Driver's License Test Prep
California Practice Vehicle Equipment

Cargo extends more than four feet past your rear bumper. In daylight, what marker is required?

  1. A.
    A yellow triangle placard mounted on the tailgate.
  2. B.
    No marker is required if the cargo is tied down.
  3. C.
    A 12-inch red or fluorescent orange square flag. Correct
The Why

The answer is "A 12-inch red or fluorescent orange square flag."

Cargo extending more than four feet past the rear bumper must display a 12-inch red or fluorescent orange square flag. Choice B is the trap for drivers who treat securing the load as covering every rear-cargo rule, missing that the flag requirement is separate from tying the load down.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. A yellow triangle placard mounted on the tailgate.

Substitutes the slow-moving vehicle placard for the required rear-cargo flag. This answer borrows the yellow triangle from farm equipment and pins it to a rule that calls for a red or orange flag.

B. No marker is required if the cargo is tied down.

Securing the load does not remove the visibility requirement for a rear flag. This answer conflates load securement with rear-visibility marking, treating one safety habit as covering both.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Vehicle Equipment in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Other Important Roadway Information," p.52..

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