NM Permit Practice Test 6

All 20 questions in test 6

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. A driver turning left at an intersection faces an oncoming vehicle going straight. Who yields?

   
   1. Neither driver when both have a green light
   2. The oncoming driver going straight
   3. The driver who entered the intersection second
   4. The driver turning left
   Show answer

   The driver turning left. The left turning driver must yield to an oncoming vehicle that is continuing straight. A green signal may allow the turn, but it does not remove the need to wait for a safe gap in opposing traffic. The oncoming vehicle does not have to slow merely because the turning vehicle arrived first. Keep the wheels positioned for a controlled turn, watch the approaching lane, and complete the turn only after the through vehicle has cleared.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections

2. 2. What extra document is required for an instructional permit applicant under 18?

   1. A work schedule signed by an employer
   2. A notarized statement from every passenger
   3. A consent form signed by a parent or guardian
   4. A court order authorizing night driving
   Show answer

   A consent form signed by a parent or guardian. An applicant under 18 must have a consent form signed by a parent or guardian when applying for an instructional permit. The employer statement relates to one provisional license exception for driving during restricted hours, not permit issuance. Passenger statements and court orders are not listed for this step. The cue is the applicant's age at the permit stage: once the driver is under 18, the knowledge and vision tests are not enough by themselves. Parental or guardian consent must also be supplied.

   Study this in the handbook: Permits and the graduated license

3. 3. What does the Four Second Sight Distance Rule tell a driver to do?

   1. Speed up whenever an object is visible four seconds away
   2. Slow down if the vehicle reaches the object before four seconds finish
   3. Use four seconds only when following a motorcycle
   4. Count four seconds after crossing a stop line
   Show answer

   Slow down if the vehicle reaches the object before four seconds finish. The sight-distance rule tests whether speed matches the distance the driver can clearly see. Choose a stationary object ahead and count through four seconds. Reaching it before the count is complete means the vehicle is traveling too fast for the available view, so speed should be reduced. The rule is not a reason to accelerate, and it is not limited to motorcycle following. It applies when hills, curves, darkness, rain, fog, or snow shorten the stopping view. Use the same check at night to avoid overdriving the headlights.

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

4. 4. What validity period and renewal window does the manual give for a New Mexico driver license?

   1. Eight years only, renewable up to six months early
   2. Two or four years, renewable up to 30 days early
   3. Four or eight years, renewable up to 90 days early or 30 days late
   4. One or two years, renewable up to 60 days early
   Show answer

   Four or eight years, renewable up to 90 days early or 30 days late. A New Mexico driver license is valid for either four or eight years. The manual permits renewal up to 90 days before expiration or as late as 30 days after expiration. The two-year and one-year options change the stated validity period, while six months early exceeds the listed advance window and 30 or 60 days early falls short of it. Plan around the actual expiration date, and bring the current license plus another proof of identity when renewing because the timing rule does not replace the document requirement.

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

5. 5. Which headlights should a driver use in fog or during heavy snow or rain?

   1. Low beams
   2. High beams only
   3. Parking lights only
   4. No lights until visibility improves
   Show answer

   Low beams. Low beams are the safer choice in fog and heavy precipitation because high-beam light can reflect back toward the driver. That glare makes the road ahead harder to see, even though the high beams seem brighter. Parking lights do not provide the forward illumination needed for travel, and waiting with no lights makes the vehicle harder for others to detect. Reduce speed as visibility falls and use fog lights if the vehicle has them. The key cue is reflected glare: more light is not automatically more usable light in a dense weather condition.

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

6. 6. What does a small bright blinking light in the middle of a red traffic signal tell you?

   1. It alerts you that the red light means you must stop
   2. It allows a driver to treat the light as green
   3. It marks a lane reserved only for buses
   4. It warns that the signal is out of service
   Show answer

   It alerts you that the red light means you must stop. A small bright blinking light inside the red indication is an added alert, not permission to proceed. Its purpose is to draw attention to the red light and the duty to stop. Treating it as green reverses the signal, and a bus lane sign would be posted separately rather than hidden inside the red lens. It also is not the same as a dark or failed signal. The cue is the red display itself: stop, then wait for the lawful signal or allowed turn movement.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and arrows

7. 7. A New Mexico driver alters the birth date on a driver license to buy beer. What does the manual say this can lead to?

