Could You Pass an Old Driver's Manual Test From the 1960s?
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Question 1
What Color Did A 1960s Stop Sign Have To Be?
Question 1
What Did A Flashing Yellow Light Mean In The 1960s?
Question 1
How Far Should You Follow Behind Another Car?
Question 1
What Is A Driver Doing When They Signal With Their Left Arm Straight Out?
Question 1
What Did A White Curb Mean In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Did A Driver Signal With Their Left Arm Pointing Down?
Question 1
What Was The National Speed Limit On Highways Before 1974?
Question 1
Which Lane Was A Driver Supposed To Use On A Two-Lane Road?
Question 1
What Did A Yellow Center Line On The Road Mean In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Were Seat Belts Called In Early 1960s Driver Manuals?
Question 1
What Did A Red Curb Mean In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Is A Driver Doing When Their Left Arm Points Up?
Question 1
What Did A Flashing Red Light Require A Driver To Do?
Question 1
Which Lane Was Reserved For Passing On A Highway?
Question 1
What Did A Yellow Curb Mean In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Shape Was A Railroad Crossing Warning Sign In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Did A Green Curb Indicate In The 1960s?
Question 1
How Many Feet Before A Turn Should You Signal?
Question 1
What Did A Solid White Line Along The Road Edge Mean?
Question 1
What Was The First Thing A Driver Should Do After A Collision?
Question 1
What Did A Blue Curb Mean In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Shape Was A Warning Sign In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Did A Pennant-Shaped Sign Warn Drivers About?
Question 1
What Did A Driver Do When Approaching A Curve On A Two-Lane Road?
Question 1
What Did A Crossbuck Sign Always Indicate?
Question 1
What Color Were Highway Guide Signs In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Did A Broken Yellow Center Line Allow Drivers To Do?
Question 1
Which Hand Signal Meant A Driver Was Turning Right?
Question 1
What Did An Orange Sign Color Always Indicate In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Was The Right Of Way Rule At An Unmarked Intersection?
Question 1
What Did A Double Yellow Center Line Mean In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Did A Driver Do When Parking Uphill With A Curb?
Question 1
What Shape Was A School Zone Warning Sign In The 1960s?
Question 1
How Far From A Fire Hydrant Could You Legally Park In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Did A Regulatory Sign's Rectangle Shape Always Tell Drivers?
Question 1
What Did A Driver Do With Headlights When Following Another Car At Night?
Question 1
What Was The Correct Way To Enter A Freeway In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Did A Triangular Yield Sign Require A Driver To Do?
Question 1
How Many Feet Before A Railroad Crossing Should A Driver Slow Down?
Question 1
What Did A Driver Do When Parking Downhill Without A Curb?
Question 1
What Did A Steady Green Arrow Signal Tell A Driver To Do?
Question 1
How Far Ahead Should A Driver Look On The Open Highway?
Question 1
What Did A White Dashed Line Between Same-Direction Lanes Mean?
Question 1
What Was A Driver Required To Do At A Blind Railroad Crossing?
Question 1
What Did A Driver Do When An Emergency Vehicle Approached From Behind?
Question 1
Which Sign Shape Always Meant A Driver Must Stop Completely?
Question 1
What Did A Driver Do When Headlights Blinded Them At Night?
Question 1
What Was The Legal Hand Signal For Slowing On A Bicycle In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Color Was A Standard School Bus Required To Be By The 1960s?
Question 1
What Did A Solid Yellow Line On Your Side Mean?
Question 1
What Was Required Before Backing Out Of A Driveway?
Question 1
How Far From An Intersection Could You Legally Park?
Question 1
What Did A Driver Do When Approaching A School Bus With Flashing Lights?
Question 1
What Was The Correct Steering Wheel Hand Position In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Did A Driver Do When Skidding On Ice In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Color Was A No-Passing Zone Pavement Marking?
Question 1
What Did A Driver Do At A Green Light After A Long Red?
Question 1
What Was The Proper Way To Use High Beams In The 1960s?
Question 1
What Did A Driver Do When Turning Left At An Intersection?
Question 1
What Did A Driver Do When Parallel Parking In The 1960s?
1
Black And White
2
Yellow
3
Red
4
Orange
Red stop signs became the national standard in 1954, though early ones were often yellow due to fading paint technology.
