UT Permit Practice Test 15

All 20 questions in test 15

Every question below comes from the Utah 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 is the Utah gore area, and what may a driver do there?

   1. The strip between a traffic lane and an entering or exiting lane; driving in it is illegal
   2. A paved shoulder area where passing other vehicles is allowed at any time
   3. A merging taper area where drivers may sort out their lanes before joining
   4. The painted median at highway splits where drivers may wait for a gap
   Show answer

   The strip between a traffic lane and an entering or exiting lane; driving in it is illegal. The Utah gore area lies between the solid white lines of a lane of traffic and a lane used to enter or exit that traffic lane, appearing also where two highways merge or split, and it is against the law to cross over the solid white line or drive in that area. It is not a passing shoulder, a sorting taper, or a waiting median. Late exit decisions must continue to the next exit rather than carving across the gore.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement Markings and Special Lanes

2. 2. You approach a stopped vehicle with flashing hazard lights beside a Utah highway, not parked in an apparent legal parking area. What does the move over rule require?

   1. Maintain speed and pass as close as traffic allows beside the stopped vehicle
   2. Stop in your lane until the vehicle moves again
   3. Reduce speed, give as much space as practical, and change lanes if safe
   4. Move onto the shoulder and pass on the right side
   Show answer

   Reduce speed, give as much space as practical, and change lanes if safe. Approaching a stationary vehicle beside a Utah highway, outside an apparent legal parking area, with flashing hazard lights on, a driver must reduce speed, provide as much space as practical, and, if practical with due regard to safety and traffic, change into a lane not adjacent to that vehicle. Holding speed close by, stopping in the lane, and shoulder passing all add danger. The same courtesy in the HOV lane applies to stationary vehicles showing amber lights.

   Study this in the handbook: Emergency Vehicles, Move Over and School Buses

3. 3. An emergency vehicle with flashing lights follows you in a Utah express lane. What lane change is allowed?

   1. None until the next access point arrives
   2. When safe, a right-hand lane change out of the express lane is permissible
   3. Only a leftward move toward the median side
   4. You must stop in the express lane and wait until it passes
   Show answer

   When safe, a right-hand lane change out of the express lane is permissible. Utah notes that when an emergency or police vehicle with flashing lights follows a driver in the express lane, it is permissible, when safe to do so, to make a right-hand lane change out of the express lane, even though crossing a double white line is otherwise illegal. Waiting for an access point, moving toward the median, and stopping in the lane all delay the responder. Yield promptly, then re-enter the express system only at a proper access point.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement Markings and Special Lanes

4. 4. A Utah driver is convicted of felony DUI. How long is the ignition interlock restriction?

   1. 18 months
   2. Two years
   3. Three years
   4. 10 years
   Show answer

   Three years. Utah sets the ignition interlock period by the kind of conviction. A felony DUI brings a three year restriction, during which the driver may operate only a vehicle fitted with the device. Eighteen months belongs to a first DUI for an adult, two years belongs to a second or later DUI or a refusal revocation, and ten years belongs to automobile homicide. Writing the end date down at sentencing helps a driver plan monitoring visits and keep the device in place until the period fully runs.

   Study this in the handbook: DUI Penalties, Refusal and Ignition Interlock

5. 5. Who may not operate an electric-assisted bicycle on Utah public property, highways, paths, or sidewalks?

   1. An individual under eight years old
   2. An individual under twelve years old
   3. An adult without a driver license card
   4. A teenager riding beside a parent rider
   Show answer

   An individual under eight years old. Utah bars an individual under eight years old from operating an electric-assisted bicycle on any public property, highway, path, or sidewalk, with supervision rules then layering over the next age bands. Twelve is not the floor written, an adult needs no driver license for the bicycle itself, and a teenager riding with a parent fits the supervision model rather than breaking it. Motor assistance multiplies a small rider speed beyond what young judgment handles.

