DMV Class C Practice Test

The DMV Class C written test covers the rules of the road and safe driving practices that you’ll need to know to get your driver’s license.

Topics: Traffic signs and signals, right-of-way rules, stopping distances, turning procedures, parking regulations, driving under the influence (DUI) laws, and safe driving practices in various conditions (e.g., mountains, freeways).
Format: Multiple choice questions (usually 3 answer options) on a touchscreen computer.
Number of questions: Varies by state, but typically around 36-46 questions.
Passing score: Around 80-83% correct answers.

Let’s Get Started

1. What does a yellow diamond-shaped sign with a black cross on it represent?

icbc-test-yellow-diamond-shaped-sign-with-a-black-cross-on-it-represent

A. Railway crossing ahead

B. Intersection ahead
Explanation: A yellow diamond-shaped sign with a black cross indicates an intersection ahead.

C. Pedestrian crossing ahead

D. Hospital zone

2. What does a rectangular white sign with black letters say “DO NOT ENTER” indicate?

a-rectangular-white-sign-with-black-letters-saying-DO-NOT-ENTER

A. No parking zone

B. Wrong way; do not drive into this road
Explanation: “DO NOT ENTER” means you must not drive into the road; it indicates wrong way.

C. One-way traffic

D. No stopping zone

3. What does an octagonal red stop sign indicate?

A. Yield to traffic

B. Caution

C. Come to a complete stop
Explanation: An octagonal red stop sign means you must come to a complete stop.

D. Proceed with caution

4. A sign showing a walking pedestrian within a blue circle means?

A. Pedestrian zone, only pedestrians allowed
Explanation: A walking pedestrian within a blue circle signifies a pedestrian zone; only pedestrians are allowed.

B. Watch for pedestrians

C. Pedestrian crossing ahead

D. School zone

5. What does a sign with a white horizontal line inside a red circle mean?

A. Yield line ahead

B. Do not enter

C. Maximum height limit

D. Do not overtake
Explanation: This sign indicates that overtaking is prohibited.

6. You are approaching an intersection with another car coming from your right. Who has the right of way?

A. You, because you got to the intersection first.

B. The car on your right ALWAYS has the right of way.
Explanation: In most cases, the car on your right has the right of way at an uncontrolled intersection.

C. Both cars must stop completely and proceed at the same time.

D. Whoever speeds up first gets the right of way.

7. You are walking in a marked crosswalk with a pedestrian signal showing a flashing white hand. What should you do?

A. Stand still and wait for the signal to change.

B. Proceed cautiously, watching for turning vehicles.
Explanation: A flashing white pedestrian signal means proceed with caution, yielding to vehicles if necessary.

C. Run across the street quickly.

D. Ignore the signal and continue walking at a normal pace.

8. You are stopped at a red light and see an ambulance approaching with its siren on. What should you do?

A. Honk your horn to let the ambulance know you see it.

B. Stay stopped at the red light until the ambulance passes.
Explanation: When you see an emergency vehicle with lights and sirens, pull over to the side of the road and stop to allow it to pass.

C. Proceed cautiously into the intersection if there’s no oncoming traffic.

D. Speed up to get out of the ambulance’s way.

9. You are merging onto a highway from an on-ramp. Who has the right of way?

A. You must yield to all traffic on the highway.
Explanation: When merging onto a highway, you must yield the right of way to traffic already on the highway.

B. You have the right of way if you can accelerate quickly.

C. Traffic on the highway must slow down to let you merge.

D. Right of way alternates between merging vehicles and highway traffic.

10. You see a school bus with flashing red lights and a stop sign extended. What should you do?

A. Slow down and prepare to stop behind the bus.
Explanation: Flashing red lights and a stop sign on a school bus indicate it’s stopped to pick up or drop off children. Traffic from both directions must come to a complete stop.

