AZ Permit Practice Test 12

All 20 questions in test 12

Every question below comes from the Arizona question bank on this page. Open a question to see the correct answer and the explanation. Nothing here is hidden behind a signup.

1. 1. Which headlights should be used on Arizona city or town streets at night?

   1. High beams for maximum view
   2. Parking lights between street lamps
   3. Low beams on city or town streets
   4. No lights where streets are lit
   Show answer

   Low beams on city or town streets. City streets carry close opposing traffic, pedestrians, and frequent intersections where high beams blind others and reflect off signs. Low beams give enough view at street speeds while keeping glare down. Parking lights understate a moving vehicle, and street lamps do not make an unlit car visible to a turning driver. High beams belong on open highways without nearby traffic. Matching beam choice to street type protects the vision of everyone sharing the lit road space.

   Study this in the handbook: Stopping distance, bad weather and night driving

2. 2. How should an Arizona driver look while backing up?

   1. Only in the side mirrors
   2. Only at the backup camera screen
   3. Directly through the rear window, turned around
   4. Over one shoulder while speeding up
   Show answer

   Directly through the rear window, turned around. Turning around and looking directly through the rear window gives the widest true view of the path behind. Mirrors narrow that view and cameras flatten distance, so neither should stand alone. Speed works against safety because a child or object can appear quickly at close range. The driver should set up with the earlier walk behind the car, then back slowly with eyes through the rear window. That posture also helps judge how fast the vehicle is closing on curbs, posts, and parked cars.

   Study this in the handbook: Parking rules, hills and painted curbs

3. 3. Where should an Arizona driver position the vehicle within its lane on a highway?

   1. Close to the left line, beside passing lane traffic flow
   2. Close to the right line, beside the shoulder edge
   3. Alternating from side to side to stay alert on trips
   4. In the middle of the lane, staying between the lines
   Show answer

   In the middle of the lane, staying between the lines. Centering the vehicle between lane lines leaves escape room on both sides for wind gusts, wide trucks, and a neighbor who drifts. Hugging either line removes that buffer on one side and can pressure adjacent drivers. Alternating sides creates weaving that others cannot predict. A centered path also makes mirror checks and speed control calmer because small steering errors stay inside the lane. When passing a large vehicle or facing crosswinds, a driver may shift within the lane for safety while staying between lines.

   Study this in the handbook: Parking rules, hills and painted curbs

4. 4. A yellow line runs down the center of an Arizona road. What does it tell you?

   1. All traffic on the road flows in one direction
   2. The road has a reversible lane in the center
   3. The road is closed to trucks in the center lane
   4. Traffic flows in both directions on this road
   Show answer

   Traffic flows in both directions on this road. Yellow center lines in Arizona show that there is two-way traffic on the roadway, flowing in both directions. The yellow line separates vehicles moving opposite ways, so you should keep to the right of it and watch for oncoming vehicles. It does not indicate a one-way road, a reversible lane, or any restriction for trucks. White lines, in contrast, separate traffic traveling in the same direction.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and turning lanes

5. 5. Heavy rain has covered an Arizona wash and the water over the road looks shallow. What does the manual tell you to do?

   1. Do not cross the flooded wash
   2. Cross slowly in low gear
   3. Cross quickly before the water rises
   4. Follow the vehicle ahead through it
   Show answer

   Do not cross the flooded wash. Heavy rain frequently causes flash floods in Arizona washes, and the manual says not to cross flooded washes. Water over a wash can be deeper and faster than it looks, and it can wash away the road surface or sweep away a vehicle. Following another driver or crossing slowly does not remove that danger. Turn around and find another route.

   Study this in the handbook: Stopping distance, bad weather and night driving

6. 6. In Arizona, what does a permanent five-sided school crossing sign warn drivers about?

   
   1. Children may be crossing the road ahead
   2. A railroad crossing is ahead
   3. A no-passing zone begins here
   4. A park entrance is ahead
   Show answer

   Children may be crossing the road ahead. Arizona uses a permanent five-sided, pentagon shaped sign at school crossings to warn that children may be crossing the road. When you see one, slow down, scan the crosswalk and the curb on both sides, and be ready to stop. The manual also says these school crossing signs may be yellow or yellow-green. A round sign warns of a railroad crossing and a pennant marks a no-passing zone, so the outline itself tells you which hazard to expect.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and work zones

7. 7. You are entering an Arizona roundabout. Which way must you go around the central island?

   1. Enter to the left of the island, then circle clockwise around it
   2. Enter to the right of the island and go counterclockwise
   3. Cross over the island if no one is near
   4. Choose either side based on the lane you prefer
   Show answer

   Enter to the right of the island and go counterclockwise. Drivers must always enter a roundabout to the right of the central island. That sets all traffic moving in the same direction around the circle, which is counterclockwise in Arizona, and it removes head-on conflicts. Entering on the left, driving across the island, or choosing a side by preference would put you against other drivers and is unsafe and unlawful.

