ID Permit Practice Test 9

All 20 questions in test 9

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. What happens to a DUI conviction in Idaho when the driver's BAC is 0.20 percent or higher?

   1. The conviction is reduced to a traffic warning
   2. Enhanced penalties apply beyond a standard DUI
   3. Only the vehicle registration is affected
   4. The driver receives no additional consequence
   Show answer

   Enhanced penalties apply beyond a standard DUI. Idaho treats a BAC of 0.20 percent or higher as a threshold for enhanced DUI penalties. That means the consequence is more serious than the ordinary DUI baseline, rather than a warning or a registration-only issue. The no-additional-consequence choice ignores the heightened alcohol concentration. Do not use a legal threshold as a target: any impaired driving can injure people, and the safest decision is to arrange a sober ride before drinking begins.

2. 2. How much can an Idaho skills test cost in total?

   1. $5 total
   2. $25 total
   3. It is free
   4. $10 to the county DMV plus up to $190 to the skills test examiner
   Show answer

   $10 to the county DMV plus up to $190 to the skills test examiner. The Idaho skills test costs $10 paid to the county DMV plus up to $190 paid to the skills test examiner, since third party examiners set their own fee within the cap. The knowledge test is $5, and retest fees equal the original fee. Eligible customers who renew online receive a $5 discount, which applies to licenses but not ID cards.

3. 3. A driver stops on the highway because the vehicle has stalled. Which action helps other drivers see it?

   1. Leave the vehicle unmarked with the hood closed
   2. Stand in the travel lane and wave vehicles around
   3. Park just beyond a hill so approaching traffic cannot react
   4. Turn on the emergency flashers and lift the hood
   Show answer

   Turn on the emergency flashers and lift the hood. For a stalled vehicle, Idaho advises pulling completely off the road when possible, turning on the emergency flashers, and lifting the hood so approaching drivers recognize the problem. Parking beyond a hill reduces sight distance, and standing in a live lane creates a personal hazard. Leaving the car unmarked removes useful warning information. The cue is visibility: get out of traffic, activate the vehicle's warning system, and make the problem apparent from behind.

4. 4. When are Idaho headlamps and tail lamps required to be lighted?

   1. Only between midnight and 5 a.m.
   2. From sunset to sunrise and when poor visibility makes them necessary for safety
   3. Only when rain is falling directly on the vehicle
   4. Only on interstate highways
   Show answer

   From sunset to sunrise and when poor visibility makes them necessary for safety. The handbook requires headlamps and tail lamps from sunset to sunrise, and also whenever poor visibility makes them necessary for safety. Rain is only one possible source of reduced visibility, so the rain-only choice is too narrow. The time window is broader than midnight to 5 a.m., and the rule applies beyond interstates. Use headlamps rather than parking lights when illumination is needed, and turn them on early when daylight fades or visibility deteriorates.

5. 5. During daytime fog that reduces vision to 500 feet or less, which lights are required?

   1. Parking lights only, because headlights create too much glare
   2. Headlights, with low beams preferred
   3. High beams only, regardless of surrounding traffic
   4. Emergency flashers while continuing at normal speed
   Show answer

   Headlights, with low beams preferred. Idaho requires headlights during the daytime when vision is reduced to 500 feet or less, and recommends low beams in those conditions. Parking lights do not provide the required forward lighting. High beams can worsen glare and are not the universal choice, while moving with emergency flashers can make other drivers think the vehicle is stopped. Reduce speed, turn on low beams early, and pull off the road if visibility becomes too poor to continue safely.

6. 6. What category does the pictured curved-arrow sign represent?

   
   1. A motorist-service sign
   2. A guide sign
   3. A warning sign
   4. A regulatory parking sign
   Show answer

   A warning sign. The pictured curved arrow is presented as a warning sign, a category used to alert drivers to an unexpected condition ahead. Warning signs help a driver prepare for a hazard or roadway change before reaching it. A guide sign gives route or destination information, a motorist-service sign identifies facilities, and a parking regulation controls where a vehicle may stand. The yellow diamond shape is the useful visual cue here. After recognizing the category, look for the specific road condition and adjust speed or position as needed.

7. 7. During an Idaho GDL penalty suspension, may the young driver get a restricted permit to drive to school or work?

