NC Permit Practice Test 3

All 20 questions in test 3

Every question below comes from the North Carolina 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. When a driver under 18 must use a cell phone while the vehicle is moving, whom may the driver call about an emergency?

   1. A friend who is waiting for a ride
   2. An emergency response operator
   3. A business for a nonurgent appointment
   4. A parent about a routine schedule change
   Show answer

   An emergency response operator. North Carolina prohibits drivers under 18 from using a cell phone or related technology while operating a moving vehicle on a public street, highway or public vehicular area. The listed emergency exception allows a call to an emergency response operator. A friend, a routine parent call and a nonurgent business call do not match that narrowly defined purpose. If an urgent situation develops, focus first on controlling the vehicle and make only the permitted emergency call. The cue is that the exception is tied to emergency assistance, not ordinary communication.

2. 2. When is parking on a North Carolina highway shoulder legal?

   1. Any time the vehicle is off the pavement
   2. Only at night with flashers on
   3. Only if the parked vehicle can be seen by approaching drivers from both directions for at least 200 feet
   4. Never
   Show answer

   Only if the parked vehicle can be seen by approaching drivers from both directions for at least 200 feet. Parking on the paved or primary travel portion of any North Carolina highway is illegal, and parking on the shoulder is also against the law unless the parked vehicle can be seen by approaching drivers from both directions for a distance of at least 200 feet. Getting off the pavement is not enough on a curve or hill. The same list bars parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or a fire station entrance.

3. 3. When an eligible North Carolina Level Two driver reaches age 18, which upgrade is available online?

   1. A commercial driver license automatically
   2. A motorcycle endorsement without testing
   3. A regular Class C license
   4. A Level One Limited Learner Permit
   Show answer

   A regular Class C license. At age 18, an eligible driver may upgrade to a regular Class C license online. That provision does not automatically grant commercial privileges or a motorcycle endorsement, and moving backward to a learner permit is unrelated. A useful distinction is between the normal graduated path and the age milestone: Level Two can progress to Level Three, but age 18 opens the direct Class C upgrade described in the handbook.

4. 4. What lane practice is required while traveling inside a multi-lane roundabout in North Carolina?

   1. Do not change lanes while in the roundabout
   2. Use the shoulder to pass slower traffic
   3. Change lanes at every exit
   4. Drive across the center island before exiting
   Show answer

   Do not change lanes while in the roundabout. Drivers should choose the appropriate lane before entering a multi-lane roundabout and then remain in that lane while circulating. The handbook expressly says not to change lanes inside the roundabout. Changing at every exit increases conflict points, the shoulder is not a passing lane, and the center island is not a travel path. Plan the exit early by reading signs and pavement markings before you enter.

5. 5. When a railroad crossing gate is lowered or a flagger signals an approaching train, how far from the nearest rail must a driver stop?

   1. At least 100 feet away in every case
   2. Exactly 5 feet from the rail
   3. Within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet
   4. After crossing the nearest track
   Show answer

   Within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet. North Carolina's railroad rule requires stopping within 50 feet, but not less than 15 feet, from the nearest rail when a gate is lowered or a flagger gives the train signal. Stopping five feet away is too close, 100 feet is not the stated universal distance, and crossing before stopping defeats the protection. Leave a clear buffer, remain stopped, and wait until the signal or flagger indicates that proceeding is safe.

6. 6. When rain reduces visibility on a North Carolina roadway, which combination does the handbook require?

   1. Keep normal speed and use parking lights only
   2. Use high beams without windshield wipers
   3. Drive more slowly and use headlights and windshield wipers
   4. Stop in the travel lane until the rain ends
   Show answer

   Drive more slowly and use headlights and windshield wipers. Rain reduces visibility and makes pavement dangerous, so the handbook directs drivers to travel more slowly and use both headlights and windshield wipers. Parking lights alone do not provide the stated lighting response, high beams can create glare, and stopping in a travel lane creates another hazard. The road cue is to reduce speed before visibility worsens, switch on the required equipment, and leave additional following space for slippery pavement.

7. 7. What passenger restraint rule applies to all occupants in a North Carolina Level Two limited provisional vehicle?

