florida driver's license handbook study guide

What can happen to you if you were in a crash and not wearing a seatbelt?

can be ejected from the vehicle, can be thrown against its interior objects, or death

What does a single broken white line on the highway mean?

you may cross this line to change lanes when it's safe to do so

What does a double solid yellow line in the center of the highway mean? A double solid white line?

double solid yellow: vehicles travelling in either direction must not pass the lines unless turning left

double solid white: changing lanes is not allowed

What does a solid yellow line to the right of the centerline of the highway mean?

no crossing

What do the colors of traffic signs indicate (red, orange, yellow, etc.)?

red: stop, do not enter, wrong way, yield

orange: construction/maintenance warning

yellow: general warning

bright yellow: school, pedestrian, bicycling activity warning

white/black: give commands, control traffic

green: directional information

blue: traveling guidance/parking space for disabled drivers

brown: areas of recreation/historical significance

When more than one vehicle approaches a four-way stop sign, which one moves first?

the first vehicle to arrive at the intersection first may move forward first

What does a red traffic light mean? What does a flashing red traffic light mean?

a red light means come to a complete stop. a flashing red light means the same thing as a stop sign.

after a full stop at a red traffic light, when may a driver turn right?

you may turn right if there is no NO TURN ON RED sign and the way is clear

what does a green arrow showing at the same time as a red traffic light mean you can do?

it you are in the proper lane for such a turn, you may go whilst yielding right-of-way vehicles and pedestrians

what happens to the force of impact when you double your speed? triple your speed?

doubling speed means breaking distance and impact are 4 times greater

tripling the speed means the breaking distance and impact are 9 times greater

unless otherwise posted, what is the speed limit for cars in a residential area?

30 mph

What is the maximum speed limit on a limited access highway?

70 mph except where otherwise posted

Can you be issued a citation for driving too slowly?

yes

What are the steps for making a smooth stop?

check mirrors and blind spots for traffic to the rear

release accelerator to allow vehicle to slow. press brake pedal to activate brake lights and use a steady pressure for a smooth stop

What is the arm signal for a left turn? Right turn? Slow or stop?

the arm signal for a left turn is your left arm held horizontally out your window.

the arm signal for a right turn is your left arm pointed straight up out your window.

the arm signal for slow or stop is your left arm pointed straight down out your window.

How long (distance) should you signal before making a left or right turn?

100 ft

When can you use a three point turn? Where should you never make a three point turn?

use a three-point turn only if the road is too narrow for a U-turn

never make a three-point turn on a curve, hill, highway, or signs that prohibits U-turns

What is an open intersection? When must you yield right-of-way?

an open intersection is one without traffic control signs or signals.

when you enter an open intersection, you must yield the right of way if:

• a vehicle is already in the intersection;

• you enter or cross a state highway from a secondary road;

• you enter a paved road from an unpaved road; or

• you plan to make a left turn and a vehicle is approaching from the opposite direction

When may you drive in the left lane of a road with two lanes? With four lanes?

always stay in the RIGHT lane

on a two-lane highway you must always drive in the right lane unless you are overtaking and passing (where permitted)

if the road has four or more lanes with two-way traffic, drive in the right lanes except when overtaking and passing

What does it mean if you see red reflectors on the lane lines facing you? What should you do?

red reflectors facing you means you are driving the wrong way. turn around and go into the proper lane immediately

What is the recommended safe following distance?

keep a minimum of a four second distance

When should you increase your following distance?

during unusual weather or traffic conditions

what are blind spots?

areas you cannot see even with your mirrors or peripheral vision

how do you check your blind spots when you are preparing to change lanes or turn?

turn your head to make sure the blind spots areas are clear

Where is it unlawful to overtake and pass?

• where there is a single solid line, or double-sided solid line dividing lanes;

• when the double-sided yellow line is solid in your lane;

• in Do Not Pass and No Passing zones;

• on hills or curves where you can't see at least 500 feet ahead;

• within 100 feet of a bridge, viaduct, tunnel, railroad crossing, or intersection;

• when a school bus is stopped and has its warning flashers on and stop sign extended;

• at crosswalks where a vehicle has stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross.