   Study this in the handbook: Emergency Vehicles, Move Over and School Buses

6. 6. When you park along a Utah road, how should you position your vehicle?

   1. As far from traffic as possible, close to the curb if there is one
   2. Close to moving traffic so other drivers can see your car sooner
   3. In the middle of the shoulder, away from any curb beside the road
   4. At an angle to the curb so the front of the car points toward traffic
   Show answer

   As far from traffic as possible, close to the curb if there is one. A parked car should sit as far from passing traffic as the road allows, tucked close to a curb when one is present. That placement protects doors, mirrors, and anyone stepping out on the traffic side. Parking near moving lanes for visibility trades a small sight benefit for a constant sideswipe risk, a shoulder center spot wastes the shelter of the curb, and angling the nose toward traffic leaves the car poised to roll into the lane. Set the brake before walking away.

7. 7. Two Utah drivers reach a four-way stop at the same moment. Who goes first?

   1. The driver on the left
   2. The driver going straight ahead
   3. The driver on the right
   4. The driver traveling on the wider road
   Show answer

   The driver on the right. At a four-way stop, when two vehicles arrive at the same moment, Utah gives the right-of-way to the driver on the right. The driver on the left must wait, even if that vehicle is traveling straight and you plan to turn. Being on a wider road or driving a larger vehicle creates no priority. The cue is the order of arrival first, then the position: if you cannot tell who stopped first, look to your right and yield. Make eye contact before proceeding, and move only when the intersection is clear.

   Study this in the handbook: Intersections and Right of Way

8. 8. The brake warning light is on in your vehicle before a Utah trip. What should you do?

   1. Drive slowly and test the brakes gently on the road
   2. Do not drive the vehicle while that light is on
   3. Use the parking brake to handle stops for the trip
   4. Limit driving to daylight hours until it clears
   Show answer

   Do not drive the vehicle while that light is on. A brake warning light tells you the brakes are not working, and Utah says not to drive when that light is showing. Testing the system on the road gambles with the first real stop, and the parking brake is an emergency backup, not a substitute for service brakes on a planned trip. Daylight changes what you can see, not whether the brakes can stop the vehicle. Leave the vehicle parked and have the brake system inspected before driving it again.

   Study this in the handbook: Vehicle Emergencies

9. 9. You stop behind a large vehicle on a Utah hill. What extra risk should you allow for?

   1. The vehicle brakes release automatically on hills
   2. The vehicle mirrors fold in on steep grades
   3. The vehicle load shifts forward going uphill
   4. The vehicle may stall or roll backward into your vehicle
   Show answer

   The vehicle may stall or roll backward into your vehicle. In the Utah rear no-zone discussion, a driver stopped behind a large vehicle on a hill is warned the vehicle may stall or roll backward, colliding with the car behind. Automatic brake release, folding mirrors, and forward load shift are not the hazard named. Leave visible space ahead of your hood so a few feet of rollback do not reach you, and keep your foot ready rather than creeping up to the trailer bumper at the light.

10. 10. How does being thrown from a car change a Utah driver's chance of being killed?

    1. It makes little difference at city speeds or on highways
    2. The risk doubles compared with staying inside the car
    3. Being thrown makes the chance of death 23 times greater
    4. Only high-speed ejections increase the risk on the road
    Show answer

    Being thrown makes the chance of death 23 times greater. Utah states that a person's chances of being killed are 23 times greater if the person is thrown from a car. The handbook calls ejection one of the most severe events in a crash and explains why safety belts help keep occupants inside. Saying the risk doubles greatly understates the stated figure, while city-speed travel does not make ejection harmless. The handbook also does not limit the danger to high-speed ejections. Remaining inside the vehicle is a central protection provided by the belt.

    Study this in the handbook: Seat Belts, Car Seats and Air Bags

11. 11. What distance around a large truck should a car driver treat as blind no-zone at the rear?

