TX Permit Practice Test 4

All 20 questions in test 4

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. What maneuver is prohibited where a no left turn sign is posted?

   1. Turning left at that intersection
   2. Making a U-turn at every location nearby
   3. Going straight through the intersection
   4. Turning right after yielding
   Show answer

   Turning left at that intersection. The no left turn sign applies to a left turn at the intersection where it is posted. It does not automatically prohibit going straight, turning right, or making a U-turn at every nearby location. Read the pictured movement rather than treating the red slash as a ban on all travel. A driver who reaches this sign should choose another permitted direction, check signals and traffic, and avoid beginning the prohibited turn even if the road appears empty.

2. 2. What do Texas regulatory traffic signs instruct drivers to do?

   1. Where every railroad crossing is located
   2. What they should or should not do in certain circumstances
   3. How to obtain a driver license online
   4. Which vehicle color is safest at night
   Show answer

   What they should or should not do in certain circumstances. Regulatory traffic signs communicate rules for driver behavior in particular circumstances. They tell motorists what action is required or prohibited, and those instructions must be followed like traffic laws. A railroad crossing location belongs to railroad warning signs, license procedures are handled elsewhere, and vehicle color has no regulatory meaning. When a regulatory sign appears, read its wording or symbol before acting, then compare the instruction with the movement you plan to make. This habit helps prevent a lawful-looking maneuver from violating a posted restriction.

3. 3. What does a white speed limit sign tell a driver?

   1. An advisory speed that may always be exceeded
   2. That trucks alone may use the roadway
   3. The minimum speed required in every condition
   4. The maximum speed permitted on the roadway
   Show answer

   The maximum speed permitted on the roadway. A speed limit sign states the maximum speed permitted for the roadway, including the listed day or night conditions when those are shown. It is regulatory, not merely advisory, and it applies to more than trucks. The posted number also does not require that speed when weather, traffic, or visibility makes a slower pace necessary. Read the sign as an upper boundary, then adjust downward whenever safe control requires it.

4. 4. When a keep right sign marks an obstruction or island, where should you drive?

   1. To the left of the sign unless passing
   2. Across the median to avoid the obstruction
   3. To the right of the sign
   4. In either direction without slowing
   Show answer

   To the right of the sign. The keep right sign directs traffic around an island, median, or other obstruction. The handbook's instruction is to drive to the right of the sign, so crossing left around the object is not an equivalent choice. The sign does not permit crossing a median or ignoring the obstruction. Reduce speed as needed, follow the marked channel, and keep the vehicle on the right side of the object before returning to the normal lane.

5. 5. What does a railroad crossbuck identify and what should you do when approaching it?

   1. A hospital entrance; stop and turn off the radio
   2. The location of train tracks; slow, look, listen, and be ready to yield
   3. A no-passing zone; accelerate before the tracks
   4. A work zone; pass the sign on the shoulder
   Show answer

   The location of train tracks; slow, look, listen, and be ready to yield. A crossbuck marks the location of railroad tracks. The handbook directs drivers to slow down, look, listen, and be prepared to yield to an approaching train. It is not a hospital or work-zone marker, and accelerating toward the tracks defeats the safety purpose. At the crossing, keep scanning both directions and be ready to stop. The X shape is the visual cue that rail traffic has priority when a train is approaching.

6. 6. What does a round railroad advance warning sign tell you to expect?

   1. A roundabout where entering traffic has priority
   2. A railroad crossing within a few hundred feet; slow and prepare to stop
   3. A bicycle-only lane beginning ahead
   4. A no-parking area beside a school
   Show answer

   A railroad crossing within a few hundred feet; slow and prepare to stop. The round railroad advance warning sign announces that a railroad crossing is close ahead. The handbook says to slow down and be prepared to stop, especially if a train is visible. It is not a roundabout or bicycle-lane instruction, and it does not mark a school parking rule. Use the warning distance to reduce speed early, scan the tracks, and keep enough space to stop before reaching the crossing.

7. 7. Why should drivers learn the shapes used on Texas traffic signs?

   1. Every sign shape gives permission to speed up
   2. Shape recognition replaces reading the sign's message
   3. Shape recognition helps drivers know what to do from a distance
   4. Only round signs can communicate warnings
   Show answer

   Shape recognition helps drivers know what to do from a distance. Recognizing sign shapes helps a driver understand what to do while approaching from a distance. The outline can provide an early category cue before the words or symbol are easy to read, but it does not authorize speeding or replace the sign's full message. Round signs are not the only signs that communicate warnings. A useful habit is to identify the shape first, reduce speed when the situation calls for it, and then read the wording or symbol to confirm the required action.