   1. Yes, a restricted permit is automatic for school and work
   2. Yes, but only during daylight hours
   3. No, GDL penalty suspensions are absolute and allow no driving of any kind
   4. Yes, if a licensed adult 21 or older rides along
   Show answer

   No, GDL penalty suspensions are absolute and allow no driving of any kind. The handbook says GDL penalty suspension periods are absolute and do not allow driving privileges of any kind. That rules out an automatic school or work permit. A daylight exception does not exist for these suspensions either. A supervising adult in the car does not help, because the suspension removes all driving privileges. Restricted permits exist for some other suspensions, but not for GDL penalty suspensions.

8. 8. A defensive driver should keep an eye on what is happening how far ahead?

   1. About 10 to 15 seconds ahead
   2. About 2 to 3 seconds ahead
   3. Only as far as the next intersection
   4. About 5 to 7 seconds ahead
   Show answer

   About 10 to 15 seconds ahead. Looking well ahead gives you time to notice a developing hazard and make a smooth decision before the last moment. The handbook uses a range of about 10 to 15 seconds, which is roughly one city block. The 2 to 3 choice “About 10 to 15 seconds ahead” is a following-distance idea, not the scanning distance described here. Watching only the next intersection can leave too little time for lane changes or stops, while one mile is not a practical requirement on every road. A useful cue is to keep your eyes moving beyond the vehicle directly ahead and notice what may affect your path several seconds from now.

9. 9. During the first six months of an Idaho license, what passenger limit applies to drivers under 17?

   1. No more than two unrelated passengers under 17
   2. No passengers under 17 under any circumstances
   3. No more than one passenger under 17, unless related
   4. Any number of passengers if everyone wears a seat belt
   Show answer

   No more than one passenger under 17, unless related. For the first six months after the license date, a driver under 17 may carry no more than one passenger who is under 17. The exception covers passengers related by blood, adoption, or marriage, so the rule is not a blanket ban on younger passengers. Seat belt use remains important but does not remove the passenger cap. Count the age and relationship of the passengers before starting the trip, especially when more than one young friend wants a ride.

10. 10. Which type of traffic sign is generally black and white, although some are red and white?

    1. Regulatory sign
    2. Warning sign
    3. Guide sign
    4. Work-zone marker only
    Show answer

    Regulatory sign. Regulatory signs communicate rules that control traffic, so their usual black-and-white or red-and-white appearance should be treated as an instruction. Warning signs are generally yellow and diamond-shaped, while guide signs use colors such as green, blue, or brown to provide route or service information. A work-zone marker is too narrow a category and does not describe the general color rule. Read the message, comply with its restriction, and do not assume a color distinction makes a regulatory sign optional.

11. 11. What kind of road information is commonly marked with orange signs?

    1. Work-zone activity and hazards
    2. Motorist services and hospitals
    3. Route distances and exit directions
    4. Cultural and scenic attractions
    Show answer

    Work-zone activity and hazards. Orange signs identify work-zone conditions, where lanes, pavement, equipment, and traffic patterns may change. Services such as hospitals use the motorist-service guide category, while green signs provide directional and distance information. Brown is used for cultural, historical, or scenic points of interest. The work-zone setting also means drivers should reduce distractions, watch for barriers, and expect workers near the travel path. Treat the orange color as an early warning to slow down and follow the temporary instructions rather than maintaining normal speed.

12. 12. How far from the nearest rail should you stop when a railroad crossing requires a stop?

    
    1. Only after the front bumper reaches the crossing gate
    2. Exactly 5 feet from the first rail
    3. At least 100 feet and never closer
    4. Within 50 feet but no less than 15 feet
    Show answer

    Within 50 feet but no less than 15 feet. At a required railroad stop, the handbook gives a range that protects the vehicle from the track while keeping the driver close enough to observe the crossing. Stop within 50 feet, but no less than 15 feet from the nearest rail. Five feet is dangerously close, and 100 feet may place the vehicle too far back for the stated rule. Never wait with any part of the vehicle on the track. Look and listen, then proceed only when the crossing is safe.

13. 13. Unless traffic control devices say otherwise, passing is prohibited within how many feet of an intersection or railroad crossing in Idaho?

    1. 100 feet
    2. 50 feet
    3. 200 feet
    4. 500 feet
    Show answer

    100 feet. Idaho prohibits passing within 100 feet of an intersection or a railroad crossing unless traffic control devices indicate otherwise, and within 100 feet of a bridge or tunnel when the view is blocked. Fifty feet is the no parking distance from railroad tracks. Two hundred feet is how far from oncoming traffic you must finish a pass. Five hundred feet is the distance for dimming high beams before meeting a vehicle.

14. 14. How does crash risk change at alcohol concentrations above .05, according to the Idaho handbook?

