ND Permit Practice Test 1

All 20 questions in test 1

Every question below comes from the North Dakota 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. In North Dakota, when may you turn right on a red light?

   1. After stopping, when the way is clear
   2. Without stopping, if no cars are coming
   3. Only when a green arrow is also lit
   4. Never; right turns on red are illegal
   Show answer

   After stopping, when the way is clear. You may turn right on a red light after stopping, when the intersection is clear of both pedestrians and vehicles, unless a sign prohibits a right turn on red. Rolling through without a full stop is not allowed. A NO TURN ON RED sign, which some intersections display electronically, takes away this permission. North Dakota also allows a left turn on red from a one-way street onto another one-way street under the same kind of conditions.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and arrows

2. 2. A school bus ahead turns on its yellow caution lights. What do they warn you about?

   1. The bus is leaving the stop
   2. The bus has broken down
   3. You may pass the bus quickly
   4. The bus is about to stop
   Show answer

   The bus is about to stop. When a school bus has yellow caution lights, they may be used to warn that the bus is about to stop and that the red flashing lights will soon come on. Get ready to stop, because once the red lights flash, drivers approaching from both directions must stop while children are loaded or unloaded. Speeding up to get past the bus is the wrong reaction. Be especially alert every time you see a school bus.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way rules

3. 3. When visibility is less than 1,000 feet because of fog, what lighting action does the manual require?

   1. Use only the parking lights and leave headlights off
   2. Use the vehicle's headlights
   3. Turn on hazard lights while keeping all other lights off
   4. Use high beams continuously so the fog reflects more light
   Show answer

   Use the vehicle's headlights. North Dakota calls for headlights during inclement weather when visibility falls below 1,000 feet because of rain, snow, sleet, hail, smoke, or fog. The visibility threshold is the key detail, not a time of day rule. Parking lights alone or hazard lights alone do not meet a rule that names headlights, and the manual says nothing about running high beams continuously in fog. Use the headlights and slow down so you can stop within the distance your headlights cover.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way rules

4. 4. When a school bus is stopped with red lights flashing, who must stop?

   
   1. Only drivers traveling toward the bus
   2. Only drivers traveling behind the bus
   3. Drivers approaching from both directions
   4. No one if the bus is on a straight road
   Show answer

   Drivers approaching from both directions. A stopped school bus with flashing red lights requires drivers approaching from both directions to stop because children may be loading or unloading. The bus location, road straightness, or your direction of travel does not remove that protection. Wait until the bus moves, the driver signals that traffic may pass, or the red lights stop flashing. The key roadside cue is the red light condition, so begin checking for the bus and children before you reach it rather than braking at the last moment.

   Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles and school buses

5. 5. What roadway change should you anticipate from this added-lane warning?

   
   1. The roadway will gain an additional lane of traffic
   2. Your lane will end at the next driveway
   3. All traffic must enter the left shoulder
   4. The road becomes one-way immediately
   Show answer

   The roadway will gain an additional lane of traffic. The Added Lane warning shows a roadway joining from the right and continuing as a separate lane. Unlike a Merge sign, the two upward arrows remain separate, so an immediate merging movement is not required. Continue in the appropriate lane and check traffic before changing lanes. The extra lane does not remove the need to watch vehicles beside you or to signal before moving across a lane line.

   Study this in the handbook: Warning, school and work zone signs

6. 6. What roadway condition is represented by the two opposing arrows?

   
   1. Traffic may pass on either shoulder
   2. The road has two-way traffic
   3. The highway is divided permanently
   4. Only turning vehicles may continue
   Show answer

   The road has two-way traffic. Two opposing arrows warn that the road has two-way traffic, so vehicles may approach from the opposite direction in the next lane. Passing on the shoulder is not a normal travel rule, and the divided highway choice describes the opposite condition, where a median separates the two directions. The sign also does not reserve the road for turning vehicles. On two-way roads you must drive on the right side, so keep right and watch for oncoming traffic.

   Study this in the handbook: Warning, school and work zone signs

7. 7. When parallel parked in North Dakota, how close to the curb should your wheels be?

   1. Within 3 feet
   2. Within 2 feet
   3. Touching the curb
   4. Within one foot
   Show answer

   Within one foot. When you parallel park, your wheels should be parallel to the right-hand curb and within one foot of it. Two or three feet leaves the car sticking out into traffic. The handbook's steps start by signaling and stopping even with the vehicle ahead, about two feet away from it, then backing slowly into the space and stopping in the center of it. Signal and yield to oncoming vehicles when you leave the space.

