ND Permit Practice Test 13

All 20 questions in test 13

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. What is the only safe cure for driver fatigue?

   1. Drinking strong coffee
   2. Getting some sleep
   3. Opening the windows
   4. Playing loud music
   Show answer

   Getting some sleep. Fatigue raises the chance of a crash, and the handbook says the only safe cure is to get some sleep. Coffee, fresh air, and loud music may help you feel awake for a short time, but they do not reverse the underlying sleepiness or restore your attention. Those measures therefore do not satisfy the handbook's standard for safety. If you yawn repeatedly, miss signs, or cannot recall the last few miles, stop somewhere safe and rest before you continue.

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

2. 2. You are driving slowly on an Interstate with two lanes in your direction. Which lane should you use?

   1. The left lane
   2. Either lane at any speed
   3. The center lane if one exists
   4. The right lane
   Show answer

   The right lane. The handbook's Interstate driving list says to keep to the right if you are traveling slowly. The left lane is for passing and for faster traffic, so a slow vehicle that stays there forces others to weave around it. On a roadway with two lanes in one direction, use the right lane unless you are passing. A center lane is not a universal slow lane, and choosing either lane at any speed ignores the rule. Move right when faster traffic approaches, and complete any pass before returning to the right lane.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way rules

3. 3. What equipment must every bicycle and motorized bicycle have?

   1. A horn audible from 200 feet away
   2. A speedometer mounted on the handlebars
   3. Each must be equipped with a brake
   4. Mirrors on both sides of the front fork
   Show answer

   Each must be equipped with a brake. All bicycles and motorized bicycles must be equipped with a brake. At night, all bicycles must also have a headlight visible from 500 feet and a red reflector on the rear, with any taillight visible for 500 feet to the rear. A brake is the baseline that applies in daylight as well as darkness. Check it before riding into traffic, since a rider may need to stop for a pedestrian who holds the right of way.

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

4. 4. How should a shoulder belt be worn for proper protection?

   1. Under the arm so the strap does not touch the neck at all
   2. Across the chest and collarbone with minimal slack
   3. Behind the back on short trips around town
   4. Loosely across the stomach below the ribs
   Show answer

   Across the chest and collarbone with minimal slack. Belts must be worn correctly, and shoulder belts should lie across the chest and over the collarbone with minimal, if any, slack. Routing the belt under an arm or behind the back defeats the restraint a crash depends on. Lap belts belong snug and low across the hips rather than across the abdomen. Automatic belts still need a separate lap belt fastened manually for sufficient protection.

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

5. 5. During which months may a snowmobile not be operated on any right of way?

   1. From June 1 to September 1 each summer
   2. From March 1 to October 1 of any year
   3. From April 1 to November 1 of any year
   4. Only during the spring thaw each year
   Show answer

   From April 1 to November 1 of any year. Never operate a snowmobile on any right of way from April 1 to November 1 of any year. The long closed season covers the months when ditches carry crops, water, and bare ground rather than a snow base. A short summer-only ban would wrongly reopen the right of way in April and October. The roadway, shoulder, and inside bank of any road stay off limits in every season.

6. 6. After passing a bicyclist, what should you check before moving back to your normal position?

   1. Check over your shoulder after passing the bicyclist
   2. Assume the rider kept the same speed and line
   3. Look only at the vehicle approaching fast from behind
   4. Signal twice and return without a shoulder check
   Show answer

   Check over your shoulder after passing the bicyclist. Check over your shoulder after passing a bicyclist and before moving back to your normal position in the lane. The minimum passing space is three feet between vehicle and bicycle, and you should pass only when road and traffic conditions make it safe. A mirror alone can hide a rider who slowed or swerved around a pothole after you passed. In inclement weather, give bicyclists extra room beyond that minimum.

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

7. 7. What are roundabout intersections designed to reduce?

   1. The need for any yield signs at entries
   2. The number and severity of collisions
   3. Fuel use by removing all slow driving
   4. The size of trucks using the junction
   Show answer

   The number and severity of collisions. Roundabouts are designed to reduce the number and severity of collisions, as well as provide operational efficiencies in the flow of traffic. Vehicles travel around a center island in a counter-clockwise direction, which removes the head-on and high speed crossing conflicts of a traditional junction. Yield to circulating traffic when entering and to pedestrians and bicyclists along the way. Slower entry speeds are part of how the design softens the crashes that still occur.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way rules

8. 8. What does North Dakota's seat belt law require of occupants?

