ID Permit Practice Test 1

All 20 questions in test 1

Every question below comes from the Idaho 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 cars does Idaho's child safety seat law apply to?

   1. All cars regardless of year
   2. Only cars built after 2000
   3. Cars manufactured with safety belts after January 1, 1966
   4. Only cars with rear seats
   Show answer

   Cars manufactured with safety belts after January 1, 1966. Idaho's child passenger safety law requires children to be properly protected in approved child safety seats in non commercial vehicles, and the law applies to cars manufactured with safety belts after January 1, 1966. Proper protection means an approved seat that meets federal standards, fitted snugly to the child and installed as the maker directs, with the driver responsible for compliance.

2. 2. What is Idaho's minimum recommended following-distance procedure?

   1. Use at least three seconds, adding more time at high speeds or in bad weather
   2. Keep exactly one second behind the vehicle ahead in all conditions
   3. Stay within one car length whenever traffic is moving
   4. Match the vehicle ahead's speed and ignore the road surface
   Show answer

   Use at least three seconds, adding more time at high speeds or in bad weather. The three-second rule gives a driver a practical minimum gap for reacting to a sudden stop. At higher speeds or in bad weather, the handbook calls for increasing that interval because traction and stopping conditions can worsen. The one-second and one-car-length choices remove needed reaction space, while matching speed alone says nothing about distance. Pick a fixed object, count after the lead vehicle passes it, and enlarge the gap when conditions become demanding.

3. 3. What should a driver expect when approaching an Idaho school zone sign?

   1. A railroad crossing with no special speed rule
   2. A school area with a crossing and increased penalties for violating the posted speed limit
   3. A truck-only loading area where pedestrians are prohibited
   4. A temporary construction lane controlled by orange signs
   Show answer

   A school area with a crossing and increased penalties for violating the posted speed limit. The school zone warning identifies a nearby school area and crossing, so the driver should watch for children and the marked crossing. Idaho also warns that violations of school zone speed limits carry increased penalties. The railroad and construction choices point to different warning categories, and the truck-only option ignores the child and pedestrian risk. When this sign appears, reduce distractions, search actively around the crossing, and obey the posted school-zone speed.

4. 4. What does Idaho's implied-consent rule require when an officer suspects impaired driving?

   1. A driver may refuse every BAC test without a license consequence
   2. Consent applies only after a court conviction
   3. Only commercial drivers have consented to testing
   4. A person who drives or controls a vehicle has consented to a BAC or drug test
   Show answer

   A person who drives or controls a vehicle has consented to a BAC or drug test. Idaho's implied-consent rule treats driving or being in physical control of a motor vehicle as consent to a BAC or drug test when an officer suspects driving under the influence. Refusing can trigger a license suspension and a $250 civil penalty under the cited law. The refusal and commercial-driver choices incorrectly narrow the rule, and a conviction is not required before the testing request. The practical cue is that operating the vehicle carries this testing obligation before a court case is finished.

5. 5. When may an Idaho bicyclist proceed through a red light?

   1. After stopping and yielding to vehicles already in or approaching the intersection, with caution
   2. Never
   3. Whenever no car is directly ahead
   4. Only when a police officer waves
   Show answer

   After stopping and yielding to vehicles already in or approaching the intersection, with caution. Idaho law lets bicyclists proceed with caution through a red light after stopping and yielding the right of way to vehicles already in the intersection or close enough to be a hazard, and treat a stop sign as a yield. Drivers should expect this, scan the corners more than once, and remember that an approaching bicyclist can cover 50 to 100 feet in a few seconds.

6. 6. When facing a steady yellow circular light and able to stop safely, what should a driver do?

   1. Stop before entering the intersection
   2. Speed up and enter before the red light appears
   3. Continue at the same speed because yellow means go
   4. Back up if already inside the intersection
   Show answer

   Stop before entering the intersection. A steady yellow circular indication warns that the signal is about to change to red. If the driver has not entered the intersection and can make a safe stop, stopping is the appropriate response. Accelerating turns a warning into a race with the signal, and continuing automatically ignores the caution. A vehicle already in the intersection should clear it safely, so backing up is also unsafe. Look ahead early enough to stop smoothly rather than braking at the line.

7. 7. A yellow warning sign indicates an unexpected condition. What should you do as you approach it?

