DE Permit Practice Test 23

All 20 questions in test 23

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. Traffic is stopped just past a crosswalk, and you could creep forward and stop on it. What does Delaware say?

   1. You may stop on it if you have a green light
   2. You must not block the crosswalk
   3. You may stop on it if you use your turn signal
   4. You may stop on it if no one is crossing right now
   Show answer

   You must not block the crosswalk. Delaware drivers must not drive through a pedestrian safety zone or block a crosswalk. Crosswalks define the area where pedestrians may cross the roadway, and drivers must yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. Not every crosswalk is marked with paint, so stay alert for people at intersections. Wait behind the stop line, or before the crosswalk where there is no line, until there is room to continue.

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

2. 2. When driving down a long or steep hill, what should you check in your mirrors?

   1. Whether your headlights are aimed correctly
   2. Whether your load has shifted to one side
   3. Whether large vehicles behind are building up speed
   4. Whether your tires are leaving the pavement
   Show answer

   Whether large vehicles behind are building up speed. Vehicles often gain speed on a steep grade, and large trucks and buses may be traveling too fast behind you. Mirror checks on the way down show whether a heavy vehicle is closing quickly. That early warning gives time to plan space ahead and avoid a sudden conflict. Headlight aim, load position and tire contact do not address the closing speed risk on a downgrade.

3. 3. A crash looks unavoidable and you cannot stop in time. What does the manual say about turning?

   1. Turning does not help, so brake as hard as you can instead
   2. You can usually turn faster than you can stop, so consider it
   3. Turn only after you have stopped completely
   4. Turn only if you are driving a car with air bags
   Show answer

   You can usually turn faster than you can stop, so consider it. In most cases, you can turn the vehicle quicker than you can stop it, so you should consider turning to avoid a collision. Keep a good grip with both hands, and be ready to keep the vehicle under control after you turn away or change lanes, because some drivers steer away from one collision only to end up in another. Always steer in the direction you want the vehicle to go.

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

4. 4. At night you want to be sure you are not driving faster than your headlights allow you to stop. How can the four-second sight distance rule help?

   1. Pick a far object; if you reach it in under four seconds, slow
   2. Pick an oncoming car and count until it has passed you completely
   3. Count four seconds behind the car ahead of you
   4. Switch to high beams and count up to ten
   Show answer

   Pick a far object; if you reach it in under four seconds, slow. To tell if you are driving too fast for conditions, pick out a stationary object as far ahead as you can clearly see and count one-one-thousand through four-one-thousand. If you reach it before finishing, you are going too fast for your sight distance. You should also use this rule at night to make sure you are not overdriving your headlights, which let you see about 350 feet ahead.

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

5. 5. At a Delaware signal, a green arrow points left while the round red light is on for everyone else. You want to turn right. What may you do?

   1. Turn right at once, since a lit green arrow lets every turn go
   2. Wait for a full green light, because no right turn is allowed now
   3. Turn right only after stopping, if it is safe and not prohibited
   4. Follow the green arrow and turn left, then circle back to the right
   Show answer

   Turn right only after stopping, if it is safe and not prohibited. With a green left arrow and a red ball, left turns may go if safe while all other movements must stop. Arrows apply only to the direction they point, so the arrow does not release right turns. The red ball still works like any red light, which means a right turn is allowed after a complete stop when it is safe and nothing prohibits it. Turning right without stopping treats the arrow as a signal for every lane.

6. 6. A yellow warning sign tells you there is a bump in the road ahead. What should you do?

   1. Adjust your speed to avoid losing control
   2. Speed up to get over the bump quickly
   3. Swerve into the other lane to go around it
   4. Keep your speed; bumps only affect trucks
   Show answer

   Adjust your speed to avoid losing control. The bump sign warns of a bump in the road ahead and tells you to adjust your speed to avoid loss of control. Slow down before you reach it, keep a firm grip on the wheel, and stay in your lane. Like all yellow warning signs, it means a special situation is ahead and that you should be prepared to slow down or stop if necessary.

7. 7. An orange diamond sign warns that traffic ahead may be halted. What is the best preparation?

   
   1. Assume traffic will keep moving at the posted speed
   2. Close the gap so no one cuts in ahead of you
   3. Watch only the nearest cone, not traffic beyond it
   4. Watch for stopped traffic hidden by a curve or hill
   Show answer

   Watch for stopped traffic hidden by a curve or hill. In a work zone, stay alert for changing traffic patterns and slowing or stopped traffic. Stopped traffic may be hidden around a curve or over a hill, so it can appear with little warning. Keep a reasonable speed and space between vehicles, brake gradually, and pay close attention to the signs and cones that guide you through the zone. Watch for slower speed limits too.

