California video lessons · Lesson 1 of 10
California Signals, Signs and Markings: five situations explained
In this video
- Intro
- At a STOP sign with a limit line, where do you stop?
- A round yellow and black sign, or an X-shaped sign, tells you that:
- At night, what can tell you that you may be driving the wrong way on a road?
- You stop at a red light to turn right. A pedestrian is starting across the street you are turning onto. What do you do?
- At an intersection with diagonal (scramble) crosswalks, pedestrians may cross:
- Recap
In short
Make a full stop at the limit line, or before the crosswalk; with neither, stop before entering the intersection. Round yellow and black or X-shaped signs warn of a railroad crossing. Road reflectors that shine red in your headlights mean you are facing traffic.
The five situations
Pick an answer first, the way the video pauses for you. Each one cites the California Driver's Handbook.
Situation 1
At a STOP sign with a limit line, where do you stop?
Answer: A. At the limit line. Make a full stop at the limit line, or before the crosswalk; with neither, stop before entering the intersection.
California Driver's Handbook › Section 7 › Signs › STOP Sign
Situation 2
A round yellow and black sign, or an X-shaped sign, tells you that:
Answer: B. A railroad crossing is ahead; look, listen, slow down and be ready to stop. Round yellow and black or X-shaped signs warn of a railroad crossing. Look, listen, slow down and prepare to stop, and let any trains pass.
California Driver's Handbook › Section 7 › Signs › Yellow and Black Circular Sign or X-shaped Sign
Situation 3
At night, what can tell you that you may be driving the wrong way on a road?
Answer: A. The road reflectors shine red in your headlights. Road reflectors that shine red in your headlights mean you are facing traffic. When it is safe, back out or turn around.
California Driver's Handbook › Section 7 › Signs › WRONG WAY Sign
Situation 4
You stop at a red light to turn right. A pedestrian is starting across the street you are turning onto. What do you do?
Answer: A. Wait for the pedestrian, then turn when it is safe. A right turn on red is allowed after a full stop, but you must yield to pedestrians first.
California Driver's Handbook › Section 7 › Traffic Signals › Solid Red Light
Situation 5
At an intersection with diagonal (scramble) crosswalks, pedestrians may cross:
Answer: A. In any direction, when the walk signal allows. Crisscross and diagonal crosswalks let pedestrians cross in any direction at the same time, only when the walk signal allows.
California Driver's Handbook › Section 7 › Pedestrian Signals and Signs › Diagonal Crossing
Transcript
Intro
Signs, signals and road markings talk to you in shapes and colors. Let's decode five of them from the California Driver's Handbook. For each one, pick your answer before I reveal it.
Situation 1
You're rolling up to a stop sign. There's a wide white line painted across your lane, a little before the corner. At a STOP sign with a limit line, where do you stop? The answer is A: At the limit line. Make a full stop at the limit line, or before the crosswalk; with neither, stop before entering the intersection. Think of the limit line as the edge: your front bumper stops before it. No line? Stop before the crosswalk, and with no crosswalk, before you enter the intersection.
Situation 2
You're on a country road and a round yellow and black sign comes into view. A little farther on, there's a white X-shaped sign. A round yellow and black sign, or an X-shaped sign, tells you that: The answer is B: A railroad crossing is ahead; look, listen, slow down and be ready to stop. Round yellow and black or X-shaped signs warn of a railroad crossing. Look, listen, slow down and prepare to stop, and let any trains pass. When you see either one, turn down the radio, look both ways down the tracks, and be ready to stop and let any train pass.
Situation 3
It's late, and you've just turned onto an unfamiliar road. Your headlights catch the little reflectors on the pavement, and they're glowing red. At night, what can tell you that you may be driving the wrong way on a road? The answer is A: The road reflectors shine red in your headlights. Road reflectors that shine red in your headlights mean you are facing traffic. When it is safe, back out or turn around. Red reflectors are the road telling you that you're facing traffic. When it's safe, back out or turn around.
Situation 4
You've stopped at a red light, planning to turn right. Just as you're ready to go, a pedestrian starts across the street you're turning onto. You stop at a red light to turn right. A pedestrian is starting across the street you are turning onto. What do you do? The answer is A: Wait for the pedestrian, then turn when it is safe. A right turn on red is allowed after a full stop, but you must yield to pedestrians first. A right on red is allowed after a full stop, but the person in the crosswalk comes first. Let them cross, then make your turn when it's safe.
Situation 5
You're stopped at a busy downtown intersection. Painted crosswalks run not only across each street, but diagonally from corner to corner. At an intersection with diagonal (scramble) crosswalks, pedestrians may cross: The answer is A: In any direction, when the walk signal allows. Crisscross and diagonal crosswalks let pedestrians cross in any direction at the same time, only when the walk signal allows. When the walk signal comes on at an intersection like this, people can cross in every direction at once, diagonally too. Stay stopped and let them go.
Recap
Make a full stop at the limit line, or before the crosswalk; with neither, stop before entering the intersection. Round yellow and black or X-shaped signs warn of a railroad crossing. Road reflectors that shine red in your headlights mean you are facing traffic. A right turn on red is allowed after a full stop, but you must yield to pedestrians first. Crisscross and diagonal crosswalks let pedestrians cross in any direction at the same time, only when the walk signal allows. Nice work. Try more signs and signals questions in Practice by Topic, then test yourself with a full mock exam.
The rules in this lesson
- Make a full stop at the limit line, or before the crosswalk; with neither, stop before entering the intersection.
- Round yellow and black or X-shaped signs warn of a railroad crossing.
- Road reflectors that shine red in your headlights mean you are facing traffic.
- A right turn on red is allowed after a full stop, but you must yield to pedestrians first.
- Crisscross and diagonal crosswalks let pedestrians cross in any direction at the same time, only when the walk signal allows.
Original practice lesson written from the California Driver's Handbook. EstatePass is not affiliated with or endorsed by the California DMV; these are not official test questions.