NM Permit Practice Test 2

All 20 questions in test 2

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 two documents does the manual say a driver needs when renewing a New Mexico driver license?

   1. The current license and one other proof of identity
   2. A vehicle title and a recent fuel receipt
   3. A school transcript and a road test certificate
   4. Only a signed statement from an employer
   Show answer

   The current license and one other proof of identity. For renewal, the manual says to bring the current driver license plus one other proof of identity. A vehicle title or fuel receipt does not replace the identity document, and the general rule does not require an employer statement. Gather both items before visiting the licensing office, while remembering that a vision, knowledge, or driving test may also be required in special cases. The key distinction is identity proof, not proof about the vehicle.

2. 2. A yellow signal is flashing at an intersection. What driving response does the manual call for?

   1. Stop and remain stopped until a green light appears
   2. Slow down and proceed with caution
   3. Speed up because the intersection has priority
   4. Treat the signal as permission to disregard pedestrians
   Show answer

   Slow down and proceed with caution. A flashing yellow light calls for reduced speed and cautious progress through the intersection. It is not a stop signal that requires waiting for green, and it does not cancel the driver's duty to watch for pedestrians, crossing traffic, or other hazards. Speeding up removes the time needed to react. Approach with control, scan the complete intersection, and be ready to stop if the conditions make continuing unsafe.

3. 3. 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
   Show answer

   Get the vehicle off the road and away from traffic. For a highway breakdown, the manual's first protective measure is to get the vehicle off the road and away from traffic whenever possible. Leaving it in a lane exposes the disabled vehicle to a rear-end crash, while standing in the roadway creates danger for the driver. Stopping just beyond a hill hides the problem from approaching traffic. If the vehicle cannot be moved, use emergency flashers and choose a visible location, then warn other road users without entering the travel lane.

4. 4. What is the safest practice when a driver must make or take a cell phone call?

   1. Drive faster so the call ends sooner
   2. Hold the phone below the steering wheel while moving
   3. Dial only while stopped at a red light in traffic
   4. Pull to the side of the road whenever possible
   Show answer

   Pull to the side of the road whenever possible. The manual identifies both dialing and talking as distractions and recommends pulling to the side of the road whenever possible before placing or taking a call. Holding the phone low still divides attention, and a red light in traffic is not the same as being safely clear of moving lanes. Speeding adds risk rather than removing it. Some New Mexico towns also prohibit handheld use while driving unless a hands-free device is used. The practical habit is to stop in a safe location first, then handle the call without splitting attention between traffic and the device.

5. 5. Which passengers must wear appropriate safety restraints while the vehicle is moving?

   1. Only children younger than 24 months
   2. Only children riding in the front seat
   3. All children under the age of 12
   4. Only passengers who weigh less than 60 pounds
   Show answer

   All children under the age of 12. New Mexico's restraint section says all children under 12 must wear appropriate safety restraints while the vehicle is in motion. The under 24 months and under 60 pounds thresholds describe a narrower group that must use an approved safety device, not the full child restraint rule. Limiting the requirement to the front seat is also wrong because children should ride secured in the rear seat. The cue is motion: before the vehicle moves, confirm that every child under 12 is restrained properly.

6. 6. 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
   Show answer

   Directions and distance to places such as cities, airports, or state lines. Destination signs give route guidance by showing directions and distances to locations such as cities, airports, state lines, parks, historic areas, and museums. They are not used to set work zone speed, mark no-passing boundaries, or show insurance status. The most useful cue is the green or brown rectangular guide sign format, followed by place names or mileage. On a trip, match those signs to your planned route early enough to change lanes calmly instead of making a late maneuver.

7. 7. 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
   Show answer

   The lane is reserved for vehicles with more than one person, with signs giving the required number and times. HOV means High Occupancy Vehicles. The sign reserves the lane for vehicles carrying more than one person and states the passenger count, days, and hours that apply. Saying any vehicle may use it at all times ignores the posted reservation. Hazardous materials and stop requirements are separate controls. When approaching an HOV lane, read the full sign before entering because the number and time limits determine whether your vehicle qualifies at that moment.

8. 8. Where must a driver stop when a sign or signal requires a stop near a crosswalk?

