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Turns, lanes, passing and parking

You want to pass a slow vehicle on a two-lane road. Within what distance of an intersection, bridge, tunnel, or railroad crossing is passing NOT allowed?

  1. Within 100 feet. Correct answer
  2. Within 50 feet.
  3. Within 500 feet.

Why

Passing needs a long, clear stretch of road, and the places where other traffic can appear suddenly are exactly where the handbook forbids it: inside 100 feet of any intersection, of a bridge, a tunnel, a railroad crossing or anything else it treats as a hazardous area, plus crossroads and driveways, plus anywhere your view runs out. For a hill or curve, the handbook wants the crest or bend at least one-third of a mile ahead before you commit. Fifty feet is too little to mean anything at road speed; 500 feet is the headlight-dimming distance, not a passing rule. And whatever the distance, you may only pass when you have enough space to return to your lane.

Where this comes from

California Driver's Handbook, DL 600 ENGLISH (REV. 6/2025). The correct answer is Within 100 feet..

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