CO Permit Practice Test 15

All 20 questions in test 15

Every question below comes from the Colorado 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. You try to sort an unfamiliar sign quickly by its color and shape. What do those features communicate?

   1. The year in which the sign was installed there
   2. The speed limit on that stretch of road
   3. Whether or not the sign applies to trucks
   4. The type of information the sign gives
   Show answer

   The type of information the sign gives. The handbook says the shapes and colors of signs indicate the type of information they provide. A quick look at the shape and color tells you whether a sign warns, regulates or guides. Learning the colors and shapes helps you understand a sign even before you can read it, which is useful in poor visibility or when you are in a hurry.

   Study this in the handbook: Fitness to drive, distractions and basic control

2. 2. Your gas pedal sticks while traffic moves around you. What is the recommended first response?

   1. Shift quickly to neutral and keep your eyes on the road
   2. Turn the key off first while still traveling at full speed
   3. Press the brake and the gas hard at the same time
   4. Steer off the road before doing anything to slow down
   Show answer

   Shift quickly to neutral and keep your eyes on the road. For a jammed gas pedal, the handbook says to keep your eyes on the road, quickly shift to neutral, pull off the road when safe to do so, and turn off the engine. Shifting to neutral takes power away from the wheels while you steer to a safe place, and turning off the engine comes only after you are off the road and no longer need it.

   Study this in the handbook: Avoiding collisions, animals and vehicle failures

3. 3. You passed a slower vehicle on a two-lane road. When may you return to your lane?

   1. As soon as your front bumper has cleared it
   2. When the other driver flashes headlights at you
   3. After you have gone one car length beyond it
   4. When both of its headlights show in your rearview mirror
   Show answer

   When both of its headlights show in your rearview mirror. The handbook says that when you can see both headlights of the vehicle you passed in the rearview mirror, you should change one lane to get back into your previous lane. Seeing both headlights means you have enough space ahead of the other vehicle, so signal and move over one lane without cutting in on it, and then turn off your signal.

   Study this in the handbook: Freeways, lane changes and passing

4. 4. What must every driver do first in the event of a crash?

   1. Exchange phone numbers and drive away
   2. Move the vehicles before checking injuries
   3. Call an insurer before calling for help
   4. Stop immediately and never leave the scene
   Show answer

   Stop immediately and never leave the scene. The handbook says that in the event of a crash you should stop immediately and never leave the scene. Stay at the scene, check for injuries, and call for help if needed. Leaving the scene of a crash is against the law and makes the situation more serious. After stopping, you must also exchange information with the other driver, help anyone who is injured if you safely can.

   Study this in the handbook: Avoiding collisions, animals and vehicle failures

5. 5. Halfway beside a slow truck on a two-lane road, you see an oncoming bicyclist closing in. You cannot regain your lane with 200 feet to spare. What was the error?

   1. Passing only one vehicle at a time on that stretch of road
   2. Starting a pass that could not be finished within 200 feet of the bicyclist
   3. Signaling before moving left to begin the pass on a two-lane road
   4. Checking traffic ahead, beside, and behind before passing
   Show answer

   Starting a pass that could not be finished within 200 feet of the bicyclist. The handbook says not to pass if you cannot safely return to the right-hand side before coming within 200 feet of an oncoming vehicle, including a bicyclist. The error was starting a pass that could not be finished in time. The error is not the passing itself but starting without enough room, since an oncoming bicyclist can close the distance quickly and leave no way back into the lane.

   Study this in the handbook: Freeways, lane changes and passing

6. 6. Why should you never run the motor in a closed garage?

   1. The engine will overheat without any airflow
   2. The garage door can lock from vibration
   3. Exhaust fumes can cause death in a very short time
   4. It wastes too much fuel while parked
   Show answer

   Exhaust fumes can cause death in a very short time. In describing the exhaust system, the handbook says fumes from a leaky exhaust system can cause death in a very short time. It says never to run the motor in your garage or sit in the car with the motor running without opening a window, and it adds that most exhaust problems are easily heard and should be repaired. The next item in that same list says the horn should be checked regularly.

   Study this in the handbook: Fitness to drive, distractions and basic control

7. 7. You and another driver reach a four-way stop together. You sit on the left. Who goes first?

   1. You, because you stopped completely before the other driver did
   2. The driver on the right, since the left driver yields
   3. Whoever accelerates more confidently from the stop
   4. The driver who is facing the wider of the two streets
   Show answer

   The driver on the right, since the left driver yields. The handbook says that when more than one vehicle reaches the intersection at the same time, the vehicle on the left must yield the right-of-way. You are on the left, so the driver on your right goes first. The rule about arrival at the same time uses the left driver yielding to the right, so know which one you are before you go.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections, roundabouts and mountain roads

8. 8. A posted sign allows the fastest default range in Colorado on your route. Where are you most likely driving?

