NM Permit Practice Test 14

All 20 questions in test 14

Every question below comes from the New Mexico 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 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.
   Show answer

   After crossing traffic clears, proceed only when safe.. After stopping at a stop sign, the driver must wait until crossing vehicles and pedestrians have cleared and then pull forward only when it is safe. The vehicle behind, a horn, or the fact of stopping does not grant permission to enter immediately. The stop establishes the driver’s obligation to yield, not an automatic right to proceed into the intersection.

   Study this in the handbook: Warning, regulatory and guide signs

2. 2. 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.
   Show answer

   Roadside or overhead signs, often with special lane lights.. Reversible lane directions may be shown by roadside or overhead signs, and special lights are often used above the lanes. Cones and flaggers are not the communication method identified in this passage, and the direction is not left unmarked. Check the signs and lights before using a lane because its permitted direction can change with the traffic period. The overhead signal may determine which traffic flow is allowed.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and special lanes

3. 3. At an intersection, why look across to the far side before starting to move?

   1. To find a parking space beyond the intersection
   2. To count the lanes before the next turn
   3. To see which buildings stand beyond the intersection
   4. To make sure the path is clear and you will not block it
   Show answer

   To make sure the path is clear and you will not block it. The manual tells drivers to look across the intersection before starting to move. The purpose is to make sure the path is clear all the way through and that the vehicle will not block the intersection if it has to stop. Parking, counting lanes, and looking at buildings do not address that risk. If traffic is stopped beyond the intersection, waiting before entering keeps the vehicle from becoming an obstruction in the crossing path.

4. 4. Which roadside condition can cancel a planned pass by shrinking your space?

   1. A wide paved shoulder ahead.
   2. Fresh paint on center lines.
   3. A straight empty farm road.
   4. A narrow bridge or reduced lane width.
   Show answer

   A narrow bridge or reduced lane width.. A narrow bridge or another condition that reduces lane width can remove the space needed to complete a pass. A wide shoulder or a straight farm road does not create that restriction, and fresh center paint is not the concern described here. Before passing, look beyond the vehicle and make sure the road will remain wide enough for the entire maneuver.

   Study this in the handbook: Following distance, passing and sharing the road

5. 5. You need to cross several lanes of traffic. How should you take them?

   1. Cross all lanes in one sweeping move.
   2. Drift diagonally without signaling.
   3. Take several lanes one at a time.
   4. Stop in each lane before continuing.
   Show answer

   Take several lanes one at a time.. When a driver needs to cross several lanes, the manual says to take them one at a time. That sequence allows a separate check for each lane and avoids a long diagonal movement through multiple traffic streams. A sweeping move, an un signaled drift, or stopping in each live lane creates additional uncertainty. Complete one safe lane change, then assess the next lane before continuing.

   Study this in the handbook: Following distance, passing and sharing the road

6. 6. What should signaling become in everyday driving under the manual advice?

   1. Signal only when another car is nearby.
   2. Signal only on roads with multiple lanes.
   3. Signal after beginning the turn.
   4. Signal every time you change direction.
   Show answer

   Signal every time you change direction.. The manual recommends making signaling a habit every time the vehicle changes direction, even when no other driver is visible. A hidden driver, cyclist, or pedestrian may still need the information. Waiting until the turn begins gives too little warning, and limiting the practice to busy or multilane roads leaves gaps on ordinary streets. Signal before the movement so the message arrives in time.

   Study this in the handbook: Headlights, horn and turn signals

7. 7. Who must obey New Mexico speed limits?

   1. Everyone who operates a motor vehicle
   2. Drivers who are under age 21
   3. Operators of commercial vehicles and buses
   4. Only drivers on rural interstates
   Show answer

   Everyone who operates a motor vehicle. New Mexico states that everyone who operates a motor vehicle must obey all speed limits. The duty is not limited by age, vehicle class, or road type. A rural interstate, a local street, and a business area may have different posted or default limits, but each still requires compliance. Check the sign or applicable road rule, then adjust for weather, traffic, visibility, and the vehicle's condition. A lower safe speed may be necessary even when the posted maximum is higher.

   Study this in the handbook: School buses, emergency vehicles and trains

8. 8. What parking distance does New Mexico require from a fire hydrant?

