DE Permit Practice Test 19

All 20 questions in test 19

Every question below comes from the Delaware 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 need to cross a divided highway. When is it safe to stop halfway across, in the median?

   1. Whenever traffic in the far lanes is too heavy to cross at once
   2. Never, even on a wide median
   3. Any time, as long as your hazard lights are on
   4. Only if the median is large enough for your whole vehicle
   Show answer

   Only if the median is large enough for your whole vehicle. When you cross traffic you need a gap large enough to get all the way across. Stopping halfway is only safe when there is a median divider large enough for your vehicle. Do not stop on a divider where part of your vehicle sticks out into traffic. If the median is too small, wait until both directions give you room to cross in one move.

   Study this in the handbook: Following distance, trucks and motorcycles

2. 2. You park facing up a hill where a curb is present. How should you position the front wheels?

   1. Toward the curb so the front tire rests hard against it
   2. Straight ahead with the parking brake alone holding the car
   3. Away from the curb, letting the near front wheel come into contact with the curb
   4. Toward the edge of the highway as if no curb existed
   Show answer

   Away from the curb, letting the near front wheel come into contact with the curb. Facing uphill beside a curb, turning the front wheels away lets gravity roll the car back slightly until the near front wheel meets the curb, which then blocks further movement. Wheels pointed toward the curb cannot catch it in the same way during a backward roll. Straight wheels rely only on the brake. Treating a curbed street like an open edge ignores the blocking help the curb provides. Let the wheel settle against the curb before leaving.

3. 3. Why can a close high speed pass be dangerous for a person on a bicycle?

   1. Moving air from the pass can push the rider into a crash
   2. Bicycles always speed up when passed closely
   3. The rider must stop whenever a truck passes
   4. It is not dangerous if your car does not touch the bike
   Show answer

   Moving air from the pass can push the rider into a crash. At slow speeds on local streets you can interact with bicycles much as you would with other vehicles. At higher speeds, though, the air pressure created by a vehicle passing too closely can cause a cyclist to crash, especially when the vehicle is a truck or a bus. Give at least three feet of clearance when passing, and move to the adjacent lane on a multi-lane road whenever possible.

4. 4. You are taking a prescription medicine. What does the manual say about drinking alcohol while on it?

   1. One drink is fine if you wait an hour
   2. Alcohol cancels out most medicine effects
   3. Beer is safe with medicine, but liquor is not
   4. Never drink alcohol while taking other drugs
   Show answer

   Never drink alcohol while taking other drugs. Never drink alcohol while you are taking other drugs. These drugs can intensify the effects of alcohol or have extra effects of their own. Together they reduce your ability to drive safely and can cause serious health problems, even death. Switching from liquor to beer does not help, since a can of beer holds as much alcohol as a shot of liquor.

   Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, BAC and implied consent

5. 5. When must Delaware headlights be on because of weather?

   1. Only during snow, never during rain
   2. When the outside temperature falls below freezing
   3. When the driver is traveling on a highway
   4. Whenever windshield wipers are in use due to inclement weather
   Show answer

   Whenever windshield wipers are in use due to inclement weather. Delaware's equipment rule connects headlights to windshield wiper use when the wipers are operating because of inclement weather. The rule is not limited to darkness, to one kind of road, or to snow alone. The best driving cue is simple: if weather requires the wipers, turn on the headlights as well. This makes the vehicle easier for others to see during rain or another qualifying condition. The choices based on temperature or road type add limits that are not in the manual's stated requirement.

   Study this in the handbook: Headlights, seat belts, phones and insurance

6. 6. Something is blocking the tracks at a grade crossing and trains need to be warned. What is the purpose of the emergency dispatch number posted at every crossing?

   1. To request a tow truck for a vehicle stalled on the roadway nearby
   2. To contact the railroad about a problem at the crossing or on the tracks
   3. To report a pothole on the road surface leading up to the crossing
   4. To report a driver who went around the gates
   Show answer

   To contact the railroad about a problem at the crossing or on the tracks. Every grade crossing carries an emergency dispatch number for contacting the railroad. The number is used to report problems with the crossing, the tracks, or train travel, including something blocking the tracks. The crossing's DOT number tells the dispatcher exactly where the crossing is, so trains moving toward it can be told to stop or slow down. The number is typically on a blue sign on or near the crossbuck.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings, signaling and roundabouts

7. 7. Why should you lower your speed as you approach a toll plaza?