   1. Only the driver and front passenger
   2. Only passengers who are under 18
   3. All occupants, in every seating position
   4. Only occupants traveling on a highway
   Show answer

   All occupants, in every seating position. North Dakota's seat belt law applies to all occupants in all seating positions, not just the driver and front passenger. Passengers in the back seat must buckle up as well, and age does not create an exemption for an adult riding in the rear. A rule limited to passengers under 18 or to highway travel would leave many riders unprotected. Because the law covers every seating position, each person in the vehicle needs a belt or an appropriate child restraint. Check the rear seat before pulling away, since that is where an unbelted passenger is easy to overlook.

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

9. 9. What fine does North Dakota set for throwing litter on a public highway?

   1. $500
   2. $250
   3. $750
   4. $1,000
   Show answer

   $500. Throwing or depositing litter on a public highway in North Dakota carries a $500 fine. The rule covers any litter, not only large items, and it applies on the roadway itself. A $250 fine is the penalty for entering a road closed because of hazardous conditions, so the two figures should not be mixed. A $750 or $1,000 fine goes beyond the amount the handbook states for littering. Keep a bag in the vehicle for wrappers and empty containers instead of tossing them out the window.

   Study this in the handbook: Residency, license classes and insurance

10. 10. Why must passing a snowplow be done with extreme caution?

    1. Plows travel faster than highway traffic
    2. Plows stop only at marked rest areas
    3. Plow blades extend into the median only
    4. Plows can be moved sideways by drifts and hard snow-pack
    Show answer

    Plows can be moved sideways by drifts and hard snow-pack. A snowplow can be moved sideways by drifts and hard snow-pack, which is why passing one calls for extreme caution. A plow that shifts laterally can close the gap a passing driver counted on within a second. Snow thrown by the blade also hides the exact edge of the truck. Wait for the plow to pull over and stop, as plows do frequently, rather than forcing a pass through blowing snow.

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

11. 11. After pulling out of a parallel parking space, which lane should you enter?

    1. The middle lane of the road
    2. The nearest lane to the curb
    3. The lane farthest from the curb
    4. Any open lane across the road
    Show answer

    The nearest lane to the curb. North Dakota tells drivers leaving a parking space to enter traffic in the nearest lane and to remain there until a lane change is safe. Pulling straight into a middle or far lane means crossing a lane you have not fully checked, and a driver already in that lane has no reason to expect you. Choosing any open lane ignores the same lane by lane rule. Before moving, look over your shoulder, signal, yield to oncoming vehicles, and then settle into the lane closest to the curb.

12. 12. A pedestrian crossing ahead carries a white cane. What does the cane tell you?

    1. A temporary leg or hip injury
    2. Authority to direct traffic at the corner
    3. A school crossing guard assignment
    4. Blindness or greatly reduced vision
    Show answer

    Blindness or greatly reduced vision. A white cane or a guide dog means the pedestrian is blind or has greatly reduced vision, so the person may not see your vehicle or judge its speed. The handbook asks drivers to yield or stop for anyone who has begun crossing and to keep the crosswalk path clear. An injury, a flagger role, or a school assignment would not be signaled with a white cane. Watch the cane tip sweep the pavement, then wait until the person reaches the far curb before you move.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and passing

13. 13. What do crosswalk lines mark on the pavement?

    1. Where pedestrians are to walk
    2. Where cars must stop for a signal
    3. Where parking ends at a corner
    4. Where bicycles must ride
    Show answer

    Where pedestrians are to walk. Crosswalk lines are a pair of white lines or longitudinal lines that mark where pedestrians will walk, and drivers must not block that space with a vehicle. The stop line is a separate wide white bar that tells you where to halt for a signal or sign, so the two markings serve different jobs. Crosswalk lines do not set a parking boundary or a bicycle route. When traffic backs up, stop before the stripes so a pedestrian can still pass through.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and passing

14. 14. An aggressive driver is tailgating and gesturing at you. What should you attempt first and foremost?

    1. Make every attempt to get out of their way
    2. Challenge them by holding your lane position
    3. Speed up to show you will not be pushed
    4. Make eye contact to calm the driver down
    Show answer

    Make every attempt to get out of their way. When confronted by an aggressive driver, first and foremost make every attempt to get out of their way. Put your pride in the back seat and do not challenge them by speeding up or attempting to hold your own in your travel lane. Wear your seat belt in case an abrupt maneuver becomes necessary. Report the driver to authorities afterward with a vehicle description, license number, location, and direction of travel.

