TN Permit Practice Test 14

All 20 questions in test 14

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. Fluorescent pink signage on a Tennessee roadway indicates what kind of situation?

   1. Incident management traffic control for events such as crashes, wildland fires, floods, or hazardous material spills
   2. A school zone ahead
   3. A bicycle route detour
   4. A hospital quiet zone
   Show answer

   Incident management traffic control for events such as crashes, wildland fires, floods, or hazardous material spills. Fluorescent pink, sometimes called coral, is used for incident management traffic control signs for incidents such as traffic accidents, wildland fires, floods, and hazardous material spills on or beside a road that interrupt normal traffic flow. School areas use fluorescent yellow-green instead. Bicycle routes use green directional signs. Fluorescent pink identifies incident management traffic control, not a hospital quiet zone. The manual passage behind this item states: "FLUORESCENT PINK (sometimes called “coral”) is used for incident management traffic control signage when needed for incidents such as traffic accidents, wildland fires, floods, and hazardous material spills,"

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

2. 2. You are halfway across the street when the DON'T WALK signal starts flashing. What should you do?

   1. Continue walking; you will have time to complete the crossing
   2. Turn back to the curb you left
   3. Stop in the middle and wait for the next WALK
   4. Run diagonally toward the nearest corner
   Show answer

   Continue walking; you will have time to complete the crossing. If you are already in the middle of the street when the DON’T WALK signal starts flashing, continue walking. The manual says you will have time to complete the crossing. Continue walking to complete the crossing rather than turning back. The manual says to continue walking, not stop in the middle of the street. Continue walking to complete the crossing; the manual does not instruct you to run diagonally.

3. 3. A Tennessee driver ignores a traffic citation received in another member state. What happens to the driver's Tennessee driving privileges?

   1. Nothing, because out-of-state citations do not count in Tennessee
   2. Only a warning letter is mailed and the license stays valid
   3. The suspension, revocation or cancellation stays in effect until the court reports the citation properly disposed of and the proper fees are paid
   4. The driver must retake the written knowledge test within 30 days
   Show answer

   The suspension, revocation or cancellation stays in effect until the court reports the citation properly disposed of and the proper fees are paid. Tennessee belongs to the Non-Resident Violator Compact. Under it, a citation received in any member state must be answered in court or satisfied as the court directs. If the citation is ignored, driving privileges are suspended, revoked or canceled. That action stays in effect until the court tells the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security that the citation was properly disposed of and the proper fees are paid.

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

4. 4. In fog, you cannot see the edge of the road. What should you do?

   1. Stop in the travel lane with headlights on high beam
   2. Follow the tail lights of the vehicle ahead closely
   3. Pull off as far to the right as possible, well out of the traffic lane, and turn on emergency flashers
   4. Drive on the shoulder at normal speed
   Show answer

   Pull off as far to the right as possible, well out of the traffic lane, and turn on emergency flashers. If fog prevents you from seeing the road edge, pull as far right as possible, well out of the traffic lane, and turn on emergency flashers. The manual advises against driving in fog if possible and says high beams reflect light back into your eyes. Pull well out of the traffic lane; high beams impair visibility in fog. When you cannot see the road edge, the manual says to pull well out of the traffic lane and turn on emergency flashers.

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

5. 5. What is prohibited in a multi-lane roundabout?

   1. Driving at a slower speed
   2. Using a right turn signal to exit
   3. Yielding to a vehicle already circulating
   4. Overtaking or passing another vehicle
   Show answer

   Overtaking or passing another vehicle. Tennessee treats a multi-lane roundabout as a low speed traffic control device, so drivers must not overtake or pass vehicles within it. Slower travel is expected, and a right signal should identify the exit. Yielding to traffic already circulating is required before entering. A driver who misses an intended street may continue around again rather than passing inside the circle or making a sudden lane maneuver.

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

6. 6. Oncoming headlights glare at night. Where should you look to keep your lane?

   1. Directly into the oncoming lights to judge their distance
   2. Toward the right edge of the road, using the white line or road edge as a steering guide
   3. At the center line until the vehicle passes
   4. At the dashboard until your eyes recover
   Show answer

   Toward the right edge of the road, using the white line or road edge as a steering guide. Avoid looking directly into oncoming headlights because they can cause momentary blindness. The manual advises watching the right edge of the road and using the white line or road edge as a steering guide. Headlight glare makes the pupil contract, and it takes time to readjust after the vehicle passes. Looking into the lights worsens glare and momentary blindness. The manual recommends the right edge of the road, using the white line or road edge as a steering guide.

