NC Permit Practice Test 4

All 20 questions in test 4

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. What road condition does a pedestrian crossing warning sign tell you to anticipate?

   1. Pedestrians are prohibited from entering the roadway
   2. A sidewalk is closed for maintenance
   3. People may be crossing, so watch and prepare to yield
   4. Only school buses may use the next lane
   Show answer

   People may be crossing, so watch and prepare to yield. A pedestrian crossing warning calls attention to people who may be using the roadway ahead. The driver should watch carefully, reduce risk through appropriate speed, and be ready to yield rather than assume the path is clear. The sign does not ban pedestrians, announce sidewalk repairs, or reserve a lane for school buses. Its practical cue is the walking figure: scan the crossing area, check both sides, and anticipate someone entering your path.

2. 2. The diamond-shaped traffic signal panel is what kind of sign?

   1. A regulatory sign imposing a speed limit
   2. A guide sign identifying a route
   3. A warning sign that alerts drivers to a condition ahead
   4. A service sign identifying a nearby facility
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   A warning sign that alerts drivers to a condition ahead. The traffic signal symbol appears on a diamond-shaped warning panel, so it alerts drivers to a condition ahead rather than imposing a direct movement rule. The actual signal controls traffic once you reach it, but the warning sign gives advance notice to scan forward and prepare. A regulatory sign would state a limit or other requirement, a guide sign would provide route information, and a service sign would identify a facility. The diamond outline is the quick visual cue to expect caution and an upcoming signal.

3. 3. Why is a STOP AHEAD sign placed before a stop sign?

   1. The driver’s view of the stop sign may be blocked
   2. The road has no legal stopping point
   3. The next intersection permits passing only
   4. A railroad gate is always nearby
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   The driver’s view of the stop sign may be blocked. The STOP AHEAD warning is placed far enough before a stop sign to alert drivers when a curve or another object blocks the view of that stop sign. It is advance notice, not a replacement for the required full stop at the actual stop location. The sign does not remove a stopping point, create a passing rule, or indicate a railroad gate. Once the stop sign becomes relevant, locate the proper stopping position and stop before proceeding when the way is clear.

4. 4. What color pattern does the North Carolina handbook say diamond-shaped caution or warning signs normally use?

   1. Blue on white
   2. White on red
   3. Black on yellow
   4. Green on brown
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   Black on yellow. The handbook describes diamond-shaped signs as caution or warning signs that are normally black on yellow. This combination alerts drivers to a roadway condition or hazard ahead. Black on orange has a narrower use in the handbook, warning about construction or maintenance areas. White on red is associated with other traffic messages, while blue, green, and brown commonly appear on guide or informational signs. The yellow diamond is the visual cue to scan ahead, adjust speed if needed, and prepare for the condition shown.

5. 5. When diamond-shaped warning signs are orange with black messages, what do they warn about?

   1. Hospital entrances and telephone services
   2. Railroad crossings with multiple tracks
   3. Construction or maintenance areas
   4. The beginning of a city speed zone
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   Construction or maintenance areas. Orange diamond-shaped signs with black messages warn about construction or maintenance areas. Drivers should expect unusual lane arrangements, workers, equipment, or changing pavement conditions and respond with extra care. A railroad crossing has its own circular advance warning sign and crossbuck, while blue and white signs identify services such as a hospital or telephone. A city speed zone is a regulatory matter shown by a different sign style. The orange background is the key cue that road work or maintenance conditions may affect the normal path.

6. 6. What does the pennant-shaped yellow warning sign emphasize?

   1. The circular railroad crossing sign
   2. The rectangular regulatory DO NOT PASS sign
   3. The blue and white hospital sign
   4. The five-sided school crossing sign
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   The rectangular regulatory DO NOT PASS sign. The pennant-shaped yellow warning sign emphasizes the rectangular regulatory DO NOT PASS sign. It reinforces the beginning of a no-passing zone rather than replacing the rule-setting sign. The circular sign with RR warns of a railroad crossing, and the five-sided sign warns of a school zone or school crossing. Blue and white signs identify services or facilities. When a pennant appears on the left side of the road, look for the solid yellow line and treat the area ahead as the start of a no-passing restriction.

7. 7. Where is the pennant-shaped yellow warning sign located, and what does it mark?