8. 8. What should a driver do if a pedestrian is crossing or attempting to cross the street?

   1. Slow down, use the horn if necessary, and be prepared to stop
   2. Accelerate before the pedestrian reaches the lane
   3. Pass closely without changing speed
   4. Stop only if a passenger gives a warning
   Show answer

   Slow down, use the horn if necessary, and be prepared to stop. Texas directs a driver who sees a pedestrian crossing or attempting to cross to slow down, use the horn if necessary, and be prepared to stop. The instruction calls for early speed control and attention to the person’s path, not a last-second maneuver. Accelerating reduces reaction time, passing closely leaves little room, and waiting for a passenger adds a delay that the roadway does not allow. Scan both sides of the street near crossings, cover the brake, and yield whenever the pedestrian’s movement creates a conflict.

9. 9. How close to a fire hydrant may a vehicle be parked in Texas?

   1. No closer than 5 feet
   2. No closer than 30 feet
   3. No closer than 50 feet
   4. No closer than 15 feet
   Show answer

   No closer than 15 feet. Texas prohibits stopping, standing or parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, and the same list bars parking in front of a public or private driveway, within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, within 30 feet on the approach to a flashing signal, stop sign, yield sign or traffic signal at the side of the road, and within 20 feet of a fire station driveway. Temporarily stopping to obey signs or signals is not considered parking.

10. 10. In Texas, how far from a stop sign, yield sign, or traffic signal at the side of the road must you park?

    1. At least 15 feet
    2. At least 30 feet on the approach
    3. At least 20 feet
    4. At least 50 feet
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    At least 30 feet on the approach. The Texas no parking list includes within 30 feet upon the approach to any flashing signal, stop sign, yield sign, or other traffic control signal located at the side of a road. A parked vehicle closer than that hides the sign from approaching drivers. Fifteen feet is the hydrant distance and 20 feet applies to crosswalks at intersections and fire station driveways. Fifty feet is not a Texas parking figure in this list.

11. 11. What roadway condition does a merge warning sign identify?

    1. Your lane is required to turn at the next intersection
    2. Another traffic lane is joining your lane ahead
    3. No vehicles may merge into the roadway
    4. The shoulder is reserved for passing traffic
    Show answer

    Another traffic lane is joining your lane ahead. A merge warning sign alerts the driver that another traffic lane is coming together with the lane already being used. The proper response is to watch for traffic from that direction and adjust speed or position smoothly. It does not require a turn, ban merging, or make the shoulder a passing lane. The warning is especially useful before the lanes meet, because a driver can create a safe gap instead of making a sudden maneuver at the merge point.

12. 12. What does a lane-ends warning tell a driver in the right lane?

    1. The roadway is adding a new lane on the right
    2. The right lane is reserved for slow traffic indefinitely
    3. The driver must stop before the lane narrows
    4. The lane ends ahead and the driver should merge into the left lane
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    The lane ends ahead and the driver should merge into the left lane. The lane-ends warning means the right lane will disappear ahead. The handbook directs a driver in that lane to merge into the left, so waiting until the pavement ends is unsafe. This is not an added-lane message, a permanent slow-traffic rule, or an automatic stop command. Check mirrors and blind spots, signal, find a safe gap, and merge while there is still enough roadway to complete the movement smoothly.

13. 13. What change in traffic flow does a two-way traffic warning sign announce?

    1. The divided or one-way section ends and opposing traffic will use the roadway
    2. Passing is permitted on both sides without checking
    3. A median begins and separates all traffic
    4. The roadway becomes one-way in the driver's direction
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    The divided or one-way section ends and opposing traffic will use the roadway. The two-way traffic warning marks the return of opposing traffic after a divided or one-way section. The handbook says the divided highway ends and two-way traffic begins again, so the driver should approach the transition carefully and expect vehicles in the opposite lane. It does not authorize passing on both sides or announce a new median. Reduce speed, keep right, and watch the centerline before the traffic pattern changes.

14. 14. What roadway transition does a divided highway warning sign announce?