    1. It is unchanged until .08
    2. It doubles slightly above .05, is six times as great at .10, and 25 times at .15
    3. It falls slightly
    4. It rises only at .15
    Show answer

    It doubles slightly above .05, is six times as great at .10, and 25 times at .15. If you drink enough to push your alcohol concentration past .05 be careful: at slightly above .05 the risk of causing a crash doubles, at .10 it is six times as great, and at .15 it is 25 times as great. Impairment starts long before the legal limit, and you may be convicted of DUI below .08 when other substances are involved.

15. 15. When may you move an injured person from a wrecked vehicle after a crash?

    1. Move the person before checking for injuries
    2. Leave the person in place unless you have medical training or an immediate danger such as fire exists
    3. Move the person whenever traffic behind you is impatient
    4. Move the person if the wreck blocks a driveway
    Show answer

    Leave the person in place unless you have medical training or an immediate danger such as fire exists. Moving an injured person can worsen an injury, so the handbook limits that action. You may assist when you have the necessary medical training or when an immediate danger, such as fire, makes remaining in the vehicle more dangerous. Traffic impatience and a blocked driveway do not create the stated exception. Calling authorities should not be delayed as a routine step, but the main decision is whether trained help or urgent danger justifies movement. Protect the scene, summon help, and avoid moving someone unless one of those conditions applies.

16. 16. When must Idaho drivers dim their headlamps before meeting an oncoming vehicle?

    1. Only after the vehicles are side by side
    2. 200 feet before meeting the vehicle
    3. 100 feet before meeting the vehicle
    4. 500 feet before meeting the vehicle
    Show answer

    500 feet before meeting the vehicle. Idaho's lighting rule uses two different distances, so the direction of travel matters. An approaching vehicle must receive low beams beginning 500 feet before the vehicles meet. The 200-foot figure applies when overtaking another vehicle, not when meeting traffic head-on. Waiting until the cars are beside each other risks glare at the exact moment both drivers need clear vision. Remember the pairing: 500 feet for meeting, 200 feet for passing from behind.

17. 17. Idaho prohibits parking within how many feet of railroad tracks?

    1. 50 feet
    2. 15 feet
    3. 20 feet
    4. 100 feet
    Show answer

    50 feet. The Idaho no parking list includes anywhere within 50 feet of railroad tracks. Fifteen feet is the minimum stopping distance from the nearest rail when you stop for a train, and also the fire hydrant parking distance, so it is easy to mix up. Twenty feet applies to crosswalks and fire station driveways. One hundred feet is the no passing distance near a railroad crossing, not the parking rule.

18. 18. What does the pictured railroad crossbuck help a driver identify?

    
    1. A work-zone barrier that may be moved
    2. A pedestrian-only crossing at a school
    3. A railroad crossing where trains must be expected
    4. A hospital entrance with no horn use
    Show answer

    A railroad crossing where trains must be expected. A railroad crossbuck is one of the devices used at railroad crossings. The crossing remains a dangerous place even when a train is not immediately visible, so drivers should listen, look both ways, and never proceed until it is safe. The sign is not a school, hospital, or movable work-zone marker. When approaching the X-shaped device, search for tracks, active signals, gates, and enough room beyond the rails to clear the crossing completely.

19. 19. When leaving an alley, driveway, or private road, to whom must the driver yield?

    
    1. Only pedestrians on the sidewalk
    2. Only vehicles approaching from the driver's left
    3. Pedestrians and traffic already on the street
    4. No one if the driver signals first
    Show answer

    Pedestrians and traffic already on the street. A vehicle leaving private property must stop before crossing the sidewalk and yield to people walking and traffic already using the public street. The signal-first choice confuses communication with priority. A turn signal tells others what you intend, but it does not make the entrance safe or give you precedence. Stop at the proper point, look both ways, check the sidewalk, and enter only after the roadway and pedestrian path are clear.

20. 20. What equipment must an Idaho vehicle use to keep the windshield clear of rain, snow, or other moisture?

    1. A roof-mounted warning beacon
    2. A rear fog lamp
    3. Two auxiliary spotlights
    4. Windshield wipers
    Show answer

    Windshield wipers. Idaho requires every motor vehicle to have windshield wipers for clearing rain, snow, and other moisture from the windshield. Spotlights, fog lamps, and warning beacons do not perform that required visibility function. A driver should make sure the wipers work before entering wet or snowy conditions, since a clear windshield is necessary for seeing traffic controls and hazards. This equipment rule concerns the windshield itself, not the number of lights mounted elsewhere on the vehicle.