Driver's License Test Prep
Oregon Practice Defensive Driving

When driving past parked cars on an Oregon street, what does the handbook recommend?

  1. A.
    Stay close to the parked cars to give the lane to your left.
  2. B.
    Move away from the parked cars within your lane. Correct
  3. C.
    Cross into the next lane to give yourself the most room.
  4. D.
    Speed up past the parked cars to spend less time alongside them.
The Why

The answer is "Move away from the parked cars within your lane."

Keep extra space between your vehicle and parked cars by moving away from them without leaving your lane. A vehicle door may open in your path, or someone may step out of a vehicle or from between parked vehicles. The cushion buys you time to react. Don't cross the lane line to do it; adjust your lane position within the lane.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. Stay close to the parked cars to give the lane to your left.

The opposite: move away from parked cars to leave room for opening doors and pedestrians stepping out. Misreading: Reverses the rule: the manual says move away from parked cars, not toward them.

C. Cross into the next lane to give yourself the most room.

The handbook says move away within your lane, not leave it. Adjust lane position, don't change lanes. Misreading: Drops the 'without leaving your lane' qualifier and treats the cushion as a lane change.

D. Speed up past the parked cars to spend less time alongside them.

The rule is about lateral spacing, not getting past faster. Speed doesn't help if a door opens or someone steps out. Misreading: Substitutes a speed-based evasion for the manual's lateral-spacing instruction near parked cars.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Defensive Driving in Oregon. Source: Oregon Driver Manual, "Side Space Cushion," p.28..

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