   1. On a designated rural interstate or highway
   2. On an urban interstate that runs through a large city
   3. In a residence district with homes along the street
   4. On a narrow, winding mountain highway with blind curves
   Show answer

   On a designated rural interstate or highway. The handbook lists a range of 65 to 75 mph for designated rural interstates and highways. Urban interstates, residence districts and narrow mountain roads all have lower defaults, so a high range points to open rural roads. Even on a rural interstate, a high posted range is a maximum and not a target, so adjust for weather, traffic and road conditions.

   Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles, school buses and work zones

9. 9. A light rail vehicle stands stopped at a platform with doors open. What should drivers nearby watch for?

   1. Only the signal that releases the car traffic beside it
   2. Cars that might park on the tracks right behind it
   3. Overhead wires that sway above the vehicle as it waits
   4. People getting on and off the stopped rail vehicle
   Show answer

   People getting on and off the stopped rail vehicle. Among the driver safety tips for light rail areas, the handbook says to watch for people getting on and off a stopped LRV. People may step out of the vehicle and into the street without checking for cars. Slow down and stay alert near a platform, and let the people get clear of the vehicle before you proceed. Never rush past the platform area, and give those people extra time.

   Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings and light rail

10. 10. Before first moving the vehicle, what should a driver look for?

    1. Only the vehicles that approach from straight ahead of your car
    2. A passenger who confirms that the road ahead looks empty
    3. A safe path, with traffic and people checked at the sides and rear
    4. The radio and mirror settings that were saved last trip
    Show answer

    A safe path, with traffic and people checked at the sides and rear. When moving the vehicle, the handbook says to look for a safe path and to check for traffic or pedestrians to the sides and behind. Starting out without checking all around is how people are struck when a vehicle first begins to move. A walk around the vehicle and a look to every side before you begin to move helps you notice pedestrians, children, and objects that are hidden from the seat.

    Study this in the handbook: Fitness to drive, distractions and basic control

11. 11. What is the first step of parallel parking in Colorado?

    1. Back up quickly toward the vehicle behind you
    2. Turn the wheel left before you stop at all
    3. Stop even with the vehicle ahead of the space
    4. Pull forward past two empty spaces and then reverse
    Show answer

    Stop even with the vehicle ahead of the space. The handbook's parallel parking steps begin with stopping even with the vehicle ahead. After that you turn the wheel sharply right and back slowly toward the vehicle behind. Starting beside the car ahead lines you up with the space. Each later step, from turning the wheel to backing slowly, depends on starting from this position beside the vehicle ahead. Doing the steps in order makes the whole maneuver smooth and safe.

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

12. 12. Passing parked vehicles on foot-heavy streets, what should a driver watch for?

    1. Pedestrians entering or leaving their cars
    2. Only vehicles that pull out without using signals
    3. Children who ride their bikes on the sidewalk
    4. Drivers who raise their hoods to check the engines
    Show answer

    Pedestrians entering or leaving their cars. The handbook says to watch for pedestrians entering or exiting their cars while passing parked vehicles. A door can open or a person can step out into the lane without warning. Slow down near parked cars, because people can appear between them or at a car door, and leave enough room to stop if someone steps into your lane. Slow speed gives you time to react.

    Study this in the handbook: Bicyclists, motorcycles, trucks and pedestrians

13. 13. What defines aggressive driving in Colorado?

    1. Any driving at all that annoys another motorist who is nearby
    2. Driving below the speed limit while in heavy traffic
    3. Willfully endangering people or property with no regard for safety
    4. Using the horn one time at a busy intersection
    Show answer

    Willfully endangering people or property with no regard for safety. The handbook defines aggressive driving as any behind-the-wheel behavior that places others and/or property in danger through willful action without regard to safety. The key words are willful and without regard to safety. Honking once, driving slowly, or an accidental mistake does not meet that definition. Examples are cutting off other drivers or tailgating on purpose. Aggressive driving includes acts such as tailgating, cutting off others, and weaving through traffic on purpose.

    Study this in the handbook: Bicyclists, motorcycles, trucks and pedestrians

14. 14. A bicyclist rides in the center of your lane under a white BICYCLES MAY USE FULL LANE sign because parked cars crowd the right edge. What is the sign reminding drivers?

