NM Permit Practice Test 15

All 20 questions in test 15

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. 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
   Show answer

   Arrows alternate between the two directions. In a shared center lane, left-turn arrows for one direction alternate with arrows for traffic coming from the other direction. The alternating pattern reflects that the lane serves turns from both approaches. The arrows do not all point toward one exit, all point one way, or disappear from the pavement. A driver should follow the markings for the direction of the intended turn.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and special lanes

2. 2. 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
   Show answer

   You may not be driving safely at 50 mph. At 50 mph a vehicle needs roughly 400 feet to react and stop on good pavement, so a shorter view leaves an obstacle inside your stopping distance. Bright headlights cannot create pavement that is not visible beyond a curve or crest, and speeding up widens the gap between sight and stopping room. Match speed to the view you actually have on foggy or hilly stretches. When the visible road shrinks, slow until the distance you can see comfortably exceeds the distance you would need to halt.

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

3. 3. What do orange work area signs warn drivers that people are doing nearby?

   1. Crews are towing disabled vehicles from the shoulder
   2. Crews are checking vehicle weights at a roadside station
   3. Crews are planting trees beyond the work area
   4. Working on or near the roadway, with changing surfaces and equipment possible
   Show answer

   Working on or near the roadway, with changing surfaces and equipment possible. Orange construction, maintenance, or emergency-operation signs warn that people are working on or near the roadway. The conditions may include changing surfaces, slow equipment, reduced speed, or a detour. The sign does not specifically announce towing, vehicle weighing, or tree planting, and the work can affect the travel path even when the crew is not directly in the lane. Slow and watch for changes.

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

4. 4. A parked driver pulls out without seeing your motorcycle. What does the manual advise as you approach parked rows?

   1. Slow or change lanes to make room for a vehicle entering your path.
   2. Accelerate quickly past every parked car.
   3. Honk continuously while riding beside the parked cars.
   4. Ride between the parked cars to avoid vehicles pulling out suddenly.
   Show answer

   Slow or change lanes to make room for a vehicle entering your path.. If a parked driver may cut into the motorcycle’s path, the manual advises slowing down or changing lanes to make room. Accelerating past every car and riding between parked vehicles remove options, while continuous honking does not create space. The adjustment should be made early enough that the entering driver and the motorcycle can share the roadway without a sudden conflict.

5. 5. A motorcycle front wheel wobble begins at speed. What throttle and brake response applies?

   1. Accelerate through the wobble to regain control.
   2. Release both handlebars completely during the wobble.
   3. Brake hard with both brakes to stop the wobble.
   4. Hold the bars firmly, close the throttle gradually, and do not brake.
   Show answer

   Hold the bars firmly, close the throttle gradually, and do not brake.. For a motorcycle front-wheel wobble, the manual says to grip the handlebars firmly without fighting the movement, close the throttle gradually, and avoid applying the brakes. Accelerating can intensify the problem, releasing the handlebars removes control, and hard braking may make the wobble worse. Smooth throttle reduction lets speed fall while the rider avoids adding a sudden force to the unstable front end.

6. 6. You are overtaking a vehicle ahead that begins slowing to a stop. Who must yield?

   1. The vehicle ahead must speed up to clear your path
   2. You must yield to it, even as it slows or stops
   3. Both drivers proceed and share the same lane briefly
   4. The slower vehicle must pull onto the shoulder at once
   Show answer

   You must yield to it, even as it slows or stops. The driver who is overtaking must yield to the vehicle ahead, even if that vehicle is slowing or coming to a stop. The lead driver does not have to speed up, pull onto the shoulder, or share a lane to help the passing maneuver. If the available space closes, the overtaking driver should give up the attempt and remain behind until another safe opportunity appears. This rule prevents the passing driver from forcing the vehicle ahead to change its lawful movement.

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

7. 7. What is double parking?

   1. Paying twice for the same meter
   2. Parking across two marked spaces
   3. Stopping on the road side of a parked vehicle
   4. Parking with two wheels on the curb
   Show answer

   Stopping on the road side of a parked vehicle. Double parking means stopping on the road side of a vehicle that is already parked, so your car sits in a travel lane. It is on the prohibited list because it forces moving traffic to merge around you and can block a cyclist or an emergency vehicle. Paying a second meter, straddling two marked spaces, and putting two wheels on the curb are different problems and none of them matches the manual's definition. If a space is taken, circle the block or use a lot. Do not stop beside a parked car to wait, even with hazard lights on.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed limits

8. 8. If you are having trouble seeing other vehicles, what should you remember about headlights?

