ND Permit Practice Test 21

All 20 questions in test 21

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. A marked safety zone sits at the curb. What parking does the handbook prohibit near it?

   1. Parking anywhere on the same block as the zone
   2. Parking within 5 feet of the zone ends
   3. Parking beside the zone only after dark
   4. Parking within 15 feet of opposite curb points
   Show answer

   Parking within 15 feet of opposite curb points. A safety zone is a marked area set aside for pedestrians. The handbook bars parking between the safety zone and the curb next to it, and it bars parking within 15 feet of the points on the curb directly opposite the ends of the zone. Those limits keep the crossing path and the driver's view of people clear. A five foot buffer is too small, the rule is not limited to darkness, and parking elsewhere on the block is not the specific prohibition described. Look for the zone markings and the opposite curb points before choosing a space.

2. 2. A train is crossing the road ahead. How far before the tracks must you stop?

   1. At least 15 feet
   2. At least 25 feet
   3. At least 50 feet
   4. At least 100 feet
   Show answer

   At least 15 feet. When a train is crossing, stop at least 15 feet before the crossing. The gap keeps your vehicle clear of the train and the crossing hardware, and it leaves room for gates or an overhang. Larger figures belong to other railroad rules: certain vehicles must stop within 50 feet and not less than 15 feet of the tracks, and passing is barred within 100 feet of a crossing. Those numbers do not replace the 15 foot stopping point for a crossing train. Stop before the pavement markings and look both ways.

   Study this in the handbook: Skids, blowouts, equipment failure and railroad crossings

3. 3. Why should a driver stay well back from a snowplow?

   1. The plow travels faster than other traffic.
   2. The plow must stop at every intersection.
   3. Its driver cannot see behind and it throws sand.
   4. The plow has no working brake lights.
   Show answer

   Its driver cannot see behind and it throws sand.. A plow driver cannot see directly behind the vehicle, and the plow throws sanding material while working. The handbook also warns that plows sometimes stop and back up, so following closely leaves little room for either hazard. A plow is not described as traveling faster than other traffic, stopping at every intersection, or lacking brake lights. Stay far enough back to keep the operator and your windshield clear of the material being thrown.

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

4. 4. A paved two-lane county highway has no posted speed limit. What is the maximum speed under North Dakota law?

   1. The maximum speed is 45 miles per hour.
   2. The maximum speed is 55 miles per hour.
   3. The maximum speed is 65 miles per hour.
   4. The maximum speed is 70 miles per hour.
   Show answer

   The maximum speed is 55 miles per hour.. A paved two-lane county or township highway with no posted limit has a maximum speed of 55 miles per hour. The rule is a default for that unposted road type, so the driver must not choose a higher rural limit based only on the open surroundings. A 45-mile-per-hour limit is lower than the stated maximum. Sixty-five miles per hour applies to a rural paved two-lane highway when it is posted for that speed, and 70 miles per hour applies to a paved and divided multilane highway. Look for the posted sign and the road classification before increasing speed.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way rules

5. 5. What will cleaning your windshield inside and out do for night driving?

   1. Eliminate all glare from oncoming traffic
   2. Reduce the amount of glare from oncoming vehicles
   3. Replace the need to dim your own lights
   4. Prevent fog from forming on cold glass
   Show answer

   Reduce the amount of glare from oncoming vehicles. Clean your windshield inside and out and it will reduce the amount of glare from oncoming vehicles at night. A filmed windshield scatters every opposing headlight across your field of view and shrinks the distance you can actually see. Clean the headlights on your vehicle too, which naturally gives more light for spotting night hazards. Eyestrain, fatigue, and lack of concentration can result from staring at the spot your headlights create.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way rules

6. 6. A left-turn signal shows a steady yellow indication. What does this signal warn you about?

   1. It grants left turns the right of way.
   2. It remains green for left turns.
   3. It is changing from green to red for left turns.
   4. It holds left turns stopped indefinitely.
   Show answer

   It is changing from green to red for left turns.. A steady yellow left-turn indication warns that the left-turn signal is changing to red. It is a transition, not a grant of priority and not an indefinite stop. A driver who has not entered the intersection should prepare to stop, while a vehicle already making a legal turn should clear the intersection safely. Read the yellow indication as a warning that the protected left-turn movement is ending and the next signal phase is about to begin.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and arrows

7. 7. Your vehicle is trapped on railroad tracks with a train approaching. Which way should you walk after getting out?

