TN Permit Practice Test 1

All 20 questions in test 1

Every question below comes from the Tennessee 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. Besides YIELD, which other message may Tennessee display on a triangular sign?

   1. Railroad crossing ahead
   2. School zone
   3. No Passing Zone
   4. Stop
   Show answer

   No Passing Zone. The downward pointing triangle is the yield sign, but Tennessee also says a triangular No Passing Zone sign can be used. These signs are yellow or orange and placed on the left side of the roadway, and no passing signs tell you where passing is not permitted. Railroad advance warnings are round, school signs are pentagons, and stop is the octagon. When you see the pennant shaped sign on your left, stay behind the vehicle ahead until you reach a place where passing is allowed.

   Study this in the handbook: Sign colors, shapes and regulatory signs

2. 2. A fire engine is backing into its station driveway. What should approaching drivers do?

   1. Pass behind it before it reaches the driveway
   2. Yield to the backing emergency vehicle
   3. Require it to stop because it is reversing
   4. Sound the horn and continue through its path
   Show answer

   Yield to the backing emergency vehicle. Yield to an emergency vehicle that is about to back into, or is already backing into, its station driveway. Its reverse movement does not remove the specific priority described by the manual. Watch for the maneuver as you approach the station and leave its path clear. Trying to slip behind the vehicle or insisting it wait would conflict with the instruction to yield during this station-entry movement.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way, turns and emergency vehicles

3. 3. Which headlight beam should you use if you must drive through fog?

   1. Low beams
   2. High beams
   3. Parking lights alone
   4. Auxiliary fog lights alone
   Show answer

   Low beams. Use low-beam headlights in fog. High beams reflect light back toward your eyes and impair visibility, so more intense forward light is not automatically better. Parking lights or fog lights alone are not acceptable substitutes. The cue is the moisture obscuring the road: select the beam that lights the road without the stronger reflection, reduce speed and keep the windshield clear as needed.

   Study this in the handbook: Headlights, night driving and bad weather

4. 4. On an undivided road, a school bus is stopped with red warning lights flashing and its stop arm extended. What must approaching drivers do?

   
   1. Slow down and pass carefully on the left
   2. Pass if no children are visible
   3. Stop only when approaching from behind
   4. Come to a complete stop and remain stopped until the arm is pulled back and the bus moves
   Show answer

   Come to a complete stop and remain stopped until the arm is pulled back and the bus moves. Red flashing lights and an extended stop arm mean the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off. On an undivided road, drivers coming from either direction must stop and remain stopped until the arm is pulled back and the bus resumes motion. Visibility of children does not change the obligation, and passing on either side is unsafe. Only on a highway with separate roadways divided by median space or a barrier may opposing traffic proceed with caution, and a center turn lane is not such a barrier. Watch the bus signals, not just the roadway around it.

   Study this in the handbook: Braking, following distance and required stops

5. 5. As a condition of probation after a Tennessee DUI conviction, what litter removal must the offender do?

   1. One four-hour shift in plain clothes
   2. Ten shifts at any state park
   3. Three eight-hour shifts while wearing an I am a DRUNK DRIVER vest
   4. No litter removal for a first offense
   Show answer

   Three eight-hour shifts while wearing an I am a DRUNK DRIVER vest. Every DUI conviction requires litter pick-up for three eight-hour shifts as a condition of probation, and the offender must wear a vest or other clothing that says I am a DRUNK DRIVER. Tennessee residents do the work in their home county. The rule applies to any DUI conviction, first or not, so a first offense is not exempt. One shift in plain clothes or ten park shifts are not the stated terms.

   Study this in the handbook: How alcohol and drugs affect driving

6. 6. What minimum jail time does Tennessee list for a third DUI conviction?

   1. 48 hours
   2. 45 days
   3. 120 days
   4. 150 days
   Show answer

   120 days. The Tennessee DUI penalty table sets jail for a third conviction at 120 days to 11 months 29 days, with a fine of $1,100 to $10,000, and the vehicle is subject to seizure and forfeiture. Forty-eight hours is the first conviction minimum and 45 days the second. One hundred fifty days is the minimum for a fourth or later conviction, which is a Class E felony. Each repeat conviction brings sharply longer jail time and bigger fines.

   Study this in the handbook: DUI law, implied consent and penalties

7. 7. What happens if a Tennessee driver does not surrender a suspended or revoked license?

   1. Nothing, the license just expires
   2. A $5 late fee
   3. An automatic lifetime revocation
   4. A $75 fine on top of other fines and costs
   Show answer

   A $75 fine on top of other fines and costs. A suspended or revoked license must be turned in to the Department of Safety within 20 days, at a Highway Patrol office, a Driver License Service Center, or by mail. Failing to surrender it means a $75 fine in addition to any other fines and costs. The license does not simply lapse without consequence, a $5 fee understates it, and lifetime revocation is not the penalty.

