California Driver Handbook: Right-of-Way and Sharing the Road

Flashcards covering right-of-way rules, intersection procedures, pedestrian safety, sharing the road with large vehicles, and bicycle regulations based on the California Driver Handbook.

Right-of-Way Rules

Guidelines that help you understand who goes first when vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists meet on the road.

Intersection

Any place where one road meets another road.

Controlled Intersections

Intersections that have signs or traffic signal lights.

Uncontrolled and Blind Intersections

Intersections that do not have signs or traffic signal lights.

T Intersections (without signs)

Intersections where vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians on the through road (continuing to go straight) have the right-of-way.

Roundabout

An intersection where traffic travels in one direction around a central island in a counterclockwise direction.

Pedestrians

Vulnerable road users including people walking, people on roller skates or skateboards, and people with disabilities using a tricycle, quadricycle, or wheelchair.

Crosswalk

The part of the road set aside for pedestrians to safely cross, often marked with white lines or yellow lines for school crossings.

Limit Line

A white line painted on the pavement indicating where a vehicle must stop before a crosswalk.

Blind Pedestrians

Pedestrians using guide dogs or white canes who have the right-of-way at all times.

Mountain Roads Right-of-Way

When two vehicles meet on a steep narrow road where they cannot pass, the vehicle facing uphill has the right-of-way.

Blind Spots (No Zones)

Large areas around trucks and large vehicles where your vehicle can disappear from the driver's view.

Passenger Vehicle Braking Distance ($55\,mph$)

The average distance required for a passenger vehicle to stop, which is approximately $300\,feet$.

Large Vehicle Braking Distance ($55\,mph$)

The distance required for a large vehicle to stop, which can take up to $400\,feet$.

Safety Zones

Spaces marked by raised buttons, markers, or dotted white lines set aside for pedestrians waiting for buses, streetcars, and trolleys.

Safety Zone Passing Speed

The maximum speed allowed when passing a bus, streetcar, or trolley stopped at a safety zone: $10\,mph$.

Motorcycle Following Distance

A safe three-second following distance allows you to avoid hitting a motorcyclist if they brake suddenly or fall.

Lane Splitting

A legal practice where motorcycles share lanes with other vehicles.

Emergency Vehicle Following Distance

It is against the law to follow within $300\,feet$ of any fire engine, law enforcement vehicle, or ambulance when their siren or flashing lights are on.

Slow-moving Vehicles

Vehicles such as road maintenance equipment that usually travel at $25\,mph$ or less and may be marked with an orange and red triangle.

Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) and Low-speed Vehicles (LSVs)

Motorized vehicles that reach a maximum speed of $25\,mph$ and are restricted from roads where the speed limit is greater than $35\,mph$.

Bicycle Night Lighting (Front)

A bicycle equipment requirement consisting of a front lamp with a white light visible from $300\,feet$.

Bicycle Night Lighting (Rear)

A requirement for a built-in rear red reflector, solid red light, or flashing red light visible from $500\,feet$.

Bicycle Pedal Reflectors

White or yellow reflectors on each pedal, shoe, or ankle of a bicyclist visible from $200\,feet$.

The Three Feet Rule

The minimum amount of space a driver must allow between their vehicle and a bicyclist when they cannot change lanes to pass.

Bike Lane Turn Entry

A driver should enter a bike lane no more than $200\,feet$ before starting a turn.