   1. On the left side of the road, at the beginning of a no-passing zone
   2. Above the lane, where a railroad crossing begins
   3. Beside the shoulder, where a school zone ends
   4. On the right side of the road, at the end of a passing zone
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   On the left side of the road, at the beginning of a no-passing zone. The pennant is placed on the left side of the road and points to the beginning of a no-passing zone. The handbook connects that point with the continuous yellow pavement marking beside the driver’s lane. It is not an end marker, an overhead railroad notice, or a school-zone sign. A driver who sees the pennant should stop planning a pass and check the pavement marking before continuing. Its location on the left and its distinctive pennant shape provide an early cue that the passing restriction is about to begin.

8. 8. What does the circular railroad warning sign with a black cross and RR on yellow announce?

   1. A railroad crossing that requires an immediate U-turn
   2. A school crossing with a five-sided sign
   3. A construction area with a temporary speed limit
   4. An advance warning of a railroad crossing
   Show answer

   An advance warning of a railroad crossing. The circular sign with a black cross and RR on a yellow background gives advance warning of a railroad crossing. It appears before the tracks, so the driver has time to slow down and determine whether stopping is necessary to clear the crossing safely. The sign does not order a U-turn, identify road construction, or mark a school crossing. At the tracks, a gate, signal, or flagger can require a full stop. Treat the circular RR symbol as an early warning to look and listen for a train.

9. 9. What driving adjustment is recommended when approaching a curve?

   1. Brake hard only after reaching the middle
   2. Accelerate until the curve is complete
   3. Slow down before entering the curve
   4. Use the shoulder to straighten the path
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   Slow down before entering the curve. North Carolina recommends slowing before entering a curve so you do not need to brake while traveling through it. Entering too fast can make the vehicle harder to control, and sudden braking or shoulder use creates additional risk. Acceleration is not the handbook’s basic approach. The curved arrow is a prompt to prepare early: reduce speed while the vehicle is straight, then maintain a controlled path through the bend and adjust only as needed.

10. 10. A sharp-turn warning should prompt the driver to do what before the turn?

    1. Reduce speed early and approach with control
    2. Maintain the posted speed without adjustment
    3. Accelerate to finish the turn quickly
    4. Stop in the travel lane before turning
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    Reduce speed early and approach with control. A sharp turn leaves less room for a late correction, so the safe response is to lower speed before entering and keep the vehicle controlled throughout the bend. Holding speed automatically, accelerating, or stopping in the travel lane can create a hazard for following traffic. The right-angle arrow is a cue that the change in direction is more abrupt than an ordinary curve. Read any advisory speed, then set a manageable pace before steering into the turn.

11. 11. After slowing before a curve, what does the North Carolina handbook advise to maintain traction?

    1. Brake sharply throughout the curve
    2. Gradually increase speed while rounding the curve
    3. Cross the center line to straighten the curve
    4. Accelerate suddenly before the road begins to turn
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    Gradually increase speed while rounding the curve. After a driver slows before entering a curve, the handbook advises gradually increasing speed to maintain the traction needed for control while rounding it. Sudden braking can upset the vehicle, and crossing the center line creates a conflict with opposing traffic. A sharp acceleration is also different from the smooth adjustment described in the handbook. The practical cue is to make the speed change progressively, keep the vehicle on its side of the road, and maintain enough control to follow the curve without abrupt steering or braking.

12. 12. When a traffic control device requires a stop at an intersection and a marked stop line is present, where must the driver stop?

    1. At the center of the intersecting street
    2. Past the intersection where the road is widest
    3. Beside the nearest parked vehicle
    4. At the appropriately marked stop line
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    At the appropriately marked stop line. When a stop sign, traffic light, flashing light, or another traffic control device requires a stop, the driver must stop at the appropriately marked stop line. Stopping beyond the line can place the vehicle in the intersection or into a crosswalk. The other choices describe locations that do not establish the required stopping point and could obstruct traffic or pedestrians. As you approach, identify the line early, brake smoothly, and keep the vehicle behind it until the signal or intersection rule allows movement.

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

    1. A route where passing is required
    2. The beginning of a no-passing zone
    3. The end of every posted speed limit
    4. A school crossing with reduced hours
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    The beginning of a no-passing zone. The yellow pennant is positioned on the left side of the road and points to the beginning of a no-passing zone. It emphasizes the regulatory DO NOT PASS sign and corresponds with the solid yellow line in your lane. It does not require passing, end a speed limit, or identify a school crossing. When the pennant appears, treat the upcoming section as a place where passing is prohibited and keep your vehicle behind the slower traffic until the restriction ends.

14. 14. Why should you leave generous space when driving beside a large truck?

