When being passed by another vehicle:
- Brake hard.
- Maintain a constant speed. ✓
- Speed up.
Answer: B. Maintain a constant speed.
When another vehicle is passing you, maintain a constant speed and hold your lane position so they can complete the pass.
Why this is the answer
The handbook says that if a vehicle is passing you or signals that it plans to, you should let it pass, keeping both your lane position and your speed the same. Holding a steady speed makes your car predictable, so the passing driver can judge the move and finish it. That is why keeping a constant speed is the right response rather than changing what your car is doing.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Brake hard. — Braking hard is not what the handbook asks for; it tells you to keep your speed steady, and slamming the brakes changes your speed suddenly.
- C. Speed up. — Speeding up works against letting the vehicle pass, since the handbook says to allow the pass while keeping your speed the same.
Remember it
Think of yourself as a fixed post: hold your lane and your speed, and let the other driver do the work of getting around you.
Official handbook: California Driver Handbook (DL 600), Section 6: Navigating the Roads, p. 25