IA Permit Practice Test 7

All 20 questions in test 7

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. You stop at an Iowa railroad crossing. How much space should you leave between your vehicle and the nearest rail?

   1. At least 15 feet
   2. At least 3 feet
   3. At least 100 feet
   4. At least 50 feet
   Show answer

   At least 15 feet. When stopped at a crossing, leave at least 15 feet between the front and rear of your vehicle and the nearest rail, because trains are wider than the tracks. Three feet is far too close. One hundred feet is the no passing distance near a crossing, and 50 feet is the upper limit of the 15 to 50 foot stopping zone for school buses and hazardous material vehicles, as well as the no parking distance.

2. 2. Does Iowa's implied consent law apply to a driver licensed in another state who is driving through Iowa?

   1. No, only Iowa license holders
   2. Yes, it applies to non-resident drivers too
   3. Only if the driver stays more than 30 days
   4. Only for commercial drivers
   Show answer

   Yes, it applies to non-resident drivers too. Iowa license holders agree to testing on demand by law enforcement, and the manual states the law also applies to any non-resident drivers traveling in the state. An out of state license does not exempt a driver, and there is no 30 day residency condition or commercial only limit for this rule. Refusing the test brings an automatic one year revocation of the license.

3. 3. Which of these parking spots is prohibited in Iowa?

   1. A bridge outside city limits
   2. A space 60 feet from a railroad crossing
   3. A curb space 12 inches from the curb
   4. A space 12 feet from a stop sign
   Show answer

   A bridge outside city limits. Iowa bans parking on any bridge outside city limits and in highway tunnels. A spot 60 feet from a railroad crossing is legal because the limit is 50 feet. Parking 12 inches from the curb is within the 18 inch rule, and 12 feet from a stop sign is outside the 10 foot limit. Parking on a rural bridge blocks a narrow roadway where other drivers have no room to go around.

4. 4. How close to an intersection may you pass another vehicle on an Iowa two-lane road?

   1. You may not pass within 100 feet of an intersection
   2. You may pass anywhere with a broken center line
   3. You may pass as close as 50 feet
   4. You may not pass within 500 feet
   Show answer

   You may not pass within 100 feet of an intersection. Iowa prohibits passing within 100 feet of an intersection, and also around a curve where your view is blocked. The same 100 foot rule applies near a railroad crossing and near a posted narrow bridge, viaduct, or tunnel. A broken center line does not override these rules. Passing as close as 50 feet breaks the rule, and 500 feet is not the Iowa distance. Vehicles may enter from side roads at intersections, which is why passing there is dangerous.

5. 5. Iowa dropped its separate phone rule for permit and intermediate license holders in 2025. When may any Iowa driver hold or manipulate a phone while driving?

   1. Whenever the call is shorter than one minute
   2. While stopped at a red light in the travel lane
   3. Only when the vehicle is at a complete stop off the traveled portion of the roadway
   4. Whenever a passenger is riding in the front seat
   Show answer

   Only when the vehicle is at a complete stop off the traveled portion of the roadway. Iowa Code section 321.276 now applies one rule to every driver: a person may not use an electronic device while driving unless the vehicle is at a complete stop off the traveled portion of the roadway. Use includes holding, viewing, or manipulating the device. Senate File 22, approved in 2025, struck the separate phone restriction for permit and intermediate license holders, so a teen may use a voice-activated or hands-free mode under the same rule as any other driver. A red light does not qualify, because the car is still in the traveled lane. Call length and the presence of a passenger make no difference. A violation is a moving violation with a $100 scheduled fine.

6. 6. If the yellow line on your side is broken and the line beside it is solid, what may you do?

   1. Drive between the two yellow lines
   2. Pass only by using the shoulder
   3. Never cross the broken line under any condition
   4. Pass when it is safe to do so
   Show answer

   Pass when it is safe to do so. A broken yellow line on your side indicates that passing may be permitted when the maneuver is safe. The solid line controls the traffic on the opposite side, so that direction may not cross it to pass. Using the shoulder is not a substitute for a legal passing lane, and driving between the lines is unsafe. Before moving left, check sight distance, opposing traffic, and other restrictions. The key is to identify which side has the broken line, then complete the pass only with adequate space.

7. 7. What do Iowa guide signs show?

   1. The location of traveler services only
   2. A prohibition on entering a roadway
   3. A warning that workers are ahead
   4. Directions and distance to various locations
   Show answer

   Directions and distance to various locations. Iowa guide signs show directions and distance to locations such as cities, airports, state lines, national parks, historical areas, and museums. A do-not-enter message is regulatory, work-zone information is a warning category, and traveler services are shown by service signs. Read guide signs early enough to choose the needed lane or exit without a sudden maneuver. Their purpose is navigation, so use the place name and distance to plan ahead while continuing to obey speed, lane, and yielding controls.

