NM Permit Practice Test 4

All 20 questions in test 4

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 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
   Show answer

   25 mph or less. These vehicles usually travel at 25 mph or less, which is why a driver should identify them early, reduce speed smoothly, or change lanes only when the path is clear. Expecting them to match ordinary traffic can lead to a late lane change or rear-end collision. The posted limit is not their operating speed, and assuming they travel at highway speed defeats the warning provided by the orange slow-moving-vehicle decal. Scan hills and entry points for them, leave room, and pass only when visibility and lane space make the maneuver safe.

2. 2. What does a pair of solid yellow lines between opposing traffic lanes mean?

   
   1. Passing is allowed during daylight hours
   2. Both directions may pass after signaling
   3. Only trucks may cross to pass
   4. Neither direction may pass
   Show answer

   Neither direction may pass. Two solid yellow lines separate opposing traffic where passing is prohibited for both directions. The marking is not changed by daylight, vehicle type, or a turn signal. A driver may still cross a solid yellow line to enter a driveway when it is safe, but that limited movement is not permission to overtake another vehicle. When you see the double solid pair, stay in your lane and wait for a marking or sign that permits a legal pass.

3. 3. What action is required at a red, eight-sided stop sign?

   1. Make a full stop at the sign or stop line
   2. Slow briefly and continue if the road looks clear
   3. Yield only to pedestrians in the crosswalk
   4. Stop only when another vehicle is approaching
   Show answer

   Make a full stop at the sign or stop line. The octagonal shape identifies a stop sign, and the required action is a full stop. If a stop line is present, stop before reaching it, then wait until crossing traffic and pedestrians have cleared before moving forward. A brief slowdown does not satisfy the rule, and the duty does not depend on seeing another vehicle. The reliable habit is wheels stopped, scan both directions, and proceed only after the intersection is safe.

4. 4. At a stop sign, where should a driver stop when a stop line is present?

   1. Past the crosswalk so the front bumper reaches cross traffic
   2. At the stop line, before entering the intersection
   3. Only after crossing the intersection to see better
   4. Beside the sign with the vehicle partly in the next lane
   Show answer

   At the stop line, before entering the intersection. A stop sign requires a full stop, and the manual specifies the stop line when one is present. Stopping beyond the line or in the intersection places the vehicle into the area reserved for crossing traffic and pedestrians. Waiting beside the sign does not establish a proper stopping position. Approach under control, stop at the marked line, then wait until crossing vehicles and pedestrians have cleared before moving forward when safe.

5. 5. A New Mexico provisional licensee needs to drive home from a job at 1:00 AM. What document makes this late drive allowed?

   1. A copy of a recent pay stub
   2. A signed statement from a police officer
   3. A signed statement from the licensee's employer
   4. No document, because working teens are fully exempt
   Show answer

   A signed statement from the licensee's employer. Provisional licensees may not drive between midnight and 5:00 AM, but driving to and from work is an exception when it is backed by a signed statement from the employer. A pay stub is not the evidence named in the manual. A statement from a police officer is not one of the listed forms of evidence. The exception is not automatic, so a working teen without the employer's statement has no exemption. Other exceptions use different signers: a parent or guardian for family or medical necessity, and a school, religious official, or parent for school or religious activities.

6. 6. According to the New Mexico manual, with how many drinks in your bloodstream are you impaired and at risk of arrest?

   1. Four or more
   2. Six or more
   3. Two or more
   4. Only when you feel drunk
   Show answer

   Two or more. The manual says that with two or more drinks in your bloodstream you are impaired and could be arrested. Four or six drinks set the line far too high. Waiting until you feel drunk is exactly the trap the manual warns about, since alcohol affects judgment and you do not know when you have had too much until it is too late. The manual's rule is that no amount of alcohol is safe, and even one drink can affect your driving.

7. 7. How close to a hill or curve that blocks your view may you start to pass, according to the New Mexico manual?

   1. Within 100 feet of it, if the road looks empty
   2. Do not start to pass within one-third of a mile of it
   3. Anywhere, as long as you honk first
   4. Within one block of it, if the passing zone has not ended
   Show answer

   Do not start to pass within one-third of a mile of it. The manual says to treat a hill or curve like an oncoming vehicle and not start to pass within one third of a mile of it, which is about 10 seconds of travel. One hundred feet or one block leaves no room if a vehicle appears over the hill. Honking does not warn an oncoming driver you cannot see. Anytime your view is blocked by a curve or hill, assume there is an oncoming vehicle just out of sight.

