OR Permit Practice Test 1

All 20 questions in test 1

Every question below comes from the Oregon 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 preparing to turn across a bicycle lane, what should a driver do?

   
   1. Yield to people riding bicycles before crossing the lane
   2. Move into the bicycle lane early and wait there
   3. Sound the horn so bicyclists must stop
   4. Turn without checking because bicycles must yield
   Show answer

   Yield to people riding bicycles before crossing the lane. A driver may cross a bicycle lane to make a turn, but must first check the blind spot and yield to a person riding there or on the sidewalk. Moving into that lane early is specifically unsafe because it places the vehicle in a space intended for bicycle travel. A horn does not transfer the right of way, and bicyclists do not automatically yield to a turning vehicle. The reliable cue is shoulder check plus mirror check immediately before crossing the lane.

2. 2. Which reporting requirement remains the driver’s responsibility even when police file a report after a reportable Oregon collision?

   1. The driver's duty to exchange information
   2. The driver's requirement to file a report with DMV
   3. The need to remain at the scene until police arrive in every crash
   4. The requirement to obtain a new driver license
   Show answer

   The driver's requirement to file a report with DMV. Oregon says a police report does not replace the driver's requirement to file a report with DMV. A reportable collision may require the DMV form within 72 hours when damage, towing, injury, or death meets the listed conditions. Calling police does not transfer that filing duty, and the other choices describe duties or actions that are not the specific replacement issue in this passage. After a crash, exchange information, determine whether the collision is reportable, and complete the DMV filing even when an officer has documented the scene.

3. 3. What response does Oregon recommend when visibility is reduced or the road is wet, snowy, or icy?

   1. Follow the vehicle ahead more closely to see its path
   2. Keep the posted speed and shorten the following gap
   3. Use cruise control to maintain a steady pace
   4. Use slower speeds and increase the following distance
   Show answer

   Use slower speeds and increase the following distance. Hazardous conditions call for slower travel and more space behind the vehicle ahead because visibility and traction can deteriorate while braking distance grows. Keeping the posted speed may violate the basic rule when conditions make it unsafe. Cruise control is especially inappropriate on wet or snow-covered roads, and a close following gap leaves no recovery time if the lead vehicle stops. Reduce speed smoothly, keep windows clear, and preserve a cushion that allows gentle braking and steering.

4. 4. At speeds greater than 35 mph, when may you pass a bicyclist traveling in your lane?

   
   1. Whenever the center line is broken and traffic is light
   2. When you leave enough distance to prevent contact if the rider falls
   3. When you sound the horn and remain close to the rider
   4. Only after the bicyclist moves onto the shoulder
   Show answer

   When you leave enough distance to prevent contact if the rider falls. Above 35 mph, passing a bicyclist in the same lane is permitted only when there is enough distance to prevent contact if the rider falls. A broken center line and light traffic do not guarantee that space, and a horn does not replace safe clearance. Waiting for the rider to reach the shoulder is also not the condition stated by the rule. Reduce speed, judge the full lateral gap, and remain behind when the available room is not sufficient. The key cue is the possible fall path beside the vehicle, not merely the pavement marking.

5. 5. What happens to an Oregon driver who refuses a breath, blood, or urine test requested by a police officer?

   1. Nothing, refusal is a right
   2. Automatic jail
   3. A fine and possible suspension of driving privileges
   4. Only a warning
   Show answer

   A fine and possible suspension of driving privileges. By driving in Oregon you agree to take a breath, blood or urine test when asked by a police officer. If you refuse, you may receive a fine and your driving privileges could be suspended. Refusal is not a free option and does not by itself mean jail. Drivers under 21 fail the test with any amount of alcohol under the zero tolerance law, and drivers 21 and over fail at 0.08 percent or more.

6. 6. What restriction does the Do Not Pass sign communicate?

   
   1. Passing is prohibited in the indicated area
   2. Passing is required before the next curve
   3. Only trucks may pass other vehicles there
   4. The lane is reserved for vehicles turning left
   Show answer

   Passing is prohibited in the indicated area. Do Not Pass identifies an area where a driver may not pass another vehicle. The choices about required passing, truck-only passing, and a left-turn lane substitute different traffic controls for the sign's actual restriction. Oregon also warns drivers not to cross the center line where their view of oncoming traffic is limited, including hills, curves, intersections, railroads, and crosswalks. The useful cue is simple: a posted no-passing instruction ends the temptation to overtake, even if the road looks open.

7. 7. How should you handle lane position inside a multi-lane Oregon roundabout?

