#California drivers handbook how to#
#California drivers handbook manual#

Traffic can appear within seconds, so stay alert.įreeway driving is a lot faster than driving in a residential area. Look in all directions for traffic before turning and while making the turn. Practice U-turns on a wide residential street with little to no traffic. Later, you can practice on a quiet, residential street until you gain enough confidence and skills to practice in normal traffic. Practice parallel parking in a large, open parking lot.

Parking uphill – turn the steering wheel counter clockwise so the vehicle will roll away from the center of the road if the brakes fail.

Parking downhill – make sure you turn the steering wheel clockwise so the vehicle will roll away from the center of the road if the brakes fail.

You can begin practicing on a flat road before learning the procedures to park on hills.

#California drivers handbook how to#

Parking on hills can be difficult, so you should first learn how to park in areas without other parked vehicles around. The more space you allow between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead, the more time you will have to see a hazard or collision down the road and respond accordingly. Good drivers make sure they maintain a safe “space cushion” so they can stay aware of what is happening in traffic.Make sure you check traffic, glance in your mirrors, check your blind spot, and signal before changing lanes. It takes practice to be able to change lanes smoothly.To pass or turn left, use the left lane.If you can choose among three lanes, choose the middle lane.If a roadway has two lanes moving in the same direction, select the right lane.Choose a lane that is the least congested, unless you are turning or stopping.Choose a lane that is appropriate for the driving maneuver you are doing, such as turning or parking.It is important to choose your lanes wisely.Intersections can be intimidating, but we have a step-by-step guide to help make learning easier.Once again, check traffic, slow down and signal, and keep your eyes on the lane you are turning into. Practice doing right turns, as wide turns can be dangerous with oncoming traffic.

Slow down and signal at least 200 feet (more than half a city block) before turning. Check traffic to the left, right, front, and rear.Learn how to steer throughout the turn, and practice right turns first. Large, open parking lots are great for practicing turning.Practice how to turn the vehicle left and right while backing up. Turn your head to survey the area, check your rearview and side mirrors, and avoid backing around corners or sharp curves.

#California drivers handbook manual#

Automatic transmissions are easier to operate, but if your vehicle has a manual transmission, make sure to practice how to depress the clutch and shift through all the gears.

Learn how to signal for left and right turns, how to slow down, and how to stop.

Here are some quick tips for learning the driving skills you will need.