OR Permit Practice Test 24

All 20 questions in test 24

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. On the freeway, most traffic around you is going about 10 mph over the posted limit. What does the Oregon manual advise?

   1. Match their speed, since moving with traffic is safest
   2. Drop well below the limit and stay in the left lane
   3. Keep pace if you can, but stay within the posted limit
   4. Drive on the shoulder so faster cars can get by
   Show answer

   Keep pace if you can, but stay within the posted limit. On freeways, Oregon asks you to keep a steady speed and try to keep pace with traffic, but not to be lured into going over the posted limit to stay with the flow. If you end up slower than the traffic around you, move to the right lane so faster drivers can pass on the left. The shoulder is for emergencies only. A steady speed also cuts down on lane changes, which raise the chance of a collision.

   Study this in the handbook: Passing and Freeway Driving

2. 2. On a road with two lanes going your way, a slow car is in the left lane. May you pass it using the right lane?

   1. No, you must wait for it to move right
   2. Yes, and you may speed up briefly to get by
   3. Yes, after flashing your lights so it moves over
   4. Yes, with extra care and within the speed limit
   Show answer

   Yes, with extra care and within the speed limit. When a road has two or more lanes going the same direction and the vehicle you want to pass is in the left lane, Oregon allows you to pass it using the right lane. Take extra care, because other drivers do not expect to be passed on the right and may move over without seeing you. Do not exceed the speed limit to make the pass, and check your mirrors and blind spot before changing lanes.

   Study this in the handbook: Passing and Freeway Driving

3. 3. You park facing downhill next to a curb. Which way should your front wheels point?

   1. Toward the curb
   2. Toward the travel lane
   3. Straight ahead
   4. Toward the middle of the road
   Show answer

   Toward the curb. Oregon tells you to always set the parking brake and leave the car in park, or in gear for a manual transmission. Then turn the front wheels so the vehicle will not roll downhill if the brake fails. Facing downhill against a curb, turn the wheels toward the curb. Facing uphill against a curb, the direction is reversed, and with no curb at all you turn the wheels toward the edge of the road.

4. 4. You are driving up a hill on a road covered with snow. How much power should you use?

   1. Full power, so the car does not slow on the hill
   2. Short bursts of power, coasting between them with the engine idling
   3. Just enough to keep moving without spinning the wheels
   4. Enough to build speed first, then ease off at the top
   Show answer

   Just enough to keep moving without spinning the wheels. On a snow or ice-covered road, Oregon says to apply just enough power to maintain motion when you go uphill, without causing the wheels to spin. The manual also tells you to press the gas pedal gently, because too much power may cause the tires to spin or the vehicle to slide. Avoid slamming the brakes, which will likely cause a skid, and make turns at a reduced, steady speed.

   Study this in the handbook: Headlights and Hazardous Conditions

5. 5. You want to turn left across streetcar tracks, and the intersection has a separate signal for left turns. When may you turn?

   1. Whenever no streetcar is in sight
   2. Once that signal shows you may turn
   3. On a green ball if oncoming lanes are clear
   4. After the streetcar ahead clears the tracks
   Show answer

   Once that signal shows you may turn. Turning across streetcar or light rail tracks calls for extra care. Oregon says to look both ways for streetcars or trains, signal your turn, and make sure it is safe. Where there is a left turn signal, wait for a proper signal before turning left over the tracks rather than turning on a gap you pick yourself. Streetcars and trains cannot stop quickly, so a wrong guess leaves no room to recover.

6. 6. Which of these locations is on Oregon's list of places where U-turns are prohibited?

   1. At an intersection with a four-way stop
   2. On a rural road with a clear view both ways
   3. On a residential street with no signs
   4. At or on a railroad crossing
   Show answer

   At or on a railroad crossing. Oregon lists the places where U-turns are prohibited: at intersections with a traffic signal unless a sign permits it, between intersections in a city, where traffic cannot see you within 500 feet inside city limits or 1,000 feet outside, at or on a railroad crossing, and anywhere official signs or markings prohibit it. Before any U-turn, check for signs and make sure traffic can see you.

   Study this in the handbook: Turns, U-Turns and Roundabouts

7. 7. You are backing out of your driveway on a street where children often play. What does Oregon warn about?

