Signs & Signals
30-35%of exam
Right-of-Way & Intersections
10-15%of exam
Yield Rules4-Way StopsRoundaboutsLeft TurnsPedestrians
Speed & Distances
10-15%of exam
Speed LimitsBasic Speed RuleFollowing DistanceSignal DistanceParking Distances
Alcohol & WA Laws
20-25%of exam
BAC LimitsImplied ConsentE-DUIMove Over LawGraduated Licensing
Sharing the Road / Safety
20-25%of exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- WA DOL Knowledge Test
- Questions
- 40
- Pass
- 80% (32/40)
- Time
- No fixed limit
- Body
- WA DOL
- Format
- Multiple-choice + true/false
- Source
- WA Driver Guide
Solid vs Broken Line
Solid
- No passing
- Stay in lane
- Hazard ahead
Broken
- Passing allowed
- Lane change OK
- View clear
Solid restricts; broken permits
Signal Says What?
- Steady red→Stop fully
- Red, turning right→Stop, then turn
- Steady yellow→Stop if safe
- Flashing red→Stop like sign
- Flashing yellow→Slow, proceed
- Signal dark→Treat 4-way stop
Sign Shapes
- Octagon
- StopOnly
- Triangle (down)
- Yield
- Diamond
- Warning ahead
- Pentagon
- School zone
- Pennant
- No passing zone
- Round
- Railroad crossing
- Rectangle vertical
- Regulatory rule
- Rectangle horizontal
- Guide/info
Yellow vs White Line
Yellow
- Opposing traffic
- Center divider
- Don't cross solid
White
- Same direction
- Lane divider
- Edge of road
Yellow opposes; white same
Sign Colors
- Red
- Stop / prohibit
- Yellow
- General warning
- Orange
- Work zone
- Green
- Directions/distances
- Blue
- Driver services
- Brown
- Parks/recreation
- White
- Regulatory law
- Fluorescent green
- Pedestrian/bike/school
Regulatory vs Warning
Regulatory
- White/red
- It's the law
- Speed, stop, yield
Warning
- Yellow/orange
- Hazard ahead
- Curve, school, work
Law vs heads-up
Line Markings
- Solid yellow
- No passing
- Broken yellow
- Passing allowed
- Double solid yellow
- No passing either way
- Solid + broken yellow
- Pass on broken side
- Yellow lines
- Separate opposing traffic
- White lines
- Same-direction lanes
- Solid white
- Discourage lane change
- Two-way left lane
- Center turn only
Flashing Red vs Yellow
Flashing red
- Full stop
- Like stop sign
- Then proceed
Flashing yellow
- Slow down
- No stop needed
- Proceed cautiously
Red stops; yellow slows
Signal Meanings
- Steady red
- Stop, hold
- Steady yellow
- Stop if safe
- Steady green
- Go if clear
- Red right turn
- Stop, then turn
- Flashing red
- Treat as stop
- Flashing yellow
- Slow, proceed cautiously
- Flashing yellow arrow
- Turn yielding to traffic
- Dark signal
- Treat as 4-way stop
Left Yields
Turning left? You yield to everyone
Left yields oncomingLeft yields pedestriansStraight beats turn
Yield vs Stop
Yield
- Slow down
- Stop if needed
- Triangle sign
Stop
- Full stop always
- Then proceed
- Octagon sign
Yield maybe; stop always
Who Goes First?
- 4-way, you arrived first→You go
- Arrived same time→Right car goes
- Turning left→Yield oncoming
- On smaller road→Yield main road
- Pedestrian in crosswalk→Always yield
- Emergency lights/siren→Pull right, stop
- Entering roundabout→Yield to circle
- Funeral procession→Yield, let pass
Right-of-Way Rules
- 4-way arrive same
- Right-side car first
- Arrive first
- First to go
- Left turn
- Yield oncoming
- T-intersection
- Through road first
- Entering road
- Yield to traffic
- Roundabout
- Yield to circle
- Emergency vehicle
- Pull right, stop
- Pedestrian crosswalk
- Always yield
Tie Goes Right
Same time at stop? Right car first
Right has priorityYield to your rightFirst arrived first goes
Parking 15-20-30
Hydrant 15, crosswalk 20, stop sign 30
15 ft hydrant20 ft crosswalk30 ft stop sign
Can I Park / Pass Here?