   1. After the front bumper enters the crosswalk
   2. Before reaching the stop line or crosswalk
   3. In the middle of the intersection
   4. Beyond the crosswalk so the vehicle is closer to traffic
   Show answer

   Before reaching the stop line or crosswalk. The required stopping point is before the vehicle reaches the stop line or crosswalk. This keeps the marked pedestrian area open and gives a person room to cross without walking around the front of a stopped vehicle. The after-entry choice places the vehicle where it can block pedestrians and may put its front into conflicting traffic. Brake in time to stop before the marking, check both sides, and move only when the sign or signal and the intersection are clear.

9. 9. What right of way does a pedestrian have when using a guide dog or carrying a white cane?

   1. The pedestrian has absolute right of way
   2. The pedestrian must wait for a vehicle to wave them across
   3. The pedestrian has priority only in a marked crosswalk
   4. The pedestrian must yield whenever a vehicle is turning
   Show answer

   The pedestrian has absolute right of way. A pedestrian using a guide dog or carrying a white cane receives absolute right of way under the manual. Drivers must give that person space and should not use the horn, because the sound could confuse or frighten the pedestrian. The marked-crosswalk choice is too narrow because the protection described is not limited to painted lines. When you notice a guide dog or white cane, stop your vehicle if needed and let the pedestrian complete the crossing safely.

10. 10. Who must go through New Mexico's graduated driver license system?

    1. Drivers under the age of 18, until they meet the unrestricted license requirements
    2. Every new driver, regardless of age
    3. Only drivers under 16
    4. Only drivers who fail the road test
    Show answer

    Drivers under the age of 18, until they meet the unrestricted license requirements. New Mexico requires anyone under 18 to participate in the graduated driver license system until they qualify for an unrestricted license. The system has three levels: instructional permit, provisional license, and unrestricted license. It is keyed to age under 18, so saying every new driver must go through it overstates the rule. Limiting it to drivers under 16 leaves out 16 and 17 year olds. Failing a road test has nothing to do with who is placed in the system.

11. 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
    Show answer

    Twenty-five years. The manual says any DWI conviction stays on the driving record for twenty five years. Three, seven, and ten years are all far shorter than the stated period. That long lookback matters because later DWI convictions bring increased fines, more jail time, and longer revocation. A first conviction already brings fines, court costs, possible jail, treatment, and an ignition interlock.

12. 12. What driving response do New Mexico warning signs call for?

    
    1. Ignore the roadway until a regulatory sign appears
    2. Accelerate before reaching the sign
    3. Slow down and be prepared to stop if necessary
    4. Stop immediately in every case
    Show answer

    Slow down and be prepared to stop if necessary. Warning signs tell drivers to slow down and be prepared to stop if necessary. They provide advance notice of a road condition, but they do not require an immediate stop every time or authorize acceleration toward the hazard. Ignoring the warning until another sign appears gives the driver less time to react. Ease off the accelerator, look for the condition represented by the sign, and decide whether traffic, pedestrians, or the roadway requires a full stop.

13. 13. At night, your headlights let you see about 400 feet ahead. About what speed lets you stop within that distance?

    1. About 30 mph
    2. About 65 mph
    3. About 75 mph
    4. About 50 mph
    Show answer

    About 50 mph. The manual says headlights show about 400 feet ahead, and you should drive at a speed that lets you stop within that distance, about 50 mph. Driving faster means overdriving your headlights, so 65 and 75 mph are too fast for the headlight range. Thirty mph matches a sight distance of only about 200 feet, the figure for very heavy rain, snow, or thick fog. The Four Second Sight Distance Rule can be used at night to check this.

14. 14. Near a fire station driveway, where may you not park in New Mexico?

    1. Within 10 feet on either side of the street
    2. Within 20 feet on the same side of the street or within 75 feet on the other side
    3. Within 50 feet on the same side only
    4. Within 75 feet on the same side or within 20 feet on the other side
    Show answer

    Within 20 feet on the same side of the street or within 75 feet on the other side. The manual bans parking within 20 feet of a fire station driveway on the same side of the street, or within 75 feet of the driveway on the other side of the street. Ten feet on either side is not the rule. Fifty feet on the same side only drops the opposite side restriction. The choice with 75 feet on the same side swaps the two distances; the larger 75 foot distance applies across the street, giving fire trucks room to swing out.

15. 15. Why should a driver avoid dialing or talking on a cell phone while driving?

