ID Permit Practice Test 5

All 20 questions in test 5

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. When turning left on a green circular signal, which traffic must you yield to before turning?

   
   1. No one, because a green signal protects every left turn
   2. Vehicles approaching from behind and from the right
   3. Oncoming traffic and pedestrians in crosswalks
   4. Oncoming traffic but not pedestrians in crosswalks
   Show answer

   Oncoming traffic and pedestrians in crosswalks. A green circular signal permits movement, but it does not protect a left turn from conflicts. Idaho requires the driver in the left turn lane to yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians in crosswalks before turning. The driver must judge when the opposing lane and the crossing are clear. A green light is therefore not permission to turn across an approaching vehicle, and the rule is not limited to traffic from one side. Pedestrians inside the crosswalk are expressly covered, so scan the crosswalk and turn only through a safe opening.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals

2. 2. When you stop behind another vehicle, how much space does Idaho suggest leaving?

   1. About one foot
   2. Enough to see the rear tires of the vehicle ahead where they touch the ground
   3. Enough to read its license plate number
   4. At least three car lengths in every case
   Show answer

   Enough to see the rear tires of the vehicle ahead where they touch the ground. Idaho's safe habit is to stop far enough back that you can see the rear tires of the vehicle ahead where they touch the ground. That gap may keep you from being pushed into the vehicle in front if someone hits you from behind, and it leaves room to drive around a stalled vehicle without backing up and creating a hazard. A foot of space leaves no margin, and seeing a license plate is not the test the handbook gives. Check the tires before you settle into your stop.

   Study this in the handbook: Following distance, parking and backing

3. 3. What is the minimum space the Idaho handbook says a driver should leave when passing a bicyclist?

   1. 3 feet
   2. 1 foot
   3. 2 feet
   4. No set space, as long as you honk first
   Show answer

   3 feet. The Idaho handbook sets three feet as the minimum passing space when passing a bicyclist, and higher speeds call for more. One or two feet is less than the stated minimum. Honking is not a substitute for space and can startle a rider. If you cannot change lanes, wait for a break in oncoming traffic so you can give at least three feet.

   Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, children, horses and bicyclists

4. 4. Under Idaho's passing exception on a two lane road posted 55 mph or higher, by how much may an eligible driver exceed the limit while passing a slower vehicle?

   1. Up to 5 mph
   2. Up to 10 mph
   3. Up to 15 mph
   4. Up to 25 mph
   Show answer

   Up to 15 mph. Idaho lets the driver of a passenger vehicle, motorcycle, or pickup that is not towing exceed the posted limit by up to 15 miles per hour while passing a vehicle going below the limit on a two lane road posted 55 or higher. Five and ten miles per hour understate the allowance, and 25 overstates it. The exception does not apply in work zones, and the driver must return to the right lane and the posted speed as soon as practicable.

   Study this in the handbook: Passing and slow vehicles

5. 5. A 30 year old is driving a commercial vehicle in Idaho. At what BAC is the driver considered to be driving under the influence?

   1. .04 or more
   2. .02 or more
   3. .08 or more
   4. .20 or more
   Show answer

   .04 or more. When operating a commercial vehicle, an Idaho driver is under the influence at .04 or more, half the ordinary adult limit. The .02 threshold applies to drivers under 21, and .08 applies to drivers 21 or older in a noncommercial vehicle. A BAC of .20 or more is the level that brings even stiffer penalties, not the starting point for a DUI.

   Study this in the handbook: DUI limits, penalties and test refusal

6. 6. How many points can completing an ITD approved Defensive Driving Course remove from an Idaho driving record?

   1. Up to 4 points
   2. Up to 3 points
   3. All points on the record
   4. Up to 6 points
   Show answer

   Up to 3 points. Completing an ITD approved Defensive Driving Course removes a maximum of three points, and the points must already be on the record before the course is finished. Four points is the maximum for the Traffic Safety Education Course offered by law enforcement at the time of a citation, not for the DDC. No course wipes every point, and six points is not a figure in the handbook. The course also never removes the conviction itself.

   Study this in the handbook: Points, suspensions and reinstatement

7. 7. What does the yellow diamond Intersection/Crossroad warning tell you to watch for?

   
   1. A divided highway ending at a toll station
   2. A guaranteed green signal at the next block
   3. A railroad gate that must remain closed
   4. A road crossing ahead and possible cross traffic in your path
   Show answer

   A road crossing ahead and possible cross traffic in your path. The Intersection/Crossroad warning means another road crosses the one you are using, so traffic may enter across your route. Scan both sides, control your speed, and be prepared to yield or stop if the intersection requires it. The green-signal choice invents a signal phase that the sign does not promise. A railroad gate and a toll station describe unrelated facilities. Treat the diamond as advance notice, then let the actual traffic control device and other road users determine when you proceed.

