TX Permit Practice Test 9

All 20 questions in test 9

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 change does a Texas pavement-ends warning tell a driver to expect?

   1. The roadway becomes a divided highway
   2. The current lane ends and merges left
   3. Hard pavement changes to an earth road or another lower-type surface
   4. The road ends at a required left or right turn
   Show answer

   Hard pavement changes to an earth road or another lower-type surface. The pavement-ends warning describes a change from hard-surfaced pavement to an earth road or another lower-type surface. Its instruction is to slow down. It does not mean that the route itself ends, and it does not describe a lane ending or a median beginning. Look for the change in the road surface ahead. Confusing this warning with a lane or intersection warning would lead to preparing for the wrong roadway condition.

2. 2. What is the penalty for a first conviction of passing a stopped school bus?

   1. A warning letter from the school district
   2. Ten hours of community service
   3. A fine of $500 to $1,250
   4. A weekend in county jail
   Show answer

   A fine of $500 to $1,250. Passing a stopped school bus is priced steeply from the first offense. Texas sets a fine of $500 to $1,250 for a first conviction of failing to yield to a school bus showing alternating flashing lights, with larger fines, possible suspension, and jail for repeat or injury cases. A warning letter or community service understates the penalty. A weekend in jail is not the first-offense schedule. The cue is the bus penalty table: the law treats endangering schoolchildren as a serious money offense from the start.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections

3. 3. A fire truck has answered an alarm on a city street. Which action is prohibited under Texas driving rules?

   1. Driving or parking on the street where the fire truck answered the alarm
   2. Moving to the right edge and yielding to the fire truck
   3. Stopping at least 500 feet away from the fire truck
   4. Using a different street to pass the emergency scene
   Show answer

   Driving or parking on the street where the fire truck answered the alarm. Texas bars a driver from driving or parking on the street where a fire truck has answered an alarm. The restriction protects firefighters and keeps the emergency route open for arriving or departing equipment. A nearby driver should choose another route and avoid adding congestion at the scene. The 500-foot rule in this section concerns following a fire truck or ambulance with flashing red lights, not a general permission to use the emergency street. A useful cue is to treat the response street as closed until the emergency activity is finished.

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

4. 4. How expensive can a Texas DWI fine be?

   1. No more than $50 in any case
   2. Only the cost of a bail bondsman
   3. Some fines range as high as $10,000 plus legal costs
   4. A fixed $200 ticket statewide
   Show answer

   Some fines range as high as $10,000 plus legal costs. A DWI arrest opens a deep financial hole. Texas warns that driving while intoxicated and driving under the influence arrests are humiliating and costly, with some fines ranging as high as $10,000 before bail, attorney, and court-ordered expenses. Fifty-dollar caps, bondsman-only costs, and flat $200 tickets all trivialize the schedule. The cue is the arrest itself: beyond the fine sit license actions, program fees, and insurance consequences that dwarf the courtroom number.

   Study this in the handbook: DWI, open containers and implied consent

5. 5. How should you choose lanes in a multi-lane Texas roundabout?

   1. Change lanes freely inside the circle
   2. Enter without yielding to save time
   3. Pick the entry lane from the advance sign and hold it
   4. Stop at every exit to check
   Show answer

   Pick the entry lane from the advance sign and hold it. Multi-lane roundabouts punish improvisation. Texas says to observe the advance lane movement sign for choosing the correct entry lane and never change lanes while driving in the circle. Free lane swaps, unyielded entries, and exit-by-exit stops each break the flow the design depends on. The cue is the diagram sign before the circle: read it, commit to a lane, and ride that lane all the way to your exit.

6. 6. What is the fine for a first offense of illegally parking in a Texas disabled parking space?

   1. $500 to $750
   2. $25 to $50
   3. $100 to $200
   4. $2,000 to $4,000
   Show answer

   $500 to $750. Parking illegally in a disabled space in Texas is a misdemeanor with a fine of $500 to $750 for a first offense. The fine rises with more offenses, up to $1,250 for five or more, and later offenses also bring community service. Twenty five to fifty dollars is the safety belt fine, and $100 to $200 is the fine for unbelted passengers under 17. Two thousand to four thousand dollars is far beyond this offense.

   Study this in the handbook: Where you may not park

7. 7. Under Texas law, what level of alcohol brings an administrative license suspension for a driver under 21?

