California DMV Permit Test (Class C)Safe Driving PracticesHard
You are driving on a highway and encounter a sandstorm that significantly reduces visibility. Besides turning on your headlights, what is the MOST important immediate action you should take?
- ASlow down and turn on your low-beam headlights and emergency flashers.
- BSpeed up to get through the sandstorm quickly.
- CStop your vehicle immediately in your current lane.
- DTurn on your high-beam headlights to see further.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Slow down and turn on your low-beam headlights and emergency flashers.
In a sandstorm, visibility is severely reduced. High beams will reflect off the sand particles, worsening visibility. Speeding up is extremely dangerous. The safest action is to slow down, use low beams for better penetration through the sand, and turn on emergency flashers to make your vehicle more visible to others.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Speeding up in low visibility is highly dangerous and increases collision risk.
- C. Stopping in a live lane, especially on a highway, is extremely dangerous as following vehicles may not see you.
- D. High beams reflect off sand/fog/snow, reducing visibility further.
Driving in Sandstorms/Low Visibility
When driving in severe low visibility conditions like sandstorms, reduce speed, use low-beam headlights and emergency flashers, and avoid stopping in a traffic lane.
- Low beams cut through fog/sand better than high beams.
- Emergency flashers make your vehicle more visible to others.
- If visibility is zero, pull safely off the road and wait it out.
Memory trick: Sandstorm means 'slow and glow' (low beams, flashers), but never 'halt in the lane, oh no!'