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. In which direction does traffic travel around a Tennessee roundabout or traffic circle?

   1. To the left, clockwise around the circle
   2. Straight across the center island
   3. Either direction, whichever lane is open
   4. To the right, counterclockwise around the circle
   Show answer

   To the right, counterclockwise around the circle. Because Tennessee drives on the right side of the road, every roundabout, traffic circle and town square is entered with a right turn and travelled counterclockwise. Going to the left would put you head on into circulating traffic, and there is never a choice of direction no matter how empty the circle looks. Cutting across the center island is not a movement at all. Keep the island on your left, stay in your lane, and signal your exit so drivers waiting to enter can judge the gap.

2. 2. According to the Tennessee manual, what is the Basic Speed Rule?

   1. A general safety principle rather than a Tennessee law
   2. The minimum speed required on interstates
   3. A law that sets 55 mph on every state highway
   4. The fine schedule for work zone speeding
   Show answer

   A general safety principle rather than a Tennessee law. The manual is unusually candid here: the Basic Speed Rule is not written into Tennessee law. It is a safety principle that says the posted number is a ceiling for ideal conditions and that rain, fog, curves and traffic can make a lower speed the only reasonable one. It is not the 55 mph highway default, which is a real posted limit, and it has nothing to do with interstate minimums or work zone fines. Examiners ask about it because drivers who treat the sign as a target rather than a limit cause weather related crashes.

3. 3. What should a driver do after recognizing drowsiness while driving?

   1. Open a window and continue until the next town
   2. Drive faster to reach the destination sooner
   3. Quit driving and take a break
   4. Stare straight ahead to maintain concentration
   Show answer

   Quit driving and take a break. The manual identifies drowsiness as the first step toward falling asleep and advises drivers to quit driving when they are drowsy. A window, extra speed, or staring ahead cannot reliably restore alertness and may leave the vehicle moving while the driver loses awareness. The safer plan is to stop at a suitable location, get out, refresh yourself, and resume only after you are fit to drive.

4. 4. When may you enter an intersection where traffic ahead is stopped?

   1. Whenever your traffic signal is green
   2. Only when you can get through without stopping in the intersection
   3. As soon as the vehicle ahead begins to move slightly
   4. Only after sounding the horn twice
   Show answer

   Only when you can get through without stopping in the intersection. A driver must wait if traffic ahead would leave the vehicle stopped inside the intersection. Enter only when there is enough room to clear it without blocking cross traffic or a pedestrian path. A green signal does not authorize filling the intersection, and a horn or a small movement ahead does not create space. Blocking can prevent other traffic from moving and may result in a ticket. Look beyond the intersection before crossing the line, then wait for a complete path.

5. 5. How many reckless driving violations within 12 months can cost a Tennessee driver the license?

   1. One
   2. Four
   3. Six
   4. Two
   Show answer

   Two. Tennessee lists two reckless driving violations within 12 months among the grounds for revoking or suspending a license, alongside drag racing, DUI, leaving the scene of an injury crash, and habitual moving violations. One reckless driving violation alone is not the listed trigger. Four and six are not the figures in this rule. Other grounds include driving away from a gas station without paying for fuel.

6. 6. A Tennessee 15-year-old has a second conviction for possessing alcohol. How long is the driving privilege suspended?

   1. Two years or until age 18, whichever is longer
   2. One year or until age 17, whichever is longer
   3. 90 days
   4. Until age 16 only
   Show answer

   Two years or until age 18, whichever is longer. Juveniles 13 to 17 found to have possessed, consumed or sold alcohol or drugs lose the privilege for one year or until 17, whichever is longer, on a first conviction. A second conviction brings two years or until 18, whichever is longer. The one year or 17 choice is the first offense rule. Ninety days and age 16 are not the stated terms. A teen who has never been licensed can still lose the privilege.

7. 7. What minimum age and test are required for Tennessee's Intermediate Restricted License?