   1. Assume other drivers can see you clearly.
   2. Turn the lights off and slow to half speed.
   3. Flash the high beams every few seconds.
   4. Turn on the headlights.
   Show answer

   Turn on the headlights.. If a driver is having trouble seeing other vehicles, those vehicles may also be having trouble seeing that driver. Turning on the headlights makes the vehicle more visible in poor conditions. Assuming others can see clearly ignores the shared visibility problem, while switching lights off makes it worse. Repeated high-beam flashes are not the instruction and can distract or confuse other road users.

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

9. 9. What does the manual require about tire condition and pressure?

   1. Keep tires in good condition and use the pressure in the owner's manual.
   2. Use the maximum pressure printed on the tire sidewall.
   3. Match the pressure of a neighboring vehicle with the same-size tires.
   4. Use the pressure suggested by a gas station attendant.
   Show answer

   Keep tires in good condition and use the pressure in the owner's manual.. The manual says tires should be in good condition and that the vehicle owner's manual gives the correct pressure. The maximum on a tire sidewall is not necessarily the vehicle's recommended operating pressure. A neighboring vehicle may require a different pressure even with the same size tires, and a gas station attendant's suggestion is not the vehicle specific reference named by the manual. Keeping tires sound and properly inflated helps preserve the grip needed for steering, braking, and control. Use the pressure listed for the vehicle rather than borrowing a number from another source.

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

10. 10. When approaching a place where you cannot see what is ahead, how should you use the horn?

    1. Give a light tap on the horn.
    2. Sound a sharp blast even when there is no immediate danger.
    3. Wait to use the horn until the road ahead is visible.
    4. Use the horn only after another driver enters your path.
    Show answer

    Give a light tap on the horn.. The manual advises a light tap when a driver comes to a place where the view ahead is blocked, such as a steep hill, sharp curve, or narrow alley exit. A sharp blast is associated with danger, while this situation calls for the lighter warning. Waiting until the road ahead is visible removes the warning before entering the hidden area. Using the horn only after another driver enters the path delays the signal until a conflict has developed. The light tap alerts people or drivers before the hidden roadway creates a surprise.

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

11. 11. When must you yield to pedestrians at an intersection?

    1. When a pedestrian stays on the sidewalk and does not enter the roadway.
    2. When a pedestrian is standing beside a parked car.
    3. When a pedestrian is legally crossing the road.
    4. When a pedestrian is waiting at a bus stop.
    Show answer

    When a pedestrian is legally crossing the road.. At an intersection, yield where necessary to avoid striking a pedestrian who is legally crossing the road. A person who remains on the sidewalk is not described as legally crossing. Standing beside a parked car or waiting at a bus stop also does not by itself put the pedestrian in the roadway. The manual's rule turns on a legal crossing and the need to prevent a collision, not on every person near the street. Slow and yield when the pedestrian is in the legal crossing path.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections

12. 12. Why is cutting in front of a truck to reach your exit dangerous?

    1. A truck needs less distance to stop than a car.
    2. A truck needs more distance to stop and may not avoid hitting you.
    3. A truck has priority over all traffic near an exit.
    4. A truck can stop instantly when another vehicle cuts in.
    Show answer

    A truck needs more distance to stop and may not avoid hitting you.. Large trucks take longer to stop than cars at the same speed. If a driver cuts in front of a truck and then slows for an exit, the truck may not stop quickly enough to avoid a collision. Trucks do not have special priority near an exit, and a heavy truck cannot stop instantly after another vehicle moves in front of it. Leave the truck's open space intact and plan the exit before changing position. A visible gap between your vehicle and the truck gives its driver more room to respond.

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

13. 13. Looking well down the road helps driving in which combined ways listed?

    1. It reduces headlight wear during long trips.
    2. Safer driving, fuel savings, steady traffic and a better view.
    3. It produces a faster arrival at any cost.
    4. It makes a shorter following distance safe on the road ahead.
    Show answer

    Safer driving, fuel savings, steady traffic and a better view.. Looking well down the road supports several benefits named by the manual: safer driving, fuel savings, steadier traffic flow, and more time to see around the vehicle. It is not a way to arrive faster at any cost or to justify shorter following distances. The longer view helps the driver recognize changes early and make smaller, smoother adjustments rather than abrupt ones.

14. 14. Where should children be secured in a vehicle under the manual guidance?