B. Continue driving at the posted speed limit.

C. Honk your horn to warn children of your presence.

D. Pass the bus slowly on the shoulder if it’s clear.

11. To turn left safely, you should typically:

A. Turn the wheel sharply as soon as you enter the turn lane.

B. Slow down, signal your intention to turn, and position yourself in the left turn lane before turning.
Explanation: A safe left turn involves slowing down, signaling, positioning in the left turn lane, and turning smoothly.

C. Speed up to get through the turn quickly.

D. Honk your horn to warn other drivers of your turn.

12. You are driving down a highway and see a slow lane sign. What should you do?

A. Ignore the sign and maintain your current speed.

B. Move to the slow lane as quickly as possible.

C. Maintain your speed in the slow lane and prevent others from passing.

D. Change lanes to the slow lane only if you intend to exit soon.
Explanation: The slow lane is for slower traffic. Move to the slow lane only to pass slower vehicles or prepare for an upcoming exit.

13. What is the recommended following distance on a highway at high speeds?

A. One car length

B. Two car lengths

C. Three seconds following distance
Explanation: A safe following distance on a highway is at least 3 seconds behind the car ahead. This allows enough time to react if the car in front brakes suddenly.

D. Four seconds following distance

14. You are parallel parking your car. How should your wheels be positioned when pulling alongside the parked car?

A. Keep your wheels straight.

B. Turn your wheels sharply towards the curb.

C. Turn your wheels slightly away from the curb.
Explanation: When parallel parking, turn your wheels slightly away from the curb as you pull alongside the parked car.This allows for smoother turning into the parking space when you reverse.

D. The wheel position doesn’t matter for parallel parking.

15. You are driving at night and encounter a car approaching with high beams. What should you do?

A. Flash your high beams back to signal them to dim their lights.

B. Look away from the oncoming headlights to avoid glare.

C. Reduce your speed slightly and look towards the right edge of the road.
Explanation: When encountering high beams, reduce your speed slightly, look towards the right edge of the road to maintain lane awareness, and wait for the other car to dim their lights.

D. Turn on your fog lights to improve visibility.

16. When parking on a hill facing uphill, what should you do in addition to engaging the parking brake?

A. Turn your wheels sharply towards the curb.

B. Turn your wheels away from the curb.
Explanation: When parking uphill, engage the parking brake, and turn your wheels away from the curb to prevent the car from rolling backwards.

C. Leave the car in gear.

D. None of the above

17. What is the safest way to park on a two-way street with no curb?

A. Park as close to the edge of the road as possible

B. Park in the center of the road to avoid damaging your car doors.

C. Angle your car towards the traffic flow.
Explanation: On a two-way street with no curb, angle your car towards the traffic flow to maximize visibility and minimize space occupied in the travel lane.

D. Park facing the opposite direction of traffic.

18. You see a red and white striped curb. What does this sign mean?

A. No parking anytime.
Explanation: Red and white striped curbs prohibit parking at any time.

B. Limited time parking only.

C. Parking allowed for loading and unloading only.

D. Pay and display parking required.

19. You are parked in a parking lot and see a sign that says “Fire lane. Violators will be towed.” What should you do?

A. Park for a short time as long as you don’t block any firetrucks.

B. Double park your car to save space.

C. Look for another parking spot and avoid parking in the fire lane.
Explanation: Fire lanes are designated for emergency vehicle access and must be kept clear at all times.

D. Ignore the sign unless you see a firetruck approaching.

20. You are backing out of a parking space. What is the most important safety measure?

A. Rely solely on your rearview mirror to check behind you.

B. Honk your horn before reversing to warn others.

C. Check your rearview mirror, blind spots, and turn around to look behind you before reversing.
Explanation: The most important safety measure when backing out is to check your rearview mirror, blind spots, and turn around to look behind you before reversing. This ensures you are aware of your surroundings and avoids collisions.

D. Reverse quickly to get out of the parking space faster.

21. The speed limit on a highway is 65 mph. You see a car going significantly slower than that in the left lane. What should you do?