   1. Away from the train toward the nearest road shoulder.
   2. In the direction of the oncoming train at a 45-degree angle.
   3. Straight along the tracks away from the train.
   4. Toward the nearest crossing gate.
   Show answer

   In the direction of the oncoming train at a 45-degree angle.. After leaving a vehicle trapped on the tracks, walk in the direction of the approaching train while moving away from the tracks at a 45-degree angle. If the train strikes the vehicle, debris spreads in the same direction the train is moving, so walking away from the train can lead into that debris path. Walking straight along the rails keeps a person near the train's path. A crossing gate is not the safety direction given by the handbook.

   Study this in the handbook: Skids, blowouts, equipment failure and railroad crossings

8. 8. When may a bicyclist carry a package or bundle while riding?

   1. Only when both hands stay off the bars
   2. Whenever the package weighs under a pound
   3. Only if it allows at least one hand on the handlebar
   4. Never, packages are barred on bicycles entirely
   Show answer

   Only if it allows at least one hand on the handlebar. Only carry a package or bundle on a bicycle if it allows you to keep at least one hand on the handlebar. Riding with both hands off the bars removes steering and braking control exactly when traffic demands both. It is also a good idea to wear brightly colored clothing to increase visibility in traffic. Do not hold on to other moving vehicles for the purpose of being towed.

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

9. 9. How long must a person live in North Dakota before being deemed a resident for driver licensing?

   1. 30 consecutive days
   2. 60 consecutive days
   3. 90 consecutive days
   4. 180 consecutive days
   Show answer

   90 consecutive days. A person who is not a nonresident student, a tourist, or a nonresident member of the Armed Forces and who has lived in North Dakota for 90 consecutive days is deemed a resident for driver licensing. Thirty or 60 days is too short, and 180 days is longer than the rule requires. The test is consecutive residence in the state, which is why the 90-day figure appears in the licensing chapter rather than in the vehicle registration rules. Once that status is reached, the licensing requirements for a North Dakota operator's license apply. Count the days from the date the person moved to the state.

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

10. 10. A North Dakota driver's record reaches 12 points, and the authorities notify the driver of a planned suspension. What may the driver request?

    1. A trial before a jury
    2. An administrative hearing
    3. A new road test appointment
    4. A hearing before the county board
    Show answer

    An administrative hearing. When a record reaches 12 or more points, the authorities notify the driver of the intended suspension and of the right to an administrative hearing. That hearing is the forum for challenging the point total or the suspension, not a jury trial or a new road test. A county board hearing is not the procedure the handbook describes. The notice gives the driver a chance to dispute the record before the suspension takes effect, so the hearing request should be made promptly after the notice arrives. Read the notice carefully and follow its instructions for requesting the hearing.

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

11. 11. You plan to park near a flashing beacon placed at the side of the road in North Dakota. What is the closest legal place to leave your vehicle?

    1. No closer than 30 feet from the beacon
    2. No closer than 5 feet from the beacon
    3. Directly beside the beacon with hazard lights on
    4. No closer than 15 feet from the beacon
    Show answer

    No closer than 15 feet from the beacon. North Dakota forbids parking within 15 feet of a flashing beacon, a stop sign, or a traffic control signal placed at the side of the roadway, because a parked vehicle there can hide the device from approaching drivers. Five feet puts your vehicle right against that sight line, and hazard lights do not create an exception. Thirty feet is stricter than the rule asks. Measure roughly one car length from the device before you settle into the space.

12. 12. How much following distance does the manual recommend behind a motorcycle?

    1. Three or four seconds
    2. One second
    3. Two seconds
    4. Six to eight seconds
    Show answer

    Three or four seconds. The handbook says to allow more following distance, three or four seconds, behind a motorcycle so the rider has time to maneuver or stop in an emergency. In dry conditions a motorcycle can stop more quickly than a car, so the usual two second gap may not be enough. One second leaves almost no time to react, while six to eight seconds is more than the manual recommends for this situation. Increase the gap in rain or on gravel, where a rider may slow suddenly or change position within the lane.

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

13. 13. You are leaving an alley in a business district. Where must you make the complete stop?

    1. After entering the traffic lane
    2. At the far edge of the roadway
    3. Only if a pedestrian is visible
    4. Before crossing the sidewalk area
    Show answer

    Before crossing the sidewalk area. A vehicle emerging from a driveway, alley, private road, or building in a business or residential district must come to a complete stop immediately before crossing the sidewalk area. If there is no sidewalk, the stop goes before entering the roadway. Waiting at the far edge or after entering the lane puts you into traffic before you have a clear view, and a visible pedestrian is not the trigger for the stop. Treat the sidewalk edge like a stop line, then creep forward to see.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way rules

14. 14. After alcohol enters the bloodstream, what does it do to brain cells?

