Driver's License Test Prep
California Practice Warning Signs

The manual notes that warning signs are posted where road surfaces are more slippery when wet. According to the manual, what structures freeze before the rest of the road?

Yellow diamond with black border and the black text BRIDGE ICES BEFORE ROAD
  1. A.
    Steep downhill grades.
  2. B.
    Tunnels and underpasses.
  3. C.
    Bridges and overpasses. Correct
The Why

The answer is "Bridges and overpasses."

Bridges and overpasses lose heat on both sides at once, so the manual says they freeze before the rest of the road, and warning signs often flag these stretches. A driver reaching for B is reasoning that any covered roadway must stay coldest, when a covered surface actually holds heat longer than an exposed one.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. Steep downhill grades.

Grade affects traction on slick pavement but does not decide which surface freezes first. This answer blends the risk of skidding on a grade with the separate risk of encountering an icy patch.

B. Tunnels and underpasses.

A covered structure loses heat more slowly than an exposed one, so tunnels stay warmer than open bridges. This answer groups any covered roadway with cold-weather risk, since under and over sound like they should behave the same.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Warning Signs in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Slippery Roads," p.61..

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