A. Speed up and pass the car as quickly as possible.

B. Flash your lights to signal the car to move over.

C. Patiently wait for an opportunity to pass the car in the left lane when it’s safe.
Explanation: The left lane is for passing slower traffic. However, don’t speed. Wait for a safe opportunity to pass in the left lane and then return to the right lane.

D. Honk your horn to express your frustration.

22. You are approaching a school zone. What are the general speed limits in school zones?

A. The same as the posted speed limit on the road.

B. There is no standard speed limit in school zones.

C. School zones typically have a speed limit of 15-25 mph.
Explanation: School zones have reduced speed limits to protect children. Be aware of the posted speed limit and slow down accordingly.

D. School zones typically have a speed limit of 35-45 mph.

23. You are driving under the influence of alcohol. What is the legal consequence of being caught driving under the influence (DUI)?

A. A warning ticket

B. A small fine.

C. License suspension or revocation, jail time, and/or fines.
Explanation: Driving under the influence is a serious offense. DUI penalties can include license suspension, jail time, and/or fines. Never drive under the influence.

D. Community service only.

24. You see a flashing yellow diamond-shaped sign ahead. What does this sign warn you about?

A. A stop sign ahead

B. A yield sign ahead

C. A merge lane ending ahead.

D. A merging lane or a hazard area ahead.
Explanation: A flashing yellow diamond-shaped sign is a general warning sign that alerts drivers to a potential hazard or merging lane ahead.

25. What is the recommended way to handle a tire blowout while driving?

A. Slam on the brakes as hard as possible

B. Hold the steering wheel tightly and maintain your speed

C. Gradually take your foot off the gas pedal, grip the steering wheel firmly, and steer towards a safe place to stop.
Explanation: In the event of a tire blowout, gradually remove your foot from the gas pedal, maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel, and slowly steer towards a safe place to stop. Avoid slamming on the brakes or swerving abruptly.

D. Swerve abruptly to avoid hitting anything.

26. What should you do before crossing railroad tracks?

A. Proceed slowly without stopping.

B. Stop completely and look both ways for trains before crossing.
Explanation: Before crossing railroad tracks, come to a complete stop and look both ways for trains before proceeding.

C. Honk your horn to warn any oncoming trains.

D. Follow the car ahead of you without checking yourself.

27. You see a car with its hazard lights flashing on the side of the road. What should you do?

A. Slow down and change lanes away from the car.
Explanation: When you see a car with flashing hazard lights, slow down, change lanes if possible, and proceed with caution as the car may be disabled.

B. Maintain your speed and proceed as usual.

C. Speed up to get past the car quickly.

D. Stop next to the car to offer help (unless it’s unsafe to do so).

28. What does a double solid white line painted down the center of the road mean?

A. You can pass cars on the left if there’s no oncoming traffic.

B. You can only change lanes to turn right.

C. Same meaning as a double yellow line – no passing allowed in either direction.
Explanation: A double solid white line, similar to double yellow lines, indicates a no-passing zone for both directions of traffic.

D. You can cross the line only to turn left.

29. You are driving in fog. What safety precaution should you prioritize?

A. Use high beam lights to see further.

B. Turn on your hazard lights and maintain your speed.

C. Reduce your speed significantly and use low beam lights for better visibility.
Explanation: When driving in fog, reduce your speed significantly and use low beam lights for better visibility through the fog.

D. Open your windows to improve air circulation.

30. You are approaching a pedestrian in a crosswalk. What should you do?

A. Continue driving at the posted speed limit

B. Slow down and yield to the pedestrian in the crosswalk.
Explanation: Pedestrians in marked crosswalks have the right of way. Slow down and yield to pedestrians crossing the street.

C. Honk your horn to warn the pedestrian.

D. Speed up to get past the crosswalk before the pedestrian enters.

Your Score: