Driver's License Test Prep
California Practice Emergencies

During a law enforcement traffic break, what does the manual say about the patrol vehicle weaving ahead of you?

  1. A.
    Pass it on the left as soon as you can safely change lanes
  2. B.
    Follow directly behind it with no gap to keep the lane clear
  3. C.
    Do not drive past it until the officer turns off the emergency lights Correct
The Why

The answer is "Do not drive past it until the officer turns off the emergency lights"

The manual tells you not to drive past the patrol vehicle and not to speed up until the officer turns off the emergency lights and traffic conditions allow it. Choice A comes from the everyday habit of passing slower traffic on the left; a traffic break is precisely the situation where that habit is the mistake.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. Pass it on the left as soon as you can safely change lanes

The manual explicitly bans passing the patrol vehicle during a traffic break. This answer applies the everyday habit of passing slower traffic on the left, which is the exact habit the traffic-break rule interrupts.

B. Follow directly behind it with no gap to keep the lane clear

The manual tells you to keep a safe distance from the patrol vehicle, not to tailgate it. This answer confuses 'keep the lane clear' with tailgating, missing the manual's call for a safe following distance.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Emergencies in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Law Enforcement Traffic Breaks," p.64..

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