   1. Nothing, because it is only a liquor law matter
   2. A written warning only on the first offense
   3. Two points but no license action
   4. Loss of driving privileges
   Show answer

   Loss of driving privileges. The manual lists attempting to change the information on your license, or using someone else's license, when trying to buy an alcoholic beverage as a reason for losing driving privileges. It is not treated as a liquor matter with no license consequence. The manual does not describe a warning only rule for a first attempt. Nor does it treat this as a points only violation; it appears on the list of offenses that can take the license. The legal age to buy, consume, or possess alcohol in New Mexico is 21.

   Study this in the handbook: Permits and the graduated license

8. 8. What maximum speed does the New Mexico manual list within a school zone with a posted speed limit?

   1. 10 mph
   2. 15 mph
   3. 20 mph
   4. 25 mph
   Show answer

   15 mph. The manual's speed table lists 15 mph within a school zone with a posted speed limit. Ten mph is lower than the listed figure. Twenty and 25 mph are higher than the figure in New Mexico's table. The same table lists 30 mph in business or residential areas, 55 mph on public highways, and 75 mph on rural interstates, unless posted otherwise.

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

9. 9. Which statement about a New Mexico instructional permit is true for a 15 year old applicant?

   1. The applicant needs no supervised practice until age 16
   2. The applicant may drive alone after passing the vision test
   3. The applicant may skip the knowledge test if a parent signs consent
   4. The applicant must be enrolled in an approved driver education course
   Show answer

   The applicant must be enrolled in an approved driver education course. A person who is 15 or older must be enrolled in and attending a driver education course approved by the Traffic Safety Bureau. Parent consent for a minor does not replace the knowledge test, and an instructional permit does not authorize unsupervised driving. The course also includes DWI education and practice driving. Verify enrollment before treating the permit as active, then follow the separate supervision requirement each time the learner drives.

   Study this in the handbook: Permits and the graduated license

10. 10. What should a driver do before entering a railroad crossing?

    1. Slow down, look both ways along the tracks, and make sure there is room beyond the crossing
    2. Accelerate so the vehicle spends less time on the tracks
    3. Stop on the tracks if traffic beyond the crossing is backed up
    4. Shift gears while crossing to maintain engine power
    Show answer

    Slow down, look both ways along the tracks, and make sure there is room beyond the crossing. A railroad crossing demands a deliberate check of both directions and the space on the far side. Enter only when your vehicle can clear the rails without stopping. The acceleration choice focuses on speed while ignoring whether the exit is blocked, and stopping on the tracks creates a dangerous position. Reduce speed early, search for trains and warning signals, and keep the vehicle moving smoothly across once the route is open.

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

11. 11. An injured person at a crash scene is bleeding. What should you do?

    1. Give them water to drink
    2. Press directly on the wound
    3. Move them to your car right away
    4. Wait for the ambulance first
    Show answer

    Press directly on the wound. If someone is bleeding, apply pressure directly on the wound with your hand or a cloth. Even severe bleeding can almost always be stopped or slowed by putting pressure on the wound. Do not give an injured person anything to drink, not even water, and do not move them unless they are in a burning vehicle or in immediate danger of being hit. To help prevent shock, cover them with a blanket or coat to keep them warm.

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

12. 12. At a crash scene with several injured people, whom should you help first?

    1. Anyone who is walking around
    2. Anyone not walking and talking
    3. The driver who caused the crash
    4. Whoever is shouting the loudest
    Show answer

    Anyone not walking and talking. First help anyone who is not already walking and talking, then check for breathing and for bleeding. Make sure police and emergency medical help have been called. Do not move injured people unless they are in a burning vehicle or in immediate danger of being hit, and do not give them anything to drink, not even water. Get the names and addresses of everyone involved and any witnesses for the accident report.

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

13. 13. When must a driver stop for a school bus with red lights flashing?

    
    1. When children are visible outside the bus and walking toward the road
    2. When you are following the bus, but not when meeting it on the road
    3. When the bus is stopped on either side of the road, unless a median separates the roadway
    4. Only on roads with one lane in each direction
    Show answer

    When the bus is stopped on either side of the road, unless a median separates the roadway. A flashing red school-bus signal requires a stop whether the bus is on your side, across from you, or at an intersection you are approaching. The exception is a roadway divided by a median or another physical barrier, when the bus is traveling toward you on the separated side. Waiting for visible children is unsafe because students may be hidden. After the lights stop, continue only once children have left the roadway and the path is safe.