8. 8. 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
   Show answer

   6 months. The manual says people with epilepsy should have frequent check ups, manage their medicine carefully, and be stable and seizure free for a 6 month period before being issued a license. One and three months are shorter than the stated period. Five years greatly overstates it. New Mexico also requires drivers with epilepsy, diabetes, heart conditions, and other medical problems to send MVD periodic medical statements signed by their physicians.

9. 9. In very heavy rain, a snowstorm, or thick fog, what speed limit applies when visibility is only about 200 feet?

   1. The driver cannot safely drive faster than 30 mph
   2. The driver may use the posted limit without adjustment
   3. The driver must stay below 10 mph in every case
   4. The driver may drive 50 mph if headlights are on
   Show answer

   The driver cannot safely drive faster than 30 mph. Limited sight distance demands a lower safe speed. Seeing only about 200 feet means a driver cannot safely travel faster than 30 mph in the severe weather described by the manual. The posted limit does not override the visibility problem, and the manual does not impose a universal 10 mph ceiling for these conditions. Headlights help others see the vehicle but do not make 50 mph safe when the driver cannot see far enough to stop. Reduce speed further if visibility or traction worsens, and pull off safely if driving becomes impossible. A clear view of the roadway is the cue for selecting a safe pace.

10. 10. On packed snow, how should a driver adjust speed compared with normal travel?

    1. Maintain the posted maximum whenever tires have tread
    2. Reduce speed by about 10 miles per hour
    3. Cut speed in half
    4. Slow only to a crawl, as required for ice
    Show answer

    Cut speed in half. Packed snow calls for cutting speed in half because the tires have less grip and the vehicle needs more room to respond. The choice “Reduce speed by about 10 miles per hour” is the manual's approximate adjustment for a wet road, so applying it to packed snow understates the hazard. The choice “Maintain the posted maximum whenever tires have tread” ignores the need to adjust for slippery conditions, even when tires appear serviceable. The choice “Slow only to a crawl, as required for ice” is the instruction for ice, which is more severe than the packed snow guidance. Treat the surface as soon as snow is packed, reduce the normal speed substantially, and remember that the posted limit assumes better conditions.

11. 11. What is the maximum speed listed for a rural interstate highway unless posted otherwise?

    1. 75 mph
    2. 60 mph
    3. 70 mph
    4. 55 mph
    Show answer

    75 mph. The manual lists 75 mph as the maximum speed for rural interstate highways unless a different limit is posted. The 55 mph figure applies to public highways, while 60 and 70 mph are not the listed rural interstate maximums in this table. A posted limit still controls, and drivers must adjust for traffic, weather, vehicle type, and safety. Identify the road category before recalling the number because the manual assigns different maxima to school zones, business or residential areas, public highways, and rural interstates.

12. 12. If the gas pedal sticks and the motor keeps accelerating, what should you do right away?

    1. Apply the parking brake as the first action
    2. Reach down and pull the pedal with both hands
    3. Turn sharply onto the shoulder before looking
    4. Keep your eyes on the road and shift to neutral
    Show answer

    Keep your eyes on the road and shift to neutral. A stuck gas pedal demands control before anything else. Keep looking where the vehicle is going, then quickly shift to neutral so engine power no longer drives the wheels. Reaching down for the pedal takes eyes and hands away from control, and a sharp turn before checking the roadway can cause a crash. The parking brake is not listed as the first response for this problem. Once the vehicle is no longer accelerating, pull off when safe and turn off the engine.

13. 13. What must a driver do at a stop sign or stop line?

    1. Yield only to vehicles approaching from the left
    2. Slow down and continue if no vehicle is close
    3. Stop only with the front wheels past the crosswalk
    4. Make a full stop and wait until crossing traffic and pedestrians clear
    Show answer

    Make a full stop and wait until crossing traffic and pedestrians clear. At a stop sign, the driver must come to a full stop at the sign or at the stop line when one is present. The vehicle must remain stopped while crossing vehicles and pedestrians clear, moving forward only when it is safe. A rolling slowdown does not meet the rule, and the location of the stop is not past the crosswalk. Scan in every direction before proceeding because the obligation is to clear both traffic and pedestrians, not just one approaching lane.

14. 14. If the tires begin to hydroplane, which immediate steering and braking response is advised?