    1. Up to 50 feet behind the trailer
    2. Up to 20 feet behind the rear doors
    3. Up to 200 feet behind the vehicle
    4. About one car length behind the bumper
    Show answer

    Up to 200 feet behind the vehicle. Large Utah trucks and buses carry huge blind spots up to 200 feet behind them, alongside front and side zones where a car can vanish completely. Fifty feet, twenty feet, and one car length all sit deep inside that invisible stretch. If you cannot see the truck driver in the side mirrors, the driver cannot see you, so position the car where a mirror check reveals it, and leave extra room when stopped behind a truck on a hill.

12. 12. What must a Utah driver license carry before operating a motorcycle on Utah highways?

    1. A separate paper permit renewed each month
    2. Only a Class D license held for five years
    3. Registration for the motorcycle in any name
    4. A motorcycle endorsement on the driver license
    Show answer

    A motorcycle endorsement on the driver license. Operating a motorcycle on Utah highways requires the driver license to carry a motorcycle endorsement, earned through tests that differ from the operator license tests, or a motorcycle learner permit for those never licensed on one. A monthly paper permit, five years of Class D time, and registration in any name do not substitute. Street legal motorcycles must also carry liability insurance, and riders or passengers under 21 must wear an approved DOT helmet.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, Bicycles and Motorcycles

13. 13. A round yellow advance warning sign stands before a Utah railroad crossing. What does it call on you to do?

    1. Speed up to clear the tracks quickly before any train can arrive at the crossing
    2. Slow down, look, listen, and be prepared to stop at the crossing ahead
    3. Wait on the tracks until the way looks clear
    4. Turn around and find another route in every case
    Show answer

    Slow down, look, listen, and be prepared to stop at the crossing ahead. Advance warning signs posted before a Utah railroad crossing tell drivers to slow down, look, listen, and be prepared to stop at the crossing ahead. Speeding up to beat a train, stopping on the tracks themselves, and turning around as a blanket rule all misread a sign meant to start your search early. Pavement markings with a stop line, an X, and the letters RR reinforce the same warning where the road reaches the rails.

14. 14. You wait to turn left across an oncoming lane in Utah. Who holds the right of way until your turn is clear?

    1. Drivers coming toward you in the opposite lane
    2. Drivers behind you waiting to go straight
    3. Drivers entering from a side driveway on your right
    4. Pedestrians who have not yet stepped off the far curb
    Show answer

    Drivers coming toward you in the opposite lane. A left turn across opposing traffic requires yielding to drivers in the opposite lane until a safe gap opens. Cars stacked behind you and cars nosing out of a side driveway do not take that place, and people still standing on the far curb have not entered the crossing. People already walking inside the intersection are a separate concern and must be given room. Keep wheels pointed straight while you wait, then turn in one smooth arc once oncoming headlights have passed and the lane beyond is open.

    Study this in the handbook: Intersections and Right of Way

15. 15. Besides signals, signs, and road markings, whose directions also count as traffic controls in Utah?

    1. Directions from tow truck drivers clearing a shoulder
    2. Directions from adult passengers guiding a new driver
    3. Directions from store clerks managing a busy parking lot line
    4. From law officers, highway workers, and crossing guards
    Show answer

    From law officers, highway workers, and crossing guards. Traffic controls cover more than lights, signs, and paint. Directions given by law officers, highway workers, and school crossing guards belong in that same group and carry the same duty to obey. Help from a passenger, a tow driver at a shoulder, or a clerk sorting a lot line may be useful, yet none of those people holds that traffic control role. When a guard steps out near a school crossing, follow the raised hand and whistle over your own reading of the gap.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic Signals and Arrows

16. 16. For which situation does Utah allow a vehicle to use the shoulder of an interstate highway?