   1. Every passenger must use a seat belt or child safety seat
   2. Only front-seat passengers must be restrained
   3. Only passengers younger than 16 must be restrained
   4. Restraints are optional when the trip is under five miles
   Show answer

   Every passenger must use a seat belt or child safety seat. The Level Two limited provisional rules require every passenger to be restrained by a seat belt or child safety seat. The requirement is not limited to the front row, a particular age, or a short trip. A quick drive can still produce a crash, so distance does not create an exception. Before moving, check that each occupant has the appropriate restraint secured. The useful cue is the license level and the word all: a Level Two vehicle may carry passengers only when each person is protected by the required belt or child seat.

8. 8. At the pictured STOP sign, where must the driver stop?

   1. Only after entering the intersection for a better view
   2. At the marked stop line, or before the intersection if no line is marked
   3. Only when another vehicle is approaching
   4. At least 50 feet before the sign in every case
   Show answer

   At the marked stop line, or before the intersection if no line is marked. A STOP sign requires a full stop at the appropriately marked stop line. If there is no stop line or marked crosswalk, the driver stops before entering the intersection at a point with a view of the intersecting street. Waiting for another vehicle is unnecessary, and stopping after entering the intersection is too late. Use the line or crosswalk as the first reference, then stop before the intersection when those markings are absent.

9. 9. At the pictured YIELD sign, when is a complete stop required?

   1. Every time, even when the intersection is empty
   2. Never, because a yield sign requires continued motion
   3. Only when a police officer is present
   4. When stopping is needed to avoid interfering with traffic on the intersecting street
   Show answer

   When stopping is needed to avoid interfering with traffic on the intersecting street. A YIELD sign tells the driver to slow down and give the right of way. A complete stop is needed when traffic on the intersecting street would otherwise be interfered with, so stopping is conditional rather than automatic. The sign does not authorize rolling through a conflict, and it does not require an officer to be present. Approach slowly, assess the crossing traffic, and wait whenever continuing would interfere.

10. 10. What driving error does the North Carolina handbook say to avoid by watching for a DO NOT ENTER sign?

    1. Parking beside a fire hydrant
    2. Traveling the wrong way on an interstate
    3. Passing a school bus with red lights
    4. Stopping on railroad tracks
    Show answer

    Traveling the wrong way on an interstate. The handbook places the DO NOT ENTER reminder in its interstate-driving guidance, where a driver may accidentally enter a ramp or roadway in the wrong direction. The sign warns against traveling into opposing traffic. Fire-hydrant parking, school-bus passing, and stopping on tracks are separate safety rules with different signs or signals. If the roadway layout seems confusing, slow down, read the regulatory signs, and pull over safely rather than continuing into a prohibited entrance.

11. 11. Rectangular and square-shaped signs that are normally black and white or red and white are used for what purpose?

    1. Warning that a railroad crossing is immediately ahead
    2. Showing speed limits and other traffic regulations
    3. Identifying hospitals and roadside telephone locations
    4. Marking the beginning of every passing zone
    Show answer

    Showing speed limits and other traffic regulations. North Carolina uses rectangular and square-shaped signs for speed limits and other regulations. Their black and white or red and white designs can present instructions that govern how traffic uses the road. A railroad warning uses a circular sign with a black cross and RR, while blue and white signs identify certain services. The beginning of a no-passing zone is marked by a pennant-shaped warning sign. When a rectangular panel gives a number, restriction, or movement instruction, treat it as a rule-setting message and follow its wording.

12. 12. Which message does the North Carolina handbook give as an example on a rectangular or square-shaped regulatory sign?

    1. RAILROAD CROSSING
    2. HOSPITAL AHEAD
    3. SCHOOL CROSSING
    4. NO U-TURN
    Show answer

    NO U-TURN. The handbook lists NO U-TURN as an example of the messages carried by rectangular and square-shaped regulatory signs. That wording tells drivers that a particular turning movement is prohibited. RAILROAD CROSSING belongs to a crossbuck sign at the tracks, while a school crossing warning uses a five-sided sign. Hospital information is presented with blue and white guide or service signs. Read the words on a rectangular panel carefully because a restriction such as this carries the force of a traffic rule, not a general suggestion.

13. 13. The pictured red slash over a turning arrow belongs to which sign category?

    1. A warning sign for a road surface
    2. A guide sign showing a preferred route
    3. A regulatory sign prohibiting a movement
    4. A service sign for a driver facility
    Show answer

    A regulatory sign prohibiting a movement. A red slash over a movement communicates that the movement is prohibited, which is a traffic regulation. The handbook specifically lists NO U-TURN among the messages used on rectangular regulatory signs. A guide sign would provide directions, a warning sign would call attention to a condition, and a service sign would identify an available facility. Treat the prohibition as enforceable at the location shown. The slash is the visual cue to stop considering that turn as an available option.