   Study this in the handbook: Signaling, passing and U turns

8. 8. Power steering fails mid-turn in Arizona. What should the driver do?

   1. Grip with both hands, finish, move right
   2. Let go and coast through the turn
   3. Turn the wheel with one finger
   4. Speed up to regain power assist
   Show answer

   Grip with both hands, finish, move right. Without assist, steering effort jumps suddenly, especially during a corner started as the engine died. A firm two handed grip supplies the force to complete the turn and guide the vehicle to the right side of the road. Releasing the wheel or steering lightly surrenders the turn. Speed does not restore a dead engine assist. After stopping, a vehicle with power brakes will need extra hard pedal pressure. Knowing the heavier feel in advance prevents panic during the failure.

   Study this in the handbook: Dust storms, blowouts, fires and brake failure

9. 9. Why should an Arizona driver not trust a motorcycle turn signal alone?

   1. Motorcycle signals are always broken or missing
   2. Riders never use turn signals at all
   3. A lit signal means the rider will stop
   4. A forgotten signal can stay blinking on
   Show answer

   A forgotten signal can stay blinking on. Many motorcycle signals lack the automatic cancel found in cars, so a rider can travel with a stale signal blinking after a completed turn. A driver who turns across that signal may meet a motorcycle going straight. Signals on motorcycles do work and riders do use them, but the message needs confirmation from speed and lane movement. Waiting to see the bike actually lean or slow for the turn prevents a fatal assumption. The same patience applies at driveways and side streets.

   Study this in the handbook: Bicycles, motorcycles, trucks and light rail

10. 10. How can an Arizona driver tell a light rail train direction from its lights?

    1. Blue marker lights mean a train is approaching you
    2. Red headlights show a train approaching your position
    3. Both ends of every train show white lights at all times
    4. White headlights show it approaching, red taillights show it moving away
    Show answer

    White headlights show it approaching, red taillights show it moving away. Light rail vehicles have identical ends, so light color gives the direction clue: white headlights mark a train coming toward the viewer, and red taillights mark it moving away. Blue plays no role in this signal. Reading red as approaching reverses the danger judgment. A driver who sees white lights down the track should treat the crossing as active and wait. Red lights receding do not clear the crossing either, because another train may approach on a parallel track with white lights showing.

11. 11. You see no train at an Arizona crossing and the signals are off. What does the manual say to expect?

    1. No train, because trains only run on schedule
    2. A train or other equipment may be on any track at any time
    3. A train only when the lights are flashing
    4. A train only on the track nearest to you
    Show answer

    A train or other equipment may be on any track at any time. The manual tells drivers to expect a train or other on-track equipment on any track at any time. Trains may not run on a fixed schedule, and more than one track may be in use. Even with the signals off, look and listen in both directions before you cross. Treat every crossing as a place where a train could arrive from either direction.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and work zones

12. 12. At what speed should an Arizona driver drive through water when crossing is unavoidable?

    1. Fast enough to splash water aside
    2. At a slow and steady speed
    3. In short bursts of acceleration
    4. At normal road speed to save time
    Show answer

    At a slow and steady speed. Slow steady motion keeps a small bow wave from climbing into the engine and preserves tire contact on a hidden surface. Speed throws water higher and can stall the motor or push the vehicle sideways. Bursts surge the wave repeatedly. Normal speed assumes a road condition the water conceals. The driver should still avoid flooded crossings as a rule; this pacing only reduces harm where shallow water must be crossed. Afterward, brakes need a gentle check because wet linings can grab unevenly.

    Study this in the handbook: Stopping distance, bad weather and night driving

13. 13. When may an Arizona driver turn right on red?

    1. Where signs do not prohibit it, after a complete stop with traffic clear
    2. At any red light, rolling slowly without a full stop
    3. Only when a green arrow also lights for the turn
    4. Only from the left lane beside the center line
    Show answer

    Where signs do not prohibit it, after a complete stop with traffic clear. Right on red in Arizona needs three things together: no sign barring the turn, a complete stop first, and motor and pedestrian traffic clear before moving. Rolling through treats red as a yield and can hide a person in the crosswalk. A green arrow is a separate indication and is not required for this turn. The turn begins from the right side position and enters the right lane unless signs direct otherwise. Any missing condition means the driver waits for green.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and red light running

14. 14. How should an Arizona driver handle a large truck inside a roundabout?

