Driver's License Test Prep
California Practice Emergencies

You see a vehicle's emergency flashers ahead of you on the road. What does the manual tell you to do?

  1. A.
    Slow down and pass carefully; there may be a road emergency Correct
  2. B.
    Speed up briefly to move past the vehicle
  3. C.
    Change lanes and continue at your normal speed
The Why

The answer is "Slow down and pass carefully; there may be a road emergency"

The manual says emergency flashers ahead signal a possible collision or other road emergency, so slow down and pass carefully. Choice B comes from the highway habit of clearing a slow spot quickly, but here the flashers are the warning that clearing quickly is exactly wrong.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

B. Speed up briefly to move past the vehicle

Speeding past reverses the manual's rule to slow down when you see flashers ahead. This answer applies the highway habit of clearing a slow spot quickly to a warning that says the opposite.

C. Change lanes and continue at your normal speed

Changing lanes at your usual speed skips the slow-down step the manual requires. This answer treats emergency flashers like any other slow-vehicle signal that only asks you to move around it.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Emergencies in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Causes of Collisions," p.77..

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