show you've seen the officer, then move completely onto the right shoulder

You should signal right to acknowledge the officer, then pull completely onto the right shoulder before stopping.

25. During a traffic stop, which officers are allowed to ask you about your immigration status?

  1. Any officer present, state, local, or federal
  2. Only federal officers
  3. Local officers only
  4. State officers only

Answer: B — Only federal officers

Only federal officers may lawfully ask about immigration status; state and local officers may not, and you can decline to answer them.

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