1
Prepare To Stop
2
Yield To Traffic
3
Slow Down
4
Road Work Ahead
Flashing yellow has meant proceed with caution since the 1950s, while flashing red meant a full stop like a stop sign.
1
Fifty Feet Minimum
2
Two Car Lengths Always
3
One Car Length Per 10 MPH
4
Three Car Lengths Always
1960s manuals taught one car length per 10 mph of speed as the standard following distance rule.
1
Turning Left
2
Slowing Down
3
Turning Right
4
Stopping Completely
Hand signals were legally required before turn signals became standard equipment on all American cars in 1968.
1
Fifteen Minute Parking
2
No Parking Anytime
3
Passenger Loading Only
4
Bus Stop Only
Curb color codes were standardized in the 1950s — white meant brief passenger stops, red meant no stopping at all.
1
Turning Left
2
Slowing Or Stopping
3
Yielding To Traffic
4
Turning Right
Three hand signals covered all turns and stops — arm out straight for left, arm bent up for right, arm bent down for slowing.
1
No Federal Limit
2
55 Miles Per Hour
3
70 Miles Per Hour
4
65 Miles Per Hour
Before the 1973 oil crisis, speed limits were set entirely by states — the federal 55 mph limit wasn't imposed until 1974.
1
The Center Lane
2
Either Lane
3
The Right Lane
4
The Left Lane
Keep right except to pass was a core 1960s rule, though many states didn't begin actively enforcing it until the 1980s.
1
Passing Zone Ahead
2
School Zone Nearby
3
Divided Highway
4
Opposing Traffic
Yellow center lines separating opposing traffic directions became a national standard after the Federal Highway Act of 1966.
1
Safety Belts
2
Lap Restraints
3
Body Harnesses
4
Crash Straps
Early manuals called them safety belts and listed them as optional equipment — federal law didn't require them in new cars until 1968.
1
Bus Stop Only
2
No Parking
3
Loading Zone
4
No Stopping
Red curbs meant absolutely no stopping — not even briefly — and were common near fire hydrants and intersections.
1
Turning Right
2
Passing A Car
3
Speeding Up
4
Turning Left
Before turn signals were standard, a left arm bent upward at the elbow was the universal hand signal for a right turn.
1
Come To A Full Stop
2
Proceed With Caution
3
Slow Down Carefully
4
Yield To Traffic
A flashing red light functioned exactly like a stop sign — drivers had to stop completely before proceeding safely.
1
Either Lane
2
The Left Lane
3
The Center Lane
4
The Right Lane
1960s manuals were firm that the left lane was strictly for passing — you returned to the right lane immediately after.
1
School Zone Stop
2
No Parking Anytime
3
Commercial Loading Only
4
Short-Term Parking
Yellow curbs designated freight and commercial loading zones — passenger drop-offs belonged at white curbs instead.
1
Round
2
Diamond
3
Octagonal
4
Triangular
The round yellow railroad advance warning sign has been a U.S. standard since 1927 — its unique shape made it instantly recognizable.
1
City Vehicles Only
2
Free All-Day Parking
3
Handicap Parking Only
4
Time-Limited Parking
Green curbs meant short-term parking with a time limit — typically 10 to 30 minutes — to keep spaces turning over in busy areas.
1
50 Feet
2
25 Feet
3
100 Feet
4
200 Feet
Most 1960s state manuals required signaling at least 100 feet before turning — a rule that still appears in modern driver handbooks.
1
No Passing Zone
2
Edge Of The Roadway
3
Merge Point Ahead
4
Bicycle Lane Ahead
The solid white edge line — called a fog line — helped drivers stay on the road in low visibility and was widely adopted by the early 1960s.
1
Move Off The Road
2
Check For Injuries
3
Call The Police
4
Stop The Vehicle
Every 1960s manual listed stopping immediately as the legal first step — leaving the scene, even briefly, was considered hit-and-run.
1
Police Vehicles Only
2
No Parking
3
Disabled Parking
4
Bus Stop Only
Blue curbs for disabled parking began appearing in California in the late 1960s, pioneering accessibility rules nationwide.
1
Triangle
2
Pentagon
3
Rectangle
4
Diamond
The diamond shape for warning signs was standardized in the 1948 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and carried through the 1960s.