   Study this in the handbook: Points, suspensions and keeping your license

8. 8. At what distance must a driver dim high beams for an oncoming vehicle?

   1. Within 100 feet
   2. Within 500 feet
   3. Within 200 feet
   4. Within 1,000 feet
   Show answer

   Within 500 feet. Tennessee requires high beams to be lowered when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet. The same 500-foot distance also applies when following another vehicle, because glare reflected in its mirror can impair that driver's vision. The 100-, 200-, and 1,000-foot choices change the legal trigger and should not be used as substitutes. Watch for approaching headlights and begin the change before the vehicles are close together. Dimmed lights help preserve the other driver's ability to see while you continue to see the roadway ahead.

   Study this in the handbook: Headlights, night driving and bad weather

9. 9. What does the yellow pennant-shaped sign mark?

   
   1. A zone where passing is not permitted
   2. A lane where passing is required
   3. A picnic or recreation area
   4. A lane reserved for emergency vehicles
   Show answer

   A zone where passing is not permitted. The yellow pennant is the triangular No Passing Zone sign, and Tennessee places it on the left side of the roadway. No passing signs tell you where passing is not permitted, and passing areas are based on how far you can see ahead, considering unseen hazards such as hills, curves, intersections, and driveways. The sign does not require a pass, identify recreation, or create an emergency lane. When you see it, stay behind the vehicle ahead until you reach a lawful passing area.

   Study this in the handbook: Sign colors, shapes and regulatory signs

10. 10. What should you expect after seeing the curved-arrow warning sign?

    
    1. A curve ahead with a recommended speed between 30 and 55 mph
    2. A mandatory turn at an intersection
    3. A work-zone detour requiring the shoulder
    4. A straight roadway with no change in alignment
    Show answer

    A curve ahead with a recommended speed between 30 and 55 mph. The curve sign identifies a bend to the right and is used for curves with recommended speeds from 30 to 55 mph. Reduce speed before entering the bend so steering remains controlled. It is not a mandatory intersection direction and does not announce a detour or a straight section. Treat any advisory speed as a cue to evaluate weather, traffic, and visibility rather than as a target that must be reached.

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

11. 11. A small advisory speed plate is posted beneath a warning sign. What speed does it give?

    1. The minimum speed required for every vehicle
    2. The recommended maximum safe speed
    3. The speed used by trucks and buses on that road
    4. The legal speed limit that police enforce on that section
    Show answer

    The recommended maximum safe speed. The smaller advisory speed plate beneath a warning sign gives a recommended maximum safe speed. Read it together with the warning it supplements. It is not a minimum speed instruction, a vehicle-specific speed, or an enforced legal limit. Tennessee distinguishes these advisory plates from signs that state maximum or minimum legal speeds. The useful cue is the plate's placement on the same post below the warning, which connects the recommendation to that roadway condition.

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

12. 12. Whose directions must drivers obey even when those directions differ from a traffic signal?

    1. Only another driver who has a vehicle larger than yours
    2. A police officer who is off duty and riding as a passenger in a car
    3. Any other driver who is waiting behind you and motioning you through
    4. A law enforcement officer, highway worker, or school crossing guard controlling traffic
    Show answer

    A law enforcement officer, highway worker, or school crossing guard controlling traffic. Traffic control may be provided by authorized people as well as by signs and signals. A law enforcement officer, highway construction person, or school crossing guard may direct traffic, and drivers must follow that direction even when the light or sign appears to say something else. The size of another vehicle, an off duty officer riding along, and a driver's waving have no controlling authority. Slow down, identify the person giving directions, and comply smoothly. This rule prevents a driver from following a signal into a work area or crossing movement being managed by a person.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, school buses, work zones and trains

13. 13. Which of these adds 90 days to the wait for a Tennessee Intermediate Unrestricted License?

    1. A single parking ticket
    2. Driving with a sibling as a passenger
    3. A second seat belt violation
    4. Renewing the license by mail
    Show answer

    A second seat belt violation. A teen becomes ineligible for 90 more days beyond the one year minimum if the driver has 6 or more points, contributes to a traffic crash, or is convicted of a second seat belt violation. A parking ticket is not a moving violation. A sibling passenger is allowed under the passenger rules, and renewing by mail has nothing to do with GDL progress. Six points equals about two minor traffic citations.

    Study this in the handbook: Teen penalties, phones and school rules

14. 14. On a divided highway, you meet a stopped school bus across a median or barrier unsuitable for vehicular traffic. How should you proceed?