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

14. 14. How much space should a New Mexico driver try to give when passing a bicyclist?

    1. At least five feet
    2. At least one foot
    3. At least two feet
    4. Space is needed only if the bicyclist signals
    Show answer

    At least five feet. The manual tells drivers to keep a safe distance when passing a bicyclist, trying for at least five feet, and to pass only when safe and legal. One or two feet is far too close. The space is not tied to the bicyclist signaling. Bicycles are legal vehicles with the same rights and responsibilities as cars, and they may take the whole lane when needed, such as to prepare for a left turn or avoid debris.

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

15. 15. Where are you likely to see the orange slow-moving vehicle decal?

    1. On construction equipment and farm vehicles
    2. On school buses and taxis
    3. On police cars and ambulances
    4. On rental cars and moving trucks
    Show answer

    On construction equipment and farm vehicles. A reflective orange triangle on the rear of a vehicle means it is traveling less than 25 mph. You may see this decal on construction equipment, and in rural areas on farm vehicles or horse-drawn wagons or carriages. Farm tractors, animal-drawn vehicles, and roadway maintenance vehicles usually go 25 mph or less, so use caution when you come up behind them. The manual says these vehicles should have the orange triangle decal on the back.

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

16. 16. Who must wear a helmet when riding a bicycle, according to the New Mexico manual?

    1. Adults
    2. Riders over 65
    3. Sharrow-street riders
    4. Minors
    Show answer

    Minors. The manual says adults should, and minors must, wear a well fitting helmet when bicycling. That makes it a requirement for minors, not only a recommendation. There is no rule tied to riders over 65 or to sharrow streets. Do not confuse this with the motorcycle rule, which requires helmets for drivers and passengers under 18. The same section tells bicyclists to wear bright colors, use proper lighting, and be predictable, because bicycles can be hard for motorists to see.

17. 17. What changes may orange work area warnings announce?

    1. Reduced speeds, detours, or changing road surfaces
    2. A permanent increase in the posted speed
    3. A guaranteed open lane through the work area
    4. A nearby railroad train schedule
    Show answer

    Reduced speeds, detours, or changing road surfaces. Work area warnings can announce reduced speed, detours, slow-moving construction equipment, or poor and suddenly changing road surfaces. These conditions require extra scanning because workers, equipment, and lane paths may change near the vehicle. The open-lane choice gives false assurance, while the speed-increase choice contradicts the warning's purpose. Slow down, follow signs and cones, and obey a person directing traffic with a sign or flag. Orange signs are the cue that construction, maintenance, or emergency operations may have changed the normal roadway, even when the work itself is not immediately visible.

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

18. 18. What does the yellow pennant-shaped sign mark?

    
    1. The beginning of a hospital service area
    2. A place where passing is not permitted
    3. A zone where passing is required
    4. A route for emergency vehicles only
    Show answer

    A place where passing is not permitted. The pennant identifies a no-passing area, where roadway conditions or hidden hazards make an overtaking maneuver unsafe or prohibited. The sign is not an instruction to pass, and it has no connection with hospitals or emergency-only routes. Even where a passing sign is absent, the driver must still judge sight distance and traffic before overtaking. Treat the pennant as a prompt to remain behind the vehicle ahead until the restriction ends and a legal opportunity appears.

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

19. 19. What does the railroad crossbuck look like, and where is it placed?

    1. An orange rectangle on the side of the train
    2. A round yellow sign well before the crossing
    3. A yellow diamond sign at the nearest corner
    4. A white X-shaped sign at the crossing itself
    Show answer

    A white X-shaped sign at the crossing itself. A white, X-shaped sign, or crossbuck, with the words Railroad Crossing on it is located at the railroad crossing. It has the same meaning as a yield sign, so you must yield to crossing trains. The round yellow sign with an X and the letters RR is placed along the road before you reach the crossing. Crossings with more than one track often post a sign showing the number of tracks.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossing signs and rules

20. 20. How much farther do high beams let you see than low beams?

    1. The same distance
    2. About 10 percent farther
    3. Twice as far
    4. Ten times as far
    Show answer

    Twice as far. High beams let you see twice as far as low beams, so use them whenever there are no oncoming vehicles, especially on unfamiliar roads, in construction areas, or where people may be along the road. Dim them within about one block of an oncoming vehicle, and use low beams within 200 feet when following another vehicle. In fog or heavy rain or snow, use low beams, because high beams reflect back and cause glare.

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