   Study this in the handbook: Warning, school and work zone signs

8. 8. What does the slash over the left-pointing arrow prohibit?

   
   1. Stopping at a red light
   2. A right turn from a side street
   3. Passing a bicyclist with room
   4. A left turn at the posted location
   Show answer

   A left turn at the posted location. The sign forbids the left-turn movement shown by its arrow. The right-turn option points to a different maneuver, while safely passing a bicyclist and stopping at a red light are separate driving actions. The manual explains that a red circle with a red slash marks the action that is forbidden, so read the underlying arrow before acting. Continue straight or choose another lawful route until the restriction ends, and do not assume a clear intersection cancels the posted prohibition.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory and guide signs

9. 9. What color and legend do North Dakota warning signs use?

   1. Green with a white legend
   2. Blue with a white legend
   3. Yellow with a black legend
   4. White with a red legend
   Show answer

   Yellow with a black legend. North Dakota warning signs are yellow with a black legend. This color and lettering combination helps drivers recognize information about hazards before reaching the condition. Blue and white are commonly associated with services, while green and white identify guide information such as directions. A white sign with red lettering is not the warning-sign pattern described here. When the yellow and black combination appears, read the symbol or message and adjust speed and attention for what lies ahead.

   Study this in the handbook: Warning, school and work zone signs

10. 10. How deep must water be to reach the bottom of most passenger cars, possibly causing loss of control or stalling?

    1. Two inches
    2. Two feet
    3. One foot
    4. Six inches
    Show answer

    Six inches. The handbook warns that six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars, which can cause loss of control or stalling. Two feet of moving water can carry away most vehicles, including SUVs and pickup trucks. Even water that looks shallow can hide dips or a washed-out road surface. Do not drive through flooded areas; turn around and find another route, or go to higher ground and wait for the water to go down.

    Study this in the handbook: Night, winter and deer

11. 11. Why should a driver slow down after rain begins on a hard-surface road?

    1. Only visibility changes; pavement traction remains the same
    2. Rain makes tires grip harder and shortens stopping distance
    3. The roadway becomes safer once water covers the oil
    4. Water mixes with dirt and oil to form a slick film
    Show answer

    Water mixes with dirt and oil to form a slick film. The manual warns that a hard surface roadway is very slippery just after it starts raining, because water combines with road dirt and oil to form a slick film between your tires and the roadway surface. That condition calls for lower speed and alert driving. Rain does not improve grip, and covering the oil does not remove the hazard. The visibility only choice overlooks the loss of traction. The manual adds that most skids result from driving too fast for the conditions on slippery roadways.

    Study this in the handbook: Night, winter and deer

12. 12. In North Dakota, when may a driver take a driver improvement course instead of having points added for a violation?

    1. For violations assigned five or fewer points, once every 12 months
    2. For any violation, as often as desired
    3. Only for DUI
    4. Never; courses only reduce points later
    Show answer

    For violations assigned five or fewer points, once every 12 months. A person may elect to attend a driver improvement course in lieu of points on the record for violations assigned five or fewer points. The option is valid once every 12 months and cannot be combined with the three point reduction for completing an approved course. It is not unlimited, and it does not cover violations assigned more than five points. Points also drop by one for every three month period with no new points recorded.

    Study this in the handbook: Points, texting and other penalties

13. 13. Who may supervise a North Dakota instruction permit holder?

    1. A person 18 or older, licensed for that vehicle class, with at least three years of driving experience
    2. Any licensed driver 16 or older
    3. Only a parent or legal guardian
    4. A person 21 or older with one year of experience
    Show answer

    A person 18 or older, licensed for that vehicle class, with at least three years of driving experience. Whenever you drive on an instruction permit in North Dakota, a person with a valid license for the class of vehicle being driven, who is at least 18 and has at least three years of driving experience, must ride in the seat beside you. It does not have to be a parent. A 16-year-old is too young, and 21 with one year of experience does not match either part of the rule. The supervisor sits beside the permit holder, and no one else may sit in front unless the vehicle has only a front seat.

    Study this in the handbook: Instruction permits and licenses for minors

14. 14. A North Dakota driver refuses an alcohol concentration test but is never convicted of DUI. Is an SR22 filing still required?