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

8. 8. A yellow diamond sign shows two lanes continuing ahead with an extra lane joining from the side. What should you expect?

   
   1. A lane is added, so you can continue without merging
   2. Both lanes must merge into one lane at once
   3. The joining lane ends and its traffic must stop
   4. Your lane is closing and you must move left now
   Show answer

   A lane is added, so you can continue without merging. The added lane sign means a lane joins the road and merging is not required, so traffic already in your lane can keep going. The manual adds a caution: watch for other vehicles changing lanes, since drivers in the new lane may move over. Check your mirrors and blind spot and keep some space beside you near the point where the lane joins.

9. 9. After passing a truck, when is it safe to return to your lane and what speed should you keep?

   1. When the truck front is visible in your rearview mirror, keep your speed
   2. As soon as your rear door passes the truck bumper, slow down
   3. When the truck honks once, slow to its speed
   4. Immediately after clearing its front tire, brake lightly
   Show answer

   When the truck front is visible in your rearview mirror, keep your speed. After passing a truck, a driver should move back only when the front of the truck can be seen in the rearview mirror and should maintain speed after returning. Cutting in earlier leaves the truck driver little room if traffic ahead slows. Slowing or braking right after the pass forces the heavier vehicle to respond with less margin. The mirror view confirms that the whole truck front is clear before the lane return.

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

10. 10. You have pulled to the right edge for a fire truck with its siren on, and it is still approaching. When may you pull back into traffic?

    1. As soon as you have stopped
    2. After the fire truck has passed
    3. When the siren becomes quieter
    4. When the driver behind you moves
    Show answer

    After the fire truck has passed. When an emergency vehicle approaches with a siren or flashing lights, every other vehicle must yield, drive to the right-hand edge or curb clear of any intersection, and stay there until the emergency vehicle has passed, unless a police officer directs otherwise. Check for more emergency vehicles before you pull back out, and merge only when traffic allows. If you are in an intersection, drive through it before you pull over.

    Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles and the Move Over law

11. 11. You see someone standing safely on the sidewalk near a crossing but not stepping into the road. What may you do?

    1. Honk repeatedly until the person moves back
    2. Stop and wait until the sidewalk clears
    3. Proceed with caution past the person
    4. Speed up to clear the area quickly
    Show answer

    Proceed with caution past the person. A person who is standing or stopped safely on the sidewalk has not entered the travel path, so traffic may continue past with caution. Caution still matters because the person could change position, and nearby crossings require attention. Stopping in the lane when no one is crossing can disrupt traffic, while sounding the horn or speeding up adds pressure without improving safety. Slow awareness fits the situation described.

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

12. 12. Delaware lists places where you must not stop or park. How close to a stop sign or traffic signal may you do so, unless otherwise posted?

    1. No closer than 10 feet
    2. No closer than 15 feet
    3. No closer than 30 feet
    4. No closer than 20 feet
    Show answer

    No closer than 30 feet. Delaware prohibits stopping or parking within 30 feet of any flashing beacon, stop sign, or traffic signal, unless otherwise posted, ordered by a police officer, or needed to avoid a crash. The same list sets other distances: 20 feet from a crosswalk at an intersection, 15 feet from a fire hydrant, and 50 feet from a railroad crossing. The restriction applies even if someone is left in the car.

    Study this in the handbook: Delaware speed limits

13. 13. A highway has a posted minimum speed of 40 mph, but heavy snow makes 40 unsafe. What should you do?

    1. Hold 40 mph because the minimum is the law
    2. Drive slower than 40 as conditions require
    3. Leave the highway at once at any exit
    4. Drive 40 with your hazard lights on
    Show answer

    Drive slower than 40 as conditions require. You must obey posted minimum speed limits, except when weather or other conditions make it unsafe to do so. In heavy snow, drive at a speed you can control, even if it is below the posted minimum. Packed snow calls for cutting your speed in half. Turn on your headlights, leave extra following distance, and keep scanning for vehicles behind you.

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

14. 14. What following gap applies behind a motorcycle at 30 mph and at 50 mph?