15. 15. Turning left from a one-way street onto another one-way street, how close to which curb should the turn be made?

    1. Close to the right curb after crossing
    2. Close to the left curb
    3. Wide into the center of the new street
    4. Against the curb on the opposing side
    Show answer

    Close to the left curb. To turn left from a one-way to a one-way street, begin the turn from the left lane and make the turn close to the left curb. Swinging wide into the center of the new street cuts across lanes that other drivers may lawfully enter from side streets. A tight left path keeps the vehicle predictable for traffic waiting on the cross street. Begin from the left lane rather than drifting over from the right during the turn itself.

    Study this in the handbook: Following distance, lane changes and headlights

16. 16. How can you recognize a flagperson in a highway work zone by clothing?

    1. Orange, yellow, or fluorescent vest, shirt, or jacket
    2. A blue vest, shirt, or jacket
    3. A red vest, shirt, or jacket only
    4. Any clothing, as long as a flag is held
    Show answer

    Orange, yellow, or fluorescent vest, shirt, or jacket. Flagpersons wear orange, yellow, strong yellow green, or fluorescent vests, shirts, or jackets in the work zone. Blue clothing is not part of that description, and red belongs to the flags and paddles rather than to the vest. Ordinary clothing without the bright garment does not meet the description, even when a flag is carried. Watch for the bright clothing ahead, then watch the flag or paddle for directions to stop, slow down, or proceed through the work area.

    Study this in the handbook: Regulatory and guide signs

17. 17. Before passing another vehicle, which question should a driver ask?

    1. Is the pass necessary?
    2. Will the driver behind me follow?
    3. Is my vehicle faster than the one ahead?
    4. Does the road have a wide shoulder?
    Show answer

    Is the pass necessary?. The passing checklist begins by asking whether the pass is necessary. The behavior of the driver behind you does not establish that need, and having a faster vehicle does not make passing necessary by itself. A wide shoulder also does not answer the question because passing must remain on the main-traveled roadway. After deciding a pass is needed, the driver must separately consider the no-passing zone, the view ahead, and enough space to return before meeting oncoming traffic.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and passing

18. 18. You see an aggressive driver and have a cell phone you can use safely. What should you do?

    1. Follow the driver to record the plate
    2. Speed up to stay beside the driver
    3. Honk repeatedly to warn the driver
    4. Call 911
    Show answer

    Call 911. If you have a cell phone and can use it safely, call 911 about an aggressive driver. Following the vehicle or pacing it beside you keeps you in the danger zone and can read as a challenge. Repeated honking answers provocation with provocation. First make room for the aggressive vehicle to get past and put your pride aside rather than holding your lane as a contest. Keep your seat belt fastened, avoid eye contact, and let dispatch send help to the location you report.

19. 19. Why might a North Dakota permit or license carry a restriction?

    1. Because the driver lives in a rural county
    2. Because the vehicle is over ten years old
    3. Because of the driver's particular capabilities
    4. Because the driver renewed the license online
    Show answer

    Because of the driver's particular capabilities. Depending upon your particular capabilities as a driver, your permit or license may be restricted. Standard restrictions include corrective lenses, outside mirrors, automatic transmission, special hand controls, daylight driving only, and proof of financial responsibility. A rural address by itself imposes none of those capability-based limits. If you permanently lose the use of a hand, arm, foot, leg, or eye, report it to the Driver License Division in Bismarck.

    Study this in the handbook: Residency, license classes and insurance

20. 20. A driver who has had nothing to drink is asked to take a chemical test. What can that test show?

    1. Prove that the driver was speeding
    2. Measure exactly how tired the driver is
    3. Replace the need for a road test
    4. Show that the driver is not intoxicated
    Show answer

    Show that the driver is not intoxicated. The handbook points out that a chemical test can work in the driver's favor. If the driver is not legally intoxicated, the result will show that and can prevent an unsupported charge. The test does not establish speeding, measure fatigue, or substitute for a road test, because it measures alcohol or drug content rather than driving behavior. A sober driver should not assume that refusing the test looks safer, since a refusal triggers its own license action. Treat the sample as evidence that can clear you as well as support a charge.

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