    1. No, SR22 applies only after a conviction
    2. Yes, refusing the test also requires proof of financial responsibility (SR22)
    3. No, SR22 is required if the driver caused a crash
    4. No, SR22 insurance is a rule for commercial license holders
    Show answer

    Yes, refusing the test also requires proof of financial responsibility (SR22). The manual says that if you refuse to take an AC test, or if you are convicted of a DUI, the law requires you to show proof of financial responsibility through SR22 insurance coverage. A refusal alone triggers the requirement, so conviction is not needed. A crash and a commercial license are not conditions of the rule. The manual warns that insurance rates could double or triple.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians

15. 15. Under North Dakota's child passenger safety law, how must a 12-year-old be secured?

    1. No restraint is required after age 8
    2. Only in the back seat, with or without a belt
    3. In a seat belt or child restraint
    4. Only in a booster seat
    Show answer

    In a seat belt or child restraint. North Dakota requires children under eight to ride in a child restraint such as a car seat or booster seat (a seat belt may be used for a child at least 57 inches tall), and children ages eight through seventeen to be properly secured in a seat belt or child restraint. A 12-year-old therefore must be belted or restrained. Turning eight does not end the requirement, and a booster is not the only option at that age. Violations cost the driver $25 and one point.

    Study this in the handbook: Points, texting and other penalties

16. 16. What is the lowest BAC threshold for North Dakota's under-21 alcohol driving rule?

    1. 0.05 percent
    2. 0.02 percent
    3. 0.08 percent
    4. 0.10 percent
    Show answer

    0.02 percent. North Dakota uses a lower alcohol concentration threshold for drivers under 21: .02 percent. The .08 percent figure applies to the general adult threshold, so choosing it overlooks the special age based rule. The .05 and .10 options do not match either figure stated in the manual. On a knowledge test, pair the age condition with .02 percent and keep .08 percent associated with the standard adult threshold.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, BAC and implied consent

17. 17. What must a pedestrian do when crossing a North Dakota roadway where there is no crosswalk?

    1. Cross diagonally to shorten the distance
    2. Claim the same priority as a marked crosswalk
    3. Yield to all vehicles on the roadway
    4. Wait only for a vehicle to flash its headlights
    Show answer

    Yield to all vehicles on the roadway. A pedestrian crossing where no crosswalk exists must yield the right of way to all vehicles on the roadway. The crosswalk priority does not transfer to every location, and crossing diagonally does not create a safer or superior right. A headlight flash is not the required permission. The useful cue is to find a crosswalk whenever possible, and otherwise wait for a gap that leaves every approaching vehicle clear to continue.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians

18. 18. When should vehicle headlights be used under North Dakota's night driving guidance?

    1. Only after nine at night
    2. From sunset to sunrise and whenever needed for safe driving
    3. From 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on roads without streetlights
    4. On highways outside city limits after dark
    Show answer

    From sunset to sunrise and whenever needed for safe driving. North Dakota's guidance calls for headlights from sunset to sunrise and at any other time necessary for safe driving. Limiting lights to certain roads or fixed hours is too narrow, because snow, sleet, hail, smoke, fog, or other conditions can also reduce visibility. A clock time or absence of streetlights does not define the full rule. Think of sunset to sunrise as the baseline, then add any weather or visibility condition that requires lights for safety.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way rules

19. 19. When is a U-turn prohibited because the driver's view is too limited?

    1. Only when another vehicle is already turning
    2. On a two lane road where the speed limit is above 35 mph
    3. Near a hill crest or curve where the driver cannot see at least 500 feet
    4. During rush hour on a road with heavy traffic
    Show answer

    Near a hill crest or curve where the driver cannot see at least 500 feet. A U-turn is prohibited near the crest of a hill or on a curve when the driver cannot see 500 feet or more. The concern is whether approaching traffic can be seen in time, not the number of lanes, the speed limit, the presence of a vehicle already turning, or how busy the road is. Before turning around, check the sight distance in both directions and choose a location where other road users can recognize the maneuver safely.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way rules

20. 20. May you use a two-way left-turn center lane to pass a slower vehicle?

    
    1. No, passing is not allowed there
    2. Yes, if no one is turning left
    3. Yes, but only during daylight
    4. Yes, if you signal first
    Show answer

    No, passing is not allowed there. A two-way left-turn lane in the center of the road is reserved only for left-turning vehicles traveling in either direction. Passing or overtaking is not permitted in the center lane, even when it looks empty. Signaling or driving in daylight does not change that rule. Use the center lane only to slow down and wait for a gap to turn left, and watch for drivers coming from the other direction who are using it for the same purpose.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and passing