    1. You need not stop, but should proceed with caution
    2. Stop regardless of the physical division
    3. Cross the median to pass the bus
    4. Proceed only after the bus driver waves you through
    Show answer

    You need not stop, but should proceed with caution. The separate-roadway exception applies when opposing traffic is divided by a median or barrier unsuitable for vehicles. A driver meeting the bus across that division may proceed cautiously. It is important to identify a genuine physical separation, not simply extra pavement or another lane. The exception does not authorize crossing the median, and the manual does not require a wave from the bus driver in this situation.

    Study this in the handbook: Braking, following distance and required stops

15. 15. What is the farthest you may travel in a shared center turn lane in Tennessee?

    1. Any distance, as long as your signal is on
    2. 1,000 feet
    3. Half a mile
    4. 300 feet
    Show answer

    300 feet. A shared center turn lane, also called a two way left turn lane, is reserved for vehicles turning left in either direction. Tennessee says it may not be used for passing and may not be used for travel farther than 300 feet. Enter it just before your turn; entering too soon can interfere with other drivers who need the lane. Keeping the signal on does not make longer travel in the lane legal.

    Study this in the handbook: Lane use, passing and parking

16. 16. When constant windshield-wiper use is required by rain or other precipitation, what lighting rule applies?

    1. Parking lights alone are sufficient
    2. Headlights must be turned on
    3. Headlights are required only after sunset
    4. Hazard flashers replace the headlight requirement
    Show answer

    Headlights must be turned on. Tennessee requires headlights when rain, mist, snow, or other precipitation makes constant windshield-wiper use necessary. The rule does not depend on whether the driver personally thinks visibility remains adequate, and parking lights alone are not a substitute. Waiting until sunset ignores the daylight inclement-weather provision. Hazard flashers serve a different warning purpose. Tie the requirement to the wipers: if precipitation demands their constant use, turn on the headlights so the vehicle is easier for others to see.

    Study this in the handbook: Headlights, night driving and bad weather

17. 17. What roadway direction does the ONE WAY sign shown here communicate?

    
    1. Traffic may travel either way after yielding
    2. Traffic on the street moves only in the arrow’s direction
    3. Only buses may travel in the arrow’s direction
    4. The arrow marks a required U-turn
    Show answer

    Traffic on the street moves only in the arrow’s direction. A ONE WAY sign communicates that the street’s traffic flow runs in the direction shown by its arrow. It does not make two-way travel acceptable, reserve the road for buses, or require a U-turn. Follow the arrow and watch for additional lane markings or turn instructions before moving. This sign is a direction-control message, so the key visual cue is the single arrow paired with the words ONE WAY. Enter only if your intended travel matches that indicated flow.

    Study this in the handbook: Lane use, passing and parking

18. 18. Which action is prohibited when traveling behind a properly identified funeral procession?

    1. Driving between vehicles in the procession
    2. Allowing the procession to continue ahead
    3. Obeying a traffic officer directing the procession
    4. Following the procession at a safe distance
    Show answer

    Driving between vehicles in the procession. A driver may not drive between vehicles in a properly identified funeral procession unless a traffic officer directs that movement. Cutting into the line breaks its protected movement and can create conflicts with vehicles entering or leaving the procession. The safe response is patience, a suitable following distance, and obedience to any officer managing the intersection. Do not use a gap in the line as an invitation to merge through it.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and the Basic Speed Rule

19. 19. At an all-way stop, two vehicles arrive at different times. Who should proceed first?

    
    1. The vehicle approaching from the widest road
    2. The vehicle that arrived second
    3. The vehicle with more passengers
    4. The vehicle that reached the intersection first
    Show answer

    The vehicle that reached the intersection first. At an all-way stop, every vehicle must stop, and the first vehicle to reach the intersection gets to go first. The order of arrival controls the normal sequence, not the number of occupants or the width of the road. If two vehicles stop at the same time, the vehicle on the right has priority instead. The tempting second-arrival choice is backward because it would ignore the manual's arrival-order rule. Stop fully, observe the other vehicles, and move only when the intersection is safe.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way, turns and emergency vehicles

20. 20. When should a driver use a turn signal even if no other vehicle is visible?

    1. When a vehicle is visible within a block ahead or behind
    2. When a police officer is following the car
    3. Whenever changing direction, including a lane change or turn
    4. Only at intersections controlled by traffic lights
    Show answer

    Whenever changing direction, including a lane change or turn. Tennessee’s defensive driving guidance says to signal whenever you plan to change directions. That includes changing lanes, turning, entering an interstate, pulling away from a curb, or moving off the side of the road. Waiting until another vehicle appears defeats the warning purpose because a cyclist, pedestrian, or driver may be outside the first glance. Signal early enough for others to understand the intended movement.

    Study this in the handbook: Defensive driving and road rage