   1. Age 15 and a passed vision screening only
   2. Age 17 and a passed written exam only
   3. Age 16 and a passed driving skills test
   4. Age 18 and no test
   Show answer

   Age 16 and a passed driving skills test. The first intermediate level requires the applicant to be 16 years old and pass the driving skills test, also called the road test. A learner permit at 15 and a vision screening are not enough to reach this level. The 17-year-old choice points toward later advancement, while an 18-year-old no-test option skips the graduated process described here. Think of this license as the stage after supervised permit experience. Confirm both the age and road-test requirements before scheduling the application.

8. 8. After a crash in which a vehicle is on fire, what should people in the vehicle do?

   1. Remain inside until the flames reach the passenger compartment
   2. Move the vehicle farther into traffic before getting out
   3. Stand behind the vehicle while the engine continues running
   4. Leave the vehicle and move away from it
   Show answer

   Leave the vehicle and move away from it. A fire creates a risk of further injury and possible explosion, so occupants should be helped out and moved away from the vehicle. Remaining inside delays escape, and placing people behind the vehicle does not create a dependable safe area. Moving a burning vehicle into traffic adds danger to everyone nearby. Call emergency services, warn approaching traffic if it can be done safely, and stay clear of smoke and flames.

9. 9. When turning left at an intersection without a protected green arrow, a driver must yield to:

   
   1. Oncoming vehicles proceeding straight or turning right
   2. Only vehicles approaching from behind
   3. No vehicles because the turn signal gives priority
   4. Vehicles entering from a driveway behind the turn
   Show answer

   Oncoming vehicles proceeding straight or turning right. A left turn crosses the path of oncoming traffic, so the turning driver must yield to an oncoming vehicle going straight or turning right unless a protected green arrow controls the movement. A turn signal announces intent but does not grant priority. The driver should wait in the intersection only as permitted, watch for pedestrians, and complete the turn when the opposing path is clear.

10. 10. At a yield sign, what must the driver do when other vehicles are approaching?

    1. Accelerate through before the other vehicles arrive
    2. Stop only after entering the intersection
    3. Slow down or stop to avoid a crash with oncoming traffic
    4. Assume the other vehicles must yield instead
    Show answer

    Slow down or stop to avoid a crash with oncoming traffic. A yield sign requires the approaching driver to slow down or stop when necessary to avoid a collision with oncoming traffic. It does not authorize rushing into the intersection, waiting until the vehicle is already in conflict, or shifting the duty to the other driver. The word yield describes the priority relationship, not merely a suggestion to reduce speed. Check both directions, give conflicting traffic room, and enter only when the movement is safe.

11. 11. A Tennessee Intermediate Restricted driver gets a second moving violation. What must happen before the Intermediate Unrestricted License?

    1. The teen must retake the vision test only
    2. Nothing extra is required
    3. The teen must wait until age 21
    4. The teen must complete an approved driver education class
    Show answer

    The teen must complete an approved driver education class. If a teen gets a second moving violation while holding the Intermediate Restricted License, an approved driver education class must be completed before the Intermediate Unrestricted License is issued. The violations can also add a 90-day delay if they reach 6 points. A vision test alone is not the remedy, something extra is required, and waiting until 21 is not part of the rule.

12. 12. What does a fluorescent yellow-green sign identify?

    1. A construction detour
    2. A recreational area
    3. A school zone
    4. A motorist service facility
    Show answer

    A school zone. Fluorescent yellow-green is reserved for school zone signs. The color is highly visible and cues drivers to watch carefully for school traffic, including children, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Orange points to construction and maintenance, brown relates to recreational or cultural guide information, and blue identifies motorist services. When this bright yellow-green color appears, reduce distractions, watch the roadside, and be ready for children crossing or vehicles entering the area.

13. 13. When can a vehicle be seized after a driver’s license was revoked because of a DUI conviction?

    1. When the driver is charged with driving on that revoked license
    2. Only when the revocation came from a non-DUI offense
    3. Never, because vehicle seizure is not authorized
    4. Only after a 24-hour impoundment expires
    Show answer

    When the driver is charged with driving on that revoked license. A vehicle can be seized when a driver is charged with operating on a license already revoked because of a DUI conviction. The rule is triggered by the new driving charge and the prior DUI-based revocation, not by a temporary twenty-four-hour hold. A non-DUI revocation does not match the condition described here, and saying seizure is never authorized ignores the stated consequence. When reviewing DUI sanctions, separate the event that caused revocation from the later act of driving while revoked.

