TX Permit Practice Test 16

All 20 questions in test 16

Every question below comes from the Texas 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. How does a downgrade change passing a Texas truck?

   1. Slow down because trucks crawl downhill
   2. Speed up, since truck momentum grows downhill
   3. Stop until the truck passes
   4. Ignore the grade entirely
   Show answer

   Speed up, since truck momentum grows downhill. Gravity turns a heavy truck into a runaway train on downgrades. Texas warns that downhill truck momentum builds speed, so you may need to increase your own speed to complete the pass, and to pass trucks larger than cars with extra room. Slowing, stopping, and ignoring the grade all surrender to the physics. The cue is the descent: plan a longer, faster pass with generous clearance.

   Study this in the handbook: Trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians

2. 2. Your street ends at a Texas through street. What must you do?

   1. Speed through without stopping
   2. Yield only to the left
   3. Stop and yield to vehicles on the through street
   4. Honk and proceed first
   Show answer

   Stop and yield to vehicles on the through street. A street that ends must bow to the street that continues. Texas says that approaching a through-street intersection from a dead-ending street, you must stop and yield to vehicles on the through street. Speeding through, one-sided yields, and honking all defy the rule. The cue is the T stem beneath you: your road ends, so every through driver owns the priority until you find a safe gap.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections

3. 3. What must you avoid when braking on Texas ice?

   1. Lock them to stop in a straight line
   2. Avoid locking them, since it kills steering and control
   3. Pump them only after a full stop
   4. Disconnect them and use the parking brake
   Show answer

   Avoid locking them, since it kills steering and control. Locked wheels on ice turn the car into a sled. Texas warns to avoid locking the brakes on ice because it causes a loss of steering and control. Deliberate locking, post-stop pumping, and brake disconnection all abandon directional control. The cue is the slippery surface under braking: press smoothly, keep the wheels rolling so steering still works, and let anti-lock systems pulse if equipped.

   Study this in the handbook: Breakdowns, skids and crashes

4. 4. What fine applies for disobeying the railroad grade crossing law?

   1. A warning with no fine for a first offense
   2. Community service only
   3. A fine of $50 to $200
   4. Automatic license revocation for a year
   Show answer

   A fine of $50 to $200. Railroad crossing violations carry a set dollar penalty. Texas subjects anyone who fails to obey the railroad grade crossing law to a fine of $50 to $200. There is no warning-only pass for a first offense, and community service alone is not the listed penalty. Revocation for a year far exceeds this fine schedule. The cue is the crossing law itself: gates, signals, and markings must be obeyed every time, because the penalty prices a moment of impatience that could cost lives.

   Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles and the move over law

5. 5. When must a Texas driver use headlights, besides the period from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise?

   1. Whenever the radio is on
   2. Only when it rains
   3. Only on unlit highways
   4. Any time individuals or vehicles cannot be seen clearly for at least 1,000 feet
   Show answer

   Any time individuals or vehicles cannot be seen clearly for at least 1,000 feet. Texas requires headlights beginning 30 minutes after sunset and ending 30 minutes before sunrise, or any time individuals or vehicles cannot be seen clearly for at least 1,000 feet. Because that second test turns on visibility rather than the clock, it can apply in daylight too. At night, avoid looking directly into approaching headlights and shift your eyes down to the lower right side of your lane. Drive at a speed that lets you stop within the distance lit by your headlights.

   Study this in the handbook: Night and highway driving

6. 6. When passing on a two-lane road, when should the driver return to the right lane?

   1. Before the passed vehicle disappears from the left mirror
   2. As soon as the front bumper passes the other vehicle
   3. After safely clearing the vehicle and seeing it in the rearview mirror
   4. Only after an oncoming driver flashes the headlights
   Show answer

   After safely clearing the vehicle and seeing it in the rearview mirror. The passing procedure says to remain left until the overtaken vehicle has been safely cleared and can be seen in the rearview mirror. That view gives the driver evidence of enough separation before moving back into the right lane. Returning when only the front bumper is ahead can cut across the other vehicle, while waiting for an oncoming signal is not the handbook's test. Keep the lane change smooth, use the right turn signal, and switch it off after the maneuver is complete.

   Study this in the handbook: Signaling, passing and turning

7. 7. A van blocks your view of an intersection. What should you do before turning across the area it hides?

   1. Assume the area beyond the van is clear
   2. Look for a motorcycle that may be hidden by the van
   3. Use the van’s turn signal to judge whether traffic behind it will turn
   4. Start turning as soon as the front of the van passes
   Show answer

   Look for a motorcycle that may be hidden by the van. Large vehicles can screen a motorcycle from view. When the motorcycle becomes visible, it may seem to appear suddenly even though it was already approaching. Do not treat the blocked area as empty. Look carefully before turning or crossing, and take another look for motorcycles at intersections. Their small profile and the difficulty of estimating their speed make a quick glance less reliable than it may seem.

