TN Permit Practice Test 4

All 20 questions in test 4

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. If you are already in an intersection when an emergency vehicle approaches, when should you pull over?

   1. Drive through the intersection first, then pull over when clear
   2. Stop immediately in the intersection
   3. Back up before the emergency vehicle arrives
   4. Turn left across its path
   Show answer

   Drive through the intersection first, then pull over when clear. A vehicle already in an intersection should continue through before pulling over, because stopping there can block the emergency vehicle's route. Once clear, move to the right edge or curb and remain stopped until the emergency vehicle passes or an officer directs you to move. Stopping in the intersection, backing, or turning across the response path creates another obstruction. Check for side roads and driveways before choosing a stopping place, since the emergency vehicle may need those openings to reach the scene.

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

2. 2. What should a driver do if a vehicle without anti-lock brakes starts to skid?

   1. Pump the brake rapidly while turning away from the skid
   2. Accelerate hard to force the tires straight
   3. Lock the steering wheel and keep the brake fully pressed
   4. Release the brake and steer in the direction of the skid when it can be done safely
   Show answer

   Release the brake and steer in the direction of the skid when it can be done safely. For a vehicle without anti-lock brakes, the manual recommends taking your foot off the brake and steering in the direction of the skid, provided that doing so will not run the vehicle off the road or into a hazard. Pumping the pedal or locking the steering can reduce control. Acceleration does not restore traction. The driver must also account for oncoming traffic and other obstacles before making the steering correction.

   Study this in the handbook: Avoiding collisions and keeping your vehicle safe

3. 3. What kind of information is generally conveyed by a rectangular regulatory sign?

   1. A warning that a railroad crossing is immediately ahead
   2. A recommendation for a scenic recreation area
   3. Laws, regulations, or instructions such as speed and lane use
   4. A notice that a road surface is slippery
   Show answer

   Laws, regulations, or instructions such as speed and lane use. A rectangular regulatory sign communicates a rule or instruction that governs road use. Examples include speed limits and lane-use directions. It is not the standard warning shape for a railroad, slippery pavement, or other hazard, and it is not primarily a recreation guide. Drivers should read the wording, symbol, or lane arrow and follow the displayed requirement. The shape helps identify the sign category, but the actual message supplies the specific rule. Treating a regulatory sign as optional can create a violation or conflict.

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

4. 4. Which of these can lead to suspension or revocation of a Tennessee driver license?

   1. Driving away from a gas station without paying for fuel
   2. Parking in a two-hour zone for three hours
   3. Letting a passenger eat in the car
   4. Using cruise control on an interstate
   Show answer

   Driving away from a gas station without paying for fuel. Tennessee's list of grounds for suspending or revoking a license includes driving a vehicle away from a gas station without paying for dispensed gas or diesel. It also includes failing to show proof of insurance after a crash or moving violation, and possessing five or more grams of methamphetamine in a vehicle. An overtime parking ticket, a passenger eating, and cruise control are not on the list.

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

5. 5. What does the round warning sign with an RXR symbol tell you?

   
   1. A railroad grade crossing is ahead and you must slow down
   2. A roundabout requires a right turn
   3. A no-passing zone has ended
   4. A bicycle lane begins immediately
   Show answer

   A railroad grade crossing is ahead and you must slow down. The circular railroad warning sign marks an approaching grade crossing. Slow down early and be ready to stop if a train is coming. It does not mark a bicycle facility, a roundabout, or the end of a passing restriction. Never try to beat a train because its speed is easy to misjudge. Use the warning as time to check the crossing, not as permission to maintain speed until the rails are close.

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

6. 6. What condition does the five-sided school sign warn drivers to expect?

   
   1. A recreation area with no pedestrian activity
   2. Children near a school, requiring slower and more cautious driving
   3. A hospital entrance where stopping is mandatory
   4. A truck-only lane beginning ahead
   Show answer

   Children near a school, requiring slower and more cautious driving. The five-sided school sign appears near school grounds or buildings. It tells drivers to slow down, drive with caution, and watch for children. It does not identify a park, hospital, or truck lane. Children may cross unexpectedly or appear near a bus stop, so reduce speed before reaching the school area and scan both sides of the roadway. The distinctive pentagon is a quick recognition cue for school traffic.

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

7. 7. Where should a driver stop when approaching a stop sign with no crosswalk or marked stop line?