   
   1. Treat the sign as permission to pass on a double yellow line
   2. Look for the hazard and adjust speed or take another needed action
   3. Continue at the same speed because warning signs are informational only
   4. Turn around immediately before reaching the sign
   Show answer

   Look for the hazard and adjust speed or take another needed action. The handbook presents warning signs as advance notice of conditions that may require a driver to respond. That response can include slowing down, repositioning, or preparing for a conflict ahead. The unchanged-speed choice ignores the handbook's instruction that another action may be necessary. A warning does not automatically authorize passing, and it does not tell every driver to turn around. A practical cue is to identify what the symbol warns about, check traffic around you, and make the adjustment before the condition arrives.

8. 8. Where is the pennant-shaped No Passing Zone sign placed, and what does it warn?

   
   1. On the right side, marking a permitted passing section
   2. On the left side, warning that passing is prohibited for your lane
   3. Above the road, identifying a mandatory truck route
   4. At the shoulder, showing that a bridge is open to bicycles only
   Show answer

   On the left side, warning that passing is prohibited for your lane. Idaho uses the unusual pennant shape for a No Passing Zone warning. It is placed on the left side of the road or highway and reinforces a Do Not Pass sign or pavement marking for your lane. The right-side choice reverses the handbook's placement and changes the meaning to permission. The truck-route and bicycle-bridge choices refer to facilities, not passing control. When the pennant appears, stay in your lane and wait for a legal, visible opportunity beyond the restricted area.

9. 9. How long must an Idaho driver keep an SR-22 on file after a suspension for a serious offense?

   1. Three years
   2. One year
   3. 30 days
   4. Ten years
   Show answer

   Three years. If your license was suspended for certain serious offenses such as reckless driving or driving under the influence, you must provide proof of financial responsibility for three years, in the form of an SR-22 certified statement of liability coverage from your insurer. The SR-22 is separate from ordinary proof of insurance and is not accepted as insurance proof for a skills test.

10. 10. At a roundabout, which traffic has priority when you are entering the circle?

    1. Vehicles entering from the opposite side at the same moment
    2. Vehicles waiting behind you at the entry
    3. Vehicles already in the roundabout on your left
    4. The largest vehicle approaching any entrance
    Show answer

    Vehicles already in the roundabout on your left. A roundabout is a one way circular intersection, and entering drivers must yield to traffic already circulating on the left. The waiting vehicle choice has no priority, while an opposite entry does not override the vehicle already in the circle. Vehicle size is irrelevant to this rule. Slow before the entry, read the signs and pavement markings, yield to pedestrians and bicyclists, and join only when a safe gap is available. Signal right as you approach your exit.

11. 11. What minimum following-distance procedure does the Idaho handbook recommend?

    1. Follow closely whenever your brakes have recently been tested
    2. Keep exactly one car length behind the vehicle ahead
    3. Allow two seconds in rain because wet roads require slower traffic
    4. Use a three-second gap, increasing it at high speeds or in bad weather
    Show answer

    Use a three-second gap, increasing it at high speeds or in bad weather. Idaho describes three seconds as the minimum recommended safest following procedure. Choose a fixed object, watch the vehicle ahead pass it, and count before your own vehicle reaches that object. Higher speeds and bad weather require a longer interval because traction, visibility, and stopping distance can worsen. One car length changes dramatically with speed and is not a reliable measure. A recent brake check does not remove the need for space. Use the three-second count as a routine check, then add time when conditions deteriorate.

12. 12. What must a driver do when a blind pedestrian with a white cane is walking near the roadway?

    1. Yield only at a marked crosswalk
    2. Proceed unless a guide dog is present
    3. Yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian
    4. Sound the horn and continue first
    Show answer

    Yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian. Idaho specifically requires motor vehicles to yield to a blind person walking with a white cane or guide dog. The white cane alone is enough to trigger the protection, so waiting for a dog would be unsafe and incorrect. The marked-crosswalk choice also narrows the rule beyond the handbook's wording. Slow down well before the person's path, give room to cross, and continue only when the pedestrian is safely clear.

13. 13. How many hours of behind-the-wheel practice with an approved instructor are part of an Idaho Driver Training program?

    1. 30 hours
    2. 50 hours
    3. 10 hours
    4. 6 hours
    Show answer

    6 hours. An approved Idaho Driver Training program has three parts: 30 hours in the classroom, 6 hours in the car observing other students, and 6 hours behind the wheel with an approved instructor. Thirty hours is the classroom requirement, not the driving practice. Fifty hours is the separate supervised driving total required later in the GDL program, and 10 hours is the night portion of that supervised total. Keep the course hours and the GDL practice hours apart.

