IA Permit Practice Test 24

All 20 questions in test 24

Every question below comes from the Iowa 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. After one deer crosses an Iowa road, what should the driver watch for next?

   1. A police escort arriving to clear the road
   2. More deer following the first one across
   3. The deer returning alone to the same spot
   4. Posted signs marking the exact crossing point
   Show answer

   More deer following the first one across. Deer travel in groups in Iowa, so always look for more animals if one is seen. October, November, and May are peak months for deer collisions, though they can occur at any time of year. Slowing after the first deer and scanning both ditches protects against the second and third animals that often follow. If there is no time to stop for an animal, do not swerve or veer into a worse crash. Stay alert at sunrise and sunset when deer move most.

   Study this in the handbook: Trucks, Motorcycles, Bicyclists and Pedestrians

2. 2. In Iowa, when should headlights be turned on even while the sun is up?

   1. Only after the sun has fully set each evening
   2. Only when a police officer signals for lights
   3. Whenever trouble seeing other vehicles occurs
   4. Only on interstate highways during daylight
   Show answer

   Whenever trouble seeing other vehicles occurs. Besides helping you see at night, headlights help other drivers see you in Iowa. Turn on your headlights whenever you are having trouble seeing other vehicles, since they are likely having trouble seeing you. Fog, heavy rain, and snow are common examples. Iowa law requires both headlights from sunset to sunrise or whenever visibility is 500 feet or less. A good rule of thumb is to turn headlights on whenever you turn windshield wipers on, and remember automatic lights may need manual help in bright snowstorms.

   Study this in the handbook: Night Driving, Bad Weather and Floods

3. 3. Your phone sits mounted on an Iowa dashboard. Which use still breaks the hands free law?

   1. Holding the phone in any way while driving there
   2. Using voice activation without holding the phone
   3. Listening to an emergency alert on the phone
   4. Using hands free calls through the car system
   Show answer

   Holding the phone in any way while driving there. Iowa hands free law provides that you cannot hold your phone in any way while driving. You also cannot manually scroll, type, or interact with the phone, enter a GPS address while driving, stream videos or make video calls even with voice commands, or view texts, videos, or social media. Calls and texts are allowed only through hands free or voice activation. A dashboard mount does not legalize holding the device once the vehicle is moving in traffic.

   Study this in the handbook: Iowa's Hands-Free Law and Distractions

4. 4. A steady yellow light appears as you approach an Iowa intersection with room to stop. What should you do?

   1. Stop before entering if you can stop safely there
   2. Enter quickly because yellow always means speed up
   3. Stop only after entering the intersection fully
   4. Proceed without slowing in every yellow case
   Show answer

   Stop before entering if you can stop safely there. A solid yellow signal in Iowa means do not enter the intersection if you can stop safely. If you cannot stop safely, proceed through the intersection with caution. The choice turns on stopping ability at the moment yellow appears, not on beating the red. Steady yellow arrows give the same message for turns. Judging brake distance honestly, especially on wet roads, keeps yellow from becoming an excuse to enter late.

   Study this in the handbook: Warning, Guide and Service Signs

5. 5. A police car behind you uses its air horn and flashing lights on an Iowa road. What must you do?

   1. Yield only when you reach the next intersection
   2. Continue because horns alone never require yielding
   3. Yield the right of way to that emergency vehicle
   4. Yield only to ambulances, never to police vehicles
   Show answer

   Yield the right of way to that emergency vehicle. Iowa drivers must yield the right of way to a police vehicle, fire engine, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle using a siren or air horn and red or blue flashing lights. Pull to the right edge of the road when such a vehicle approaches from any direction. Drive through intersections before pulling over, and stay 500 feet behind afterward. An air horn carries the same command as a siren, so do not wait for lights alone to confirm the duty.

   Study this in the handbook: Intersections and Right of Way

6. 6. You plan a long trip across Iowa. What does the manual suggest you do before leaving?

   1. Check only the fuel prices and rest stops along the interstate route
   2. Check the 511 site or app for weather, construction, and crashes
   3. Ask other drivers on the road as you go
   4. Leave at the usual time and adjust at the first problem
   Show answer

   Check the 511 site or app for weather, construction, and crashes. The manual says it is smart to plan ahead before any trip, whether it is a regular route or a longer drive. Stay informed of things that will impact your trip, such as adverse weather, road construction, and crashes. Iowa points drivers to the free 511 website and mobile app for the latest travel conditions on highways and interstates. Checking first lets you choose a different route or time to leave.

7. 7. In Iowa, why is being thrown clear in a crash not a safety advantage?

   1. Thrown riders always land clear of other traffic
   2. Seat belts trap every rider in burning vehicles
   3. Outside the car a rider can steer away from harm
   4. Staying inside the car gives much better survival chances
   Show answer

   Staying inside the car gives much better survival chances. Your chances of not being killed in a crash in Iowa are much better if you stay inside the car. Seat belts can keep you from being thrown out of your vehicle into the path of another one. The idea that belts trap riders is a myth, since it takes less than a second to undo a seat belt, and a belt may keep you conscious for escape. An improperly buckled rider can also become a projectile injuring others in the vehicle. Wear the lap belt snugly across the hips.