   1. Maintain your lane position until you exit
   2. Change lanes whenever another vehicle is nearby
   3. Stop beside a truck before choosing an exit
   4. Use either lane regardless of the intended exit
   Show answer

   Maintain your lane position until you exit. In a multi-lane roundabout, Oregon advises drivers to maintain lane position until they exit and avoid lane changes inside when possible. The instruction helps prevent a vehicle from crossing into the path of another driver who is circulating toward an exit. Changing lanes whenever another vehicle appears is the opposite of that precaution, and stopping beside a truck creates a dangerous obstruction. Lane-use signs and pavement arrows should guide the initial choice. Pick the lane for your exit before entry, then hold it through the circle.

8. 8. What must a driver do at an octagonal Stop sign?

   1. Stop only when a pedestrian is visible
   2. Slow down and continue if the intersection looks empty
   3. Come to a complete stop and yield before entering
   4. Yield without stopping unless another sign is posted
   Show answer

   Come to a complete stop and yield before entering. An octagonal Stop sign requires a complete stop, followed by yielding to other vehicles and pedestrians before entering when it is safe. The empty-intersection choice wrongly turns a stop requirement into a yield rule. Waiting for a pedestrian is also too narrow because cross traffic may have priority. Use the stop line or crosswalk as the stopping reference, scan both directions, and proceed only after the intersection is clear and your movement is allowed.

9. 9. A traffic signal flashes red at an intersection. What action is required?

   1. As a stop sign
   2. As a green light with priority over cross traffic
   3. As a yield sign without a required stop
   4. As a flashing yellow signal requiring caution only
   Show answer

   As a stop sign. Oregon treats a flashing red signal the same as a stop sign, so the driver must stop and then proceed only after yielding and confirming the movement is safe. The yield-only option omits the required stop. A flashing yellow signal has a different meaning, and a green light does not describe a red indication. Use the marked stop line or crosswalk when present, then check for pedestrians, bicycles, and traffic before entering the intersection.

10. 10. What does an Oregon deer warning sign tell a driver to do?

    1. Sound the horn continuously
    2. Stop and wait for deer to cross
    3. Be alert and slow down if you see deer or other wildlife
    4. Speed up to clear the area
    Show answer

    Be alert and slow down if you see deer or other wildlife. The deer crossing sign means deer often cross the road in that area. The manual's instruction is to be alert and to slow down if you see deer or other wildlife. Deer travel in groups and move most at dawn and dusk, so one animal usually means more nearby. Speeding through the zone or leaning on the horn does not help, and stopping in the lane is dangerous unless an animal is actually in the road.

11. 11. What equipment does Oregon require on a vehicle when weather conditions demand it?

    1. Fog lights and a roof rack
    2. A CB radio
    3. Traction tires or chains, windshield wipers, headlights, taillights, and a window defroster
    4. Studded tires year round
    Show answer

    Traction tires or chains, windshield wipers, headlights, taillights, and a window defroster. If weather conditions require, your vehicle must have traction tires or chains, windshield wipers, headlights, taillights and a window defroster. Mountain passes post chain requirements in winter, and driving into a chain zone without them can bring a citation and leave you stranded. Fog lights, radios and racks are optional, and studded tires are allowed only during the winter season. Carry chains when crossing the passes.

12. 12. Before entering an intersection on a green light, what must you confirm?

    1. You can stop in the intersection if traffic backs up
    2. The signal will remain green for at least one minute
    3. A vehicle behind you is ready to follow
    4. There is room for your vehicle on the other side
    Show answer

    There is room for your vehicle on the other side. A green light does not permit a driver to enter an intersection that cannot be cleared. Oregon says to wait until there is room for the vehicle on the other side. The choice allowing a stop in the intersection creates a blockage and can trap cross traffic or pedestrians. Signal timing and the readiness of a following vehicle do not establish a clear exit. Before crossing the line, look beyond the intersection, judge whether your lane will remain open, and wait behind the stop line if congestion leaves no space ahead.

13. 13. When visibility makes it difficult to see people or vehicles 1,000 feet ahead, what must Oregon drivers do?

    1. Use high beams in every condition
    2. Use parking lights only
    3. Wait until sunset before using lights
    4. Turn on their headlights
    Show answer

    Turn on their headlights. Oregon requires lights whenever conditions make it difficult to see people or vehicles 1,000 feet ahead. This requirement can apply during the day in fog, smoke, heavy rain, or another visibility problem. Parking lights alone are not the required response, and waiting for sunset ignores the visibility trigger. High beams are not mandatory in every condition and may create glare. Use the headlights appropriate for the conditions, slow down, and increase the space around the vehicle.

14. 14. What does a warning sign labeled Curve tell a driver?