    1. Bicyclists may ride in the center of the lane if the right side is unsafe
    2. Bicyclists must leave the road whenever cars come up behind them
    3. Drivers may pass with less than three feet beside parked cars
    4. The lane becomes a bicycle-only lane with no cars at all
    Show answer

    Bicyclists may ride in the center of the lane if the right side is unsafe. The handbook says Bicycle May Use Full Lane signs, which have a white background with black letters and symbols, remind drivers that bicyclists have a right to ride in the center of the lane if they feel their safety is compromised. Drivers should therefore move to the next lane to pass, or wait, rather than squeezing past, when a bicyclist is in the middle of the lane.

    Study this in the handbook: Warning, guide, work zone and special signs

15. 15. You stop behind another vehicle at a light. How do you know the gap is adequate?

    1. You can see its rear wheels touching the ground
    2. Your bumper almost touches the bumper of its car
    3. You cannot see its rear wheels at all from your seat
    4. The driver ahead waves you forward to close up
    Show answer

    You can see its rear wheels touching the ground. The handbook says that if you can see the rear wheels of the vehicle in front of you touching the ground, you are at an adequate distance. If you cannot see them, you are following too closely. This is a simple way to judge your gap while stopped. Leaving enough space also lets you steer around the vehicle ahead if it stalls or if you need to avoid a hazard.

    Study this in the handbook: Getting a license, instruction permits and the drive test

16. 16. How can strong emotions affect your driving?

    1. They sharpen your attention to the road ahead of you
    2. They affect only new drivers
    3. You may not drive well if you are worried, afraid, or angry
    4. They matter only during long trips
    Show answer

    You may not drive well if you are worried, afraid, or angry. The handbook says emotions can greatly affect safe driving. You may not drive well if you are overly worried, excited, afraid or angry, and it adds that drivers should not give in to road rage. Its tips to prevent distracted driving also say to avoid arguments and stressful or emotional conversations, and to avoid smoking, eating and drinking behind the wheel.

    Study this in the handbook: Fitness to drive, distractions and basic control

17. 17. A Colorado 19 year old is convicted of buying alcohol while not driving. What can happen to the driving privilege?

    1. Nothing, because no vehicle was involved
    2. It can be revoked even though driving was not a factor
    3. Only a warning letter is sent
    4. It is suspended only if the person was driving at 0.02% or more
    Show answer

    It can be revoked even though driving was not a factor. Anyone younger than 21 who is convicted of buying or possessing alcohol is subject to revocation of the driving privilege even if driving is not a factor. The idea that no vehicle means no license consequence is exactly what this rule rejects. The handbook describes no warning letter. The 0.02% figure is the BAC level for revoking an under-21 driver who is driving, which is a separate rule.

    Study this in the handbook: Drugs, penalties and express consent

18. 18. A Colorado teen has held a license for three months and wants to carry a 19-year-old friend with no adult aboard. What does the rule say?

    1. One friend is allowed to ride along in the third month of driving
    2. Passengers under 21 are barred for six months without a licensed adult
    3. Friends may ride along, but only after school hours end each day
    4. The ban on passengers ends after the first month
    Show answer

    Passengers under 21 are barred for six months without a licensed adult. The handbook says that for the first six months after your license is issued, you cannot have any passengers under 21, unless a parent or another licensed adult driver is in the vehicle. The restriction ends only after six months, so a teen who has driven for three months must still bring a parent or other licensed adult along if a friend under 21 is riding in the car.

    Study this in the handbook: Getting a license, instruction permits and the drive test

19. 19. When passing, how many vehicles should a driver pass at once?

    1. Only one vehicle at a time, never several
    2. Two vehicles whenever the road ahead looks straight
    3. As many as will fit before the next curve appears
    4. Three vehicles when you are on a divided highway
    Show answer

    Only one vehicle at a time, never several. The handbook says not to count on being able to pass several vehicles at once. To be safe, only pass one vehicle at a time, so that you always know where you can return to your lane. Passing one vehicle at a time lets you judge each gap and return to your lane before the next hazard comes into view.

    Study this in the handbook: Freeways, lane changes and passing

20. 20. What information can Colorado traffic signs provide besides traffic rules and hazards?

    
    1. Only vehicle maintenance instructions
    2. Current location, directions, and services
    3. Only private business names
    4. Permission to ignore signals
    Show answer

    Current location, directions, and services. Colorado traffic signs do more than announce rules and hazards. They can identify the driver's current location, give directions, and help locate services. A winding-road symbol warns of repeated curves, but the handbook's text does not define every pictured sign in detail. The question therefore tests the broader sign information the manual states directly. Vehicle maintenance instructions and private business names are not the general purpose of traffic signs, and no sign authorizes a driver to disregard a traffic signal. Read the words, shape, and color together to classify the message.

    Study this in the handbook: Fitness to drive, distractions and basic control