   Study this in the handbook: Trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians

8. 8. A red X glows above your Texas highway lane. What must you do?

   1. Do not drive in that lane
   2. Speed up to clear it fast
   3. Stop in the lane immediately
   4. Flash your lights and stay
   Show answer

   Do not drive in that lane. A red X closes the lane below it. Texas lane-use control signals warn that if a red X appears above a lane, a driver should not drive in that lane. Speeding through, stopping inside, and flashing through all disobey the closure. The cue is the overhead signal: red X means the lane ahead is blocked or reversed, so merge out early and never enter beneath it.

9. 9. A 17-year-old Texas driver has two separate traffic convictions within 12 months. What can DPS do?

   1. Nothing until the driver turns 18
   2. Only send a warning letter
   3. Automatically cancel the license with no hearing
   4. Suspend or revoke the license after a proper hearing
   Show answer

   Suspend or revoke the license after a proper hearing. For a driver under 18, two or more separate traffic convictions within any 12 month period give DPS authority to suspend or revoke the license after a proper hearing. The threshold for adults is higher, four in 12 months or seven in 24 months, so teens face action sooner. DPS does not have to wait until the driver turns 18, and the handbook does not limit the response to a warning. The action follows a hearing, so an automatic cancellation with no hearing is wrong.

   Study this in the handbook: Suspensions, revocations and license penalties

10. 10. A minor in Texas is convicted of a first non-driving alcohol offense, such as possession. Which community service range applies?

    1. 8 to 12 hours
    2. 20 to 40 hours
    3. 40 to 60 hours
    4. 100 hours
    Show answer

    8 to 12 hours. A first non-driving alcohol offense by a Texas minor is a Class C misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500, 8 to 12 hours of community service, and a mandatory alcohol awareness course, plus a 30 day license suspension. Twenty to 40 hours is the second offense range. Forty to 60 hours belongs to later and more serious minor offenses, such as a third offense at ages 17 to 21. One hundred hours is not in the table. If the minor is under 18, a parent may also have to attend the alcohol awareness course.

    Study this in the handbook: Suspensions, revocations and license penalties

11. 11. What information do vertical rectangular traffic signs generally provide?

    1. Advance warnings of railroad crossings only
    2. Exclusive warnings about roadway hazards
    3. Directions for school crossings and school approaches
    4. Regulatory instructions for traffic behavior
    Show answer

    Regulatory instructions for traffic behavior. The handbook identifies the vertical rectangle as the shape generally used for regulatory signs. Such signs tell drivers what they should or should not do, including speed, lane, turn, or stopping requirements. A railroad warning is associated with a round sign, while hazard warnings generally use a diamond. The pentagon shape marks school advance and school crossing signs. Shape recognition is a quick study aid, but always read the displayed words or symbols because the shape gives the category, not every detail of the instruction.

    Study this in the handbook: Sign shapes, colors and meanings

12. 12. When should you signal a lane change if you cannot see any cars or motorcycles around?

    1. Signal anyway before changing lanes
    2. Skip the signal unless another vehicle appears
    3. Signal after entering the new lane
    4. Use hazard flashers instead of a turn signal
    Show answer

    Signal anyway before changing lanes. Give your signal before changing lanes or merging even when no other vehicle is visible. A motorcycle may be harder to notice, and signaling lets its rider anticipate your movement and choose a safe position. Waiting until your car is already moving into the lane gives less useful warning. Continue checking mirrors and blind spots as well; the signal communicates your intention but does not establish that the lane is clear.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians

13. 13. A Texas street is torn up for repairs. Where may you stop beside it?

    1. Stop to watch the work for a minute
    2. Park opposite the trench if one lane stays open
    3. Idle beside the crew to ask directions
    4. Never stop, stand, or park where you would obstruct traffic
    Show answer

    Never stop, stand, or park where you would obstruct traffic. Work sites squeeze the road, so your stopped car must not squeeze it further. Texas bans stopping, standing, or parking alongside or opposite any street excavation or obstruction when doing so would obstruct traffic. Watching, direction asking, and partial-lane excuses all fail the test. The cue is the dug-up street or blocked lane: if your vehicle would pinch traffic at the pinch point, keep moving to a place that leaves the work zone passable.

    Study this in the handbook: Where you may not park

14. 14. A truck signals a right turn and leaves a gap beside the curb. What should you do?