1
School Crossing
2
Steep Grade Ahead
3
Merging Traffic
4
No Passing Zone
The horizontal pennant sign, pointing left, was introduced specifically to mark the beginning of a no-passing zone on two-lane roads.
1
Move To The Center Line
2
Slow Down Before The Curve
3
Brake Through The Curve
4
Accelerate To Hold The Lane
1960s manuals taught drivers to reduce speed before entering a curve not during it to maintain steering control.
1
Divided Highway
2
Railroad Crossing
3
School Zone Ahead
4
Pedestrian Crossing
The X-shaped crossbuck sign has marked railroad crossings since the 1800s and was one of the oldest standardized road signs still used in the 1960s.
1
Blue And White
2
Brown And Yellow
3
Green And White
4
Black And White
Green highway guide signs became the national standard in 1958 when the Interstate Highway System launched, replacing a patchwork of state-specific colors.
1
Use Either Lane
2
Pass When Safe
3
Increase Speed
4
Make A U-Turn
A broken yellow center line meant passing was permitted when the road ahead was clear — a rule unchanged from the 1960s to today.
1
Left Arm Bent Up
2
Right Arm Waving
3
Left Arm Straight Out
4
Left Arm Bent Down
Before electric turn signals were universal, drivers bent their left arm upward at a 90-degree angle to signal a right turn — mimicking the direction of travel.
1
Detour Route
2
Construction Zone
3
School Zone
4
Slow Vehicle Ahead
Orange was reserved exclusively for construction and maintenance zones in 1960s manuals, a color-code still used on American roads today.
1
Yield To The Right
2
Faster Car Goes First
3
First To Arrive Goes
4
Larger Vehicle Goes First
At unmarked intersections, 1960s driver manuals consistently taught drivers to yield to the vehicle on their right — a rule that still appears in modern manuals.
1
No Passing Either Way
2
Divided Highway Ahead
3
Pass With Caution
4
Merge Into One Lane
Double yellow lines, standardized in the 1948 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, meant neither direction could legally pass.
1
Turn Wheels Left
2
Turn Wheels Right
3
Keep Wheels Straight
4
Set Emergency Brake Only
Turning wheels left when parking uphill lets the curb catch the front tire if the car rolls, a rule that appeared in driver manuals by the mid-1950s.
1
Pentagon
2
Octagon
3
Rectangle
4
Diamond
The five-sided pentagon shape was assigned exclusively to school zone signs in the 1961 MUTCD update, making them instantly recognizable to drivers.
1
25 Feet
2
10 Feet
3
15 Feet
4
20 Feet
The 15-foot hydrant clearance rule dates to early fire safety codes and was standard in virtually every state driver manual by the 1960s.
1
Yield To Cross Traffic
2
Obey The Rule Posted
3
Road Work Is Near
4
Slow Down Ahead
Rectangular signs were designated for regulatory messages like speed limits and turn restrictions, a shape-meaning system codified in the 1948 MUTCD.
1
Switch To Low Beam
2
Flash Lights Once
3
Keep High Beams On
4
Turn Headlights Off
1960s manuals required low beams within 200 feet of a vehicle ahead, because high beams reflect in mirrors and temporarily blind the driver in front.
1
Merge From The Left Lane
2
Yield And Stop First
3
Match Traffic Speed First
4
Honk Before Merging
Early freeway driving instructions emphasized using the acceleration ramp to reach highway speed before merging, reducing dangerous speed-difference collisions.
1
Merge Into Traffic
2
Proceed With Caution
3
Slow And Give Way
4
Come To A Full Stop
The downward-pointing triangle yield sign was introduced in the United States in 1954 and meant slow down and give right of way without requiring a full stop.
1
15 To 50 Feet
2
5 To 10 Feet
3
100 To 200 Feet
4
75 To 100 Feet
1960s driver manuals instructed drivers to begin slowing between 15 and 50 feet of the tracks and never shift gears while crossing, to avoid stalling on the rails.
1
Turn Wheels Right
2
Apply The Handbrake
3
Center The Wheels
4
Turn Wheels Left
Turning wheels right toward the road edge means the car rolls off the pavement rather than into traffic if the brakes fail.
1
Merge With Traffic
2
Stop Then Proceed
3
Go That Direction Only
4
Yield Before Turning
A protected green arrow meant oncoming traffic was stopped, giving drivers a guaranteed clear path in that direction.