8. 8. What do Iowa speed limit signs indicate?

   1. The exact speed everyone must drive
   2. The maximum or minimum safe speed allowed, with maximums set for ideal conditions
   3. A suggested speed only
   4. The speed for trucks only
   Show answer

   The maximum or minimum safe speed allowed, with maximums set for ideal conditions. Speed limit signs indicate the maximum or minimum safe speed that is allowed. Maximum speed limits are set for ideal driving conditions, so you must sometimes reduce your speed for weather, traffic or visibility, and a posted minimum on a freeway keeps slow traffic from becoming a hazard. The number is a legal limit, not a suggestion or a target, and it applies to all vehicles unless a sign says otherwise.

9. 9. If a vehicle's motor keeps speeding up after the driver releases the accelerator, what should the driver do first?

   1. Remove the ignition key while moving
   2. Quickly shift to neutral
   3. Pump the accelerator repeatedly
   4. Turn sharply toward oncoming traffic
   Show answer

   Quickly shift to neutral. A stuck accelerator requires the driver to preserve steering control while removing engine drive. Quickly shifting to neutral separates the engine from the wheels, giving time to guide the vehicle safely. Pulling the key while moving can lock the steering wheel, and pumping the accelerator does not address a pedal that remains open. A sharp move toward oncoming traffic creates a second emergency. Keep your eyes on the road, shift to neutral, pull off when safe, and turn the engine off after stopping. The sequence is control, escape the travel lane, then shut down.

10. 10. Which activity does Iowa prohibit even when voice commands are used?

    1. Receiving an emergency alert
    2. Making a phone call through a hands-free system
    3. Entering a destination in GPS by voice
    4. Streaming videos or making video calls
    Show answer

    Streaming videos or making video calls. Iowa specifically prohibits streaming videos and making video calls even when voice commands control the device. Voice operation does not remove the visual distraction or make video content safe during a moving trip. A hands-free phone call, GPS use by voice, and emergency alerts are treated separately in the manual and are not the activity named here. If a video stream or call needs attention, bring the vehicle to a complete stop off the traveled portion of the roadway before handling it. The safest cue is to keep every screen-based video task out of the driving period.

11. 11. A driver entering a main road from a driveway must yield to whom?

    
    1. Only vehicles behind the driveway
    2. Only vehicles turning left
    3. Vehicles already on the main road
    4. No one if the driveway has no sign
    Show answer

    Vehicles already on the main road. A driver emerging from a driveway, alley, or roadside must yield to vehicles already using the main road. The rule protects traffic that is already established in the roadway, so the absence of a driveway stop sign does not erase the duty. Limiting the duty to left-turning vehicles is too narrow, and the direction-based choices ignore every vehicle already approaching on the main road. Before entering, scan both ways, wait for a safe gap, and remember that crossing a sidewalk also creates a pedestrian-yield obligation.

12. 12. What is Iowa's general unposted limit on a rural interstate highway?

    1. 55 mph
    2. 70 mph
    3. 65 mph
    4. 60 mph
    Show answer

    70 mph. The manual gives rural interstate highways a general unposted limit of 70 mph. The 60 mph choice belongs to primary roads, urban interstates, and secondary roads during the listed period, while 55 and 65 mph are not the general rural interstate figure in this section. This number is still a maximum for ideal conditions. A driver must consider the road, weather, traffic, and visibility before choosing a safe speed, and a lower limit can be posted for particular conditions. Identify rural interstate first, then recall its higher figure.

13. 13. Which vehicles must have working turn signals under Iowa law?

    1. Only trucks over 10,000 pounds
    2. All cars, trucks, and trailers wider than 40 inches
    3. Only vehicles built after 2000
    4. Only vehicles used at night
    Show answer

    All cars, trucks, and trailers wider than 40 inches. Iowa requires turn signals on all cars, trucks, and trailers wider than 40 inches, and if a vehicle has turn signals they must work. The rule is not limited to heavy trucks, newer vehicles, or night driving. Working signals let other drivers know what you plan to do, which is also why you must signal 100 or 300 feet before a turn.

14. 14. What license penalty can a driver face for violating Iowa's Move Over or Slow Down Law?

