Which way do you turn your front wheels when parking uphill vs. downhill?

When parking UPHILL with a curb, turn your front wheels AWAY from the curb (left) so the back of the front tire touches the curb. For ALL other hill parking scenarios (downhill with a curb, or uphill/downhill without a curb), turn your front wheels TOWARD the curb or edge of the road (right).

Who has the right-of-way at a 4-way stop when two vehicles arrive at the same time?

The driver on the RIGHT has the right-of-way. The driver on the left must yield. If two vehicles arrive facing each other and one is turning left, the left-turning driver must yield to the vehicle going straight.

When can oncoming traffic pass a stopped school bus with flashing red lights?

Only when the highway is divided by a raised physical barrier, concrete median wall, or unpaved median strip (at least 5 feet wide in Florida). A painted yellow center line or shared center turn lane NEVER counts as a physical barrier.

Modules 1, 3 & 4 • Statutory Vehicle Code

Official 2026 US Rules of the Road & Right-of-Way Guide

Master the exact statutory numbers, 4-way stop priority rules, school bus stopping laws, hill parking wheel angles, and BAC limits tested across US state DMV written exams.

Start Free Road Rules Practice Hill Parking & Curb Colors 50-State Statutory Finder

Fire Hydrant

15 ft

10 ft in NJ, OH, PA, IA

Railroad Tracks

15–50 ft

Stop distance when flashing

Following Rule

3–4 sec

4 sec in FL, NY, PA, VA

Oncoming High Beams

500 ft

200–300 ft when following

Adult 21+ BAC

0.08%

0.05% in Utah • 0.04% CDL

Turn Signal

100 ft

200 ft in IN/MI • 5 sec hwy

Universal Statutory Rules

6 Core Domains Tested on Every State Exam

1. RIGHT-OF-WAY

4-Way Stops, Uncontrolled & T-Intersections

• First to Arrive, First to Proceed: At a 4-way stop, vehicles proceed in the order they came to a complete stop.
• Simultaneous Arrival: Yield to the driver on your RIGHT.
• Left Turns: Drivers turning left must always yield to oncoming vehicles going straight or turning right.
• T-Intersections: Drivers on the terminating street (bottom of the T) must yield to all cross traffic on the through highway.
• Roundabouts: Entering traffic must yield to vehicles already circulating counterclockwise inside the roundabout.

DMV Exam Trap: Even when you have a green light, you never "have" the right-of-way if a pedestrian or vehicle is still lawfully clearing the intersection.

2. SCHOOL BUS LAWS

Flashing Red Lights & Extended Stop Arms

• Two-Lane & Multi-Lane Paved Roads: ALL traffic in BOTH directions must stop at least 20 feet away when red lights flash.
• Center Turn Lane Trap: A two-way road with a center left-turn lane is NOT a divided highway—both directions must stop.
• Physical Barrier Exception: Oncoming traffic may proceed ONLY if separated by a raised physical barrier or unpaved median (5+ ft wide in FL; in NY even divided highways must stop!).
• When to Proceed: Remain stopped until the red lights stop flashing and the stop arm retracts.

DMV Exam Trap: In New York State, oncoming traffic MUST stop for a school bus with flashing red lights even across a multi-lane divided highway!

3. FOLLOWING DISTANCE

3-to-4 Second Rule & Adverse Weather

• Dry Daylight Roads: Maintain at least a 3-to-4 second cushion behind the vehicle ahead (PennDOT PUB 95 and Florida mandate 4 seconds).
• Rain, Fog, or Night Driving: Increase following distance to 5 to 6+ seconds.
• Hydroplaning Recovery: If tires lose road contact on water (starts at 35–50 mph), ease off the accelerator smoothly and keep steering straight. NEVER slam the brakes.
• Basic Speed Law: Never drive faster than is safe for current weather, visibility, and traffic conditions.

DMV Exam Trap: Roads are most slippery during the first 10 to 15 minutes of a light rain because oil and grease rise to the surface before being washed away.

4. EMERGENCY VEHICLES

Yielding & Move Over / Slow Down Laws

• Approaching Siren/Lights: Pull immediately to the right-hand edge of the road, clear of any intersection, and come to a complete stop.
• Inside an Intersection: Never stop in the middle of an intersection; drive through first, then pull to the right curb and stop.
• Move Over Law (All 50 States): When passing a stopped police car, ambulance, tow truck, or maintenance vehicle with flashing lights, vacate the closest lane OR slow down (by 20 mph below the limit in TX/FL/PA).

DMV Exam Trap: Never follow within 300 to 500 feet behind an active fire truck or ambulance responding to an emergency alarm.

5. HEADLIGHTS & NIGHT

High-Beam Dimming & Wiper-Light Laws

• When Headlights Are Required: From 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, whenever visibility is under 1,000 feet, and whenever windshield wipers are in continuous use.
• Oncoming Vehicle Dimming: Switch from high beams to low beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle.
• Following Another Vehicle: Switch to low beams within 300 feet (200–300 ft depending on state) when following behind another car.
• Dense Fog: Always use LOW beams so light does not reflect back off water droplets.

DMV Exam Trap: Parking lights alone are NEVER legal while driving—even at dusk or in rain when wipers are active.

6. ALCOHOL & IMPLIED CONSENT

BAC Thresholds & Chemical Test Refusal

• Adults 21+ Per Se Limit: 0.08% BAC across US states (0.05% in Utah).
• Commercial (CDL) Drivers: 0.04% BAC while operating a commercial motor vehicle.
• Under 21 Zero Tolerance: 0.01% to 0.02% BAC (any measurable alcohol triggers an automatic license suspension).
• Implied Consent Law: By holding a learner's permit or driver's license, you legally consent to breath/blood testing if lawfully arrested for DUI.

DMV Exam Trap: Coffee, cold showers, and exercise do NOT lower BAC—only time (roughly 1 hour per standard drink metabolized by the liver) reduces BAC.

Memory Shortcut: “Up, Up & Away”

Hill Parking Front Wheel Direction

Always set your parking brake first and place the vehicle in Park. Turn your front wheels so that if the brakes fail, the car rolls into the curb or off the road—never into live traffic lanes:

1. Uphill WITH a Curb TURN WHEELS LEFT (AWAY)

Turn front wheels AWAY from the curb so the back of the right front tire rests against the curb face.

2. Downhill WITH a Curb TURN WHEELS RIGHT (TOWARD)

Turn front wheels TOWARD the curb so the front tire rolls directly into the curb.

3. Uphill or Downhill WITHOUT a Curb TURN WHEELS RIGHT (TOWARD EDGE)

When there is no curb to block the tires, always turn wheels TOWARD the right shoulder so the vehicle rolls away from the center roadway.

Painted Curbs & Hydrant Clearances

Official Curb Color Codes & Parking Distances

Heavily tested on the California DMV and urban state permit exams. Never park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant (10 ft in NJ/OH/PA) or within 20 feet of a crosswalk:

Red Curb No stopping, standing, or parking at any time (except buses at a red bus zone).

NO STOPPING

White Curb Stop only long enough to pick up or drop off passengers or mail.

PASSENGERS ONLY

Yellow Curb Stop only long enough to load or unload passengers or freight (drivers of passenger cars must stay with vehicle).

LOADING ZONE

Green Curb Park for a limited time only (time limit is posted on a sign or painted on the curb).

TIMED PARKING

Blue Curb Parking strictly reserved for vehicles displaying a valid Disabled Person placard or license plate.

DISABLED PERMIT