Driver's License Test Prep
California Practice Turning

You enter a center left turn lane to prepare for a left turn. What limit does the manual set on how far you can drive in it?

  1. A.
    You may travel it for one full city block.
  2. B.
    There is no distance limit as long as you signal.
  3. C.
    You may drive in it for up to 200 feet. Correct
The Why

The answer is "You may drive in it for up to 200 feet."

The center left turn lane is for setting up a left turn or U-turn, not for travel, and the manual caps its use at 200 feet. Answer A treats the striped center lane as a shortcut past slow through-traffic and stretches the allowed distance to whatever block the driver just covered.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. You may travel it for one full city block.

The manual sets a 200-foot cap on use of the center left turn lane, not a block-based allowance. This answer treats the striped center lane as a shortcut past slow through-traffic and stretches the allowed distance to match the block just driven.

B. There is no distance limit as long as you signal.

Signaling is required for the turn itself, but it does not lift the 200-foot cap on how far you can drive in the lane. This answer applies the 100-foot signal-before-a-turn rule as if an active blinker unlocked unlimited use of the center lane.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Turning in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Center Left Turn Lanes," p.16..

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