Driver's License Test Prep
California Practice Vehicle Equipment

A video monitor is mounted where the driver can see it. Under what condition is this legal?

  1. A.
    Only if it shows vehicle information, navigation, a media player, or radio. Correct
  2. B.
    Only when the vehicle is parked or stopped at a red light.
  3. C.
    Only if the driver keeps the volume below a set decibel level.
The Why

The answer is "Only if it shows vehicle information, navigation, a media player, or radio."

A driver-visible video monitor is legal only if it displays vehicle information, navigation, a media player, or radio. B carries over the assumption from phone-use laws that pulling to a stop makes any distracting device legal, but California ties this exception to what the screen shows, not to whether the car is moving.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

B. Only when the vehicle is parked or stopped at a red light.

The exception is tied to what the screen shows, not to whether the vehicle is moving. Borrows the stopped-vehicle carve-out common in phone-use laws and applies it to a rule written around content.

C. Only if the driver keeps the volume below a set decibel level.

The manual permits certain content types outright; volume is not the standard used. Substitutes an audio-loudness test for a rule that turns on what appears on the screen.

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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