One situation to check your recall

Question: An officer tells you to stop while the traffic light is green. Which instruction wins?

Signs and markings: recognize the instruction

• STOP: octagon. Make a complete stop before the stop line; if there is none, stop before the crosswalk, or before entering the intersection where you can see traffic. Then yield.
• YIELD: downward-pointing triangle. Slow and give way; stop if necessary. It is not permission to force a gap.
• Warning signs are usually yellow diamonds. Orange warns of work zones. A pentagon identifies a school warning; a round yellow sign warns of a railroad crossing.
• Yellow centerlines separate opposing traffic; white lane lines separate traffic moving the same way. A broken line does not override a no-passing sign or an unsafe view.
• A solid yellow line on your side means no passing across it. A center two-way left-turn lane is not a passing or cruising lane.
• A speed-limit sign gives a legal maximum for suitable conditions, not a promise that the speed is safe in rain, darkness or heavy traffic.

Intersections: identify who must wait

• Flashing red: stop completely, yield and proceed when safe. Flashing yellow: slow as needed and proceed cautiously.
• Steady yellow: the light is changing. Stop if you can do so safely; do not accelerate to beat the red.
• A green light does not make a blocked intersection safe to enter. Leave space for cross traffic and pedestrians.
• At an all-way stop, first to stop normally goes first; simultaneous arrivals yield to the vehicle on the right. A left-turning driver yields to conflicting straight-through traffic.
• At a roundabout, select the correct lane before entering, yield to traffic already circulating and watch for people at crossings.
• Before any turn on red, check that it is legal at that location, stop fully and yield. Red-arrow rules and local exceptions are not identical in every state.
• Follow a traffic officer’s directions even when they differ from the traffic light.

Space, speed and vulnerable road users

• Mirrors do not show every blind spot. Signal, check mirrors and look over the appropriate shoulder before changing lanes.
• Increase your following interval when the road is slippery, visibility is poor or a large vehicle blocks your view. More speed means more stopping distance.
• Look for pedestrians before turning and do not pass a vehicle stopped for a person at a crosswalk.
• Before crossing a bike lane, check for approaching riders and yield. Review your state’s specific rules for entering the lane before a turn.
• Give motorcycles room for a full lane. Do not squeeze alongside a rider in the same lane.
• Stay out of large-truck blind spots, allow extra room before moving back after passing, and never squeeze beside a truck making a wide turn.
• Keep tracks clear at railroad crossings. Do not enter unless there is space beyond the tracks, and never drive around lowered gates.

Safety decisions that beat memorizing an answer

• Never drive impaired. A BAC threshold is not a safe drinking allowance; age and license category can change the applicable rules.
• Coffee, a cold shower or exercise does not make alcohol disappear. Arrange a sober ride instead.
• Put your phone away before moving. Reading a message takes your eyes and attention away even when traffic feels familiar.
• Use a seat belt on every trip and the appropriate restraint for a child. Learn your state’s age and size requirements.
• For an approaching emergency vehicle, yield and get out of its path safely. Distinguish that from your state’s move-over rule for a vehicle already stopped on the roadside.
• If tires lose traction, avoid abrupt braking or steering. Ease off the accelerator and make smooth corrections; do not enter floodwater.

Finish with your DMV handbook

• Recheck the official handbook’s exact numbers for parking near hydrants and crossings, school buses, signaling and headlight use. Do not borrow a number from a different state.
• Review learner-permit supervision, passenger and nighttime restrictions for your age. A regular-license rule may not apply to a new permit holder.
• Read the sections on alcohol and drugs, implied consent, crash duties, insurance and license suspension. This short sheet does not reproduce every rule or penalty.
• Confirm current documents, appointment instructions, test language and any retest waiting period directly with the licensing agency before traveling.

Your last 15 minutes before the test

• First 5 minutes: recall the state highlights above without looking, then check your answers.
• Next 5 minutes: identify sign shapes and explain who yields in two intersection situations. Use the sign illustration linked below if you need a refresher.
• Final 5 minutes: revisit your own missed practice questions and read their explanations. Stop guessing from answer position; explain the rule in your own words.
• Use this sheet before the exam only. Put study notes away during the official test and follow the examiner’s instructions.