   Study this in the handbook: Warning signs

8. 8. During which dates may studded snow tires be used in Idaho?

   1. November 15 through March 15
   2. October 1 through April 30
   3. December 1 through February 28
   4. All year without a seasonal limit
   Show answer

   October 1 through April 30. Idaho permits studded snow tires during the seasonal window from October 1 through April 30. The dates matter because the allowance is not an all-year permission and does not use the shorter November-to-March period offered by another choice. Check the calendar before installing or leaving studs on the vehicle, especially when a trip crosses the seasonal boundary. This is an equipment-use date rule, separate from whether current weather makes winter tires useful.

   Study this in the handbook: Mountains, open range and winter driving

9. 9. What should drivers learn to recognize about Idaho traffic signs?

   
   1. The brand of paint used on the sign
   2. Only the distance to the next town
   3. Only whether the sign is mounted on a metal post
   4. Their color, shape, messages, and symbols
   Show answer

   Their color, shape, messages, and symbols. Idaho expects drivers to recognize traffic signs through several visual and verbal features, including color, shape, messages, and symbols. Looking only at the post or guessing from the sign’s location leaves out the information that communicates the rule or warning. The distance to a town belongs to some guide signs, but it is not a universal sign feature. Use the pictured sign as a prompt to inspect its full design, then connect the symbol or wording to the movement, hazard, or direction it communicates.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory and work zone signs

10. 10. How do you make a left turn at an Idaho thru-turn intersection?

    1. Turn left directly from the left lane on a green arrow
    2. Turn right, then make a U-turn in the median right away
    3. Continue through, make a U-turn at the next signal downstream, come back, and turn right
    4. Wait in the center of the intersection for a gap, then turn left
    Show answer

    Continue through, make a U-turn at the next signal downstream, come back, and turn right. A thru-turn intersection prohibits direct left turns. To go left, continue straight through the intersection, make a U-turn downstream at the next traffic signal as the lane markings direct, head back toward the intersection, and then make a right turn. Turning left directly is exactly what the design forbids, and waiting in the middle of the intersection for a gap does not apply here. The U-turn happens at the next signal, not immediately in a median. Follow the lane markings to find the U-turn location.

11. 11. Besides signs and signals, who may provide traffic control directions in Idaho?

    1. Law enforcement officers, highway personnel, or school crossing guards
    2. Passengers in nearby vehicles who know the local roads
    3. Only private tow-truck operators without lights
    4. Pedestrians and cyclists who are waiting at a crosswalk
    Show answer

    Law enforcement officers, highway personnel, or school crossing guards. Idaho says traffic control may also be provided by law enforcement officers, highway personnel, or school crossing guards. Their directions can apply while a driver is approaching a work area, a school crossing, or another managed roadway condition. The other choices describe people who do not automatically have authority to direct traffic. Watch for an officer, worker, or crossing guard giving a clear instruction, and obey that direction along with the signs, signals, and pavement markings governing the location.

    Study this in the handbook: Regulatory and work zone signs

12. 12. Which Idaho drivers may choose an eight year license renewal?

    1. Any driver over 16
    2. Only drivers over 65
    3. Commercial drivers only
    4. Drivers between 21 and 62 years of age
    Show answer

    Drivers between 21 and 62 years of age. A renewal is valid for four years or eight years, or to the end of a lawful stay in the United States, and drivers between 21 and 62 years of age may choose the eight year renewal for a Class D or commercial license. Vision screening is required at every renewal, and a failed screening can require a vision exam form from an eye doctor.

    Study this in the handbook: Expiration, renewal, extensions and address changes

13. 13. What is the first response to a tire blowout while the vehicle is moving?

    1. Stomp on the brake pedal before steering
    2. Hold the wheel tightly and keep the vehicle headed straight
    3. Turn sharply toward the nearest shoulder
    4. Shift to park and release the steering wheel
    Show answer

    Hold the wheel tightly and keep the vehicle headed straight. A blowout can trigger the instinct to brake hard, but that can make the vehicle harder to control. First grip the steering wheel firmly and keep the vehicle traveling straight. Then ease off the accelerator without braking until control is complete. Once the vehicle is stable, brake gently and move to the nearest safe location off the road. A sharp turn toward the shoulder risks a swerve, while shifting to park is not a controlled response at roadway speed.

    Study this in the handbook: Skids, emergency braking and car trouble

14. 14. 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 must be given in writing by the driver at the roadside
    3. A driver may refuse a BAC test but must take a drug test
    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. Consent is implied by driving, so it does not need a written form, and it covers both BAC and drug tests. 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.

