California Driver License (DMV) Written Practice Test

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Ace your California DMV written test! Prepare for the exam by practicing hundreds of multiple-choice questions covering traffic laws and road signs. Boost your knowledge, gain confidence, and increase your chances of passing the test on your first try.

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

When parallel parking, what should you do first?

Signal your intention
Place your vehicle in reverse
Turn your wheels sharply
Begin backing up slowly

The correct answer is: Signal your intention

Before parallel parking, the driver's immediate action should be to signal their intention, that is, to communicate to the drivers behind them that they will be parallel parking. Option B and D are incorrect because they both refer to the action of "beginning" or "placing" the vehicle, which should happen after signaling. Option C is incorrect because turning the wheels sharply should happen after the vehicle is properly positioned, which requires signaling and the other actions listed in the answer.