Highway & Freeway Driving — California
California DMV practice test: 617 free practice questions (38 official sample questions · Official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Highway & Freeway Driving: 62 questions.
Entering and exiting freeways, lane changes, overtaking and HOV lane rules.
This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines.
| Topic / Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Topic | Highway & Freeway Driving |
| License test | California Car learner's permit test (Class C) |
| Topic questions | 62 (10% of 617 total) |
| Review status | This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines. |
Official handbook
Not yet verified
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Questions (62)
1. What speed should you be driving when entering onto a highway?
- At or near the speed of traffic. ✓
- Faster than the speed of traffic.
- Slower than the speed of traffic.
Answer: A. At or near the speed of traffic.
When you enter a highway, you should be driving at or near the speed of traffic. The handbook lists the steps for entering a highway, and matching the pace of the traffic already there is one of them. You get into the proper lane on the on-ramp, build your speed to roughly what the other vehicles are doing, then merge when it is safe. The same passage says not to stop unless it is absolutely necessary and to pick a gap big enough for your vehicle. Driving at the flow of traffic lets you slide into that gap instead of making everyone else adjust to you.
2. When is it legal to drive off the road to pass another vehicle?
- If the vehicle ahead is turning left.
- It is not legal under any conditions. ✓
- If there are two or more one-way lanes.
Answer: B. It is not legal under any conditions.
3. When merging onto the freeway, you should be driving:
- At or near the speed of the freeway traffic. ✓
- At the legal speed limit.
- More slowly than the freeway traffic.
Answer: A. At or near the speed of the freeway traffic.
When merging onto the freeway, you should be driving at or near the speed of the freeway traffic. The handbook's merging steps say highway traffic has the right-of-way, and that when you enter a highway you need to be at or near the speed of traffic and merge when it is safe. Matching the flow lets you slide into a gap rather than forcing other drivers to slow for you. The same list also tells you to pick a space big enough to join safely, signal, check mirrors and your blind spot, and avoid stopping unless it is absolutely necessary.
4. The driver ahead of you stops at a crosswalk. What should you do?
- Cautiously pass the vehicle at 10 mph or slower.
- Stop, proceeding only when all the pedestrians have crossed. ✓
- Change lanes, look carefully, and pass the stopped vehicle.
Answer: B. Stop, proceeding only when all the pedestrians have crossed.
You should stop and proceed only after all pedestrians have crossed. The handbook says not to pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk because you may not be able to see a pedestrian crossing. It also says pedestrians have the right-of-way in marked or unmarked crosswalks, and drivers must stop or use caution to let them finish crossing safely. Since the driver ahead has stopped, you should stop too and wait until the pedestrians are clear.
5. When changing lanes:
- Rely on the rearview mirror.
- Look over your shoulder in the direction you plan to move. ✓
- Rely on the left side mirror.
Answer: B. Look over your shoulder in the direction you plan to move.
When changing lanes, look over your shoulder in the direction you plan to move. The California handbook lists the steps before a lane change: signal, check your mirrors, check traffic behind and beside you, and look over your shoulder toward the lane you plan to enter to make sure it is clear. It also says to check blind spots for other vehicles, motorcyclists, and bicyclists. Mirrors are part of the check, but the handbook specifically calls for the shoulder look before moving into another lane.
6. There are two traffic lanes moving in your direction. You are driving in the left lane and many vehicles are passing you on the right. If the driver behind you wishes to drive faster, you should:
- Stay in your lane so you don't impede the flow of traffic.
- Drive onto the left shoulder to let the other vehicles pass.
- Move into the right lane when it is safe. ✓
Answer: C. Move into the right lane when it is safe.
You should move into the right lane when it is safe to do so. The handbook addresses this exact situation. It says that when another driver is close behind you and wants to go faster, you should move to the right, and that if you choose to drive slower than other traffic, you belong in the right lane. Since traffic is already passing you on the right, staying on the left is what blocks the normal flow, so the fix is to shift right once you can do it safely.
7. Which of these statements is true about changing lanes?
- You only need to turn and look over your right shoulder for lane changes to the right or left.
- Look over your right shoulder for a right lane change and your left shoulder for a left lane change. ✓
- Vehicles with two outside mirrors do not have blind spots.
Answer: B. Look over your right shoulder for a right lane change and your left shoulder for a left lane change.
Look over your right shoulder for a right lane change and your left shoulder for a left lane change. Before you move into another lane, the handbook tells you to check your blind spots by looking over your right and left shoulders out the side windows. It says to turn only your head, not your body or the steering wheel. Since blind spots sit at the sides and slightly behind you, the shoulder you check should match the direction you plan to move: right shoulder for a right lane change, left shoulder for a left lane change.
8. When entering an interstate highway, you should:
- Stop, check for cars, and enter when safe.
- Check for cars and reduce your speed to 25 mph before entering the traffic lane.
- Check for cars, increase your speed to match the flow of traffic, and merge when the way is clear. ✓
Answer: C. Check for cars, increase your speed to match the flow of traffic, and merge when the way is clear.
Check for cars, increase your speed to match the flow of traffic, and merge when the way is clear. California's handbook says highway traffic has the right-of-way. When you enter a highway, it lists being in the correct on-ramp lane, getting close to the speed of traffic, and merging only when it is safe. It also says not to stop unless absolutely necessary. Checking for cars, building speed to match the flow, and joining a gap large enough for your vehicle follows that guidance. Slowing down before entering would leave you moving much slower than the traffic around you, which the handbook does not ask for.
9. You may pass a vehicle when:
- You are on a hill or curve.
- You are on a road with a solid line next to your lane.
- You are on a road with a broken line next to your lane. ✓
Answer: C. You are on a road with a broken line next to your lane.
You may pass a vehicle when there is a broken line next to your lane. The handbook ties passing to the painted line beside your lane. It says a broken yellow line means you may pass when that broken line is next to your driving lane, and it adds that you should pass only when it is safe. By contrast, it tells you not to pass when a solid yellow line is on your side or when double solid yellow lines are present. So the broken line beside your lane is the situation that permits passing.
10. When passing another vehicle, you should return to your original lane when:
- You can see both headlights of the passed vehicle in your rearview mirror. ✓
- You have cleared the front bumper of the passed vehicle.
- You are 50 feet in front of the passed vehicle.
Answer: A. You can see both headlights of the passed vehicle in your rearview mirror.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Not yet verified
Updated: · 38 official sample questions · Official driver handbook