14. 14. The pictured prohibition sign is an example of a sign used to show what?

    1. A route direction
    2. A driver service
    3. A road hazard
    4. A traffic regulation
    Show answer

    A traffic regulation. The pictured prohibition communicates a rule governing what drivers may do at that location. The handbook explains that rectangular and square-shaped signs are used to show speed limits and other regulations, and it warns that ignoring them violates traffic laws. A route direction belongs to guide signs, a road hazard is the role of a warning sign, and a driver service identifies facilities such as food or fuel. Read the symbol and obey the movement restriction before proceeding.

15. 15. What do rectangular and square-shaped red-and-white signs show?

    1. Speed limits and other traffic regulations
    2. Only warnings about road surfaces
    3. Only services available at the next exit
    4. Only directions to nearby towns
    Show answer

    Speed limits and other traffic regulations. North Carolina uses rectangular and square-shaped signs, commonly black and white or red and white, to show speed limits and other regulations. The pictured prohibition is therefore a regulatory message, not a route guide, surface warning, or service marker. A guide sign directs drivers, a warning sign alerts them to a roadway condition, and a service sign identifies a facility. Read the symbol and wording together, then follow the restriction at the location where it is posted. The useful cue is the rectangular regulatory sign shape and its red-and-white treatment.

16. 16. A white sign displaying a numerical speed limit is what kind of sign?

    1. A regulatory sign showing a traffic limit
    2. A guide sign naming a highway
    3. A warning sign that may be ignored in daylight
    4. A construction sign marking a detour
    Show answer

    A regulatory sign showing a traffic limit. A numerical speed limit is a regulation, so the white panel is a regulatory sign. It states the posted maximum that applies at that roadway location, subject to the conditions and other rules governing safe driving. It is not merely advisory, a route marker, or a construction detour notice. The handbook groups rectangular and square signs with speed limits alongside other regulations. The number on the panel is your immediate cue to check your speed before continuing.

17. 17. What type of instruction does a KEEP RIGHT sign provide?

    1. A notice that parking is reserved
    2. A warning that the pavement is slippery
    3. A route shield for a numbered highway
    4. A regulatory instruction about roadway position
    Show answer

    A regulatory instruction about roadway position. KEEP RIGHT is an instruction governing the way traffic uses the roadway, so it is regulatory. The handbook names KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS as an example of a message on a regulatory sign and says failure to obey such signs violates traffic law. The panel is not warning about traction, identifying a numbered route, or reserving a parking space. Treat the arrow around the obstruction as an immediate lane-position direction and adjust before reaching the divider.

18. 18. Where is the railroad crossbuck sign located?

    1. Far before the tracks as an advance warning
    2. Only beside a school crossing
    3. At the entrance to a highway work zone
    4. At the railroad crossing itself
    Show answer

    At the railroad crossing itself. The crossbuck is installed at the railroad crossing itself. The handbook distinguishes it from the circular yellow RR sign, which gives advance warning before the tracks. If a smaller panel appears below the crossbuck, it tells you that multiple tracks are present. A school crossing and a work zone use different warning signs. As you reach the crossbuck, stay alert for a train and obey any flagger, signal, or gate that requires you to stop.

19. 19. What does the circular yellow RR sign warn you about?

    1. A school zone beginning immediately
    2. A railroad crossing ahead
    3. A required route around a work zone
    4. A hospital entrance ahead
    Show answer

    A railroad crossing ahead. The circular yellow sign with RR and a black cross gives advance warning of a railroad crossing ahead. It tells you to reduce speed and be prepared to stop if needed so the vehicle can clear the tracks safely. The sign is not a school, hospital, or construction route marker. Advance warning is the key distinction: the sign appears before the crossing, while the crossbuck is positioned at the tracks. Scan both directions as you approach.

20. 20. What does a five-sided yellow warning sign identify?

    1. A school zone or school crossing
    2. A no-passing zone on a rural road
    3. A guide route through a city
    4. A railroad crossing at the tracks
    Show answer

    A school zone or school crossing. The five-sided, or pentagon, warning sign identifies a school zone or school crossing. Drivers should watch especially carefully for children there, and some school zones reduce the speed limit during specified school hours. The railroad warning uses a circular shape, while no-passing and guide signs have different purposes. Do not treat the pentagon as a general route marker. Its distinctive five-sided outline is the cue to expect children and to moderate speed near the school area.