    1. It reduces the oxygen that reaches them
    2. It supplies extra oxygen to them
    3. It blocks all blood flow to them
    4. It cools them below normal
    Show answer

    It reduces the oxygen that reaches them. The handbook explains that alcohol reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches brain cells. That shortage contributes to the slowed reactions, impaired vision, and poor judgment that make drinking and driving dangerous. Extra oxygen is the opposite of what happens, while blocking all blood flow and cooling the brain describe effects the manual does not list. Because the brain depends on a steady oxygen supply, even a modest amount of alcohol can change how quickly a driver notices and responds to a hazard. Give yourself more following distance after any drinking, since the delay starts before you feel it.

    Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and heatstroke

15. 15. A driver has one drink before getting behind the wheel. How much greater is that driver's crash chance than a sober driver's?

    1. About twice as high
    2. About three times as high
    3. About seven times as high
    4. No measurable change
    Show answer

    About seven times as high. North Dakota's handbook reports that a driver who drinks even a little has a crash chance seven times greater than a driver who is completely sober. That number covers the full range of impairment, not only the level that defines legal intoxication. Twice or three times understates the reported risk, and no measurable change contradicts the warning outright. Set a firm rule before the evening starts, because the first drink already changes the odds.

    Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and heatstroke

16. 16. Where should a bicyclist ride on the roadway under the bicycle guidelines?

    1. On the left side facing traffic
    2. In the center of the marked traffic lane
    3. On the sidewalk at all times
    4. Keep to the right side of the roadway
    Show answer

    Keep to the right side of the roadway. Bicyclists keep to the right side of the roadway and ride not more than two abreast, with single file the safest pattern. Riding on the left against traffic puts a rider where drivers do not expect a vehicle, and holding the center of the lane slows traffic without need. Sidewalk riding at all times is not the listed position. Drivers who meet a rider on the right can predict the path, leave passing room, and check over the shoulder before moving back after the pass.

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

17. 17. A driver whose license is suspended in another state applies in North Dakota. What does the eligibility list say?

    1. North Dakota must issue a license anyway after a short waiting period
    2. People with licenses revoked or suspended in any state cannot get one
    3. Only suspensions from states bordering North Dakota count against an applicant
    4. A license becomes available thirty days after the other state suspension begins
    Show answer

    People with licenses revoked or suspended in any state cannot get one. People whose licenses are revoked or suspended in this or any other state are among those who cannot get a license. Limiting the bar to bordering states invents a geography test that the eligibility list does not contain. The same section bars those under 16 unless eligible for a restricted license. Clear the other state action first, since North Dakota will not license around an active suspension elsewhere.

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

18. 18. At night, what should you check for at the sides of the road ahead?

    1. Lights from vehicles that might cross or enter the roadway
    2. Taillights of the vehicles directly ahead of you
    3. Headlights of vehicles behind you in mirrors
    4. Parked vehicles with their lights turned off
    Show answer

    Lights from vehicles that might cross or enter the roadway. At night, check to the sides for lights from other vehicles that might be crossing or entering the roadway ahead of you. A side street headlight sweep can announce a car before its body becomes visible against the dark. Constantly check the taillights of vehicles ahead for any indication they are changing speed or lane position. Dim your headlights at least 500 feet before meeting traffic and within 300 feet when following another vehicle.

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

19. 19. Besides protecting you in a crash, how do seat belts help on a long trip?

    1. They help maintain posture so you feel less tired
    2. They help keep your hands steady on the steering wheel
    3. They reduce eye fatigue from glare at night
    4. They make it safe to drive when you need sleep
    Show answer

    They help maintain posture so you feel less tired. Seat belts provide a benefit beyond crash protection: they help maintain proper riding and driving posture, which can leave you feeling less tired after a trip. That does not mean a belt keeps your hands steady, reduces eye fatigue from glare, or makes it safe to drive when you need sleep. Those ideas confuse the belt's posture benefit with other driving practices or ignore the danger of fatigue. A tired driver still needs to stop and sleep.

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

20. 20. When should parents set consequences for common teen driving violations?

    1. Only after the first ticket has been issued
    2. At the end of each month in a family review
    3. When the teen asks about a specific rule later
    4. Before the violations occur so the teen knows what to expect
    Show answer

    Before the violations occur so the teen knows what to expect. Set consequences for common violations before they occur so that your teen knows what to expect. The listed examples include getting a speeding ticket, coming home after curfew by less or more than thirty minutes, lying about whereabouts, and violating passenger restrictions. A teen who knows the price in advance cannot claim the rule was invented in anger. Make the consequences relate to losing driving privileges so the message lands.