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 travel in either direction
2. The lane use is changing, so move out when safe
3. The lane is reserved only for buses
4. The lane is closed permanently for road repairs

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. Work area warnings include which set of changing conditions?

1. Only lane closures during nighttime hours
2. Wider lanes with freshly painted lane lines
3. Reduced speed, detours, slow equipment, and changing surfaces
4. Smooth new pavement with higher speed limits

12. You need glasses or contacts for driving. When must you wear them?

1. Wear them whenever you drive
2. Wear them for the license test but not ordinary trips
3. Wear them on highways at night but not other roads
4. Wear them when a passenger asks but not otherwise

13. A very heavy downpour leaves you unable to see well enough to drive. What should you do?

1. Continue at the posted limit.
2. Drive the shoulder slowly toward home, following the edge.
3. Follow the taillights of the vehicle ahead closely.
4. Pull off the road in a safe place and wait until it clears.

14. After stopping at a stop sign, when may you pull forward into the intersection?

1. After crossing traffic clears, proceed only when safe.
2. Pull forward immediately after making a full stop at the sign.
3. After the vehicle behind you stops.
4. When the car behind you honks.

15. How do the left-turn arrows appear inside a shared center lane?

1. Arrows alternate between the two directions
2. All arrows point in one direction only
3. Arrows point toward the nearest exit ramp
4. No arrows are painted in the lane

16. A driver ahead starts drifting into your lane while you pass. How does the manual say to use the horn?

1. Tap the horn only after you have stopped
2. Stay silent until contact is certain
3. Hold a long blast for ten full seconds
4. Give a light tap as they drift toward you

17. What happens if you fail to appear for a re-examination requested by the MVD?

1. You can lose driving privileges
2. You gain thirty extra days automatically
3. Only a small fine applies, nothing more
4. The request expires after one week

18. After completing a motorcycle turn, why must you confirm the signal is off?

1. A driver may enter your path if the signal stays on.
2. Signals cancel automatically after every turn.
3. Blinking drains the battery quickly during a ride.
4. Police ticket every driver with a lit signal after a turn.

19. What license risk follows giving false information on a driver license application?

1. Only a corrected form is required later
2. A warning letter is the maximum result
3. Loss of driving privileges
4. The false entry becomes legal after renewal

20. Which drugs can affect driving in ways similar to alcohol?

1. Illegal drugs and nothing available legally
2. Only drugs taken together with alcohol
3. Many prescription and nonprescription drugs
4. Only drugs whose labels mention sleep

21. What must be done with the parking brake before starting the vehicle?

1. Release the parking brake before starting.
2. Use it only after starting.
3. Make sure the parking brake is on before starting.
4. Set it only on steep hills.

22. How do you know it is safe to return to the driving lane after passing?

1. When both headlights show in your mirror.
2. When the passed car horn sounds.
3. After counting to three aloud.
4. When another driver waves you back into the lane.

23. When turning right or left at a signal, whom must you watch crossing in front?

1. Only bicyclists traveling in marked bike lanes.
2. Only children crossing near a school.
3. Watch for pedestrians crossing in front of the vehicle.
4. No one once the turn is legally underway.

24. Why does keeping pace with traffic beat constant passing?

1. Passing never creates risk.
2. Keeping pace with traffic is legally required.
3. Each pass brings a collision chance, from lane changes or sudden oncoming vehicles.
4. Passing is safer because it removes the need to follow other vehicles.

25. Approaching an intersection on a motorcycle, how do you cut reaction time for trouble?

1. Cover the clutch and both brakes at intersections.
2. Rest both hands away from the controls before entering.
3. Speed up as you pass through the intersection.
4. Look only at the signal head before crossing.

26. 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

27. 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

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

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

29. On a road the State has made one-way, in which direction may you drive?

1. Only in the direction the signs show
2. Either direction at night
3. Either direction if traffic is light
4. Against the arrow to reach a driveway

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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

36. What minimum bodily injury coverage applies for one person in one accident?

1. $10,000 for one person in one accident
2. $50,000 for one person in one accident
3. $100,000 for one person in one accident
4. $25,000 for one person in one accident

37. What are sharrows on the pavement telling road users?

1. Bicycles are banned from this stretch of road
2. Cars may park over the marking at the curb
3. Shared lanes where cyclists may take the lane and motorists yield
4. Trucks gain priority over bicycles at the marking

38. Who must have a driver license when operating on a New Mexico public roadway?

1. A person operating a motor vehicle or motorcycle.
2. Only a New Mexico resident who owns the vehicle must have a license.
3. Only drivers under thirty must have a license.
4. A borrowed vehicle may be driven without a license.

39. Besides pavement paint, how else are reversible lane directions communicated?

1. By cones placed along the lane edges.
2. By flaggers posted at each entrance.
3. Roadside or overhead signs, often with special lane lights.
4. No signs or special lights communicate the direction of the reversible lane.

40. If you cannot see 400 feet ahead, what does that mean about driving at 50 mph?

1. You may not be driving safely at 50 mph
2. You are safe if your headlights are on bright
3. Visibility matters only below 30 mph
4. You should speed up to shorten the trip