    1. Pass it quickly inside the circle
    2. Do not try to pass it in the roundabout
    3. Follow it closely to stay visible
    4. Honk before entering beside it
    Show answer

    Do not try to pass it in the roundabout. Large trucks need extra width to circle the island and may swing across lane lines while turning. Trying to pass inside the roundabout places a car beside a trailer with little escape room. Close following hides exit signs and crosswalks. A honk does not create space. The safer pattern is to hang back, let the truck complete its path, and exit behind it or at the next opening. Yielding room to trucks at entry and inside the circle prevents the squeeze that causes many roundabout side crashes.

    Study this in the handbook: Signaling, passing and U turns

15. 15. A car comes toward you at night on an Arizona highway while your high beams are on. When should you switch to low beams?

    1. When the car is within 100 feet of you
    2. When the car is within 500 feet of you
    3. When the other driver flashes first
    4. Only after the car has passed you
    Show answer

    When the car is within 500 feet of you. Use high beams on highways when no other vehicle is coming toward you within 500 feet. Switch to low beams whenever you meet oncoming traffic to avoid blinding the other driver. Dim early so the oncoming driver can see the road as you approach, and do not wait to be signaled. Glare slows reaction and can lead to a head-on collision.

    Study this in the handbook: Stopping distance, bad weather and night driving

16. 16. An animal stands beside, not yet on, an Arizona road. Why should you not honk?

    1. Honking is always unlawful near animals
    2. Animals cannot hear vehicle horns
    3. The sound may startle it into running in front of you
    4. Honking drains the vehicle battery
    Show answer

    The sound may startle it into running in front of you. An animal at the road edge is still deciding whether to cross, and a horn blast can trigger the bolt a driver fears. Quiet slowing gives the animal room to stay put or move away from the road. Honking remains lawful for true warnings elsewhere, and animals hear horns clearly, which is the risk. Battery drain is trivial beside crash danger. Watching the animal posture and covering the brake handles the moment better than sound. Many animal crashes begin with a startled dash.

    Study this in the handbook: Stopping distance, bad weather and night driving

17. 17. Your car has antilock brakes and you need to stop in an emergency. How should you brake?

    1. Pump the pedal quickly
    2. Tap the pedal several times
    3. Press firmly and do not pump the pedal
    4. Press lightly to avoid locking the wheels
    Show answer

    Press firmly and do not pump the pedal. Many vehicles feature Antilock Braking Systems, and the manual says not to pump antilock brakes. In an emergency, press the brake pedal firmly and hold it, and let the system adjust brake pressure for each wheel. The system prevents wheel lock and keeps steering available while you slow down. Pumping or tapping the pedal interrupts it, and light pressure will not stop you quickly enough when a hazard is close.

    Study this in the handbook: Dust storms, blowouts, fires and brake failure

18. 18. Your brake pedal sinks and the car, which has no antilock brakes, is not slowing. What should you try first?

    1. Hold the pedal down steadily
    2. Pump the brakes rapidly
    3. Turn off the engine at once
    4. Shift into reverse
    Show answer

    Pump the brakes rapidly. If a vehicle without antilock brakes suddenly loses braking power, pump the brakes rapidly. This may build up enough pressure to stop your vehicle. Holding the pedal steadily does not build pressure, turning off the engine can make steering harder and remove power assist, and shifting into reverse can damage the transmission and cause a loss of control. If pumping fails, apply the parking brake slowly and look for a safe place to stop.

    Study this in the handbook: Dust storms, blowouts, fires and brake failure

19. 19. What is an Arizona two-way left turn lane only for?

    1. Passing slow traffic in the center
    2. Through traffic during rush hour
    3. Vehicles turning left in either direction
    4. Merging acceleration after a side street entry
    Show answer

    Vehicles turning left in either direction. The shared center lane exists solely for left turns from either direction of the street. Opposing turners nose into the same refuge at different points and wait for gaps without blocking through lanes. Using it to pass, drive through, or accelerate into traffic steals that refuge and meets a turning vehicle head on. The solid yellow outer line and broken inner line announce the purpose. Enter close to the turn, keep speed low, and leave promptly once the left turn completes.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and turning lanes

20. 20. Which Arizona left turn may be made against a red light after stopping and yielding, unless signs prohibit it?

    1. From a two-way road to another two-way road
    2. From a one-way road to a two-way road
    3. From a one-way road to another one-way road
    4. Across the light rail tracks
    Show answer

    From a one-way road to another one-way road. The one way to one way left is the single left turn setting where Arizona allows a turn against red after a complete stop and yielding to traffic and pedestrians, when no sign bars it. Both roads flow one way, so the turn does not cross an opposing through stream in the usual pattern. Two way combinations keep the red prohibition. Light rail crossings add track dangers and signal control. Any No Turn style prohibition still overrides this narrow permission.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and red light running