   1. Toll plazas always have a 15 mph limit
   2. Vehicles are changing lanes, stopping, and speeding up again
   3. The pavement at toll plazas is usually slippery
   4. Toll workers direct every vehicle by hand
   Show answer

   Vehicles are changing lanes, stopping, and speeding up again. Wherever people or traffic gather, your room to maneuver is limited, so you need a lower speed to have time to react. Toll plazas are one of these trouble spots: vehicles change lanes and prepare to stop, then speed up again as they leave. The number of lanes can also change before and after the plaza. Watch the vehicles around you and avoid sudden moves.

   Study this in the handbook: Seeing ahead and adjusting to conditions

8. 8. While recovering from a skid, after turning the wheel toward your intended direction, what must you do as the vehicle begins to straighten?

   1. Hold the wheel turned until fully stopped
   2. Turn the wheel sharply to the same side again
   3. Let go of the wheel so it centers itself
   4. Turn the steering wheel back the other way
   Show answer

   Turn the steering wheel back the other way. A skid recovery needs steering in both phases. First the wheel turns toward the intended direction. As the vehicle begins to straighten, the wheel must come back the other way, or the vehicle can swing around and start a new skid in the opposite direction. Continued small corrections, left and right, keep the vehicle moving down the road under control until grip and direction are restored.

   Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings, vehicle emergencies and crashes

9. 9. When a collision looks likely, what three options does the manual say a driver has to avoid it?

   1. Stop, honk, or flash the lights
   2. Brake, swerve, or shift to neutral
   3. Slow, signal, or change lanes
   4. Stop, turn, or speed up
   Show answer

   Stop, turn, or speed up. When it looks like a collision may happen, many drivers panic and fail to act. There is almost always something you can do to avoid the crash or reduce its impact. In avoiding a collision, drivers have three options: stop, turn, or speed up. You can often turn quicker than you can stop, and speeding up can help when a vehicle is about to hit you from the side or behind and there is room ahead.

   Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings, vehicle emergencies and crashes

10. 10. What reminder does a shared lane marking give road users?

    1. Only motor vehicles may use the marked lane
    2. Bicycles must leave the lane when a car approaches
    3. The lane may be legally used by bicycles and motor vehicles
    4. Cars may pass without giving lateral space
    Show answer

    The lane may be legally used by bicycles and motor vehicles. A shared lane marking serves as a reminder that the lane may be legally used by both cyclists and motor vehicles. It also supports safe passing and helps reduce wrong way bicycling. A cyclist is not required to leave the lane for an approaching car, and the sharing reminder does not remove the need for lateral space when passing. Expecting both vehicle types in the lane helps drivers plan turns and passes.

    Study this in the handbook: School buses, pedestrians and bicyclists

11. 11. On a four-lane road, a bicyclist rides in the right lane ahead of you and the left lane is open. How should you pass?

    1. Move into the adjacent left lane to pass
    2. Stay in the right lane and leave three feet
    3. Honk and wait for the rider to move over
    4. Pass on the shoulder to the rider's right
    Show answer

    Move into the adjacent left lane to pass. When passing a cyclist, Delaware requires at least three feet of clearance at all times, and on multi-lane roads motorists must move to the adjacent lane whenever possible. With the left lane open, change lanes completely to pass, then return to the right only after leaving plenty of clearance, since the cyclist may be faster than you think. Never pass a cyclist only to turn right in front of them.

    Study this in the handbook: Headlights, seat belts, phones and insurance

12. 12. On a country road you pass the pictured sign. What should you do next?

    
    1. Stop right at the sign and wait
    2. Slow down and watch for the railroad crossing
    3. Speed up to cross before a train comes
    4. Look for a detour, because the road ends
    Show answer

    Slow down and watch for the railroad crossing. The round yellow sign with an X and the letters RR is the advance warning sign, placed before you reach a railroad crossing. When you come to it, slow down and watch for the highway-rail intersection. Use particular caution at night so you do not drive into the side of a train. Be ready to stop if lights flash, a gate lowers, or a train is coming.

    Study this in the handbook: Road signs by shape and color

13. 13. You are traveling at the posted speed when the pictured sign comes into view. What should you do?

    
    1. Keep your speed and steer harder in the turn
    2. Reduce speed before the sharp right turn
    3. Move to the left lane to widen the turn
    4. Speed up to carry momentum through the turn
    Show answer

    Reduce speed before the sharp right turn. This warning sign means a sharp turn to the right is ahead, and the manual pairs it with the instruction to reduce speed. A sharp turn needs a much lower speed than the road around it. Slow down before the turn begins, keep to your lane, and avoid braking hard once you are already turning, since braking in a curve can cause a skid.

    Study this in the handbook: Road signs by shape and color

14. 14. You drive a car with a manual transmission across railroad tracks. What gear advice does the Delaware manual give?