    1. It can be a dangerous distraction from safe driving
    2. It automatically cancels vehicle insurance
    3. It makes headlights turn off
    4. It changes the posted speed limit
    Show answer

    It can be a dangerous distraction from safe driving. The cell phone section warns that dialing or even talking can distract a driver from safe driving. Insurance cancellation, headlight failure, and posted speed changes are not the manual's reason for caution. The important cue is divided attention: handling a call competes with steering, scanning, speed control, and judging gaps. Pulling over remains the better response whenever possible, and some towns require hands-free use. Treat the need to place or answer a call as a reason to leave moving traffic first.

16. 16. What does a curve warning require a driver to consider?

    
    1. A traffic signal that controls the next intersection
    2. A straight section where passing is always permitted
    3. A change in roadway direction that calls for an earlier speed adjustment
    4. A parking area where the vehicle must stop
    Show answer

    A change in roadway direction that calls for an earlier speed adjustment. The manual includes curves among the road situations covered by warning signs and explains that a vehicle travels faster in a straight line than in a curve. That is a reason to adjust speed before the change in direction, not to assume passing is allowed. The sign does not represent a signal or parking instruction. Reduce speed while the vehicle is still straight, look through the bend, and maintain a stable path. Entering too fast leaves less control if the curve tightens or sight distance changes.

17. 17. What must a driver do when rain, snow, ice, or fog makes the posted maximum unsafe?

    1. Use the shoulder at the posted speed to avoid slick pavement
    2. Drive at the posted maximum because it is always safe
    3. Wait for a separate weather sign before slowing
    4. Reduce speed to match the conditions
    Show answer

    Reduce speed to match the conditions. A posted maximum is not a target that overrides weather. The manual specifically says to reduce speed when the roadway is slippery, during rain, snow, icy conditions, or when fog makes it difficult to see clearly. The posted maximum choice ignores that condition based duty. No separate weather sign is needed before a driver responds to visible danger, and the shoulder is not a substitute travel lane. The practical cue is the surface and sight distance ahead: lower speed early enough to preserve traction, maintain control, and stop within what you can see.

18. 18. You are beside a solid yellow line and a dashed yellow line. When is passing prohibited?

    1. When the dashed yellow line is on your side
    2. When the solid yellow line is on your side
    3. Only when both lines are white
    4. Only after a vehicle behind you signals
    Show answer

    When the solid yellow line is on your side. Passing is prohibited when the solid yellow line is on your side of the roadway. That line marks the side where crossing to overtake is not allowed, while a dashed yellow line on your side can permit passing when the road and traffic make it safe. The choice “When the dashed yellow line is on your side” reverses the rule and would wrongly forbid a permitted passing side. Before crossing the center marking, look at the line closest to your vehicle, then check visibility, traffic, and road conditions. A solid line beside you is the immediate warning to stay in lane.

19. 19. At the shown yield sign, which traffic must receive priority before you enter?

    
    1. Only pedestrians standing on the far sidewalk
    2. Only traffic directly behind your vehicle
    3. Traffic in the intersection or on the roadway you are entering
    4. No traffic, because the sign gives you priority
    Show answer

    Traffic in the intersection or on the roadway you are entering. The yield sign applies to traffic already in the intersection being crossed or on the roadway being entered. It does not create priority for the driver facing the sign. Checking only behind misses the vehicles most likely to conflict, and limiting the rule to pedestrians on a far sidewalk ignores moving traffic in the path. Approach slowly enough to evaluate the whole conflict area. If another vehicle is close enough to be affected, let it proceed before you enter.

20. 20. What should you do first if a tire suddenly blows out while driving?

    1. Shift into reverse to slow the vehicle
    2. Press the brake pedal hard and steer off immediately
    3. Turn sharply toward the nearest lane edge
    4. Keep control, ease off the accelerator, and avoid abrupt braking
    Show answer

    Keep control, ease off the accelerator, and avoid abrupt braking. The first response to a blowout should preserve control rather than create a second emergency. Keep the vehicle pointed steadily, remove pressure from the accelerator, and let speed fall before applying gentle braking. A hard brake or sharp turn can make the damaged tire’s pull more dangerous. Reverse is not an appropriate emergency maneuver and could cause a collision. Keep both hands ready, avoid panic inputs, and leave the travel lane only after the vehicle is stable enough to guide safely.