    1. In the front passenger seat for supervision
    2. On an adult lap in the rear seat
    3. In the rear seat, secured properly
    4. In any seat if the trip is short
    Show answer

    In the rear seat, secured properly. Children belong secured in the rear seat, never up front on the passenger side where an air bag deploys. A deploying bag can injure a small child even in a moderate crash. Riding on an adult lap offers no restraint at all. Short hops carry the same intersection risks as long drives, so buckle the child in back every time.

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

15. 15. Your ABS pedal pushes back against your foot during a hard stop. What should you do?

    1. Ease off the pedal until pulsing stops
    2. Keep pressing, do not let up
    3. Pump the pedal rapidly by hand
    4. Shift to neutral to help ABS work
    Show answer

    Keep pressing, do not let up. A pushing back pedal signals ABS cycling, and steady hard pressure lets the system keep tires rolling at grip limit. Easing off or hand pumping defeats the computer control, while neutral adds nothing. Hold pressure and steer around the hazard if a path exists. The pulsing feels wrong yet marks the system doing its job. Steering stays available during that pulsing, so aim for the widest gap rather than closing your eyes.

    Study this in the handbook: Vehicle emergencies and skids

16. 16. Shopping centers and parking lots need extra side scanning mainly because what can happen there?

    1. Children stay on sidewalks near lots
    2. Parked cars legally block all side views
    3. Signals control every lot entrance fully
    4. Crossing traffic can appear at any moment
    Show answer

    Crossing traffic can appear at any moment. Busy lot frontage sends cars and walkers into the street from many angles, so side scanning matters more than the center view alone. Parked rows hide movement instead of excusing a missed look. Signals rarely guard every driveway throat, and children dart from between cars often. Roll past lot exits slowly with the brake covered. Delivery trucks unloading at the curb add doors and hand trucks swinging into your path without warning.

17. 17. Your vehicle has trouble on a highway and you must stop. How should you warn drivers behind you?

    1. Leave the vehicle without any warning lights
    2. Stand in the roadway and wave traffic over
    3. Place emergency flares behind the vehicle
    4. Place emergency flares ahead of the vehicle
    Show answer

    Place emergency flares behind the vehicle. Flares placed behind a stopped vehicle warn approaching drivers early enough to change lanes or slow down. Standing in the roadway to wave traffic over puts you where a driver who misses the warning will strike you, and leaving without any warning invites a rear end crash. Flares ahead of the vehicle warn drivers who have already passed the hazard instead of those approaching it. Get the vehicle off the road if possible, turn on flashers, and stay clear of traffic lanes while you wait.

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

18. 18. Why should you avoid shifting gears while crossing railroad tracks?

    1. Shifting raises your speed over the tracks
    2. Shifting can stall the vehicle on the tracks
    3. Shifting damages the crossing signals
    4. Shifting hides the vehicle from trains
    Show answer

    Shifting can stall the vehicle on the tracks. A missed shift on the tracks can stall the vehicle exactly where a train cannot stop or steer away. Shifting does not raise speed in a way that matters here, damage crossing signals, or hide the vehicle from a train crew. Cross in a gear that carries you fully clear without a change, and make sure room waits on the far side before you start. If the vehicle stalls despite care, leave the tracks area at once rather than staying with the car.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossing signs and rules

19. 19. Using a motor vehicle to commit a felony leads to what license result under the manual?

    1. Extra points but the license stays valid
    2. No result unless someone was injured
    3. A restricted license for work driving only
    4. Loss of driving privileges
    Show answer

    Loss of driving privileges. A vehicle used to commit a felony puts the driving privilege itself at stake. Points alone and work only restrictions understate the listed consequence, and injury is not required first. The rule ties the car as an instrument of crime to fitness to hold a license. Keep the vehicle out of any unlawful errand, however small it seems. Even lending the car knowing the plan can draw scrutiny, so refuse keys when a felony errand is mentioned aloud.

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

20. 20. What later effects can pep pills, uppers and diet pills produce in a driver?

    1. Lasting calm, clear vision, and steady concentration for hours
    2. Sharper night vision that lasts for hours
    3. Brief alertness, then nervousness, dizziness, poor focus, and vision effects
    4. No effects beyond hunger loss
    Show answer

    Brief alertness, then nervousness, dizziness, poor focus, and vision effects. Pep pills, uppers, and diet pills may make a driver feel more alert briefly, but later can cause nervousness, dizziness, poor concentration, and vision problems. That sequence is the opposite of lasting calm or sharper night sight, and hunger loss alone leaves out the driving effects. A short burst of alertness is not proof that the driver can safely continue operating a vehicle.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and DWI