   1. Only after another vehicle has stopped first
   2. Past the intersection so the front wheels enter the cross street
   3. At least 50 feet before the intersection in every case
   4. At the nearest point where approaching traffic can be seen, before entering the intersection
   Show answer

   At the nearest point where approaching traffic can be seen, before entering the intersection. If a stop sign has neither a crosswalk nor a clearly marked stop line, Tennessee directs the driver to stop at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where approaching traffic can be viewed, and before entering the actual intersection. Stopping beyond the intersection defeats the visibility and safety purpose. The manual does not impose a universal 50-foot distance, and another vehicle does not need to stop first. Approach slowly enough to identify the correct stopping point, make a complete cessation of movement, and then check for traffic.

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

8. 8. In Tennessee, a U-turn is not allowed where you cannot see traffic coming from both directions for at least how far?

   1. 500 feet in each direction
   2. 100 feet in each direction
   3. 50 feet in each direction
   4. 1 mile in each direction
   Show answer

   500 feet in each direction. A U-turn puts your vehicle broadside across traffic for several seconds, so Tennessee bans it at any rural or urban spot where you cannot see oncoming traffic from both directions for at least 500 feet each way. The same 500 foot sight rule applies near a curve or the crest of a hill. U-turns are also barred at signal or officer controlled intersections, between intersections in a city, and on any interstate highway.

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

9. 9. A blind pedestrian with a white cane is crossing the road in front of you. What does Tennessee tell you to do?

   1. Sound the horn so the person knows you are there
   2. Drive slowly around the person
   3. Stop at least 10 feet away until the person is off the roadway
   4. Stop only if the person is inside a marked crosswalk
   Show answer

   Stop at least 10 feet away until the person is off the roadway. When a blind or visually impaired pedestrian with a guide dog or a white cane is crossing any part of the road, you must yield even outside an intersection or crosswalk. Tennessee tells drivers to stop at least 10 feet away and stay stopped until the person has left the roadway. Do not honk, because the sound could startle the pedestrian. Easing around the person is unsafe, and the duty does not depend on a marked crosswalk.

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

10. 10. On a Tennessee interstate, how far behind the vehicle ahead should you stay, and how does that change in bad weather or at night?

    1. At least one second, doubled in rain
    2. Exactly one car length per 10 mph
    3. At least two seconds, increased to a minimum of four seconds
    4. At least ten seconds at all times
    Show answer

    At least two seconds, increased to a minimum of four seconds. Tennessee measures following distance in time, not car lengths. Two seconds is the floor on the interstate in good conditions, and the manual raises it to at least four seconds in bad weather, at night and on the faster rural sections. One second is below the two second floor, a car length count is not how this rule is stated, and ten seconds is not the figure given. Count from the moment the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object; if you reach it before the count ends, drop back.

    Study this in the handbook: Interstate driving

11. 11. At an all-way stop, two vehicles arrive at the same time. Who should go first?

    1. The vehicle on the left
    2. The vehicle traveling straight, regardless of position
    3. The vehicle with more passengers
    4. The vehicle on the right
    Show answer

    The vehicle on the right. At an all-way stop, every vehicle must stop. The vehicle that arrived first proceeds first, but when two vehicles arrive at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the vehicle on the right. Direction of travel and passenger count do not override that tie rule. Each driver should still confirm that the intersection is clear before moving, since right-of-way rules do not guarantee that another driver will act safely.

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

12. 12. When a Tennessee driver license is suspended or revoked, within how many days must it be turned in to the Department of Safety?

    1. Within 90 days
    2. Within 48 hours
    3. Within 20 days
    4. It never has to be surrendered
    Show answer

    Within 20 days. A suspension or revocation is not complete until the physical card is back with the state. Tennessee gives the driver 20 days to turn the license in to the Department of Safety. Forty eight hours is shorter than the stated window, and ninety days is far longer than the state allows. Keeping the card is not an option, because the manual says the license must be turned in. Any Tennessee Highway Patrol Office or Driver License Service Center can take the license and give you credit for returning it, or it may be mailed.

    Study this in the handbook: What to do after a crash

13. 13. What is a two-way center lane marked with yellow lines and left-turn arrows reserved for?

    1. Passing slower traffic in the center of the roadway
    2. Vehicles preparing to make left turns from either direction
    3. Driving straight through until traffic becomes lighter
    4. Parking temporarily between intersections
    Show answer

    Vehicles preparing to make left turns from either direction. A two-way center lane is a shared turning space, not a travel or passing lane. Drivers from either direction may enter it to prepare for a left turn, but using it to continue straight or pass creates a conflict with opposing turning traffic. Parking there also blocks the intended movement. Check the arrows and lane boundaries, signal your turn, and enter only for the short distance needed to make the maneuver.