    
    1. The road becomes a one-way street
    2. A curve is ahead
    3. A sharp turn is required at the next intersection
    4. A passing lane begins immediately
    Show answer

    A curve is ahead. The word Curve on this warning sign means that a curve is ahead. It gives the driver advance notice of a change in the road, not an instruction to turn at an intersection or a promise of a new passing lane. A one-way road is a different traffic arrangement, while a sharp turn has its own warning description. Use the sign as an early cue: reduce speed before entering the bend, stay in the middle of your lane, and look through the curve toward the path you intend to follow.

15. 15. May operators of motorized wheelchairs and scooters use Oregon bike lanes and paths?

    1. Only when escorted by a bicycle rider
    2. No, they must always use the roadway center
    3. Only during daylight hours
    4. Yes, and drivers must yield to them as they would to a bicyclist
    Show answer

    Yes, and drivers must yield to them as they would to a bicyclist. Oregon permits operators of motorized wheelchairs, scooters, and personal assistive mobility devices to use bike lanes and paths. Drivers must yield to those operators as they would to a person riding a bicycle. The manual does not restrict the permission to daylight, an escort, or roadway-center travel. Treat these users as part of the vulnerable traffic sharing the lane or path. Slow before crossing their line of travel, check the intended movement, and leave enough room for them to proceed safely.

16. 16. If a WRONG WAY sign warns you on a freeway ramp, what should you do?

    
    1. Continue slowly until the next intersection
    2. Pull off to the side, stop, turn on hazard lights, and cautiously correct course
    3. Reverse direction in the travel lane without stopping
    4. Accelerate so you can clear the ramp before opposing traffic arrives
    Show answer

    Pull off to the side, stop, turn on hazard lights, and cautiously correct course. A WRONG WAY sign means the vehicle has begun entering a freeway ramp against the permitted direction. Oregon advises the driver to pull off to the side immediately, stop, and turn on hazard lights to warn other vehicles. The driver should then cautiously turn around or back off the ramp. Continuing to the next intersection or accelerating increases the chance of meeting opposing traffic. Reversing in the travel lane without first stopping also creates a needless conflict. The safety cue is to leave the active path before correcting the mistake.

17. 17. At an intersection with a green bike box, may you turn right while the traffic signal is red?

    1. No, right turns are not allowed there on a red signal
    2. Yes, after coming to a complete stop
    3. Yes, if no bicyclist is waiting in the box
    4. Yes, but only from inside the bike box
    Show answer

    No, right turns are not allowed there on a red signal. Bike box intersections carry their own rule: no right turns are allowed when the signal is red. The usual Oregon right turn after a full stop does not apply here, and an empty box does not create an exception. Drivers must stop for the signal behind the bike box and must never stop inside it, so turning from the box is doubly wrong. When the light turns green and you turn right, signal and yield to people riding bicycles on your right.

18. 18. In ideal conditions at 60 mph, how does the Oregon manual describe the distance you travel from spotting a hazard to a full stop?

    1. About two car lengths
    2. Greater than the length of a football field
    3. About 60 feet, one foot for each mph
    4. About half the length of a football field
    Show answer

    Greater than the length of a football field. Oregon points out that stopping takes longer than drivers expect. At 60 mph, the distance from recognizing a hazard and braking to coming to a stop is greater than the length of a football field, even in ideal conditions. Two car lengths and 60 feet are wildly short, and half a football field still understates it. Road and weather conditions, vehicle weight, reaction time, and braking ability can all make the distance longer, and the manual separately recommends four seconds or more of following distance above 30 mph.

19. 19. Under the Oregon manual's Park Your Phone fine schedule, how much can a second mobile device offense cost?

    1. Up to $500
    2. Up to $1,000
    3. Up to $2,000
    4. Up to $5,000
    Show answer

    Up to $2,000. Penalties rise with each offense on this schedule. The second offense tops out at $2,000, twice the $1,000 ceiling for a first offense. A $500 cap is below even the first offense figure, and $5,000 is higher than anything the panel lists. Only the third offense adds jail time, with a fine of up to $2,500 and up to six months in jail. The simplest way to avoid all three is to silence the phone and put it out of reach before starting the car.

20. 20. A 16 year old wants to ride in the open bed of a friend's pickup truck on an Oregon road. What does state law say?

    1. It is allowed if the truck stays under 25 mph
    2. It is allowed on rural roads but not in cities
    3. It is allowed if an adult also rides in the bed
    4. Anyone under 18 is prohibited from riding in a pickup bed
    Show answer

    Anyone under 18 is prohibited from riding in a pickup bed. Oregon law bars anyone under 18 from riding on the hood, fender, running board, or any other external part of a vehicle, and the pickup bed is named in that list. The ban has no exception for low speeds, rural roads, or an adult riding along in the bed. The manual goes further and says that nobody, regardless of age, should ride in a pickup bed or on the outside of a vehicle.