   1. 0.04 or more
   2. 0.08 or more
   3. Any detectable amount of alcohol
   4. 0.02 or more
   Show answer

   Any detectable amount of alcohol. Under the Texas Administrative License Revocation law, DPS may suspend the license of a driver over 21 whose breath or blood test shows 0.08 or more, of any person who refuses a breath or blood test, and of a driver under 21 for any detectable amount of alcohol. For a minor the handbook names no numeric threshold at all; any detectable amount is enough. Refusal itself triggers a suspension, so a driver cannot avoid consequences by declining the test.

   Study this in the handbook: DWI, open containers and implied consent

8. 8. What is the fine for a first conviction of driving in Texas without evidence of financial responsibility?

   1. $175 to $350
   2. $25 to $50
   3. $500 to $750
   4. $1,000 to $4,000
   Show answer

   $175 to $350. A first conviction for driving without evidence of financial responsibility in Texas carries a fine of $175 to $350. Twenty five to fifty dollars is the fine for not wearing a safety belt. Five hundred to seven hundred fifty dollars is the first offense fine for illegally using a disabled parking space. A later conviction brings a license suspension, a fine of $350 to $1,000, and impoundment of the vehicle if the driver owns it. The court may dismiss the charge if a policy was in effect when the citation was issued.

   Study this in the handbook: Exams, insurance and vehicle inspection

9. 9. When is it safe to pass on a Texas road?

   1. Wait patiently until passing is safe
   2. Pass on every hill
   3. Pass whenever the driver ahead is slower
   4. Pass as soon as you see an open lane ahead
   Show answer

   Wait patiently until passing is safe. Patience prevents passing crashes. Texas warns passing is not always safe and demands waiting for the right time. Hill, slow-driver, and open-lane passes all gamble blind. The cue is the clear straight stretch: pass only with full sight and legal markings. No appointment is worth a head-on collision on a blind pass. Arriving late beats never arriving at all. One safe pass beats ten risky ones every time.

   Study this in the handbook: Signaling, passing and turning

10. 10. A nearby driver appears distracted and varies speed. How should you manage the space around that vehicle?

    1. Draw alongside to get the driver’s attention
    2. Give the driver plenty of room and maintain a safe following distance
    3. Close the gap to discourage the driver from changing lanes
    4. Stay beside the vehicle at a matching speed
    Show answer

    Give the driver plenty of room and maintain a safe following distance. Give a distracted driver plenty of room and keep a safe following distance. Inconsistent speed and drifting within or across lane lines are warning signs that another driver may not be paying attention. Be especially careful when passing: the driver may not notice your vehicle and may drift in front of it. Drawing alongside to get attention or closing the gap does not follow the guidance to leave room around that vehicle.

    Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, phones and distracted driving

11. 11. What instruction is associated exclusively with an octagon-shaped traffic sign?

    1. Yield
    2. School crossing
    3. Railroad warning
    4. Stop
    Show answer

    Stop. The Texas table of signs by shape says the octagon is used exclusively for stop signs. Knowing the shape helps a driver know what to do while still approaching from a distance. Yield signs use an equilateral triangle, school advance and school crossing signs use a pentagon, and railroad advance warning signs are round. When you see the octagon, prepare to come to a complete stop before the crosswalk, intersection, or sign, then yield and proceed carefully.

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

12. 12. When a yield sign marks a road joining another road, what must the driver do?

    
    1. Continue without checking because the entering driver has priority
    2. Accelerate to enter before traffic on the other road
    3. Stop every time, even when the road is clear
    4. Slow down or stop as needed and yield to traffic, pedestrians, or bicycles
    Show answer

    Slow down or stop as needed and yield to traffic, pedestrians, or bicycles. A yield sign requires the driver to give priority to road users on the other road. The handbook allows slowing or stopping as necessary, so a full stop is not automatic when the way is clear. The driver must still watch for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles. Accelerating to beat traffic reverses the priority rule, while proceeding without checking ignores the reason for the sign. The practical cue is to reduce speed early, scan the joining road, and stop if yielding cannot otherwise be completed safely.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections

13. 13. Where are Texas pedestrian hybrid beacons installed?

    1. At any unmarked road edge
    2. Only at a marked crosswalk
    3. Inside highway tunnels
    4. On private driveways
    Show answer

    Only at a marked crosswalk. Hybrid beacons serve marked crossings exclusively. Texas says pedestrian hybrid beacons are installed only at a marked crosswalk. Unmarked edges, tunnels, and driveways never qualify. The cue is the dark beacon over striped pavement: it sleeps until a pedestrian activates it, then runs its warning sequence. Drivers must stop on its red phases exactly as for any traffic signal. Never run a dark beacon that has just activated for a waiting pedestrian.

14. 14. Why is a Texas AFAD remotely operated?