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

7. 7. Which method speeds up how fast a drinking person becomes sober in Tennessee guidance?

   1. Drinking coffee
   2. Exercising
   3. None of these; only time can sober a person
   4. Taking a cold shower
   Show answer

   None of these; only time can sober a person. Only time can sober a person who has been drinking. The manual says the liver can oxidize about one drink per hour and that coffee, exercise, cold showers, or anything else cannot increase the rate. Coffee does not increase the oxidation rate; only time sobers. Exercise cannot speed the liver's one drink per hour pace. A cold shower cannot increase the alcohol oxidation rate; only time can sober a person.

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

8. 8. What passing rule applies inside a multi-lane roundabout?

   1. Pass slow vehicles on the left before exiting
   2. Do not overtake or pass any vehicles inside
   3. Pass only trucks using the inner lane
   4. Overtake whenever the exit lane is clear
   Show answer

   Do not overtake or pass any vehicles inside. Do not overtake or pass any vehicles in a multi-lane roundabout. It is a low-speed traffic control device. Be prepared to yield to vehicles turning in front of you from the inside lane to exit. The manual prohibits overtaking or passing any vehicles in a multi-lane roundabout. Trucks receive no special passing permission. A clear exit lane does not repeal the ban.

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

9. 9. At what age does Tennessee’s “Expiring Identification License” stop expiring?

   1. Age 65 or older
   2. Age 55 or older
   3. Age 60 or older
   4. Age 70 or older
   Show answer

   Age 65 or older. The manual says the Expiring Identification License does not expire at age 65 or older. It is available to people who do not currently hold a valid driver license. This is distinct from the permanent identification license described for qualifying applicants unable to operate a vehicle. Fifty-five is a decade too early for this benefit. Sixty still falls short of the stated age.

10. 10. At night, what must Tennessee headlights enable a driver to do?

    1. See clearly any person on the highway at least 200 feet ahead
    2. Drive faster to reduce time on the road
    3. Use only parking lights to save the battery
    4. Look directly into oncoming headlights
    Show answer

    See clearly any person on the highway at least 200 feet ahead. Night driving depends on headlights that let the driver see clearly any person on the highway at least 200 feet ahead. Headlights must be in good order and accurately aimed, with clean lenses and a clean windshield inside and out, because effectiveness drops as distance grows. Driving faster shortens reaction time in darkness. Parking lights do not meet the headlight requirement for moving traffic. Staring into oncoming beams causes glare that leaves the driver briefly unable to see well.

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

11. 11. What fee is listed for adding the For-Hire endorsement in the manual?

    1. $2.50
    2. $9.00
    3. $18.00
    4. $4.50
    Show answer

    $4.50. Adding the For-Hire endorsement requires meeting the eligibility requirements, passing the appropriate tests, and paying a $4.50 fee. Two dollars fifty understates the listed charge. Nine dollars doubles the fee actually shown. Eighteen dollars quadruples the stated amount. The manual passage behind this item states: "fee of $4.50. Applicants are eligible to apply for this endorsement if:" Check the listed endorsement charge itself rather than estimating from other license fees.

    Study this in the handbook: Getting a license and taking the tests

12. 12. When must a Tennessee driver dim high beam headlights for oncoming traffic?

    1. Dim when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet, or when following within 500 feet
    2. Only inside city limits
    3. Never, high beams are always preferred
    4. Only when the other driver flashes first
    Show answer

    Dim when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet, or when following within 500 feet. Dim high beams when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet or when following another vehicle within 500 feet. Headlight glare can blind another driver, including through a rearview mirror. Glare endangers drivers outside cities too. The manual requires dimming for oncoming or followed vehicles within 500 feet. Dim within the stated 500-foot distance; the rule does not depend on the other driver flashing first.

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

13. 13. In a car without anti-lock brakes that begins to skid, what steering and braking response does Tennessee recommend?

    1. Hold the brake hard and steer away from the skid
    2. Take the foot off the brake and steer in the direction of the skid
    3. Shift to neutral and pump the brakes rapidly
    4. Steer straight and accelerate gently out of it
    Show answer

    Take the foot off the brake and steer in the direction of the skid. For a vehicle without ABS that starts to skid, take your foot off the brake and steer in the direction of the skid, if you can do so without running off the road, hitting something, or steering into oncoming traffic. The manual recommends taking your foot off the brake and steering in the direction of the skid, subject to the stated safety limits.

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

14. 14. What minimum speed applies in the right lane or lanes of a Tennessee interstate under normal conditions?

