Printable NM Permit Practice Test

1. What shape and colors identify a yield sign?

1. A downward-pointing triangle that is red and white with red letters
2. An eight-sided red sign with white letters
3. A blue circle with a white arrow
4. A green rectangle with black lettering

2. A learner with a New Mexico instructional permit is practicing in a car. Where must the supervising licensed driver sit?

1. In the back seat behind the learner
2. In the right front seat
3. In any seat as long as the supervisor is awake
4. Outside the vehicle giving directions

3. What do red circle-and-slash signs such as the one shown generally do?

1. Prohibit the pictured action, such as a U-turn
2. Recommend the pictured action during heavy traffic
3. Identify a route number for a state highway
4. Mark a service available at the next exit

4. In a heavy rain, at about what speed can your tires lose all traction with the road?

1. About 15 mph
2. About 25 mph
3. About 80 mph
4. About 50 mph

5. In a reversible lane, what does a steady yellow X mean?

1. The lane is open for normal travel all day
2. The lane use is changing, so move out when safe
3. The lane is reserved only for buses
4. The lane may be used only for parking

6. A driver turning left at an intersection faces an oncoming vehicle going straight. Who yields?

1. Neither driver when both have a green light
2. The oncoming driver going straight
3. The driver who entered the intersection second
4. The driver turning left

7. How fast do farm tractors, animal-drawn vehicles, and roadway maintenance vehicles usually travel?

1. 25 mph or less
2. About 45 mph
3. The posted limit in every case
4. At least 55 mph

8. How does New Mexico handle a ticket for driving without insurance or without vehicle registration?

1. It adds 12 points and an automatic one-year suspension
2. It carries no points but requires the driver to appear in court
3. It adds points, the same way a speeding ticket does
4. It is a warning only and never goes to court

9. After a drink, about how long does alcohol take to reach the brain?

1. 1 to 2 minutes
2. About 2 hours
3. About 6 hours
4. 20 to 40 minutes

10. When conditions are rainy, icy, or foggy, how should a driver treat a posted maximum speed?

1. Treat it as a target speed that must be maintained
2. Increase speed briefly to clear the bad weather
3. Reduce speed when the conditions make the posted maximum unsafe
4. Ignore the limit only when visibility is reduced

11. How long does a DWI conviction remain on a New Mexico driving record?

1. Three years
2. Seven years
3. Twenty-five years
4. Ten years

12. What does a red arrow at a New Mexico traffic signal require a driver to do?

1. Continue straight without stopping
2. Turn after yielding to oncoming traffic
3. Stop and wait without traveling in the arrow's direction
4. Treat it as a flashing yellow signal

13. What is the lowest BAC threshold for New Mexico's under-21 alcohol driving rule?

1. .02%
2. .05%
3. .08% only
4. .12%

14. What must a driver do before moving from a stop sign into the intersection?

1. Wait for crossing vehicles and pedestrians to clear
2. Move immediately because the stop sign gives priority
3. Yield only to vehicles approaching from the left
4. Proceed if the driver has waited two seconds

15. If your headlights suddenly fail at night, what should you try first?

1. Try the headlight switch a few times
2. Keep driving with only the parking brake ready
3. Turn off all vehicle lights immediately
4. Brake hard in the travel lane

16. What extra document is required for an instructional permit applicant under 18?

1. A work schedule signed by an employer
2. A notarized statement from every passenger
3. A consent form signed by a parent or guardian
4. A court order authorizing night driving

17. What should a driver do during a sudden stop in a vehicle equipped with ABS?

1. Use only the parking brake
2. Pump the pedal rapidly until the vehicle stops
3. Release the pedal whenever it vibrates
4. Press the brake pedal hard and keep pressing it

18. What do destination signs show drivers?

1. Whether a vehicle has liability insurance
2. Only the speed that applies in a work zone
3. The exact place where passing becomes illegal
4. Directions and distance to places such as cities, airports, or state lines

19. How long should a person with epilepsy be stable and seizure free before being issued a New Mexico driver license?

1. 1 month
2. 3 months
3. 6 months
4. 5 years

20. What can happen in New Mexico if a vehicle is driven without the required liability insurance?

1. Nothing, if the driver pays for damages later
2. Non-issuance or suspension of the registration, surrender of the plates, and possible criminal penalties
3. A written warning only
4. Two points and no other action

21. What does an HOV lane sign tell drivers?

1. The lane may be used by any vehicle at every hour
2. The lane is reserved for vehicles with more than one person, with signs giving the required number and times
3. The lane is only for vehicles carrying hazardous materials
4. The lane marks a place where drivers must stop

22. If a vehicle breaks down on a highway, what should the driver do when it is possible?

1. Get the vehicle off the road and away from traffic
2. Leave it in the travel lane with the engine off
3. Stand behind it and wave at approaching vehicles
4. Stop just beyond a hill so it is out of sight

23. A New Mexico provisional licensee needs to drive home from a job at 1:00 AM. What document makes this late drive allowed?