    1. Pick your gear before the tracks and do not shift while crossing
    2. Shift up into a higher gear while on the rails so you cross faster
    3. Shift into neutral and coast across the rails
    4. Downshift while on the rails for extra power
    Show answer

    Pick your gear before the tracks and do not shift while crossing. The manual says it is wise not to shift gears when crossing railroad tracks, just in case you might stall. Choose the right gear before you reach the crossing and keep it until you are across. Never start across unless there is room for your vehicle on the far side, and never try to beat a train, since trains may be moving faster than they look.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings, signaling and roundabouts

15. 15. A sign reserves a lane and includes the marking HOV 3. What does that marking require for a vehicle using the lane?

    1. The vehicle must be a bus or an emergency vehicle on a call
    2. The vehicle must display a special permit on the windshield
    3. At least three people must be riding inside the vehicle
    4. The driver must be traveling farther than three exits away
    Show answer

    At least three people must be riding inside the vehicle. Reserved lane signs state the special use, the number of occupants required, and the days and hours that apply. The numeral after HOV states the minimum occupancy for that lane. A lane marked HOV 3 therefore requires at least three people in the vehicle during the posted conditions. A solo driver cannot use the lane merely by traveling a long distance, and the marking itself does not substitute a bus or permit rule.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings, signaling and roundabouts

16. 16. On a multi-lane road you find yourself traveling beside another car, slightly behind it. What should you do?

    1. Speed up or drop back so the driver can see you
    2. Stay there, because matching speed is safest
    3. Honk so the driver knows you are beside them
    4. Move closer to the lane line to be noticed
    Show answer

    Speed up or drop back so the driver can see you. Drive where others can see you, and do not drive in another vehicle's blind spot. Try to avoid driving on either side and slightly to the rear of another vehicle, because that is where its driver cannot see you. Either speed up or drop back so the other driver can see your vehicle more easily. Never stay alongside a truck or bus, which have large blind spots.

17. 17. A crossing gate is lowering as a train comes, and the lane beside the gate looks clear. What should you do?

    1. Drive around the gate while the lane is clear
    2. Stop and wait; do not drive around the gate
    3. Cross quickly before the gate is fully down
    4. Follow the car ahead if it goes around
    Show answer

    Stop and wait; do not drive around the gate. At some crossings a gate lowers when a train is coming, and you must not drive around the gate. A clear-looking lane beside it does not make going around safe, because trains are large and may be moving faster than they look. Stop behind the gate and wait. After the train passes and the gate rises, check for a second train before crossing.

    Study this in the handbook: Road signs by shape and color

18. 18. You pick a pole as far ahead as you can see clearly and reach it before you finish counting "four-one-thousand." What does that mean?

    1. Your following distance is too short
    2. You are driving at the correct speed
    3. You are driving too fast for your sight distance
    4. You should switch to high beams right away
    Show answer

    You are driving too fast for your sight distance. The Four-Second Sight Distance Rule tells you whether you are driving too fast for conditions. Pick a stationary object as far ahead as you can clearly see and count four seconds. If you reach it before you finish, you need to slow down because you are going too fast for your sight distance. Use the same check at night to avoid over-driving your headlights.

    Study this in the handbook: Seeing ahead and adjusting to conditions

19. 19. You are driving in thick fog and want the best possible view of the road. Which headlight setting does the manual advise?

    1. High beams, since they let you see twice as far
    2. Parking lights, since they cause no glare at all
    3. Low beams, because high beams reflect back as glare
    4. Headlights off, to avoid reflection from the fog
    Show answer

    Low beams, because high beams reflect back as glare. Use low beams in fog, and also when it is snowing or raining hard. Light from high beams reflects back from the fog, rain, or snow, causing glare and making it more difficult to see ahead. Some vehicles have fog lights, which you should use under these conditions too. Do not drive at any time with only your parking lights on, because they are for parked vehicles. Delaware also requires headlights whenever you use your wipers.

20. 20. A police car with red and blue lights flashing, but no siren, comes up behind you. What must you do?

    1. Yield and pull over to the right edge, or as near as you can
    2. Keep driving because there is no siren sounding at all
    3. Stop in your lane until the police car passes
    4. Pull to the left edge so it can pass on the right
    Show answer

    Yield and pull over to the right edge, or as near as you can. You must yield the right-of-way to a police vehicle, fire engine, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle using a siren, air horn, or a red or blue flashing light. Pull over to the right edge of the road or as near to the right as possible when you see or hear it approaching from any direction, and follow any instructions given over its loudspeaker. If you are in an intersection, drive through it before you pull over.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections