NM Permit Practice Test 17

All 20 questions in test 17

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. 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
   Show answer

   You can lose driving privileges. Ignoring an MVD re-examination request can cost the driving privilege itself. No automatic grace month or quick expiry softens that duty, and a small fine understates the listed result. Medical or skill concerns drive such requests. Open MVD mail promptly and schedule the visit, bringing corrective lenses or doctor notes the letter asks for. Reschedule rather than skip if illness strikes, because a documented new date protects the license while you recover.

   Study this in the handbook: Permits and the graduated license

2. 2. Which vehicles must stop at least 15 feet before a railroad crossing before proceeding?

   1. Only school buses with children aboard on school routes
   2. Only trucks hauling gasoline or fuel oil on highways
   3. Passenger cars at marked crossings with signals
   4. School buses, passenger hire vehicles, and hazardous load trucks
   Show answer

   School buses, passenger hire vehicles, and hazardous load trucks. School buses, taxis and other vehicles for hire that carry passengers, plus trucks hauling explosives, gasoline or other dangerous materials, must stop at least 15 feet before the tracks. Naming buses alone or fuel trucks alone leaves out classes the rule includes. Ordinary passenger cars slow and check for trains but have no fixed 15 foot stop. When you follow a bus or tanker near tracks, expect that early stop and leave space behind it.

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

3. 3. After a traffic light turns green, what should you still check before moving?

   1. Only the traffic in your own lane.
   2. Look left and right for crossing traffic.
   3. The vehicle behind you before moving.
   4. The signal behind the intersection.
   Show answer

   Look left and right for crossing traffic.. A green light does not guarantee that the intersection is already clear. The manual says to look left and right, especially just after the light changes, because people on the cross street may still be hurrying through before their signal turns red. Checking only the same lane, the vehicle behind, or a signal behind the intersection does not reveal that crossing traffic. Pause long enough to see both sides before moving.

4. 4. A reserved lane sign reads HOV 3 with posted hours. What does the 3 require?

   1. Three lanes open to traffic
   2. Three dollars paid per trip
   3. At least three people must be in the vehicle to use that HOV lane
   4. Three vehicles must travel together to use the lane
   Show answer

   At least three people must be in the vehicle to use that HOV lane. An HOV 3 designation means that at least three people must be in the vehicle to use that HOV lane during the posted restriction. The number is not a toll amount, a number of lanes, or a requirement that three vehicles travel together. A driver must also observe the sign’s stated hours rather than assuming the occupancy rule applies at every time.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and special lanes

5. 5. What legal standing do bicycle riders hold on New Mexico roads?

   1. They must yield to every car.
   2. They may ignore traffic signals.
   3. They have fewer rights than pedestrians.
   4. Bicycles have the same rights and duties as cars.
   Show answer

   Bicycles have the same rights and duties as cars.. On New Mexico roads, bicycle drivers have the same rights and responsibilities as drivers of cars. They must follow applicable traffic rules, but they do not automatically yield to every car or ignore signals. A bicycle is not legally required to dismount simply because it shares the road. Treating its rider as a lawful road user makes the motorist’s duties easier to recognize.

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

6. 6. On a road with two or more lanes, how should you treat vehicles entering the roadway?

   1. Force entering vehicles to stop.
   2. Close the gap so they cannot enter.
   3. Make room for entering vehicles.
   4. Honk until entering vehicles turn back.
   Show answer

   Make room for entering vehicles.. On a roadway with two or more lanes, the manual tells drivers to make room for vehicles entering. Closing the gap or forcing a stop can create a sudden conflict at the merge. A horn does not replace space and cannot make a vehicle safely turn back. Adjust speed or lane position when safe so the entering driver has a usable path into the roadway.

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

7. 7. Which of these is a no-parking location under New Mexico rules?

   1. A marked parking space that does not block traffic.
   2. A construction area where the vehicle does not block traffic.
   3. A designated parking area with the brake set.
   4. A construction area where the vehicle blocks traffic.
   Show answer

   A construction area where the vehicle blocks traffic.. New Mexico prohibits parking in a construction area when the vehicle will block traffic. A marked space that leaves traffic open does not state the prohibited construction obstruction. A construction area where traffic remains clear does not meet the condition, and a designated parking area with the brake set does not describe the prohibited situation. The rule is triggered by both the construction area and the blocked traffic, so a driver must not leave a vehicle where it obstructs flow through the work area.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed limits

8. 8. Passing parked cars on a motorcycle, which lane position helps avoid door and pedestrian hazards?

   1. Hug the parked cars closely as you pass each one.
   2. Stop beside each parked car before continuing ahead.
   3. Ride directly over the center oil strip in the lane.
   4. Stay left in the lane to avoid doors and people exiting cars.
   Show answer

   Stay left in the lane to avoid doors and people exiting cars.. When passing parked cars on a motorcycle, staying toward the left of the lane helps avoid opening doors, drivers getting out, and people stepping into the roadway. Hugging the parked cars places the motorcycle in the door zone, while stopping or riding on an oily center strip creates different hazards. The leftward position preserves a useful buffer beside the parked vehicles.

9. 9. A route number marker uses a distinctive shape and color. What does that coding tell you?

   1. The speed limit posted ahead on the roadway
   2. The type of roadway, such as an interstate or state road
   3. Fuel prices posted at nearby service stations
   4. Parking rules posted on the next city block
   Show answer

   The type of roadway, such as an interstate or state road. The manual says the shape and color of a route number sign indicate the type of roadway, such as an interstate, U.S., state, city, or county road. The sign is not a speed limit sign, a fuel-price display, or a parking notice. Route signs help a driver recognize the kind of road being followed, while a road map can be used to plan the route and the signs can be followed during the trip. Each sign type has its own job.

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

10. 10. When lights are necessary, how close to an oncoming car should your headlights already be on?

    1. Within at least 500 feet of the other car
    2. Within 100 feet of the other car
    3. After the other car passes you
    4. When the other car flashes first
    Show answer

    Within at least 500 feet of the other car. Headlights should already be on within at least 500 feet of an approaching car whenever lights are necessary, so the other driver can see you in time. Waiting until 100 feet leaves most of that closing distance without the warning your lamps provide, and waiting until the pass ends or the other driver flashes first gives no warning at all. Closing speeds shrink 500 feet in seconds at highway pace. Turn lamps on early whenever darkness or weather makes vehicles hard to see.

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

11. 11. Without ABS, how do you turn quickly while slowing for a hazard?

    1. Brake, release, then turn
    2. Lock the front wheels, then steer hard
    3. Turn first at full speed, brake later
    4. Hold brakes locked through the turn
    Show answer

    Brake, release, then turn. The non ABS quick turn sequences braking first, then releasing to steer with rolling front tires. Locked fronts plow straight regardless of wheel angle, and turning at full speed overloads grip. Weight shifting forward during braking actually sharpens the turn once pressure lifts. Aim at the open gap, not the obstacle. Practice the sequence mentally at low speed first, because panic at highway pace scrambles unfamiliar step ordering.

    Study this in the handbook: Vehicle emergencies and skids

12. 12. You notice you are riding in another driver blind spot beside their rear corner. What should you do?

    1. Hold that blind spot position until the other driver notices you there
    2. Speed up or drop back so the other driver can see you
    3. Match their speed exactly for one minute
    4. Move closer to their rear bumper
    Show answer

    Speed up or drop back so the other driver can see you. Lingering beside a rear corner keeps you invisible in the neighboring blind spot. Matching speed locks the trap shut, and crowding the bumper helps nothing. Either ease ahead into clear view or fall back behind the corner. The same escape matters double beside trucks and buses, whose blind areas swallow whole cars. On multi lane roads this escape also keeps you clear if that driver suddenly reaches for an exit.

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

13. 13. What speed guidance does the manual give for driving on ice?

    1. About 10 mph below the dry pace
    2. Half your normal speed throughout
    3. Slow to a crawl, or skip the trip
    4. The posted limit if studded tires are fitted
    Show answer

    Slow to a crawl, or skip the trip. Ice demands a crawl, and the manual urges skipping the trip entirely when roads turn icy. Both the 10 mph trim and the halving rule belong to milder surfaces and leave far too much speed for glare ice. Studded tires may be barred locally and never restore posted pace. Bridges freeze early and stay slick longest, so treat every shiny overpass on a cold morning as a cue to lift off and roll gently.

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

14. 14. Pumping and the parking brake have failed to stop your car. What final steps does the manual give?

    1. Downshift and seek a safe runoff
    2. Keep driving slowly until brakes return
    3. Steer onto the sidewalk and stop there
    4. Turn off the engine at highway speed
    Show answer

    Downshift and seek a safe runoff. When pedal pumping and the parking brake both fall short, drop to lower gears and hunt a safe runoff clear of the roadway. Continuing without brakes and mounting a sidewalk endanger everyone nearby. Cutting the engine at speed removes steering assist and invites a slide. Never drive the vehicle further once stopped until brakes are repaired, since the failure will repeat.

    Study this in the handbook: Vehicle emergencies and skids

15. 15. Why should a driver with diabetes have regular eye examinations?

    1. Check for diabetes-related night blindness or other vision problems.
    2. Renew corrective lenses for reading at home rather than driving.
    3. Wait until a crash reveals a vision problem.
    4. Qualify for a daytime license.
    Show answer

    Check for diabetes-related night blindness or other vision problems.. Diabetes can damage vision quietly, including night blindness and other problems that affect driving. Regular eye examinations can identify those changes before they contribute to a crash. Renewing corrective lenses for reading at home, waiting until a crash reveals a problem, or qualifying for a daytime license is not the purpose stated in the manual. The question concerns checking for diabetes-related vision problems that may make driving unsafe.

    Study this in the handbook: Vision, fatigue, health and distraction

16. 16. What traffic pattern at toll plazas calls for lower speed?

    1. Lanes never change near plazas, even when traffic is heavy.
    2. All traffic stops for one minute at a toll plaza.
    3. At toll plazas, vehicles change lanes, stop and speed up.
    4. Plaza roads are usually empty.
    Show answer

    At toll plazas, vehicles change lanes, stop and speed up.. Toll plazas combine lane changes, preparation to stop, reacceleration after the booths, and possible changes in the number of lanes. Those movements make the area unpredictable and call for lower speed. The lanes are not fixed or empty, and traffic does not stop for a timed minute. Approach in a chosen lane and expect other drivers to change position around the plaza.

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

17. 17. A deer with wet hooves starts across a slick road ahead of you. What should you expect?

    1. The deer will hurry off the slick surface
    2. The deer may slow down on the slick surface
    3. The deer will stop at the road edge
    4. The deer will cross only in daylight
    Show answer

    The deer may slow down on the slick surface. Animals with hooves, such as deer, often slow down on slick surfaces instead of hurrying across, so be ready to slow down and let them cross. Expecting a quick dash, a stop at the edge, or daylight only movement all misread how wildlife behaves near roads, especially at dawn, dusk and in the first hours after dark. Where one animal crosses, more may follow. Scan the road edges in deer country and cover the brake when an animal steps out.

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

18. 18. With a manual shift vehicle, what should clutch and accelerator practice achieve?

    1. Race the engine during every gear change.
    2. Release the clutch fully while the vehicle is stopped at a light.
    3. The engine neither races nor stalls during a gear change.
    4. Skip every gear change on hills.
    Show answer

    The engine neither races nor stalls during a gear change.. With a manual transmission, clutch and accelerator practice should keep the engine from racing too fast or stalling during gear changes. Skipping gears, releasing the clutch fully at every stop, or racing the engine does not describe that goal. Smooth coordination matters because an engine that stalls or surges can disrupt control, especially when the vehicle is moving through traffic or starting on a grade.

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

19. 19. Why avoid swinging wide as you complete a right turn?

    1. It may make the turn too sharp.
    2. Drivers in the far lane may not expect you there.
    3. It gives your vehicle the right of way.
    4. It keeps the vehicle in the nearest lane.
    Show answer

    Drivers in the far lane may not expect you there.. If a driver swings wide while completing a right turn, drivers in the far lane may not expect the turning vehicle to enter their path. That lack of expectation is the danger identified by the manual. A wide swing does not give the turning vehicle extra right of way, and it does not keep the vehicle in the nearest lane. Use the proper turn path and watch the far lane.

20. 20. How may a New Mexico driver's blood alcohol content ordinarily be determined?

    1. Only through a roadside balance exercise
    2. By checking the vehicle's fuel gauge
    3. Only by asking the driver how many drinks were consumed
    4. By a breath, blood, or urine test
    Show answer

    By a breath, blood, or urine test. The manual identifies breath, blood, and urine tests as the usual ways to determine BAC. A balance exercise or the driver's estimate may provide observations, but neither is the listed measurement method. The fuel gauge has no connection to alcohol concentration. When a question asks how BAC is determined, focus on the biological samples or breath measurement rather than the separate issue of whether an officer observed unsafe driving.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and DWI