    1. 35 mph
    2. 40 mph
    3. 50 mph
    4. 45 mph
    Show answer

    45 mph. The minimum speed in the right lane or lanes of an interstate is 45 mph. The manual says that a driver who finds this minimum too fast should use another route. Minimum-speed requirements allow slower driving in bad weather, heavy traffic, or on a bad road. Thirty five falls short of the stated floor. Forty mph is below the stated 45-mph minimum under normal conditions.

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

15. 15. What average reaction time does Tennessee list between seeing danger and starting to brake?

    1. About one half second
    2. About 2/3 of a second
    3. About 1.16 seconds
    4. About two full seconds
    Show answer

    About 2/3 of a second. The manual gives an average reaction time of 2/3 of a second, from perception of danger to the start of braking. Its table lists about half a second for perception, and its deer example combines perception and reaction as 1.16 seconds. Two seconds is used in following-distance guidance, not as the stated average reaction time. One half second covers perception, not reaction.

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

16. 16. How must a vehicle legally transport litter or material likely to fall or blow onto a Tennessee highway?

    1. With the tailgate down so debris settles low
    2. With a passenger holding loose items steady
    3. In an enclosed space or fully covered by a tarpaulin
    4. Only between sunrise and sunset hours
    Show answer

    In an enclosed space or fully covered by a tarpaulin. Tennessee law requires litter or material likely to fall or blow onto the highway to be transported in an enclosed space or fully covered by a tarpaulin. Holding loose material or choosing a time of day does not meet the stated enclosure-or-cover requirement. Lowering the tailgate does not meet the requirement to enclose or fully cover the material. A passenger holding items does not meet the stated requirement for an enclosed space or full tarpaulin cover.

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

17. 17. A parent rides in a Tennessee car while someone else drives, and a child is not properly transported. Who is responsible?

    1. Only the driver, in every situation
    2. No one, because a parent is present
    3. The child, if the child is over age eight
    4. The parent or legal guardian who is present may be fined for non-compliance
    Show answer

    The parent or legal guardian who is present may be fined for non-compliance. If a child’s parent or legal guardian is present in the car but is not driving, that parent or guardian is responsible for making sure the child is properly transported and may be fined for non-compliance. The manual otherwise makes the driver responsible for protecting children under 16 and says the driver may be charged and fined when they are not properly restrained.

    Study this in the handbook: Safety belts, child seats and air bags

18. 18. A Tennessee license expired 40 days ago. What late fee applies, and what happens after six months?

    1. No fee at 40 days; $5 after six months
    2. $5 after 30 days; the fee doubles to $10 after six months
    3. $10 immediately; $25 after six months
    4. $5 fee plus full retesting at 40 days
    Show answer

    $5 after 30 days; the fee doubles to $10 after six months. Passing thirty calendar days expired adds a five dollar late fee, and at six months that fee doubles to ten dollars. Waiting five years adds full vision, knowledge, and skills testing on top of the ten dollar fee, but retesting is not triggered at forty days. There are no grace periods: once expired, driving carries the same exposure as never having been licensed. Renew before expiration whenever possible, since the courtesy notice is helpful but not required for renewal.

19. 19. What window tint limit applies to a Tennessee passenger car window?

    1. Tint down to 20% light transmission is allowed
    2. Any tint is allowed behind the front seat
    3. No material transmitting less than 35% of visible light may be attached
    4. Windshield tint is allowed above the visor line only
    Show answer

    No material transmitting less than 35% of visible light may be attached. Passenger car windows may not carry material that lets through less than thirty five percent of visible light. Twenty percent transmission would darken glass well past the legal floor. The behind the seat exemption belongs to multi purpose vehicles, whose rear windows are exempt while the windows beside the driver follow the car rule. No tinting material may be affixed to the windshield of any motor vehicle at all. Cracked or frost covered glass that blocks clear vision also makes driving unlawful.

    Study this in the handbook: Getting a license and taking the tests

20. 20. What chance of being killed does Tennessee assign to a crash victim who is ejected from the vehicle?

    1. One in fifty
    2. One in three
    3. One in one hundred
    4. One in eight
    Show answer

    One in eight. The manual states that the chance of being killed in a crash by being ejected from a vehicle is one in eight. Safety belts virtually eliminate ejection and help protect occupants from injury. That badly understates ejection danger. That overstates the figure given. One in one hundred is lower than the manual’s stated one-in-eight chance. The manual passage behind this item states: "Preventing ejection: Ejection greatly increases the chance of death or serious injury. The chance of being killed in a crash by being ejected from a vehicle is one in eight. Safety belts virtually eliminate ejection."

    Study this in the handbook: Safety belts, child seats and air bags