Under what circumstances can you stop in the acceleration lane on an expressway?

unless traffic is too heavy and there is no space for you to enter safely

What should you do if you drive past your exit on a limited access highway?

if you pass your exit, you must go to the next one

Where should you move your vehicle if you break down while driving on the highway?

if your vehicle breaks down, you must move it completely off the pavement . (No more than six hours.)

What is the farthest away you can park from a curb?

no more than 12 inches away from the curb

if you have a manual transmission, what gear should you put the car in when parking downhill? uphill? what if you have an automatic transmission?

manual gearing when parking: reverse (downhill), first (uphill)

automatic gearing when parking: park

where is parking prohibited?

• Crosswalks

•Sidewalks

•Bicycle lanes

•Intersections

• Bridges

•Overpasses

• Tunnels

• In front of driveways

• By yellow painted curbs

• NO PARKING or DISABLED PERMIT ONLY zones

• On the roadway side of another parked vehicle (double parking)

• On highway pavement not marked for parking

• Anywhere that blocks or creates a hazard for other vehicles

• Or within:

◆ 15 feet of a fire hydrant.

◆ 20 feet of an intersection.

◆ 20 feet of the entrance to a fire, ambulance, or rescue station.

◆ 30 feet of a rural mail box on a state highway (8 am-6 pm).

◆ 30 feet of any flashing signal, stop sign, or traffic signal.

◆ 50 feet of a railroad crossing

Which way should you turn your wheels when parking uphill along the curb? Which way should you turn them when there is not a curb? Which way should you turn them if parking downhill?

parking uphill: turn wheels away from curb

parking without curb: turn wheels to right

parking downhill: turn wheels towards curb

in your vehicle, what should you adjust before you start your engine?

adjust the seat and all rear-view mirrors

what are the equipment requirements for windshields and side windows?

windshields: must be safety glass and may not be covered or treated with any material that makes the windshield reflective or non-transparent. must be free of any stickers not required by law.

side & rear windows: may not be composed of, covered by, or treated with any material which has a highly reflective or mirrored appearance and reflects more than 25% of the light (side windows) or more than 35% of the light (rear windows).

what are bumper height requirements? are they the same for every vehicle?

owners of automobiles and pickup trucks are required to have both front and rear bumpers mounted within certain height levels. height limitations are governed by the net shipping weight of the vehicle, not the modified or altered weight. they are not the same for every vehicle.

what must you do if hauling a load of material which could fall or blow onto the roadway?

you must use a close-fitting cover

When a projected load extends more than 4 feet from the vehicle, what must you use to clearly mark it in the daytime? At night?

during the day, red flags at least 18 inches square must mark the extremities of the load. at night, requirements include red lamps or red reflectors that can be seen from afar.

why is drowsy driving dangerous?

slow down thoughts & reaction time, affect judgment and vision, impair senses and abilities, can cause nodding off or falling asleep

What should you do if another driver is threatening you or intentionally driving dangerously around you?

remain calm and try to put as much distance between you and them as possible. slow down and let them pass. do not provoke the driver.

What are the three main categories of distracted driving?

visual, manual, cognitive

Why is texting one of the most dangerous distracted driving behaviors?

texting involves all 3 categories of distractions

Can anyone drink and drive safely?

no

Both your judgment and vision are affected after drinking alcohol. Which is affected first?

judgement is affected first

What can happen to you if you were in a crash and not wearing a seatbelt?

can be ejected from the vehicle, can be thrown against its interior objects, or death

What age are children required to be in a car seat? In a car seat or booster seat?

children under age of 4 must be in a safety seat, and children ages 4 and 5 must be in either a safety seat or booster seat.