    1. A written warning only
    2. Suspension for up to 30 days
    3. Permanent revocation
    4. Suspension for up to one year
    Show answer

    Suspension for up to one year. Violating Iowa's Move Over or Slow Down Law may result in a license suspension of up to one year. The law covers stopped emergency, tow, maintenance, construction, and garbage or recycling vehicles with flashing lights, and any stopped vehicle showing hazard lights. If changing lanes is unsafe or not possible, you must slow down and be prepared to stop. It is not a warning only offense, 30 days understates it, and revocation is not permanent.

15. 15. What scheduled fines does Iowa law set for seat belt and child restraint violations?

    1. $25 for every violation regardless of age
    2. $50, or $100 when the passenger is under 18
    3. $70 for a seat belt violation, or $135 for a restraint violation involving a passenger under 18
    4. $500 for the driver only, with no passenger fine
    Show answer

    $70 for a seat belt violation, or $135 for a restraint violation involving a passenger under 18. Iowa Code section 805.8A sets the scheduled fines. A seat belt violation under section 321.445 carries a $70 fine, and a violation of the child and teen restraint rule in section 321.446, which covers passengers under 18, carries $135. The older $50 and $100 figures still printed in some manuals are out of date. For restraint violations, the driver is charged when the passenger is under 14, while a passenger 14 or older is charged personally. Officers may stop a vehicle for this violation alone, so buckle every occupant before the vehicle moves.

16. 16. When should an Iowa driver turn on both headlights because of visibility, even if it is not nighttime?

    1. Whenever visibility is 500 feet or less, such as in fog, heavy rain, or snow
    2. Only when visibility falls below 100 feet
    3. Only after another driver flashes headlights first
    4. Never during daylight hours
    Show answer

    Whenever visibility is 500 feet or less, such as in fog, heavy rain, or snow. Iowa requires both headlights from sunset to sunrise and whenever visibility is 500 feet or less. Fog, heavy rain, and snow are examples of conditions that can reach that threshold during daylight. The 100-foot choice sets an unsupported lower limit, while waiting for another driver gives up needed visibility. Daylight does not cancel the rule when the view is restricted. A practical reminder is to turn the headlights on whenever the windshield wipers are needed.

17. 17. At an uncontrolled intersection, what is the basic responsibility of every driver?

    1. Assume the wider road has priority
    2. Accelerate to clear the crossing first
    3. Slow down and approach carefully
    4. Stop only when another driver honks
    Show answer

    Slow down and approach carefully. An uncontrolled intersection has no stop sign or traffic signal, so every driver must reduce speed and approach with care. The absence of a control device does not mean that the fastest vehicle, the vehicle on the wider road, or the driver who sounds a horn automatically gets priority. Iowa also says the ordinary yielding rules still apply, including yielding to traffic already on the main road and to pedestrians. Make the approach slowly enough to see a conflict and be prepared to stop rather than treating the crossing as automatically clear.

18. 18. What color are most Iowa warning signs?

    1. Blue
    2. Yellow
    3. White
    4. Brown
    Show answer

    Yellow. Most Iowa warning signs are yellow with black lettering or symbols, and most have a diamond shape. Blue signs point to traveler services, white signs provide regulatory information, and brown signs identify recreation or cultural points of interest. Warning color is an early cue that a special situation or hazard is ahead, but the symbol or wording supplies the exact message. Reduce speed and scan for the condition shown, especially near curves, crossings, merging traffic, or slippery pavement. Color helps classify the sign before its detailed instruction is read.

19. 19. When this sign is posted, which maneuver is forbidden?

    
    1. Changing lanes after the intersection
    2. Turning left
    3. Driving straight ahead
    4. Turning right
    Show answer

    Turning right. A crossed right-turn arrow prohibits turning right at the signed location. It does not prohibit a left turn, straight travel, or a later lane change by itself. The restriction follows the movement shown in the symbol, so do not rely on a green light to override it. Scan for a permitted route, obey any lane arrows, and remember that the sign controls the turn even when the roadway appears otherwise open.

20. 20. What does an Iowa yield sign tell a driver to do?

    
    1. Slow down and yield to traffic in the intersection or roadway being entered
    2. Stop at every yield sign even when no traffic is present
    3. Accelerate so cross traffic must wait
    4. Enter the roadway without checking for other users
    Show answer

    Slow down and yield to traffic in the intersection or roadway being entered. A yield sign directs the driver to slow down and yield the right of way to traffic in the intersection being crossed or the roadway being entered. It is not an automatic full-stop command in every circumstance, so the choice “Stop at every yield sign even when no traffic is present” adds a condition the manual does not state. Accelerating would reverse the sign's purpose, and entering without checking defeats the obligation to yield. Approach with reduced speed, scan for traffic, and stop if the situation requires it to give others priority.