1
12 Seconds Ahead
2
4 Seconds Ahead
3
20 Seconds Ahead
4
6 Seconds Ahead
1960s manuals taught the 12-second rule so drivers could spot hazards far enough ahead to react without panic braking.
1
Bike Lane Boundary
2
No Lane Changes
3
Lane Changes Allowed
4
Merge Ahead
Dashed white lines have separated same-direction traffic since the 1950s, signaling that careful lane changes were permitted.
1
Honk Before Crossing
2
Flash Headlights Twice
3
Slow To 10 MPH
4
Stop, Look, And Listen
Before electronic gates were widespread, the Stop-Look-Listen rule dated to the 1920s and saved thousands of lives at rural crossings.
1
Slow Down Gradually
2
Speed Up To Clear
3
Pull Right And Stop
4
Move To The Left Lane
Pulling right and stopping completely was federally encouraged by the 1960s so ambulances could pass through the center of the road.
1
Rectangle
2
Octagon
3
Triangle
4
Diamond
The eight-sided stop sign shape was standardized nationally in 1954 so drivers could recognize it even when snow covered the letters.
1
Close One Eye Briefly
2
Look To The Right Edge
3
Flash Their High Beams
4
Brake And Stop Quickly
1960s manuals instructed drivers to track the right road edge line, keeping the blinding oncoming light out of their direct line of sight.
1
Both Arms Raised Up
2
Left Arm Straight Out
3
Right Arm Bent Up
4
Left Arm Pointing Down
The same downward left-arm signal used by car drivers also applied to cyclists, keeping hand signals uniform across all road users.
1
National School Bus Yellow
2
Bright Orange
3
Safety Lime Green
4
Cream And Black
The specific shade called National School Bus Chrome Yellow was standardized in 1939 because it is visible in peripheral vision faster than any other color.
1
Merge Ahead
2
No Passing Allowed
3
Slow Traffic Lane
4
Passing Is Permitted
A solid yellow line on your side of the road meant passing was forbidden, a rule standardized nationally by the early 1960s.
1
Honk The Horn
2
Signal Left First
3
Check For Pedestrians
4
Turn On Headlights
1960s manuals required drivers to walk behind the vehicle first to check for children, pets, and pedestrians before reversing.
1
20 Feet
2
30 Feet
3
50 Feet
4
10 Feet
Most 1960s state manuals required parking no closer than 30 feet from a corner to keep sight lines clear for turning drivers.
1
Slow To 15 Mph
2
Yield Then Proceed
3
Stop Completely
4
Change Lanes
By the early 1960s, most states required all traffic in both directions to stop completely when a school bus flashed its red warning lights.
1
Ten And Two
2
Eight And Four
3
Twelve And Six
4
Nine And Three
The ten-and-two position was the gold standard taught in every 1960s driving manual, modeled after clock hands for easy memorization.
1
Steer Into The Skid
2
Accelerate To Regain Grip
3
Brake Hard Immediately
4
Turn The Wheel Away
Steering into the skid was the counterintuitive rule taught in 1960s manuals — turning away made the spin far worse on slick roads.
1
Red
2
Orange
3
Yellow
4
White
Yellow was reserved exclusively for centerline markings separating opposing traffic, making no-passing zones instantly recognizable on any road.
1
Check Before Proceeding
2
Accelerate Immediately
3
Flash Headlights Once
4
Tap The Horn First
1960s manuals warned that a green light grants permission to go but never guarantees safety — scanning cross traffic first was always required.
1
Use Only In Fog
2
Dim For Oncoming Cars
3
Flash Them As A Warning
4
Keep Them On Always
Dimming high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle was a legal requirement in most states by 1960, protecting drivers from temporary blindness.
1
Take The Right Of Way
2
Honk Before Turning
3
Signal After Stopping
4
Yield To Oncoming Traffic
Left-turning drivers have always borne the burden of yielding — a rule unchanged since the earliest American traffic laws of the 1910s.
1
Angle In From The Left
2
Back In From The Front
3
Pull Past, Then Back In
4
Pull Straight In Forward
1960s manuals taught drivers to pull one car-length past the space before reversing in at a 45-degree angle.
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Think you know the rules of the road? Back in the 1960s, getting your license meant passing a very different kind of test — and most modern drivers would seriously struggle. Let's see if you've got what it takes!
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