    1. The truck is legally allowed to cross into your lane
    2. Large vehicles always travel faster than posted limits
    3. A truck’s brakes cannot work on level pavement
    4. Air currents from the larger vehicle can affect your steering
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    Air currents from the larger vehicle can affect your steering. The handbook warns that wind currents created by a large vehicle may affect your steering, so the practical response is to give the truck plenty of room. That effect does not grant the truck permission to cross lanes, imply that it exceeds speed limits, or mean its brakes fail on level ground. Keep a stable path, avoid lingering beside the truck, and use the extra space as a buffer. The visual cue is the truck’s size and the air movement around it.

15. 15. What is the legal maximum speed of a moped in North Carolina?

    1. 40 miles per hour
    2. 30 miles per hour
    3. 50 miles per hour
    4. 55 miles per hour
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    30 miles per hour. North Carolina defines the moped’s legal top speed as no more than 30 miles per hour. A machine capable of more than that is illegal for use in the state, even if its design resembles a moped. The 40, 50, and 55 mile-per-hour choices confuse the vehicle’s legal ceiling with roadway speed limits or a faster machine’s capability. Check the moped’s size and maximum speed before purchase, because those details affect whether it can be operated legally.

16. 16. Who must wear a safety belt in a moving vehicle in North Carolina?

    1. Only the driver
    2. Every person occupying the vehicle
    3. Only front seat occupants
    4. Only passengers under 16
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    Every person occupying the vehicle. North Carolina's law is broad: every person occupying a vehicle in motion must have a safety belt properly fastened. Children should ride in a rear seat in child safety seats approved for their age and size. Air bags are supplemental protection, not a substitute, and the lap belt should be worn under the abdomen and low across the hips with the shoulder portion over the collarbone. Failing to restrain a child also adds points.

17. 17. A traffic light has malfunctioned because of a power outage. What should you do when approaching the intersection?

    1. Wait for the light to display green before moving
    2. Continue through if cross traffic is not visible
    3. Yield only to vehicles on your left
    4. Treat every approach as controlled by a stop sign
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    Treat every approach as controlled by a stop sign. A dark or malfunctioning traffic light is handled as a stop sign on all approaches. That means you must approach carefully, stop as required, and proceed only when the intersection can be entered safely. Simply checking whether cross traffic is visible does not replace the required stop. The rule also changes if a law enforcement officer or another authorized person is directing traffic, or if another traffic-control device is operating. Remember the practical cue: a dead signal creates an all-approaches stop condition, rather than granting a free passage to the driver who arrives first or sees an empty roadway.

18. 18. As an emergency vehicle approaches from ahead or behind, what must a driver do?

    1. Drive to the right-hand curb or edge of the road and stop completely
    2. Move left and stop in the center of the roadway
    3. Pull alongside the emergency vehicle and wait for instructions
    4. Continue at the same speed until the emergency vehicle passes
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    Drive to the right-hand curb or edge of the road and stop completely. North Carolina directs a driver to move to the right-hand curb or edge of the road and stop completely when an emergency vehicle approaches from either direction. The stop creates a predictable path for the responding vehicle. Continuing at the same speed does not yield, and moving left can place the driver in the emergency vehicle’s path. Pulling alongside it is not the instruction and can obstruct responders. After stopping, remain there until the emergency vehicle has passed or a traffic officer directs you to move. Watch mirrors and listen for sirens so the maneuver begins early.

19. 19. An emergency vehicle approaches from ahead or behind. Until when must a driver remain stopped after moving aside?

    1. Until the driver behind begins moving
    2. Until the emergency vehicle turns off its headlights
    3. For exactly thirty seconds
    4. Until the vehicle passes or a traffic officer directs movement
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    Until the vehicle passes or a traffic officer directs movement. After moving to the right-hand curb or edge and stopping, the driver must remain stopped until the emergency vehicle has passed or a traffic officer directs the driver to move. The following driver cannot give permission to proceed, and a fixed thirty-second pause may be too short or unnecessarily long. Headlight use is not the release signal. Watch the responding vehicle and any officer managing the scene. The practical sequence is pull right, stop completely, wait for the vehicle to clear, and then follow lawful directions before reentering traffic.

20. 20. What does a solid red arrow mean for traffic intending to turn?

    1. Turning traffic must stop
    2. The turn is allowed after sounding the horn
    3. Only pedestrians must stop
    4. The turn is protected and may proceed
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    Turning traffic must stop. A red arrow stops the movement shown by the arrow. Turning traffic must wait rather than treating the indication like a permissive turn. A green arrow is the protected movement that allows a cautious entry, while a flashing yellow arrow permits a turn only after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. Sounding the horn cannot replace the signal indication, and pedestrians are not the only road users governed by the red arrow. Identify the arrow direction, stop before entering the intersection, and wait for a signal that authorizes the intended movement.