If a law enforcement officer stops a vehicle and the front seat passenger under 18 years old is not wearing a safety belt, who will be charged with a seatbelt violation?

the driver

What does a single broken white line on the highway mean?

you may cross this line to change lanes when it's safe to do so

What does a double solid yellow line in the center of the highway mean? A double solid white line?

double solid yellow: vehicles travelling in either direction must not pass the lines unless turning left

double solid white: changing lanes is not allowed

What does a solid yellow line to the right of the centerline of the highway mean?

no crossing

What do the colors of traffic signs indicate (red, orange, yellow, etc.)?

red: stop, do not enter, wrong way, yield

orange: construction/maintenance warning

yellow: general warning

bright yellow: school, pedestrian, bicycling activity warning

white/black: give commands, control traffic

green: directional information

blue: traveling guidance/parking space for disabled drivers

brown: areas of recreation/historical significance

When more than one vehicle approaches a four-way stop sign, which one moves first?

the first vehicle to arrive at the intersection first may move forward first

What does a red traffic light mean? What does a flashing red traffic light mean?

a red light means come to a complete stop. a flashing red light means the same thing as a stop sign.

After a full stop at a red traffic light, when may a driver turn right?

when there is no NO TURN ON RIGHT sign, and when it is safe to turn

What does a green arrow showing at the same time as a red traffic light mean you can do?

you may make a turn in the direction of the arrow if you are in the proper lane

What happens to the force of impact when you double your speed? Triple your speed?

doubled speed increases impact x4

triple speed increases impact x9

Unless otherwise posted, what is the speed limit for cars in a residential area?

30 mph

What is the maximum speed limit on a limited access highway?

70 mph

Can you be issued a citation for driving too slowly?

yes

What are the steps for making a smooth stop?

release accelerator to allow the vehicle to slow, press brake pedal to activate brake lights, and use a steady pressure until you make a complete stop

What is the arm signal for a left turn? Right turn? Slow or stop?

left turn: arm straight

right turn: arm facing upwards

slow or stop: arm facing downwards

How long (distance) should you signal before making a left or right turn?

at least 100 feet before making a left or right turn

When can you use a three point turn? Where should you never make a three point turn?

a three point turn can be used when the road is too arrow and you can't go around the block

never make a three point turn/U-turn on a curve, hill, highway, or a sign that prohibits U-turns

What is an open intersection? When must you yield right-of-way?

open intersection is an intersection without traffic control signs or signals; you must yield right-of-way if:

a vehicle is already in the intersection,

if you enter a state highway from a secondary road,

if you enter a paved road from an unpaved road,

or if you plan to make a left turn and a vehicle is approaching from the opposite direction

When may you drive in the left lane of a road with two lanes? With four lanes?

you may drive in the left lane of a road with 2 or more lanes when overtaking and passing

What does it mean if you see red reflectors on the lane lines facing you? What should you do?

red reflectors mean you are facing the wrong way in traffic; you should turn around or get into the proper lane immediately

What is the recommended safe following distance?

a minimum of 4 seconds behind a car

When should you increase your following distance?

•Rain or when roads are wet

•Low visibility—dusk dawn, nighttime ,fog etc.

•When being passed (more space in front of your vehicle so the past can be completed safely)

•Carrying a heavy load or pulling a trailer (The extra weight makes it more difficult to stop quickly/steer correctly)

•When start behind another vehicle on an incline; it may roll back-and-forth moving forward

•Motorcycles, emergency vehicles, large vehicles with a blocked rearview

What are blind spots?

Blind spots are areas near the left or right rear corners of your vehicle that you can't see in your rearview mirrors or with your peripheral vision

How do you check your blind spots when you are preparing to change lanes or turn?

turn your head to make sure the blind spot areas are clear

Where is it unlawful to overtake and pass?

• Where there is a single solid line, or double-sided solid line dividing lanes;

• When the double-sided yellow line is solid in your lane;

• In Do Not Pass and No Passing zones;

• On hills or curves where you can't see at least 500 feet ahead;

• Within 100 feet of a bridge, viaduct, tunnel, railroad crossing, or intersection;

• When a school bus is stopped and has its warning flashers on and stop sign extended;

• At crosswalks where a vehicle has stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross.

Under what circumstances can you stop in the acceleration lane on an expressway?

unless traffic is too heavy and there is no space for you to enter safely.

What should you do if you drive past your exit on a limited access highway?

if you pass your exit, you must go to the next one

Where should you move your vehicle if you break down while driving on the highway?

you must move completely off the pavement for no more than six hours

What is the farthest away you can park from a curb?

