Online California DMV Traffic School Practice Test

IPDE is a proactive driving process that helps you manage hazards by going through four actions in sequence: identify, predict, decide, and execute.

Identify means scanning your surroundings to notice potential hazards—vehicles, pedestrians, road conditions, signs, and any changes in the environment. Predict means anticipating what could happen next with those hazards, such as a car ahead slowing suddenly or a pedestrian stepping into the street. Decide means choosing a safe response from your options—whether to slow down, change lanes, or increase following distance. Execute means carrying out the chosen action smoothly and promptly, like braking gradually or steering to create space.

This sequence uses familiar terms: identify, predict, decide, and execute. Alternatives like Plan or Determine replace or omit the established words, and Exit isn’t an action you take while driving.