California permit test: defensive driving

Leave yourself space and time. Look far ahead, check around you, and never count on other drivers doing the right thing.

Key rules

• Scan at least 10 seconds ahead, about one city block, and keep your eyes moving. (DMV handbook, Scan Your Surroundings)
• Three-second rule: count from when the car ahead passes a fixed point. Add time in rain, fog and darkness, behind motorcycles and trucks, and when you are tailgated. (DMV handbook, Tailgating)
• Being tailgated: keep a steady speed, add space ahead, and move right to let the driver pass. If someone cuts in, ease off the gas. (DMV handbook, Tailgating)

The full study guide for this topic, 14 practice questions and a printable cheat sheet are in the Exam Pack.

Sample questions

To give yourself time to react, you should scan the road ahead at least:

To use the three-second rule, you:

Other topics

• Speed limits: California has one rule above all others: never drive faster than is safe for the conditions.
• Signals and signs: Lights and signs tell you who goes and who waits.
• Road signs: About one in five questions in our bank is a road sign.
• Right of way: The law says who must yield, never who may force their way.
• Lane markings and lane types: Paint tells you which way traffic moves and what you may do in each lane.
• Lanes, passing and turns: Lane lines tell you where you may move.
• Freeways: Match the speed of traffic, keep right unless passing, and never stop in the lanes.
• Parking: Where and how you park is tested with exact distances.
• Sharing the road: Bicyclists, pedestrians, motorcycles, trucks and buses all have rights on the road.
• Buses, light rail and streetcars: Trains and buses are big, heavy and slow to stop.
• Work zones: Orange signs mean workers and equipment are close to traffic.
• Railroad crossings: Trains cannot stop quickly.
• Defensive driving: Leave yourself space and time.
• Weather and slippery roads: Rain, ice, fog and wind call for lower speeds than the posted limit.
• Night driving and emergencies: See and be seen at night, and know the first steps when something goes wrong.
• Alcohol and drugs: Impairment starts with judgment, before you feel drunk.
• Phones and distraction: Eyes on the road, hands on the wheel.
• Seat belts and children: Everyone buckles up, and children ride in the back in the right seat for their age and size.
• Vehicle control and equipment: Know your car's controls and keep it legal: clear windows, working lights, secure loads.
• Police stops and road rage: Stay calm, stay visible and keep your hands where they can be seen.
• Insurance, collisions and penalties: Every driver must carry insurance, stop after a crash, and keep a clean record.
• Permits and licensing rules: Rules for drivers under 18 are tested often.

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