    1. Only for a breakdown or a driver in physical distress
    2. When congestion makes the travel lanes move very slowly
    3. When the driver must check a route or place a call
    4. When the next exit lies more than one mile ahead
    Show answer

    Only for a breakdown or a driver in physical distress. Utah restricts interstate shoulders to breakdowns and physical distress, because a stopped car there sits in the path of traffic leaving the travel lanes. Slow rush hour traffic is not one of those exceptions, and neither is pulling over to check a route or make a call. The distance to the next exit also does not create a right to use the shoulder. Treat the solid white edge line as a boundary you cross only when the vehicle cannot continue safely; otherwise wait for an exit, a rest area, or a service station.

17. 17. Your Utah car left the factory with two windshield wipers and one has stopped working. What does the handbook require?

    1. One working wiper is enough on the driver side
    2. Both wipers must function properly
    3. The broken wiper may be removed entirely
    4. Wipers are only required during winter months
    Show answer

    Both wipers must function properly. Every Utah vehicle with a windshield needs at least one working wiper, and when the vehicle was originally built with two wipers, both of them must function properly. Leaving only the driver side blade working, removing the dead blade, or treating wipers as winter equipment all fall short, and cars built after 1967 also need a wiper system with two or more speeds. Replace a streaking or stalled blade before the next storm rather than leaning across to peer through the clear half.

18. 18. What three elements make road rage under Utah law?

    1. Speeding, honking, and following closely after a roadway disagreement, without a criminal offense
    2. Angry thoughts while driving alone after an argument, without another vehicle involved
    3. A rude gesture exchanged between two drivers after a roadway disagreement, without a criminal offense
    4. A criminal offense by a driver after a roadway incident, intended to endanger or intimidate someone in another vehicle
    Show answer

    A criminal offense by a driver after a roadway incident, intended to endanger or intimidate someone in another vehicle. Utah defines road rage through three connected elements: a vehicle operator commits a criminal offense, the offense responds to an incident that occurs or escalates on a roadway, and the operator intends to endanger or intimidate an individual in another vehicle. Speeding, honking, following closely, private anger, or a rude gesture may be unsafe or discourteous, but they do not supply all three elements. The definition requires both the roadway response and the intent, not merely an unpleasant exchange.

    Study this in the handbook: Distractions, Fatigue, Animals and Mountain Roads

19. 19. For a driver over 18 operating a moving motor vehicle, which handheld device use does Utah forbid?

    1. Listening to a call through the vehicle speakers while both hands stay on the wheel
    2. Manually writing, sending, or reading a text, instant message, or email, dialing a number, or entering data
    3. Using voice commands to place a phone call while the vehicle is moving on the road
    4. Using voice navigation and hands free calling features built into the vehicle while driving on the highway
    Show answer

    Manually writing, sending, or reading a text, instant message, or email, dialing a number, or entering data. Utah bars a person from using a handheld wireless communication device while operating a moving motor vehicle to manually write, send, or read a written communication, including text messages, instant messenger, and electronic email, and also bars dialing a phone number, accessing the internet, viewing or recording video, taking a photograph, or entering data. Speaker listening, voice commands, and spoken navigation directions sit in the allowed hands-free world for adult drivers. Officers may stop a driver they observe texting.

    Study this in the handbook: Renewal, Phone Laws and the Point System

20. 20. How does Utah say to handle phone, navigation, food, and loose items before a drive?

    1. Turn off mobile devices, set navigation, eat and groom before leaving, and secure all loose items
    2. Set them up once rolling at speed
    3. Place loose items on the passenger seat
    4. Program navigation after moving into traffic at the first long signal stop
    Show answer

    Turn off mobile devices, set navigation, eat and groom before leaving, and secure all loose items. Utah distraction guidance starts before the wheels move: turn off mobile devices, set navigation systems, eat and groom before you leave, and secure all loose items. Rolling setup, a passenger seat pile, and first light programming all take eyes, hands, or mind from driving, and anything taking your mind away from driving counts as a hazard. While driving, the companion rules are plain: no phone talk, no texting, no eating, children buckled, and pets carried rather than loose.

    Study this in the handbook: Distractions, Fatigue, Animals and Mountain Roads