1ft

If you have a manual transmission, what gear should you put the car in when parking downhill? Uppill? What if you have an automatic transmission?

manual:

Shift to reverse been going downhill, or first when going uphill

automatic:

Put gear shift in Park

Where is parking prohibited?

on crosswalks, sidewalks, bicycle lanes, intersections, bridges, overpasses, tunnels, in front of driveways, by yellow painted curbs, in no parking or disabled permit only zones, on the roadway side of another parked vehicle, on highway pavement not marked for parking, anywhere that blocks or create a hazard for other vehicles

Which way should you turn your wheels when parking uphill along the curb? Which way should you turn them when there is not a curb? Which way should you turn them if parking downhill?

When parking uphill along the curb, turn your wheels away from the curb

When parking uphill without a curb, turn wheels to the right

If you are parking downhill, turn your wheels to the curb

are motorists required to stop or yield for pedestrians crossing the street?

yes

what must you do when you see a pedestrian with a white cane in the street ahead of you?

come to a complete stop, yield right-of-way, and use extra caution

What is the minimum distance a motorist must give when traveling next to a cyclist?

minimum of 3 feet

As a motorist, what should you do when preparing to turn right on a roadway with a bike lane?

yield any bicyclist in the lane, and make the turn behind the bicyclist

When on the roadway, do motorcyclists and moped riders have the same rights and responsibilities as a motor vehicle driver?

yes

If you are driving a motor vehicle, are you allowed to share a lane with a motorcyclist?

don't attempt to share lanes

When a school bus is stopped to unload children on a highway divided with a raised barrier, our vehicles traveling in the opposite direction required to stop?

yes

When a school bus stops to unload children, are vehicles traveling in the same direction required to stop?

yes

what must do you do when children or school crossing guards are present in a crosswalk?

yield and stop at the stop line and not in the crosswalk

what must you do if an emergency vehicle with activated lights and/or sirens is approaching you from behind?

pull over immediately and wait until emergency vehicle passes

what does the move over law requires you to do?

on a multi-lane roadway: you must vacate the lane closest to the emergency vehicle, if you cannot move over safely, you must slow down to a speed of 20 MPH below posted limit, drivers far from the emergency should prepare for the vehicles that are about to move in their lane

on a two-lane roadway: you must slow down to a speed of 20 MPH below posted limit, if the speed limit is less than 20 MPH, you must travel at 5 MPH

what is a no zone?

the no zone is the blind spot of a commercial motor vehicle (semi trucks, travel buses, etc.)

what time must you use your headlights?

between sunset and sunrise

at night, within how many feet of approaching a vehicle from the rear must you dim your high beam headlights?

use low beam headlights within 300 feet of approaching a vehicle at night

within how many feet of an oncoming vehicle should you dim your highbeam headlights?

use low beam headlights within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle at night

when driving in the rain, fog, or smoke in the daytime, what lights should you use?

low beam headlights

what should you do when driving on wet roads in the rain? why?

slow down; roads become slick and the wet road will increase braking/stopping distance

what should you do if your right wheels go off the pavement while driving?

1.) take your foot off the gas pedal

2.) hold wheel firmly and steer into a straight line

3.) brake lightly

4.) wait until road is clear and turn back onto pavement at slow speed (signal intention to turn)

what should you do if your tires begin to skid while driving?

1.) take your foot off the gas pedal

2.) do not use brakes if possible

3.) turn front tires into direction you want to go (steer in direction of skid)

4.) if you are about to hit something, follow emergency braking instructions

when emergency braking, what is the difference between conventional brakes and anti-lock brakes (ABS)?

conventional brakes: pump the brakes

anti-lock brakes (ABS): press down hard on brake pedal, hold it, and steer out of danger. (use steady pressure/pump brakes to turn off ABS)

what should you do during a tire blow-out?

1.) take your foot off the gas, do not use brakes

2.) concentrate on steering

3.) slow down gradually

4.) brake softly when the car is under control

5.) pull completely off the pavement/roadway

what must you do if you are involved in a minor accident and your vehicle is blocking the flow of traffic?

move the vehicle or have it moved

if you hit a parked car and are unable to find the owner, what should you do?

make every attempt to locate the owner and notify law enforcement. if the owner is unreachable, leave a note including name, contact info, and license plate (registration) number