14. 14. What license revocation period applies to a first DUI conviction in Tennessee?

    1. 6 months
    2. 1 year
    3. 2 years
    4. 6 years
    Show answer

    1 year. The Tennessee Department of Safety lists a one-year license revocation, 365 days, for a first DUI. A second DUI brings a two-year revocation, a third brings six years, and a fourth or later brings eight years. Six months is not a listed DUI revocation period. Older printed charts that show three to ten years for a third offense no longer match the Department's current schedule. Keep revocation separate from jail time, fines, and the ignition interlock requirement, which runs at least 365 days for a driver who wants a restricted license.

15. 15. What movement is prohibited by the sign shown here?

    
    1. Making every left turn
    2. Making a U-turn
    3. Turning into any driveway
    4. Passing another vehicle
    Show answer

    Making a U-turn. The displayed symbol is the regulatory message that U-turns are prohibited at that location. It does not ban every left turn, forbid passing everywhere, or make driveway turns illegal. Read the crossed U-shaped arrow as a direct movement restriction, then continue in the permitted direction and look for a legal place to change course. Signs regulate particular actions at particular locations, so the prohibition should be obeyed even when the roadway appears clear.

16. 16. If this WRONG WAY sign faces a driver, what does it indicate?

    
    1. A rough road requires reduced speed
    2. Trucks must use the lane
    3. A passing zone begins ahead
    4. The vehicle is traveling against the permitted direction
    Show answer

    The vehicle is traveling against the permitted direction. A WRONG WAY sign warns that the vehicle is traveling in a direction that is not permitted, often after entering an exit or one-way route incorrectly. It is not a pavement warning about roughness, a truck-only instruction, or a signal that passing may begin. The immediate priority is to avoid continuing into opposing traffic. Stop when safe, check the surroundings, and obtain help or turn around only after the maneuver can be completed without creating another conflict.

17. 17. What does a solid white line along the right edge of a traffic lane identify?

    1. The centerline separating opposing traffic
    2. A mandatory passing lane
    3. The right edge of the traffic lane
    4. A railroad crossing stop position
    Show answer

    The right edge of the traffic lane. A solid white line at the side of the roadway marks the right edge of the traffic lane. It helps the driver recognize the pavement boundary, especially when visibility is poor or the roadway is unfamiliar. Yellow lines identify the left edge of traffic moving in your direction and commonly separate opposing flows. Do not confuse an edge line with a centerline or treat it as an invitation to leave the lane.

18. 18. 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.

19. 19. What does a flashing yellow left arrow permit?

    1. A left turn without slowing or yielding
    2. A left turn after yielding to oncoming traffic, bicyclists, and pedestrians
    3. A straight movement only until the arrow turns green
    4. A complete stop followed by a right turn only
    Show answer

    A left turn after yielding to oncoming traffic, bicyclists, and pedestrians. A flashing yellow left arrow is permissive. The driver may turn left only after yielding to oncoming vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians in the crosswalk, and must wait for a safe gap. It is not a protected movement and does not remove the need to slow and assess traffic. The straight-only and right-turn choices change the indicated movement. Use the practical cue that flashing yellow means yield first, then turn when the opposing path and crosswalk are clear.

20. 20. When is covering the brake an appropriate driving practice?

    1. When a hazard is developing and a quicker response may be needed
    2. Whenever the driver wants to make the brake lights stay on
    3. While resting the foot on the brake during every mile of travel
    4. Only after the vehicle has already begun to skid
    Show answer

    When a hazard is developing and a quicker response may be needed. Covering the brake means hovering the foot over the brake or between the brake and gas pedals so response time is shorter. It is useful near intersections, crosswalks, school or residential areas, brake lights, and heavy slow traffic. Resting pressure on the pedal is riding the brake, which causes wear and can falsely signal a stop. Cover the pedal when risk is developing, then brake smoothly if needed.