   1. Children must stay on the sidewalk, so you can back quickly
   2. Backup cameras show everything behind you
   3. Children may be playing behind your vehicle
   4. Children will move once they hear the engine
   Show answer

   Children may be playing behind your vehicle. Oregon asks drivers to be extra careful in residential areas and places where children are likely to be, such as a park. Be watchful when backing in or out of a driveway, because children are unpredictable and may run or be playing behind your vehicle. Turn and look through the rear window, glance to both sides, and back up slowly. Avoid driving close to parked cars that may block your view of a child.

   Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians and Bicycles

8. 8. You are about to turn right next to a bike lane. How should you check for a person riding a bicycle beside you?

   1. Look over your shoulder and in mirrors
   2. Check your rearview mirror only
   3. Sound your horn before you turn
   4. Watch only for riders who are ahead of you
   Show answer

   Look over your shoulder and in mirrors. People riding bicycles can be hidden in your blind spot and may ride up beside your vehicle while you prepare to turn. Oregon says to always check for riders in your blind spot before turning, which means looking over your shoulder as well as checking your mirrors. You may turn across a bike lane, but you must yield to anyone riding in it or on the sidewalk, and you must not move into the bike lane to prepare.

   Study this in the handbook: Turns, U-Turns and Roundabouts

9. 9. A train has passed, and the crossing gates are starting to rise, but the lights are still flashing. Traffic behind you is impatient. May you drive around the gate?

   1. Yes, once the train has fully passed
   2. No, it is illegal while the gate is moving
   3. Yes, if you go around very slowly
   4. Yes, if no second train is in sight
   Show answer

   No, it is illegal while the gate is moving. Oregon makes it illegal to drive around or under a crossing gate while it is down or while it is being raised or lowered, and calls it extremely dangerous. Wait until the gate is fully up and the lights stop, then cross only if you are sure you can clear the tracks. At crossings with multiple tracks, look for a second train coming from either direction.

   Study this in the handbook: School Buses and Railroad Crossings

10. 10. You are driving downtown in an Oregon city and want to make a U-turn in the middle of the block. Is that allowed?

    1. Yes, if no traffic is in sight
    2. No, not between intersections in a city
    3. Yes, if you signal first
    4. Yes, if the street is one-way
    Show answer

    No, not between intersections in a city. Oregon prohibits U-turns between intersections in a city and at intersections controlled by a traffic signal unless a sign permits the turn. U-turns are also banned where traffic cannot see you within 500 feet inside city limits. Go around the block or find an intersection where a U-turn is allowed and safe. A signal before turning does not make a prohibited U-turn legal, and neither does a lack of traffic.

    Study this in the handbook: Turns, U-Turns and Roundabouts

11. 11. You are driving alone during the posted hours of a lane signed HOV 2+. May you use that lane?

    1. No, you need at least two people in the car
    2. Yes, if you stay at the speed limit
    3. Yes, if the other lanes are crowded
    4. Yes, if you are passing a slow car
    Show answer

    No, you need at least two people in the car. A High Occupancy Vehicle lane is reserved for vehicles carrying at least the number of persons shown on the sign. An HOV 2+ sign means two or more people, so a driver alone may not use it during the posted hours. These lanes may have a white diamond painted on the pavement. Signs may also list days and times when the restriction applies, so read the whole sign.

    Study this in the handbook: Regulatory Signs

12. 12. You are turning left at a stop-sign intersection onto a four-lane street. A pedestrian is crossing that street and has just left the lane you will turn into. Can you turn now?

    1. Yes, they are out of your lane
    2. Yes, if they are six feet away
    3. Yes, if you turn slowly behind them
    4. No, they must also clear the next lane
    Show answer

    No, they must also clear the next lane. At an intersection without a traffic signal, Oregon requires the pedestrian to be past the lane you are turning into, plus the next lane, before you begin to turn. A person who has only just left your target lane is still too close. Wait until they have cleared the next lane too. At signalized intersections the rule is six feet or more from the lane you are turning into.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians and Bicycles

13. 13. On a country road you pass this round yellow sign. What should you get ready to do?

    
    1. Stop for a train at the crossing ahead
    2. Turn right at the next road ahead
    3. Yield to cars entering from the right
    4. Watch for the road closing ahead
    Show answer

    Stop for a train at the crossing ahead. The round yellow railroad advance sign is the first warning that a railroad crossing is ahead, and it tells you that you may have to stop. Slow down, look, and listen. At the crossing you must stop if flashing red lights are on, a stop sign is posted, a train is close enough to be a hazard, or a flagger signals you. When required to stop, use the stop line or stay at least 15 feet from the nearest rail.