    1. Opposing flows of traffic are separated by a median island ahead
    2. The median may be crossed wherever the driver chooses
    3. A three-way intersection requires an immediate U-turn
    4. The road becomes a one-way street with no opposing traffic
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    Opposing flows of traffic are separated by a median island ahead. The divided highway warning sign advises that opposing traffic will be separated by a median island. The driver should recognize the upcoming split and follow the roadway channel around the median. It does not announce a three-way intersection, permit crossing the median, or make the road one-way without opposing traffic. Reduce speed if needed, stay within the marked side of the highway, and keep right of the median structure as the separation begins.

15. 15. What driving response is recommended by a slippery pavement warning sign?

    1. Turn sharply toward the shoulder to increase traction
    2. Brake hard immediately to test the pavement
    3. Accelerate through the wet section before it becomes slick
    4. Slow down and avoid sudden turns, acceleration, or stops
    Show answer

    Slow down and avoid sudden turns, acceleration, or stops. The slippery pavement warning calls for a controlled response on wet roadway. The handbook says to slow down and avoid suddenly turning, speeding up, or stopping. Hard braking and sharp steering can reduce control, while acceleration does not remove the hazard. Increase following space, make steering and pedal inputs gradual, and let the vehicle travel through the wet area without abrupt changes. The skidding-car symbol is a cue to preserve traction before the tires lose it.

16. 16. What should you do when this gradual curve warning sign appears?

    1. Slow down, keep right, and do not pass
    2. Stop immediately in the travel lane
    3. Accelerate and move left to pass
    4. Turn around before reaching the curve
    Show answer

    Slow down, keep right, and do not pass. A gradual curve still changes the driver’s sightline and path, so the handbook calls for slowing down, staying to the right, and avoiding a pass. Accelerating toward the bend reduces the time available to react, while moving left can expose you to opposing traffic. Stopping in a live travel lane is not the routine response unless another hazard makes it necessary. Ease off the accelerator before the curve, hold a steady lane position, and wait until the roadway is clearly straight and visible before considering a pass.

17. 17. What does this sharp-turn warning sign tell a driver to expect?

    1. A railroad crossing with several tracks
    2. A lane that ends at the next block
    3. A sharp turn in the arrow's direction
    4. A traffic signal that changes ahead
    Show answer

    A sharp turn in the arrow's direction. The arrow warns that the road will turn sharply in the direction it points. Reduce speed before entering the bend, keep right, and do not pass because the turn can limit visibility and leave little room to correct a mistake. A railroad crossing, lane ending, or traffic signal would use another sign shape or symbol and requires a different response. Read the arrow early, settle the vehicle into the proper lane, and keep both hands ready for the tighter steering change instead of waiting until the turn is already underway.

18. 18. What condition does the winding-road warning sign indicate?

    1. A bridge that narrows immediately
    2. A mandatory detour around construction
    3. A series of curves ahead
    4. A straight road with a passing lane
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    A series of curves ahead. The winding-road symbol means that several bends are ahead, not just one isolated turn. The handbook advises driving slowly and carefully and not passing through this section. A narrow bridge, construction detour, or straight passing lane would be shown by a different warning. Treat the first curve as the beginning of the hazard, keep a consistent position, and look through the bends for changing roadway conditions. The useful cue is the repeated shape of the arrow, which signals that the need for control continues after the first turn.

19. 19. What does the yellow crossroad warning sign require a driver to anticipate?

    1. A hospital entrance on the right
    2. A one-way street beginning
    3. A no-passing zone ending ahead
    4. Cross traffic at an upcoming intersection
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    Cross traffic at an upcoming intersection. The crossroad symbol warns that another road intersects your route, so vehicles may enter from either side. Slow down, scan left and right, and be prepared to yield or stop if cross traffic has the right of way. A hospital entrance and a one-way street have different signs, while the end of a no-passing restriction does not create an intersection. Begin looking beyond the sign rather than focusing only on the lane directly ahead. The practical cue is the cross shape, which tells you to expect traffic moving across your path.

20. 20. Why do sign shapes help drivers approaching from a distance?

    1. They identify the vehicle owner
    2. They replace every traffic signal
    3. They help drivers know what to do before reaching the sign
    4. They guarantee the road is clear
    Show answer

    They help drivers know what to do before reaching the sign. The handbook explains that knowing sign shapes helps drivers know what to do when approaching from a distance. Shape recognition gives an early clue before the words or symbol can be read clearly. It does not identify vehicle ownership, replace traffic signals, or guarantee an empty roadway. Use the outline as an advance cue, then confirm the sign message and adjust speed or lane position as required.