   1. At least 75 feet
   2. At least 10 feet
   3. At least 25 feet
   4. At least 50 feet
   Show answer

   At least 50 feet. Parking is prohibited within 50 feet of a fire hydrant. The space lets a crew connect a hose without dragging it through or around a parked car. Ten and 25 feet leave too little room for the engine to position and for hose connections, and 25 feet belongs to the crosswalk rule instead. Seventy five feet is the distance tied to a fire station driveway on the opposite side of the street, not to a hydrant. Scan the curb for a hydrant before you leave the car, including one set back from the sidewalk, and choose a space that keeps the full 50 feet clear.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed limits

9. 9. A driver at a side street makes eye contact with you on a motorcycle. What should you assume?

   1. The driver will surely yield
   2. Never count on eye contact; assume the car will enter your path if it can
   3. Eye contact legally guarantees that the driver will yield
   4. The driver saw and understood your right of way
   Show answer

   Never count on eye contact; assume the car will enter your path if it can. The manual warns riders never to count on eye contact as proof that a driver will yield. A driver may look directly at a motorcyclist and still fail to see the motorcycle. Therefore, eye contact does not guarantee entry will be denied, and the rider should be prepared for the car to enter the path. Visual attention from the driver is not the same as a safe gap.

10. 10. Which penalties does the manual list for people who drive after drinking?

    1. Heavy fines, higher insurance rates, loss of license, and jail sentences
    2. A warning with no fine, insurance increase, or license loss
    3. Community service for every drinking-and-driving offense
    4. Lower insurance rates and no loss of the driver's license
    Show answer

    Heavy fines, higher insurance rates, loss of license, and jail sentences. The manual lists four risks for people who drive after drinking: heavy fines, higher insurance rates, loss of license, and jail sentences. It presents these as possible consequences, so a warning-only choice is too limited and community service is not guaranteed in every case. Lower insurance and no license loss reverse two of the listed risks. The safest way to avoid these penalties is not to drive after drinking, because the consequences can affect both money and driving privileges.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and DWI

11. 11. Before turning left across oncoming traffic, what final look does the manual call for?

    1. Look again toward oncoming traffic.
    2. Check the mirrors for vehicles behind you.
    3. Glance at the dashboard before turning.
    4. Watch the passengers in the rear seat.
    Show answer

    Look again toward oncoming traffic.. After checking the gap and the road the vehicle will enter, the driver should look once more toward oncoming traffic immediately before turning left. A mirror check can be useful for other decisions, but it does not answer whether an approaching vehicle has closed the gap. Dashboard lights and passengers cannot clear the path. The final look is a last check of the traffic the turn will cross.

12. 12. Why can the center of a traffic lane be hazardous for a motorcycle rider?

    1. The lane center is reserved for bicycles only.
    2. Officers ticket riders for using the lane center.
    3. Center paint is always wet after traffic passes through an intersection.
    4. Car drippings can form an oily strip in the lane center.
    Show answer

    Car drippings can form an oily strip in the lane center.. The center of a lane can collect oil and grease, especially at busy intersections and toll booths. That buildup can reduce a motorcycle’s available traction. Center paint is not automatically wet, and the lane is not reserved for bicycles or made safe by an officer’s presence. A rider should identify the oily strip and choose a cleaner track through the lane when possible.

13. 13. Your car has an automatic shoulder belt. What else must you do for full protection?

    1. Nothing, the automatic belt is complete alone
    2. Buckle the lap belt too
    3. Buckle the lap belt only on long trips
    4. Hold the shoulder belt away from your chest
    Show answer

    Buckle the lap belt too. An automatic shoulder belt still needs the lap belt buckled by hand. Without that lower strap, a collision can slide the occupant out from under the shoulder portion. Trip length changes nothing about crash forces, and holding the belt loose defeats its restraint. Make buckling the lap portion a fixed step after the door closes, before the key turns. Passengers copy the driver habit, so finishing your own buckle first sets the pattern for the whole car.

    Study this in the handbook: Renewal, points, seat belts and insurance

14. 14. Why does the manual tell you not to sound the horn for a blind pedestrian?