1. A copy of a recent pay stub
2. A signed statement from a police officer
3. A signed statement from the licensee's employer
4. No document, because working teens are fully exempt

24. What is the usual shape of the advance warning sign before a railroad crossing?

1. A round yellow sign with an X and black RR letters
2. An eight-sided red sign
3. A blue rectangle with a white hospital symbol
4. A green rectangle showing a route number

25. What does a flashing red signal require at an intersection?

1. Priority over all cross traffic
2. The same response as a green light
3. A slow roll without stopping if no vehicle is visible
4. A complete stop before proceeding when it is safe

26. What does the Four Second Sight Distance Rule tell a driver to do?

1. Speed up whenever an object is visible four seconds away
2. Slow down if the vehicle reaches the object before four seconds finish
3. Use four seconds only when following a motorcycle
4. Count four seconds after crossing a stop line

27. What minimum liability coverage amount is listed for bodily injury to two or more people in one accident?

1. $10,000
2. $25,000
3. $100,000
4. $50,000

28. What does a dashed white line between lanes traveling in the same direction allow?

1. Changing lanes when it is safe
2. Passing into opposing traffic
3. Parking beside the line
4. Ignoring lane signals above the road

29. What do orange work area signs warn drivers may be present near the roadway?

1. Workers or equipment operating on or near the roadway
2. A permanent hospital service area
3. A guaranteed lane for high occupancy vehicles
4. A railroad crossing with no roadway activity

30. What should a driver do when a yellow arrow appears while turning in its direction?

1. Continue with the protection of a green arrow
2. Prepare to stop and yield to oncoming traffic before turning
3. Turn without checking for approaching vehicles
4. Treat the arrow as a flashing red signal

31. If pumping failed brakes does not work, how should you use the parking brake?

1. Ignore it and keep driving to a repair shop
2. Yank it hard to lock the rear wheels
3. Use it only after the vehicle has stopped
4. Pull the parking brake handle slowly

32. Which tests must a New Mexico provisional license applicant pass in addition to the vision screening?

1. No additional test after holding the permit
2. Only a motorcycle skills test
3. A fuel economy test and a parking meter test
4. A written test and a road test

33. A New Mexico instructional permit holder is learning to ride a motorcycle. Where must the licensed supervising driver be?

1. Following the learner
2. Riding as a passenger on the learner's motorcycle
3. Riding ahead of the learner to lead the way
4. Waiting at the end of the practice route

34. When standard traffic signal lights are mounted together, where is the green light located?

1. Beside the red light
2. In the middle
3. At the top
4. At the bottom

35. How does the New Mexico manual describe the shape and color of a stop sign?

1. Round and yellow with black letters
2. Eight-sided and red with white letters
3. Downward-pointing triangle with red letters
4. Square and blue with white letters

36. What validity period and renewal window does the manual give for a New Mexico driver license?

1. Eight years only, renewable up to six months early
2. Two or four years, renewable only during the final week
3. Four or eight years, renewable up to 90 days early or 30 days late
4. One year, renewable only after the license expires

37. When may a driver turn right at a steady red light?

1. Only after the signal has been red for one minute
2. Whenever the driver slows and sees no car nearby
3. After a full stop, if safe and no sign prohibits the turn
4. Before stopping if the intended road is empty

38. When entering a traffic circle, whom must you yield to?

1. No one, because entering traffic has priority
2. Only drivers waiting outside the circle
3. Vehicles behind you approaching the entrance
4. Drivers already in the circle

39. What should a driver do if a posted minimum speed is too fast to travel safely?

1. Use another road
2. Drive below the minimum in the same lane
3. Stop in the travel lane
4. Increase speed beyond the posted minimum

40. What does a green arrow permit, assuming the driver continues to check for people and other hazards?

1. A turn against the arrow
2. A U-turn in any lane
3. A turn in the arrow's direction
4. Movement without yielding to pedestrians