California DMV Cheat Sheet

Correct answer: Alcohol begins affecting reaction time and coordination before reaching 0.08%

Driving skills can be measurably affected well below the legal limit, so "under the limit" doesn’t mean "safe to drive."

Correct answer: The combined effect on driving ability is often greater than either substance alone

Mixing alcohol with drugs, including many common medications, can multiply impairment far beyond what either substance would cause on its own.

Correct answer: An automatic license suspension applies, just as it does for adult drivers

Implied consent applies to all drivers, including those under 21. Refusing a chemical test after a lawful arrest results in an automatic suspension.

Correct answer: The district limit applies at all times; the school-zone limit often applies only when children are present

A business or residential district's 25 mph limit is constant, while a school zone's reduced limit may be conditioned on children being present, per the posted sign.

Correct answer: Quadruples your braking distance, not just doubles it

Braking distance increases with the square of your speed, so doubling your speed can roughly quadruple the distance needed to stop.

Correct answer: Yield to the bicyclist and merge into the bike lane behind them before turning

A bicyclist going straight has the right-of-way over a car turning right; merge behind them into the bike lane before completing your turn.

Correct answer: Judgment

Alcohol affects judgment and self-control at low doses, well before a driver feels physically impaired, which is why even small amounts can lead to risky decisions.

Correct answer: Still considered DUI, even though the drug is legal

DUI laws apply to any substance — legal or not — that impairs your ability to drive safely, including prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Correct answer: It can slow reaction time and distort perception of speed and distance

Marijuana can impair coordination, slow reaction time, and distort a driver’s judgment of speed and distance, all of which increase crash risk.

Correct answer: Avoid driving until you know how the medication affects you

A vehicle counts as machinery you operate. Warning labels about impairment or drowsiness apply directly to driving safety.

Correct answer: Alcohol, illegal drugs, marijuana, and prescription or over-the-counter medication

DUI is defined by impairment, not by whether the substance is legal to possess — alcohol, marijuana, illegal drugs, and even legal medications can all lead to a DUI.

Correct answer: Their driving privilege can still be suspended

California law penalizes drivers under 21 for possessing alcohol in a vehicle, which can result in license suspension even without evidence of impaired driving.

Correct answer: 10 years

A DUI conviction stays on your California driving record for 10 years, which can affect insurance rates and the severity of penalties for any future offense.

Correct answer: More severe, with longer suspensions and stricter requirements

California increases penalties for each subsequent DUI conviction within the lookback period, including longer license suspensions, higher fines, and mandatory education programs.

Correct answer: Unbuckle and get out immediately, before the car fills or sinks further

A car can sink or fill with water within a minute or two, so getting occupants out right away, through a door or window, is critical.

Correct answer: Injury, death, or more than $1,000 in property damage

Using an SR-1 form, drivers must report to the DMV within 10 days any collision involving injury, death, or property damage over $1,000.

Correct answer: The vehicle from rolling into the traffic lane if the brakes fail

Angled wheels use the curb as a physical stop, so a vehicle that starts rolling is blocked before it reaches moving traffic.

Correct answer: Roll backward a short distance until a front tire wedges against the curb

With wheels turned away from the curb while facing uphill, a backward roll is stopped quickly as the tire catches the curb.

Correct answer: No closer than 15 feet

California law prohibits parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant so firefighters have clear, fast access in an emergency.

Correct answer: No closer than 20 feet

California prohibits parking within 20 feet of a marked or unmarked crosswalk (or within 15 feet where a curb extension is present) so pedestrians and drivers can see each other clearly.

Correct answer: No closer than 3 feet

California law prohibits parking within 3 feet of a sidewalk ramp built for people with disabilities, keeping the ramp clear and accessible.

Correct answer: The same direction as traffic flow in that lane

Parked vehicles must be headed in the same direction as traffic flow in that lane; parking against traffic is illegal and dangerous when re-entering the road.

Correct answer: Check for approaching bicyclists or traffic and open the door only when safe

Opening a door into passing traffic or a bike lane without checking first is illegal and can cause a serious collision.

Correct answer: The driver, who is responsible for buckling in minor passengers

California law makes the driver responsible for making sure passengers under 16 are properly restrained.

Correct answer: Weighs 40 pounds or more, or is 40 inches or taller

Children must stay rear-facing until age 2 unless they already reach 40 lbs or 40 inches, whichever limit comes first.