As part of the state of California’s initiative to make sure that elderly drivers remain qualified to safely remain behind the wheel and operate a vehicle, seniors over the age of 70 are asked to take a written test at the DMV. More specifically, seniors over 70 in California have to take this DMV written test every time they renew their driver’s license, which is every 5 years – this was something I discussed in more detail, so check out our in-depth guide here to learn more.
Otherwise, as much as I understand that this might sound like an inconvenience, it’s a pretty good initiative from the Californian DMV, I think, and particularly with this written test, it’s a great way to make sure that senior drivers maintain a sound understanding of current traffic laws and safe driving practices, which no doubt would’ve changed quite a lot since they first got their license, probably decades ago.
1) Exceptions & Special Cases For More Frequent Testing
There is one exception to this rule though, which might prompt senior drivers in California to take the DMV test more frequently before they reach the age of 70. It’s likely due to specific, underlying medical conditions that would impact your driving ability. Some examples include dementia, fairly significant vision impairment, or other health issues that might make it dangerous for you to get behind the wheel and drive a car.
Similarly, seniors who have a long history of repeated traffic violations or accidents may also prompt the DMV to make them go through these tests more frequently. Also, if someone does make a complaint or observation against a senior driver for poor driving behavior, this may also force you to take these tests more frequently.
2) Prepping For The DMV Written Test For Seniors
Thankfully, if you are preparing to take the DMV written test for seniors in California, there are plenty of resources to help you prepare. These include (but it certainly isn’t limited to):
- California Driver Handbook – This official (and free) handbook provided by the California DMV can be accessed online, and it offers a very comprehensive guide that covers all the essentials that you ought to know before taking the test. It encompasses topics like all the traffic laws in California, what each road sign means, tips on how to drive safely, and much more.
- Practice Tests – Fun fact, did you know that the Californian DMV’s official site also provides a practice test that pretty much mimics the format and content of the actual, real written test? I’d highly suggest doing a few runs of these practice tests online, and while I won’t guarantee that any of these questions will appear in the real test, they may help you familiarize yourself with the types of questions that’ll be asked.
- Educational Videos – There are tons of videos that go through various aspects of driving and road safety in California, which is handy for seniors who prefer learning visually rather than reading. You can find loads of these on the official Californian DMV site and loads more on YouTube and other video-sharing platforms.
If all these learning resources aren’t enough, then don’t worry, because there’s no shortage of ways to learn and prep yourself before the DMV written test for seniors in California. You can make good use of flashcards (these are handy for visually memorizing road signs, I’ve found), as well as plenty of mobile apps that provide interactive quizzes and other study guides.
3) Main Topics Covered In The DMV Written Test
When you’re taking the DMV written test for seniors in California, these tests cover a diverse range of topics to help keep you up-to-date with traffic laws and safe driving practices. These include (but aren’t just limited to):
- Traffic Laws – These questions mainly quiz you about common traffic laws, such as the speed limits in specific areas, the right-of-way rules, and other relevant regulations.
- Road Signs – You’ll also find questions here that quiz you on being able to spot or understand the meaning of road signs across California, like warning signs, stop signs, guide signs, and so on.
- Safe Driving Practices – As you can imagine, the DMV tests will also quiz you on how to drive safely, such as following distances behind other cars, the proper use or changing of lanes, or even defensive driving techniques in bad weather.
- Laws For Senior Drivers – Now, this is uniquely reserved for senior drivers, but you’ll further be quizzed on specific laws that might impact senior drivers specifically. These may include some questions concerning the minimum vision standards and requirements for driving, or perhaps what medical conditions might impact your driving ability.
4) How Many Questions Are There On The Test?
Previously, I discussed just how many questions there are on the DMV test in different states, but the Californian DMV’s senior written test typically consists of just 18 questions. For you to pass this test, you’ll need to get at least 15 questions right (out of 18), translating to a passing grade of 83%.
As to the format of the California DMV’s written test itself, these questions are in a multiple-choice format, with each question presenting a realistic scenario and fact relevant to driving, which is then followed by several possible answers. For reference (and to get an idea of what this test looks like), here are some real questions that I found that appeared in previous tests (and their answers):
1. When you are driving in the far right lane of a freeway, you:
- A. Should expect merging vehicles at on-ramps.
- B. Must be driving slower than other traffic.
- C. Must give the right-of-way to merging traffic.
- Answer: A.
2. You are approaching a railroad crossing with no warning devices and are unable to see 400 feet down the tracks in one direction. The speed limit is:
- A. 15 mph.
- B. 20 mph.
- C. 25 mph.
- Answer: A.
3. When parking your vehicle parallel to the curb on a level street:
- A. Your front wheels must be turned toward the street.
- B. Your wheels must be within 18 inches of the curb.
- C. One of your rear wheels must touch the curb.
- Answer: B.
4. Unless otherwise posted, the speed limit in a residential area is:
- A. 20 mph.
- B. 25 mph.
- C. 30 mph.
- Answer: B.
5. It is illegal to park your vehicle:
- A. In an unmarked crosswalk.
- B. Within three feet of a private driveway.
- C. In a bicycle lane.
- Answer: A.
6. When driving at night on a dimly lit street, you should:
- A. Drive slowly enough so you can stop within the area lighted by your headlights.
- B. Turn on your high beam headlights to better see the vehicles ahead of you.
- C. Keep the instrument panel lights bright to be more visible to other drivers.
- Answer: A.
7. You may legally block an intersection:
- A. When you entered the intersection on the green light.
- B. During rush hour traffic.
- C. Under no circumstances.
- Answer: C.
8. A solid yellow line next to a broken yellow line means that vehicles:
- A. In both directions may pass.
- B. Next to the broken line may pass.
- C. Next to the solid line may pass.
- Answer: B.
9. You want to make a right turn at an upcoming intersection. You should slow down and:
- A. Move toward the left side of your lane.
- B. Avoid driving in the bicycle lane.
- C. Signal for 100 feet before turning.
- Answer: C.
10. You may drive off of the paved roadway to pass another vehicle:
- A. If the shoulder is wide enough to accommodate your vehicle.
- B. If the vehicle ahead of you is turning left.
- C. Under no circumstances.
- Answer: C.