- Within 15 ft hydrant→No parking
- Within 20 ft crosswalk→No parking
- Within 30 ft stop sign→No parking
- Solid yellow your side→No passing
- Broken yellow your side→Pass if clear
- Approaching hill/curve→No passing
- School bus red lights→Stop, no pass
- Within 100 ft intersection→No passing
WA Speed Limits
- School zone
- 20 mph
- Residential street
- 25 mph
- City/town default
- 25 mph
- Rural highway
- 60 mph
- Interstate (some)
- 70 mph
- Alley
- 15 mph
- Basic speed rule
- Safe for conditions
- Too slow
- Can be illegal
Following & Signal Distances
- Following distance
- 4-second rule
- Bad conditions
- Add more seconds
- Signal before turn
- 100 feet
- Railroad stop
- 15-50 feet back
- Headlights on
- Dusk to dawn
- Low visibility
- Headlights under 1,000 ft
- High beams off
- Within 500 ft
- Tailgate
- Top rear-end cause
Parking Distances (No Park)
- Fire hydrant
- Within 15 feet
- Crosswalk
- Within 20 feet
- Stop sign/signal
- Within 30 feet
- Driveway/fire station
- Block access
- Uphill with curb
- Wheels away
- Downhill
- Wheels toward curb
- No curb
- Wheels toward edge
- Set parking brake
- Always when parked
BAC 2-4-8
Teen 02, commercial 04, adult 08
Under 21: 0.02Commercial: 0.04Adult: 0.08
0.08 vs 0.02 BAC
0.08%
- Adults 21+
- Per se DUI
- Standard limit
0.02%
- Under 21
- Zero-tolerance
- Stricter limit
Adults 0.08; teens 0.02
BAC & DUI Limits
- Age 21+
- 0.08% limit
- Under 21
- 0.02% limit
- Commercial driver
- 0.04% limit
- Below limit
- Still DUI possible
- Implied consent
- Agreed to test
- Refuse test
- License suspended
- Marijuana THC
- 5 ng/mL limit
- Best prevention
- Don't drink, drive
WA-Specific Laws
- E-DUI
- No handheld phone
- Hands-free
- One-touch only
- E-DUI 1st fine
- About $136
- Move Over
- Slow + change lanes
- Seat belts
- Required all seats
- Child restraint
- Until 4'9" tall
- Back seat
- Children under 13
- Score valid
- 2 years
Graduated Licensing (GDL)
- Permit holder
- Licensed driver 5+ yrs beside
- Intermediate curfew
- No 1-5 a.m.
- First 6 months
- No under-20 passengers
- Months 6-12
- Max 3 under-20
- Family exception
- Immediate family allowed
- Phone use
- Banned for teens
- Restrictions last
- 1 year or 18
- Carry always
- License + insurance
IPDE Scanning
Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute
Identify hazardsPredict outcomesDecide actionExecute safely
Adverse Conditions
- Fog
- Low beams only
- Rain start
- Roads most slippery
- Hydroplane
- Ease off gas
- Skid
- Steer into skid
- Ice/bridges
- Freeze first
- Snow
- Slow, increase gap
- Stuck gas pedal
- Shift neutral
- Tire blowout
- Hold wheel, ease off
Common Traps
Yield ≠ Stop
Yield slows down ≠ Stop is full stop
Flashing red ≠ yellow
Red means full stop ≠ Yellow means slow only
Yellow line ≠ white line
Yellow separates opposing ≠ White separates same way
School zone ≠ residential
School zone 20 mph ≠ Residential 25 mph
Below 0.08 ≠ safe
Still DUI if impaired ≠ Under-21 limit is 0.02
Hands-free ≠ handheld
One-touch is legal ≠ Holding phone is E-DUI
Divided ≠ two-lane bus
Two-lane: both stop ≠ Divided: opposite proceeds
Last Minute
- 1.Pass at 32/40 (80%)
- 2.Octagon = stop only
- 3.Yellow opposes, white same way
- 4.Solid = no pass, broken = pass
- 5.Flashing red = full stop
- 6.Right car first if tie
- 7.Left turn yields to all
- 8.School 20, residential 25 mph
- 9.Follow with 4-second rule
- 10.Signal 100 feet before turn
- 11.Hydrant 15, crosswalk 20, sign 30
- 12.BAC: 0.08 / 0.02 / 0.04
- 13.Implied consent = must test
- 14.Stop both ways for bus
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