    1. Horns are banned near every crosswalk in the state
    2. The sound could confuse or frighten that pedestrian
    3. Blind pedestrians cannot hear a horn at all
    4. The horn would cancel the pedestrian absolute priority
    Show answer

    The sound could confuse or frighten that pedestrian. A blind pedestrian using a guide dog or a white cane holds absolute priority, and a horn blast can startle or confuse that person mid crossing. The ban on horns near crosswalks is invented, and hearing is precisely how the warning would startle. Priority also stays in place regardless of noise. Keep the car stopped, stay quiet, and wait until the pedestrian reaches the far curb before moving. Patience here costs seconds.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections

15. 15. Turning from a high speed two lane road with traffic behind, how should you slow?

    1. Slow very early over a mile
    2. Stop in the lane, then turn
    3. Tap your brakes and reduce speed quickly but safely near the turn
    4. Coast toward the turn without braking or signaling
    Show answer

    Tap your brakes and reduce speed quickly but safely near the turn. For a turn from a high-speed two-lane roadway with traffic behind, the manual recommends tapping the brakes and reducing speed quickly but safely near the turn. Slowing over a mile, stopping in the lane, or coasting without a brake warning can surprise following drivers or create a rear-end hazard. Signal first, then make the necessary speed change in a controlled sequence.

    Study this in the handbook: Road conditions, sight distance and wildlife

16. 16. In which situation does the manual say you may need a four second following distance?

    1. Following another car on a dry city street
    2. Driving solo on an empty rural highway
    3. On slippery roads needing extra space
    4. Leading a line of traffic on a clear day
    Show answer

    On slippery roads needing extra space. Slippery surfaces stretch stopping distance, so the front cushion grows to four seconds. The manual also names following motorcycles, hauling heavy loads, trailing emergency vehicles, nearing crossings and waiting on hills. A dry city street with a steady leader fits the normal three second guide. Count past a lamppost on a rainy night and notice how much sooner the road shine reaches you than on dry pavement.

    Study this in the handbook: Following distance, passing and sharing the road

17. 17. What turning advantage does ABS provide during a hard stop?

    1. Steer while braking hard
    2. ABS steers the vehicle automatically
    3. Turning needs no steering input at all
    4. ABS doubles available road grip instantly
    Show answer

    Steer while braking hard. ABS keeps wheels rolling at the grip threshold, so steering input still works while braking hard. The system never steers itself or doubles road grip, and driver input remains essential. Use that preserved control to angle toward a shoulder gap while the pedal pulses. Practice in an empty lot builds trust in the sensation. That control matters most when a shoulder gap offers escape while traffic ahead piles into a sudden stop.

    Study this in the handbook: Vehicle emergencies and skids

18. 18. An unpaid court judgment for crash damages hangs over a driver. What license result does the manual list?

    1. The judgment never affects the license
    2. You can lose driving privileges
    3. Only vehicle registration is paused briefly
    4. The judgment converts to points after a year
    Show answer

    You can lose driving privileges. Failing to settle a financial judgment from a crash can cost you the driving privilege itself. A pause in registration and a conversion into points are not the listed results, and saying the judgment never matters ignores the rule. Courts expect payment after fault is decided, so arrange payment and keep proof that the judgment was settled. Carry that proof when you deal with the division, since staff will want documented clearance before reinstating anything.

    Study this in the handbook: Permits and the graduated license

19. 19. Backing is unavoidable in a parking area. What help should you use when you can?

    1. A passenger who stays inside and watches mirrors
    2. A horn signal that tells others to wait
    3. A person outside the vehicle to help you back
    4. A quick reverse before anyone walks behind
    Show answer

    A person outside the vehicle to help you back. A person outside the vehicle can see children and low objects hidden below the rear window and guide you past them. A passenger inside shares your blind zone rather than clearing it, a horn warns without showing what sits behind you, and reversing quickly gambles that the path stays empty. Walk behind the vehicle yourself before getting in, then back slowly with the helper in view. Stop at once if you lose sight of the helper or hear any warning shout.

20. 20. After a front crash with an air bag, why must you stay ready to act?

    1. The bag reinflates several times
    2. Bag deflates; second hit possible
    3. The bag locks steering permanently
    4. The bag releases the seat belts fully
    Show answer

    Bag deflates; second hit possible. An air bag inflates for the first impact then deflates, leaving the belted driver to prevent a follow on collision. Bags fire once, do not lock steering, and never release belts by design. Keep hands on the wheel as the car settles, brake if rolling, and steer clear of lanes where traffic still streams past. If the car still rolls toward traffic, steering input during those seconds decides whether a second crash happens.

    Study this in the handbook: Vehicle emergencies and skids