    1. Two seconds at both speeds in all weather
    2. Four seconds under 40 mph and two seconds above it
    3. Two seconds under 40 mph and four seconds above 40 mph
    4. One second if the motorcycle can stop quickly
    Show answer

    Two seconds under 40 mph and four seconds above 40 mph. Following distance behind a motorcyclist should be a two second count at speeds under 40 mph and a four second count at speeds above 40 mph. Motorcycles can stop quicker than cars, and following too closely can make a rider nervous and distract attention from traffic ahead. Wet or slippery roads call for even more distance. Reversing the counts or using one second leaves too little response space.

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

15. 15. A friend plans to eat chips and pretzels while drinking so they can still drive safely. What does the manual say about food?

    1. Starchy food keeps the alcohol from reaching the blood
    2. Food lets you drive safely after having two drinks
    3. Food speeds up how quickly you sober up again
    4. Food only slows how fast alcohol enters the blood
    Show answer

    Food only slows how fast alcohol enters the blood. Food slows down how fast alcohol gets into your blood, and starchy foods such as chips, pretzels, bread, and crackers are best. But food only slows when the alcohol gets into your blood; it will not keep you from getting drunk. There is no way to sober up quickly, and coffee, fresh air, exercise, or cold showers will not help. Time is the only thing that will sober you up.

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

16. 16. A 10-year-old has outgrown the height and weight limits of a belt-positioning booster seat. What does Delaware require?

    1. A harnessed car seat until the child reaches twelve years old
    2. A booster seat only when riding in the back seat
    3. Nothing, since the child has outgrown the seat
    4. A properly secured seat belt in every seating position
    Show answer

    A properly secured seat belt in every seating position. Delaware requires a child who has reached the upper height and weight limits of a belt-positioning booster seat, and has not yet reached age 16, to wear a properly secured seat belt in all seating positions. This is a primary enforcement law, which means officers can pull a vehicle over if they see an unrestrained child inside. A child under 12 or under 5 feet 5 inches should not ride in the front passenger seat.

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

17. 17. Why does the manual say not to hang things from your mirror or clutter the windshield with decals?

    1. They could block your view
    2. They weaken the glass in a minor crash
    3. They make the mirror harder to adjust
    4. They reflect sunlight into other drivers' eyes
    Show answer

    They could block your view. You need to see clearly through the windows, windshield, and mirrors. The manual advises you not to hang things from your mirror or clutter the windshield with decals, because they could block your view. Other ways to keep a clear view include keeping the windshield clean, clearing snow, ice, or frost from all windows before driving, and keeping the window washer bottle full. Dirty lenses on your lights also reduce the light they give.

18. 18. On a cold morning the road seems clear, but a bridge is coming up. Why should you be extra careful there?

    1. Bridges always have lower speed limits
    2. Bridges can be icy when other pavement is not
    3. Bridge pavement dries before the rest of the road
    4. Bridges are warmer, so frost turns to water
    Show answer

    Bridges can be icy when other pavement is not. Overpasses and other bridges can have icy spots. The pavement on a bridge can be icy even when other pavement is not, because bridges can be colder than other roadways. Slow down before you reach the bridge rather than braking on it. Shady spots on cold, wet days are another place where ice forms first and lasts longest. On ice, slow to a crawl.

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

19. 19. A center lane between opposing lanes is used by traffic from both directions. What movement is that lane reserved for?

    1. Passing slower vehicles in whichever direction has more traffic
    2. Making left turns, and U-turns where those turns are permitted
    3. Parking briefly while waiting for a passenger at the curb
    4. Traveling straight through intersections during rush hours only
    Show answer

    Making left turns, and U-turns where those turns are permitted. Shared center lanes are reserved for making left turns, or U-turns when those are permitted. Vehicles traveling in both directions may use the lane for that turning purpose, which is why opposing left-turn arrows alternate on the pavement. The lane is not a passing lane, parking space, or extra through lane. A driver enters it to prepare for a turn and completes the turn when the way is clear.

20. 20. At 55 mph, about how far does your vehicle travel if you look away from the road for 3 to 4 seconds?

    1. About the length of one car
    2. About one mile
    3. About the width of a two-lane road
    4. About the length of a football field
    Show answer

    About the length of a football field. Looking away from the road for 3 to 4 seconds at 55 mph means your vehicle travels the length of an entire football field without your eyes on traffic. Anything that happens ahead in that stretch goes unseen. Driving instructors estimate that a driver makes 200 decisions for every mile, so every extra task adds to that workload. Keep glances away from the road short.

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