   Study this in the handbook: Vehicle Checks, Seat Belts and Child Restraints

8. 8. A cyclist who is not an experienced rider reaches the crosswalk at an Iowa roundabout. What does the manual generally advise?

   1. Ride through the circle in the center of the lane like a car
   2. Ride across the crosswalk quickly ahead of any cars
   3. Walk the bicycle across the crosswalk using the same rules as pedestrians
   4. Cross the circulating lanes on foot to the center island
   Show answer

   Walk the bicycle across the crosswalk using the same rules as pedestrians. Iowa says that at a roundabout, cyclists should generally walk their bicycles across the crosswalk, following the same rules as pedestrians. Experienced cyclists may navigate roundabouts like motorists, riding in the middle of the lane so vehicles cannot pass them, and yielding to anyone in the crosswalks. Nobody should walk across the circulating lanes to the center island. Drivers entering the circle must also yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk.

   Study this in the handbook: Roundabouts and Uncontrolled Intersections

9. 9. An Iowa warning says two way traffic will soon split around a center strip. What begins there?

   
   1. A two way traffic section begins ahead
   2. A one lane bridge section begins ahead
   3. A divided highway section begins ahead
   4. A reversible lane section begins ahead
   Show answer

   A divided highway section begins ahead. A divided highway begins warning in Iowa means you are getting close to where two way traffic will be divided by a center strip. Watch how opposing lanes separate and keep right of the divider as it forms. A divided highway ends warning carries the reverse message, warning that two way traffic will no longer be divided and oncoming vehicles will run beside you. Lane position matters most in the transition where the strip first appears.

   Study this in the handbook: Warning, Guide and Service Signs

10. 10. In Iowa, what is a truck apron in a roundabout built to carry?

    1. Pedestrians walking toward the center island path
    2. Parked cars waiting for their exit to open up
    3. Rear wheels of long vehicles crossing the apron edge
    4. Bicycles stored while riders cross on foot only
    Show answer

    Rear wheels of long vehicles crossing the apron edge. A truck apron in an Iowa roundabout is designed to accommodate the rear wheels of long vehicles such as semis, vehicles with trailers, and fire trucks if needed when navigating the roundabout. It is not a walking path, parking space, or bicycle storage area. Pedestrians should never walk across circulating lanes to the center island. Drivers entering the circle give way to crosswalk users and circulating traffic alike. The apron lets large vehicles complete the circle without climbing the true curb.

    Study this in the handbook: Roundabouts and Uncontrolled Intersections

11. 11. In Iowa, which devices most often guide drivers through a work zone path?

    1. Barricades, drums, cones, and tubular markers
    2. Mile markers and route shields along the road
    3. Yield lines and crosswalks across the lane
    4. Bicycle boxes and detector symbols on pavement
    Show answer

    Barricades, drums, cones, and tubular markers. Barricades, vertical panels, drums, cones, and tubular markers are the common channelizing devices in Iowa work zones. They alert drivers to unusual and potentially dangerous conditions and guide vehicles safely through the work area. Mile markers, yield lines, and bicycle boxes each serve other purposes away from road work. Follow the line of devices as your lane, even when the normal pavement markings point elsewhere. Temporary guidance overrides the faded permanent lines inside the zone.

12. 12. In Iowa parking, what must a driver do about distance from any travel lane?

    1. Park half in the lane where traffic moves slowly
    2. Park close to traffic so doors open into the lane
    3. Park where passing cars must cross the center line
    4. Park far enough away to avoid interfering with traffic
    Show answer

    Park far enough away to avoid interfering with traffic. Iowa drivers are responsible for making sure parked vehicles do not become hazards. Park in a designated area if possible. If you must park on a roadway, park as far away from traffic as possible, and within 18 inches of a curb if one is present. Park far enough from any travel lane to avoid interfering with traffic. Check traffic before opening the door and get out on the curb side if necessary. A parked car that bends traffic out of its lane keeps causing risk after you leave.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad Crossings and Rural Roads

13. 13. When passing an Iowa snowplow, why should a driver allow extra wide room?

    1. Plow blades fold under the vehicle at all speeds
    2. Snowplows travel faster than traffic in storms
    3. Plow drivers signal every blade move with lights
    4. Plow blades may stick out past the vehicle width
    Show answer

    Plow blades may stick out past the vehicle width. Allow plenty of room when passing an Iowa snowplow. Plow blades may be sticking out further than the width of the plow vehicle, so the visible truck body understates the space the equipment needs. Snowplows have large blind spots and may kick up a cloud of snow, making it difficult for both drivers to see. Never pass on the shoulder side where snow is pushed. Use caution when approaching, stay back, and be patient until you can pass safely with full clearance.

    Study this in the handbook: Night Driving, Bad Weather and Floods

14. 14. In Iowa, what does a driver gain by looking well down the road while steering?

