Driver's License Test Prep
California Practice Warning Signs

A warning sign alerts you to a sharp curve ahead. What does the manual say you should do?

  1. A.
    Shift into low gear before entering
  2. B.
    Brake firmly through the turn
  3. C.
    Slow down as you approach Correct
The Why

The answer is "Slow down as you approach"

For sharp curves, the manual tells you to slow down as you approach and then move through at that reduced speed. The trap is choice A; a driver who recalls the manual's advice to shift into low gear reaches for it here, but that instruction sits nearby in the same skid-prevention section and applies to steep downhill descents, not curves.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. Shift into low gear before entering

Applies the low-gear rule the manual reserves for descending steep hills. This answer pulls forward the shift-to-low-gear advice printed a few lines above in the same section, where the manual meant it for steep downhills instead.

B. Brake firmly through the turn

Contradicts the manual's guidance to avoid quick stops on slippery surfaces. This answer treats braking as the primary curve control, when the manual's rule is to reduce speed before entering and hold it through.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Warning Signs in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Slippery Surface Skids," p.60..

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