    1. The flagger must stand in the lane
    2. It works only at night
    3. It needs no operator at all
    4. Remote operation lets the flagger stand clear of traffic
    Show answer

    Remote operation lets the flagger stand clear of traffic. Distance saves flagger lives. Texas says the AFAD is designed for remote operation so the flag person can stand out of the traffic lane. In-lane standing, night-only limits, and operator-free claims all miss the design. The cue is the empty lane with a working paddle: the human controls it from a protected spot nearby. Drivers should still watch for the operator nearby, since work zones change by the minute.

15. 15. To help fight highway hypnosis, what daily driving limit does the Texas handbook recommend?

    1. Do not drive more than four hours per day
    2. Do not drive more than eight hours per day
    3. Do not drive more than ten hours per day
    4. Do not drive more than twelve hours per day
    Show answer

    Do not drive more than eight hours per day. Along with taking regular breaks and shifting the eyes among different objects, the highway hypnosis guidance says not to drive more than eight hours per day. Highway hypnosis is the drowsiness or unawareness associated with reduced activity and steady driving sounds. The eight hour advice limits the total day of driving. It is separate from how often to stop during a trip, so a rest break should not be confused with a different daily limit.

    Study this in the handbook: Night and highway driving

16. 16. What must a driver do when bad weather or low visibility affects normal driving conditions?

    1. Adjust speed and following distance to help avoid crashes
    2. Use the posted maximum as a required speed
    3. Stop in the travel lane whenever clouds appear
    4. Keep the posted speed and shorten the gap ahead
    Show answer

    Adjust speed and following distance to help avoid crashes. Posted limits are designed for normal conditions, so heavy traffic, bad weather, and low visibility require a driver to adjust both speed and following distance. The point is to preserve time and traction when hazards are harder to see or a vehicle needs more room to stop. Holding the maximum speed or shortening the gap removes that safety margin. A driver does not need to stop merely because clouds appear, but should make a deliberate reduction whenever conditions make ordinary speed unsafe.

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

17. 17. What is the penalty for a first conviction of driving in Texas without a license?

    1. A fine of up to $2,000
    2. A fine of up to $200
    3. 30 days in jail
    4. A warning only
    Show answer

    A fine of up to $200. A first conviction for driving without a license in Texas carries a fine of up to $200, and a second within a year carries $25 to $200. A $2,000 fine is far beyond the first offense penalty. Jail and a warning are not what the table lists for a first conviction. The penalty becomes a Class A misdemeanor, with a fine up to $4,000 and up to 365 days in jail, when the unlicensed driver is also uninsured and causes a crash with serious injury or death.

    Study this in the handbook: Exams, insurance and vehicle inspection

18. 18. What legal status do Texas bicycles hold?

    1. Toys with no rules
    2. Vehicles with the same rights, duties, and penalties
    3. Pedestrians on wheels
    4. Exempt from all laws
    Show answer

    Vehicles with the same rights, duties, and penalties. Bikes are traffic, full stop. Texas declares a bicycle a vehicle whose riders hold the same rights and responsibilities, face the same penalties, and collect the same record points as motorists. Toys, pedestrians, and exemptions all deny the equality. The cue is the cyclist in the lane: a legal driver of a legal vehicle. Running a stop sign on a bicycle writes points to the same driver record. Ride every intersection exactly as if driving a car.

19. 19. What do Texas travel information signs show?

    1. The price of gasoline
    2. The local weather
    3. The time of day
    4. Direction and distance to cities, airports, and destinations
    Show answer

    Direction and distance to cities, airports, and destinations. Travel information panels plan the miles ahead. Texas says they tell which way to go and how far to cities, airports, and other destinations. Prices, weather, and clocks come from elsewhere. The cue is the blue or green distance panel: read it to time fuel, rest, and arrival. Lodging and food icons beneath the panel list what each exit offers. Exit only where services match your fuel gauge and appetite.

20. 20. What change does the handbook require in bad weather when following another vehicle on a highway?

    1. Reduce the interval to two seconds
    2. Keep the interval unchanged at one second
    3. Follow closely so spray cannot block the lane
    4. Increase the interval to at least four seconds
    Show answer

    Increase the interval to at least four seconds. In bad weather, the highway guidance says to increase the following time to at least four seconds. Rain, spray, reduced visibility, and a slick surface can delay recognition and lengthen braking, so added space provides a margin for both vehicles. The two-second choice moves in the wrong direction, and one second is especially inadequate. Following closely does not improve visibility or control. Count the gap from when the vehicle ahead passes a fixed point until your vehicle reaches it, then add time when conditions worsen.

    Study this in the handbook: Night and highway driving