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

14. 14. What does a flashing red traffic signal require before you proceed?

    1. A speed increase through the intersection
    2. A complete stop, followed by movement when it is safe
    3. A stop only if another vehicle is present
    4. Waiting for the signal to become steady green
    Show answer

    A complete stop, followed by movement when it is safe. A flashing red signal is treated like a stop sign. The driver must make a complete stop, check traffic and pedestrians, and proceed only when the movement is safe. It does not permit rolling through, speeding up, or waiting indefinitely for a steady green signal. Come to a full cessation before the crosswalk or stop line, then apply the ordinary right-of-way rules. A useful distinction is that flashing yellow calls for caution, while flashing red creates the same stopping duty as a stop sign.

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

15. 15. 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.

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

16. 16. When the light turns green at an intersection, what does the Tennessee manual warn drivers not to do?

    1. Wait for a full second before moving
    2. Jump the gun by starting early or making a quick left turn in front of oncoming traffic
    3. Yield to pedestrians still in the crosswalk
    4. Look left and right before entering
    Show answer

    Jump the gun by starting early or making a quick left turn in front of oncoming traffic. Green is permission, not a starting pistol. The manual warns against jumping the gun, meaning starting through the intersection early or making a quick left turn in front of oncoming traffic, and calls this extremely dangerous. The same section says you must yield to pedestrians and vehicles still in the intersection at the light change, and it warns that some drivers jump the green while others try to beat the yellow. A brief wait, looking both ways, and yielding to pedestrians are not what the manual warns against, which is why they are the wrong choices here.

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

17. 17. A 19-year-old in Tennessee is convicted of trying to buy beer. What happens to the driving privilege?

    1. It is lost for one year
    2. Nothing, because the person was not driving
    3. It is lost for 30 days
    4. It is lost until age 21
    Show answer

    It is lost for one year. Drivers 18, 19 or 20 convicted of purchasing, attempting to purchase, or possessing alcohol lose the privilege to drive for one year, and a second time brings two years. The law applies to any alcohol-related conviction whether or not the person was driving or even in a vehicle. Thirty days is too short, and the loss is not tied to turning 21.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol laws for drivers under 21

18. 18. How much supervised driving experience must support a Tennessee Intermediate Restricted License application?

    1. 30 hours, including 5 hours at night
    2. 50 hours, including 10 hours at night
    3. 60 hours, all during daylight
    4. 180 hours, including 50 hours at night
    Show answer

    50 hours, including 10 hours at night. The Tennessee application requires verification of 50 hours of driving experience, with 10 of those hours completed at night. The record must be certified by a parent, legal guardian, or licensed driving instructor on the official form. Thirty hours and 60 daylight-only hours change the requirement, while 180 hours confuses the experience total with the separate permit holding period. Keep a careful log as practice occurs. The night-hour portion is the detail most likely to be overlooked when totaling daytime practice.

    Study this in the handbook: Intermediate Restricted and Unrestricted licenses

19. 19. Under Tennessee's under-21 impaired driving rule, what BAC figure can trigger a conviction for a driver at least 16 but not yet 21?

    1. 0.08 percent
    2. 0.10 percent
    3. 0.02 percent
    4. 0.00 percent only
    Show answer

    0.02 percent. The manual states that a person at least 16 but not yet 21 can be convicted of underage driving while impaired when found driving with a BAC of .02 percent. That is a separate youth standard, so substituting the adult .08 threshold understates the risk for this age group. A requirement of exactly zero is also not the wording used in the rule. For a teen driver, even a small measured amount can matter. The practical cue is to avoid driving after any alcohol use rather than trying to calculate a safe margin.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol laws for drivers under 21

20. 20. What roadway condition does the divided-highway warning sign announce?

    
    1. A one-lane bridge with traffic alternating directions
    2. A three-way intersection with no median
    3. A place where U-turns are required
    4. The directions of travel will separate around a median
    Show answer

    The directions of travel will separate around a median. The split-arrow symbol warns that opposing directions will be separated by a divided highway or median. Stay on the side intended for your direction and do not cross the median to make a U-turn. The sign does not describe a three-way junction, a one-lane bridge, or a required turn. Look ahead for the physical separation and position your vehicle before the roadway divides.

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