Your exam
46 questions. 38 correct to pass — you may miss 8.
Speed limits (when nothing is posted)
| Where | Limit |
|---|---|
| Alley | 15 mph |
| Blind intersection or blind railway crossing | 15 mph |
| Within 100 ft of a railway crossing you cannot see 400 ft along | 15 mph |
| Residential or business district | 25 mph |
| School zone when children are present | 25 mph |
| Two-lane undivided highway | 55 mph |
| Most freeways | 65 mph |
| Any vehicle towing a trailer | 55 mph |
The Basic Speed Law overrides all of these. You may never drive faster than is safe for the conditions, whatever the sign says. Rain, fog or heavy traffic lowers the legal speed automatically.
Alcohol and drugs
| Driver | BAC limit |
|---|---|
| 21 or over | 0.08% |
| Commercial licence | 0.04% |
| Under 21 (zero tolerance) | 0.01% |
| On DUI probation | 0.01% |
Refusing a chemical test after a lawful DUI arrest triggers a licence suspension on its own, separate from the DUI case. That is what "implied consent" means: holding the licence is the consent.
Distances
- 15 feet — closest you may park to a fire hydrant.
- 3 feet — minimum clearance when passing a bicyclist. If you cannot give it, wait.
- 100 feet — how far ahead you must signal before a turn or lane change.
- 200 feet — no vehicle may be approaching within this distance before a U-turn in a residential district.
- 3 seconds — minimum following distance in good conditions. Make it 4 or more in rain, fog, at night, or when someone is tailgating you.
Kerb colours
| Colour | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Red | No stopping, standing or parking — ever |
| Yellow | Loading zone, commercial vehicles |
| White | Loading passengers or mail only |
| Green | Limited-time parking (time posted) |
| Blue | Disabled parking, valid placard required |
Parking on a hill
- Downhill, with a kerb — wheels turned toward the kerb.
- Uphill, with a kerb — wheels turned away from the kerb, so the car rolls back into it.
- No kerb, either direction — wheels turned toward the shoulder.
Set the parking brake every time. The wheel position is what stops a runaway car from reaching traffic.
Points and suspension
You may be declared a negligent operator — and lose your licence — at:
- 4 points in 12 months
- 6 points in 24 months
- 8 points in 36 months
Most moving violations are 1 point. A DUI, reckless driving or hit-and-run is 2.
Phones
- 18 and over — hands-free only.
- Under 18 — no phone use at all while driving, including hands-free. The only exception is calling for emergency help.
The three that catch people out
- A dark traffic light (power failure) is legally a four-way stop. Not a green light.
- Flashing red = stop sign. Flashing yellow = slow down and proceed. People reverse these under pressure.
- A school bus with flashing red lights stops traffic in both directions — unless the road is a divided highway.