    Study this in the handbook: Warning, Guide and Service Signs

14. 14. You are driving down a street lined with parked cars. What does the Oregon manual advise?

    1. Drive close to them to stay away from oncoming cars
    2. Cross the center line to give them a wide berth
    3. Move away from them while staying in your lane
    4. Speed up to get past the row more quickly
    Show answer

    Move away from them while staying in your lane. Parked cars hide hazards. A door may open in your path, or someone may step out of a vehicle or from between parked vehicles. Oregon says to keep extra space by moving away from parked cars without leaving your lane. You still need room from oncoming traffic, so stay inside your own lane while shifting away from the parked row, and be ready to slow down if you see someone inside a car.

15. 15. A delivery truck has stopped across the street and is starting to back into a loading dock. What should you do?

    1. Drive behind it quickly before it reaches you
    2. Honk so the driver knows to stop for you
    3. Pass behind it once its backup lights come on
    4. Wait, and do not cross behind it while it backs
    Show answer

    Wait, and do not cross behind it while it backs. A large vehicle may need to block the whole street while it backs up. Oregon says never to cross behind a large vehicle that is preparing to back up or is backing. The driver has a deep blind spot directly behind the vehicle and cannot see a car there. Stop where the driver can see you and wait until the truck has finished. A short wait is far safer than slipping through behind it.

16. 16. A fallen tree blocks your lane, and you must cross the center line to get around it. Who has the right of way?

    1. Oncoming traffic, so you must yield to it
    2. You do, because your own lane is blocked
    3. Whichever driver reaches the tree first
    4. You do, once your hazard lights are on
    Show answer

    Oncoming traffic, so you must yield to it. Oregon lets you cross the center line to get around an obstruction, but the price is yielding. Whenever you drive to the left of the center line, whether for a hazard or any other reason, you must yield to oncoming traffic. Slow down or stop behind the tree, wait until the oncoming lane is clear far enough ahead, then go around and return to your lane as soon as you can.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of Way at Intersections

17. 17. You want to park on the same side of the street as a fire station. How close to the station's driveway entrance may you stop or park?

    1. Not closer than 5 feet from the entrance
    2. Not closer than 10 feet from the entrance
    3. Not closer than 20 feet from the entrance
    4. Not closer than 15 feet from the entrance
    Show answer

    Not closer than 15 feet from the entrance. Oregon does not allow you to stop or park within 15 feet of the driveway entrance to a fire station on the same side of the street. On the opposite side of the street the limit is 75 feet. These distances are easy to mix up with the others in the same list: 10 feet from a fire hydrant and 20 feet from a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.

18. 18. You have a steady green left arrow. An oncoming car is waiting at its red light. Must you yield to it before turning?

    1. Yes, left turns always yield to oncoming cars
    2. Yes, until the oncoming car has moved
    3. No, the green arrow gives you the right of way
    4. Only if the oncoming car is going straight
    Show answer

    No, the green arrow gives you the right of way. A steady green arrow means you have the right of way and may make the movement the arrow shows. Oncoming traffic is held by its own signal, so you do not need to wait for it. This differs from a green circle, where left turns must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. Still look before turning in case another driver runs the light.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic Signals

19. 19. You need to know which freeway exit leads to the next city. What color are the signs that give that information?

    1. Blue
    2. Green
    3. Brown
    4. Yellow
    Show answer

    Green. Oregon's guide and information signs are green. They give exit information and show the direction of roads and cities. The number on an exit sign helps you know which exit to take, so you can move to the correct lane early. If you miss your exit, go on to the next one; never stop or back up on a freeway.

    Study this in the handbook: Warning, Guide and Service Signs

20. 20. Where does Oregon's unposted 15 mph speed limit apply?

    1. In a business district
    2. In an alley
    3. In a public park
    4. In a school speed zone
    Show answer

    In an alley. Oregon's statutory speed limits apply whether or not they are posted, unless a sign shows a different speed. The lowest is 15 mph, which covers alleys and narrow residential areas. Business districts and school speed zones are 20 mph, residential districts and public parks are 25 mph, and roads that meet no other definition are 55 mph unless posted otherwise.

    Study this in the handbook: Oregon Speed Limits