14. 14. What does the pictured Keep Right of Island sign require when the roadway divides?

    
    1. Remain to the right of the island or barrier
    2. Cross left of the barrier before the split
    3. Use the right lane only to pass trucks
    4. Stop beside the island until traffic clears
    Show answer

    Remain to the right of the island or barrier. The Keep Right of Island sign marks a divided roadway and directs traffic to stay on the right side of the island or barrier. It does not tell the driver to stop, pass only in a particular lane, or cross to the left before the division. Look ahead for the physical median or obstruction represented by the sign. Position the vehicle on its right side while continuing to obey lane markings and other traffic controls at the split.

15. 15. In Idaho, parking is not allowed within how many feet of a fire hydrant?

    1. 10 feet
    2. 20 feet
    3. 30 feet
    4. 15 feet
    Show answer

    15 feet. Idaho bans parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. Twenty feet is the distance for a crosswalk and for a fire station driveway, and 30 feet is the distance for a stop sign, yield sign, or traffic signal. Ten feet is shorter than the rule allows. Firefighters need that clear space to reach the hydrant quickly. Parking in front of a driveway is also prohibited.

16. 16. How far ahead must Idaho low beams illuminate the roadway?

    1. At least 350 feet
    2. At least 200 feet
    3. At least 100 feet
    4. At least 500 feet
    Show answer

    At least 100 feet. Low beams are required to light the roadway at least 100 feet ahead. The handbook assigns 350 feet to the visibility expected from high beams for people and vehicles, so using that larger number for low beams confuses the two settings. A 200-foot or 500-foot requirement is not the stated low-beam figure. Before driving at night, confirm that the lamps are aimed properly and that the low-beam pattern gives the required forward view without blinding other road users.

17. 17. How does Idaho classify a third DUI conviction within 10 years?

    1. As an infraction with a fine only
    2. As a felony
    3. As a civil penalty handled by ITD alone
    4. As a misdemeanor that is sealed after one year
    Show answer

    As a felony. A third or later DUI conviction within 10 years is a felony in Idaho. It carries mandatory jail of 30 days to ten years for an adult, a fine of up to $5,000, and a one to five year license suspension. An infraction or fine only outcome ignores the mandatory jail. The civil penalty label describes the separate administrative suspension and the refusal penalty, not the criminal conviction. The handbook says nothing about sealing the record.

18. 18. In daylight, what must mark a load that extends four feet or more beyond the rear of an Idaho vehicle?

    1. An orange triangle on the rear bumper
    2. A red flag at least 12 inches square at the end of the load
    3. A red flag at least 18 inches square at the end of the load
    4. Nothing, if the load is tied down securely
    Show answer

    A red flag at least 18 inches square at the end of the load. A load that sticks out four feet or more behind a vehicle must carry a red flag at least 18 inches square at its end. The flag must be red, and a slow moving vehicle emblem on the bumper is a different requirement. A 12 inch flag is smaller than the rule requires. Tying the load down does not remove the marking duty. At night the flag must be replaced by a red light visible for at least 500 feet.

19. 19. How soon must you notify the Idaho Transportation Department when your address changes?

    1. Within 10 days
    2. Within 30 days
    3. Within 60 days
    4. At your next license renewal
    Show answer

    Within 30 days. Idaho requires you to notify ITD within 30 days when your address changes, using the online form, a county office, or written notice. Ten days is shorter than the rule, and 60 days is longer. Waiting until renewal is too late. The change on record does not print on the card unless you apply for a duplicate or renew. Written notice can be sent by email or mail.

20. 20. What does a blue guide sign identify?

    1. A temporary lane closure only
    2. A no-passing restriction
    3. A warning about an unexpected roadway condition
    4. Motorist services
    Show answer

    Motorist services. Blue guide signs point to services useful to motorists, such as fuel, food, lodging, or medical help. They do not carry the general warning function of yellow diamond signs or the passing restriction associated with regulatory messages and pavement markings. A temporary lane closure belongs to work-zone control and may use orange devices. The handbook’s color grouping is a quick recognition tool, but still read the words or symbols for the exact service. If you need help, look for the blue service sign before making a sudden lane change.