    1. A reason to ignore traffic close ahead of you today
    2. Time to steer smoothly before reaching hazards
    3. Permission to turn the wheel with one palm
    4. A view that replaces mirror and blind checks
    Show answer

    Time to steer smoothly before reaching hazards. In Iowa steering, look well down the road, not just immediately in front of you. Look for traffic situations where you will need to steer before you get to them. That way you have time to steer smoothly and safely. Place hands opposite at 9 and 3 or slightly lower, and turn corners with hand over hand or push pull technique. Do not turn the wheel with just the palm of one hand. Early sight turns emergency swerves into calm lane adjustments.

    Study this in the handbook: Iowa Speed Limits

15. 15. You stop at a red light in Iowa and want to turn right with no ban sign posted. What comes next?

    1. Turn at once because red lights favor right turns
    2. Yield to all other traffic before turning right
    3. Yield only to cars turning left across your path
    4. Turn after one honk warns cross traffic waiting
    Show answer

    Yield to all other traffic before turning right. At an Iowa traffic signal, you may make a right turn at a red light unless a no turn on red sign prohibits it. Prior to turning safely, you must come to a complete stop and yield to all other traffic. That includes pedestrians in the crosswalk and vehicles going straight. A left turn on red is allowed only from the left lane of a one way street onto another one way street. Stop first in every red turn case.

    Study this in the handbook: Turns, Lane Changes, Passing and Tailgaters

16. 16. A fluorescent yellow green sign warns near an Iowa school zone. Which users does that color highlight?

    1. Emergency, tow, and waste collection workers
    2. Railroad, track, and train crossing users only
    3. Airport, hospital, and fuel service travelers
    4. Pedestrian, bicycle, and school warning users
    Show answer

    Pedestrian, bicycle, and school warning users. Fluorescent yellow green in Iowa is used for pedestrian, bicycle, and school warning signs. Its brightness separates vulnerable user warnings from general yellow hazard warnings. Advance school crossing signs may still be yellow in some places, so color variation does not cancel the need to watch for children. Brown marks recreation, blue marks services, and orange marks work. Yellow green should immediately focus attention on crosswalks, bike lanes, and school edges.

    Study this in the handbook: Sign Colors and Shapes

17. 17. Your car beeps when it drifts toward a lane line. What does Iowa say about relying on that feature?

    1. Rely on it fully when the road is straight, dry, and well marked
    2. Use it in place of steering on long highway trips
    3. Do not rely on it to hold the correct lane position
    4. Trust it most when the lane lines are faded
    Show answer

    Do not rely on it to hold the correct lane position. A lane departure warning alerts you with a visual, vibration, or sound warning when the car begins to drift out of its lane, so you can steer back toward the center. Iowa notes that the feature relies on roadway markings to operate, and tells drivers not to rely on it to maintain correct lane position. Keeping the car in its lane remains the driver's job at all times, with the warning serving only as a backup.

18. 18. In Iowa, how should an experienced cyclist ride through a roundabout?

    1. Hug the curb so cars can squeeze past closely
    2. Ride in the middle of the lane like a motorist
    3. Walk in the circulating lanes with the bicycle
    4. Ride against traffic to see approaching cars
    Show answer

    Ride in the middle of the lane like a motorist. Generally, cyclists in Iowa should walk their bicycles across a roundabout crosswalk using pedestrian rules. Experienced cyclists may navigate roundabouts like motorists instead. Do not hug the curb if you ride through. Ride in the middle of the lane to prevent vehicles from passing, yield to anyone in crosswalks, and follow the same rules as motorists. A centered position makes the bicycle visible and predictable where lanes curve. Walking remains the safer choice for less experienced riders.

    Study this in the handbook: Roundabouts and Uncontrolled Intersections

19. 19. On an Iowa road, how are passing areas chosen where no-passing signs are posted?

    1. By the width of the paved shoulder
    2. By the speed of the slowest vehicle
    3. By the number of lanes in each direction
    4. By how far a driver can see ahead
    Show answer

    By how far a driver can see ahead. Iowa bases passing areas on how far you can see ahead. Where the view is too short, a no passing sign marks the start of the restricted stretch. Shoulder width, the speed of a slower vehicle, and lane count do not replace that sight test. A clear view gives time to pass and return without meeting oncoming traffic. If hills, curves, or intersections cut the view short, treat the stretch as unsafe for passing even before you reach the sign itself.

    Study this in the handbook: Regulatory Signs

20. 20. In Iowa, what does a tornado watch mean for drivers planning a trip?

    1. A tornado is already on the ground nearby now
    2. All roads in the watch area are closed by law
    3. A tornado is possible during severe storm weather
    4. Drivers must pull into a ditch right away
    Show answer

    A tornado is possible during severe storm weather. The National Weather Service issues a tornado watch in Iowa when a severe thunderstorm may possibly produce tornado like conditions. A watch means a tornado is possible. If a warning is issued, a tornado is imminent and all persons should seek shelter immediately. Television, weather radios, and outdoor sirens may alert the public. During a tornado, the best action is finding a sturdy building. If shelter is unreachable, pull over, duck below the windows, keep the seat belt fastened, and cover your head.

    Study this in the handbook: Night Driving, Bad Weather and Floods