    1. Pass through the gap before the turn begins
    2. Pull alongside so the truck must leave the gap open
    3. Stay out of the gap on its right
    4. Assume the gap is a separate through lane
    Show answer

    Stay out of the gap on its right. Trucks make wide right turns and may leave an open space to the right just before turning. That opening is not an invitation to pass. Watch the signal and remain clear of the truck’s turning path. Trying to reach the gap first can put your vehicle into the space the truck needs as it completes its turn. Wait rather than assuming the driver will hold the opening for your car.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians

15. 15. What must a driver do at a steady red light before making an otherwise permitted right turn?

    1. Stop before the crosswalk or intersection and yield
    2. Turn immediately without yielding to pedestrians
    3. Roll through if no cross traffic is visible
    4. Wait for a green arrow in every case
    Show answer

    Stop before the crosswalk or intersection and yield. At a steady red light, the driver must stop before entering the crosswalk or intersection. A right turn may be made unless prohibited by law, but the driver must yield to pedestrians and other traffic lawfully using the intersection. Rolling through fails the required stop, and an empty-looking roadway does not remove the duty to check. A green arrow is not required for every permitted right turn. The cue is red first: stop at the proper point, confirm the turn is allowed, then yield before moving.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and arrows

16. 16. What movement is prohibited at an intersection displaying a no U-turn sign?

    
    1. A left turn into a side street
    2. A U-turn
    3. Passing a slower vehicle
    4. A right turn on a green signal
    Show answer

    A U-turn. A no U-turn sign prohibits turning the vehicle around at that intersection. It does not by itself ban every left turn, passing maneuver, or right turn on a green signal. The important distinction is the exact movement pictured by the sign. Before initiating a turn, compare the intended path with the crossed U-shaped arrow and obey the local restriction. If a route reversal is needed, continue until reaching a location where turning around is permitted and safe.

    Study this in the handbook: Sign shapes, colors and meanings

17. 17. At a steady yellow light, when should you stop before entering the intersection?

    1. When your vehicle is past the nearest crosswalk line
    2. Never, because yellow means accelerate
    3. When you can stop safely before the nearest crosswalk
    4. When the pedestrian signal shows a walking person
    Show answer

    When you can stop safely before the nearest crosswalk. A steady yellow light warns that the signal is changing to red. Stop before the nearest crosswalk when doing so can be accomplished safely. If stopping safely is not possible, proceed cautiously through the intersection before the light turns red. Stopping after you are already past the crosswalk reverses the stopping point, and accelerating is not the handbook response. As the light changes, check your distance and speed rather than braking abruptly. The practical cue is whether a controlled stop can be made before the crosswalk.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and arrows

18. 18. What should a driver do when leaving a vehicle?

    1. Leave the motor running and remove the key
    2. Turn off the motor, set the parking brake, and remove the key
    3. Set the parking brake only when on a hill
    4. Open the door without checking behind the vehicle
    Show answer

    Turn off the motor, set the parking brake, and remove the key. When leaving a vehicle, the handbook directs the driver to turn the motor off, set the parking brake, and remove the key. These steps secure the vehicle and reduce the chance of an unattended car moving or being entered improperly. Leaving the motor running, using only the brake on a hill, or opening the door without checking behind does not include the full safety sequence. Before opening the door, also look behind for oncoming traffic so the exit does not create a roadside hazard.

    Study this in the handbook: Where you may not park

19. 19. What may a Texas hardship license be based on?

    1. A minor establishing the necessity to drive
    2. Any adult request without supporting circumstances
    3. A desire to avoid driver education
    4. A license application with no authorized adult signature
    Show answer

    A minor establishing the necessity to drive. Texas may issue a hardship license to a minor who establishes the necessity to drive, and the license may carry restrictions based on the qualifying hardship. The process still requires an application executed by an authorized adult and the required testing and original-applicant requirements. A general adult request, a desire to skip education, or an unsigned application does not describe the hardship process. The key cue is documented necessity, not convenience or an automatic exception to licensing requirements.

    Study this in the handbook: Learner license and the graduated license program

20. 20. How should you treat another driver's Texas blind spot?

    1. Camp in it to save fuel
    2. Nap in it during jams
    3. Use it as a rest area
    4. Pass through it or drop back out of it
    Show answer

    Pass through it or drop back out of it. Blind spots hide you from the passed driver's decisions. Texas says when passing, never drive or linger in the other driver's blind spot. Camping, napping, and resting there all park invisibly beside a potential lane change. The cue is the trailer's midsection beside you: complete the pass or fall back where mirrors work. Trucks have huge right-side blind zones where cars disappear completely from mirrors. Assume invisibility until you see the driver face.

    Study this in the handbook: Signaling, passing and turning