    1. Brake hard while turning toward the shoulder
    2. Ease off the gas, keep the wheel straight, and avoid stopping or turning until grip returns
    3. Accelerate to force the tires through the water
    4. Shift suddenly and steer across the lane
    Show answer

    Ease off the gas, keep the wheel straight, and avoid stopping or turning until grip returns. Hydroplaning means the tires have ridden up on water and lost contact with the roadway. The manual's response is to ease off the gas, keep the steering wheel straight, and wait to stop or turn until the tires grip again. Hard braking or a sharp turn can cause a skid while traction is reduced. Acceleration does not restore the contact needed for control, and a sudden lane movement adds another hazard. Slow down whenever rain or standing water threatens traction, keep tires in good condition, and make only a gradual turn if an emergency leaves no alternative.

15. 15. During the provisional period, what alcohol or drug record condition is required before an unrestricted license?

    1. Drug offenses count only after the unrestricted license is issued
    2. One alcohol offense is allowed if no crash occurred
    3. Only convictions from the last 30 days count
    4. No adjudication of guilt and no pending offense involving alcohol or drugs
    Show answer

    No adjudication of guilt and no pending offense involving alcohol or drugs. For an unrestricted license, the driver must not have been found guilty and must not have a pending offense involving alcohol or drugs during the provisional period. The one-offense option is wrong because the manual gives no crash-based exception. Thirty days is also wrong; the condition applies to the provisional period. Drug offenses are included directly with alcohol offenses. When checking unrestricted eligibility, look beyond the holding period and traffic violations to any alcohol or drug matter still attached to the provisional stage.

16. 16. When may an injured person be moved after a crash?

    1. Whenever the person cannot answer questions
    2. Only when the person is in a burning vehicle or in immediate danger of being hit
    3. Before emergency help is called
    4. Whenever moving the person seems more convenient
    Show answer

    Only when the person is in a burning vehicle or in immediate danger of being hit. After a crash, do not move an injured person unless the person is in a burning vehicle or faces another immediate danger of being hit. Unnecessary movement can worsen injuries, even when the person cannot answer questions. Call police and emergency medical or rescue services, then provide appropriate aid while protecting the person from further danger. The narrow exception is tied to an urgent threat, not convenience or uncertainty about the person's condition.

17. 17. At the stop sign shown, where must you stop?

    
    1. At least 30 feet beyond the intersection
    2. After entering the crosswalk so you can see farther
    3. Only when a crossing vehicle reaches the intersection
    4. At the stop sign or stop line, if one is present
    Show answer

    At the stop sign or stop line, if one is present. New Mexico requires a full stop at the stop sign or at the stop line when one is marked. After stopping, wait for crossing vehicles and pedestrians to clear, then pull forward only when it is safe. Stopping past the crosswalk can block people who are crossing and puts the vehicle beyond the control point. The practical cue is to identify the line before braking and stop before it, even if the road appears empty. An empty intersection changes the traffic you must watch, not the duty to make a complete stop.

18. 18. How far before a turn should a New Mexico driver signal?

    1. Only after entering the intersection
    2. At least 25 feet before the turn
    3. At least 100 feet before the turn
    4. Only when another driver honks
    Show answer

    At least 100 feet before the turn. The manual tells drivers to signal at least 100 feet before making a turn. Twenty-five feet gives other road users far less time to react, and signaling after entering the intersection is too late for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians to plan around your movement. Waiting for a horn turns a required communication habit into a reaction to someone else's warning. Use the 100 foot cue before braking or changing position so nearby traffic can understand your intent early.

19. 19. What does the crossed-out left-turn symbol tell a driver?

    
    1. A left turn is required from the marked lane
    2. A left turn is prohibited at that location
    3. A left turn is permitted only after midnight
    4. A left turn must be made from the shoulder
    Show answer

    A left turn is prohibited at that location. The manual identifies no left turn as one of the regulatory actions represented by a red slash over a symbol. Because the displayed movement is crossed out, a driver must not make that left turn at the sign. The sign does not require a turn, create a time window, or authorize use of the shoulder. Look for a different permitted route, especially before reaching the intersection. A nearby lane arrow or a green signal cannot cancel a posted prohibition on the movement shown.

20. 20. At a four way stop, two vehicles arrive at the same time. Which vehicle should go first?

    
    1. The vehicle on the right
    2. The vehicle on the left
    3. The vehicle traveling faster
    4. The vehicle with more passengers
    Show answer

    The vehicle on the right. At a four way stop, every driver must first make a complete stop. When two vehicles reach the intersection at the same time, the vehicle on the right goes first. Arrival order controls when one vehicle clearly reaches the stop before another, but it does not resolve a tie. Do not use vehicle size, speed, or passenger count as a tie breaker. After the vehicle on your right proceeds, check again before entering.