    Study this in the handbook: DUI limits, penalties and test refusal

15. 15. An oncoming car is in your lane, threatening a head-on crash, and you have some time. Which way should you steer?

    1. To the right, as far as possible
    2. To the left, into the other lane
    3. Straight ahead while braking hard
    4. Toward the center line
    Show answer

    To the right, as far as possible. When a head-on crash threatens and you have some time, Idaho says to slow down, warn the other driver by flashing your lights and honking, and pull to the right as far as possible. Do not go left: the other driver may recover, move back into their own lane, and hit you broadside. If a crash still cannot be avoided, steer so the cars hit at an angle rather than head-on. Moving toward the center line keeps you in the danger zone.

    Study this in the handbook: Skids, emergency braking and car trouble

16. 16. You brake hard in a car without ABS and feel the wheels lock and the car begin to skid. What should you do?

    1. Quickly let up on the brake pedal
    2. Press the brake pedal even harder
    3. Shift into neutral and keep the brake down
    4. Turn the steering wheel sharply
    Show answer

    Quickly let up on the brake pedal. For quick stops without ABS, Idaho says to press the brake as hard as you can without locking the wheels. If they do lock, you will feel the vehicle start to skid, and you should quickly let up on the brake pedal. As soon as the skid stops, press the brake again, repeating the press and release cycle until the vehicle stops. Pressing harder keeps the wheels locked, and sharp steering during a skid can make it worse. This method differs from ABS, where you hold steady pressure.

    Study this in the handbook: Skids, emergency braking and car trouble

17. 17. What shape and color identify most warning signs in Idaho?

    1. Black lettering on white rectangles
    2. White lettering on green rectangles
    3. Black symbols or lettering on yellow, usually diamond-shaped
    4. Blue symbols on circular signs
    Show answer

    Black symbols or lettering on yellow, usually diamond-shaped. Most Idaho warning signs use black on yellow and a diamond shape. This visual combination alerts drivers that an unexpected condition may be ahead, so they should look for the hazard and prepare to slow or take another safe action. Green rectangles normally provide guide information, white regulatory signs communicate rules, and blue signs commonly identify services. The diamond is the quick recognition cue. Read the symbol or wording next, then adjust speed before reaching the condition described.

    Study this in the handbook: Warning signs

18. 18. How does Idaho define daylight for a driver under 16?

    1. Sunrise to sunset only
    2. 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time
    3. 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. local time
    4. 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. local time
    Show answer

    5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. local time. For the under-16 restriction, Idaho defines daylight as 5:00 a.m. through 10:00 p.m. local time. That definition is more specific than using sunrise and sunset, which change throughout the year. The rule also permits travel outside that period when a valid licensed driver at least 21 sits beside the young driver in the front seat. The time window and the adult-supervision exception should be remembered together, because either detail can change whether a trip is allowed.

    Study this in the handbook: Driver training and instruction permits

19. 19. At a pedestrian hybrid beacon, what must a driver do when two solid red lights are displayed?

    1. Stop only if a crossing guard is present
    2. Slow down but continue if the crosswalk appears empty
    3. Turn right without stopping because the beacon is not a standard signal
    4. Stop completely at the stop line
    Show answer

    Stop completely at the stop line. Two solid red lights in the pedestrian hybrid beacon sequence require vehicles to stop completely at the stop line. The handbook compares this phase with a steady red requirement, so an apparently empty crosswalk does not authorize a driver to roll through. A pedestrian hybrid beacon's unusual design does not make its red phase optional, and the rule does not depend on a crossing guard standing nearby. Stop at the marked line, remain alert for the next signal phase, and move only when the crossing and indication permit it.

    Study this in the handbook: Stopping at red lights and pedestrian beacons

20. 20. At a pedestrian hybrid beacon, what does a flashing yellow phase tell an approaching driver to do?

    1. Stop at once and remain stopped until the beacon goes dark
    2. Slow down as you approach the crosswalk
    3. Proceed at normal speed because pedestrians have not entered yet
    4. Continue without reducing speed until the light turns solid red
    Show answer

    Slow down as you approach the crosswalk. In the pedestrian hybrid beacon sequence, the first illuminated phase is a flashing yellow light. Idaho explains that it warns approaching drivers to slow down before the crosswalk. It is an advance warning, not yet the complete stop instruction delivered by the later steady red lights, so stopping at once and waiting for the beacon to go dark misreads it. Holding normal speed until solid red appears ignores the warning to slow. Reduce speed, watch the crossing, and be prepared for the next phase, which requires a full stop at the stop line.

    Study this in the handbook: Stopping at red lights and pedestrian beacons