Driver's License Test Prep
Texas Practice Vehicle Equipment

According to the Texas manual, how far may an object legally extend beyond the sides of your passenger car?

  1. A.
    Six inches beyond either side of the vehicle
  2. B.
    Nothing may extend past the body on either side
  3. C.
    Six inches over the left side, three over the right
  4. D.
    Three inches past the left fender and six past the right Correct
The Why

The answer is "Three inches past the left fender and six past the right"

The manual allows objects to extend up to three inches beyond the left side and six inches beyond the right. Drivers who swap the numbers do so from an assumption that the wider allowance belongs on the driver's side, where they can watch it clear passing traffic.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. Six inches beyond either side of the vehicle

The left side allows only three inches, not six. This answer applies the six-inch right-side allowance to both sides of the car.

B. Nothing may extend past the body on either side

The manual allows a small extension on each side. This answer reads the extension rule as a total ban rather than a limit on how far things may stick out.

C. Six inches over the left side, three over the right

The larger clearance sits on the right; only three inches is allowed on the left. This answer swaps the two figures from an assumption that the driver's side deserves the wider allowance.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Vehicle Equipment in Texas. Source: Texas Driver Manual, "Equipment You Must Not Have," p.16..

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