UT Permit Practice Test 21

All 20 questions in test 21

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. The engine of your Utah vehicle shuts off while driving. What should you do?

   1. Assume the steering is locked completely and brake hard
   2. Keep a firm grip, brake gently, and pull off the road
   3. Turn the key to the lock position to restart faster
   4. Shift to park while the vehicle is still moving
   Show answer

   Keep a firm grip, brake gently, and pull off the road. If the engine shuts off while driving, Utah says to keep a firm grip because the steering may be hard to turn but can still be turned. Brake gently and look for a safe place to pull off the road. The steering does not lock completely, turning the key to the lock position can remove steering control, and shifting into park while moving can damage the vehicle and upset its handling. The important cue is increased steering effort, not a loss of all steering.

   Study this in the handbook: Vehicle Emergencies

2. 2. In very hot Utah weather, how often should you inspect your tires while driving?

   1. Every four hours or every 200 miles
   2. At the start of the trip only
   3. Every two hours or every 100 miles
   4. Only when a warning light appears
   Show answer

   Every two hours or every 100 miles. Heat swells tire pressure and punishes weak rubber, so Utah calls for a tire check every two hours or every 100 miles on a hot drive. Waiting four hours doubles the exposure, a single check before departure cannot catch a slow leak that starts at noon, and a dashboard light may stay dark while a tire overheats. Use fuel and rest stops for a walk around the car, feeling for unusual heat and looking for bulges or low profiles.

   Study this in the handbook: Night Driving, Weather, Floods and Skids

3. 3. How should you avoid coasting while driving downhill on a Utah mountain road?

   1. Shift into neutral so the engine can rest on the grade
   2. Stay in gear instead of shifting into neutral or disengaging the clutch
   3. Disengage the clutch and rely on the brakes alone for the whole descent
   4. Shift into neutral only on straight sections where the road looks clear
   Show answer

   Stay in gear instead of shifting into neutral or disengaging the clutch. Gravity keeps adding speed on a mountain descent, and a vehicle left in gear lets the engine share the work of holding that speed back. Shifting into neutral or pushing the clutch in cuts that help away and forces the brakes to absorb every bit of heat alone. Straight sections tempt drivers to coast, yet speed builds there fastest of all. Pick a low gear early, before the grade steepens, and let the drivetrain help you arrive with cool brakes.

   Study this in the handbook: Night Driving, Weather, Floods and Skids

4. 4. Which Utah coverage pays basic benefits for bodily injury without first determining fault?

   1. Collision coverage with a deductible
   2. Comprehensive coverage for damage from theft, fire, or glass
   3. Personal injury protection, also called no-fault or PIP
   4. Uninsured motorist property damage coverage
   Show answer

   Personal injury protection, also called no-fault or PIP. Personal injury protection, or PIP, is mandatory in Utah and provides basic benefits for bodily injury to you and others without first determining fault in a crash. Collision coverage addresses damage to your vehicle from a collision, while comprehensive coverage addresses noncollision losses such as theft or fire. Uninsured motorist coverage is associated with injuries caused by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver and generally does not pay property damage. The phrase no-fault identifies the coverage that pays injury benefits before fault is resolved.

   Study this in the handbook: Crashes and Insurance

5. 5. A Utah driver stops beside a car already parked at the curb, leaving the travel lane partly blocked. Is that allowed?

   1. Yes, if you stay behind the steering wheel with the engine running
   2. Yes, for up to five minutes with your flashers on
   3. Yes, if the curb is painted white
   4. No, that position is double parking and is prohibited
   Show answer

   No, that position is double parking and is prohibited. Parking beside a car that already occupies the curb space is double parking, and Utah forbids leaving your vehicle on the roadway side of it. Staying behind the wheel, waiting five minutes, or finding white paint on the curb does not convert that position into a legal space. The practice forces moving traffic to swing around two vehicles and can hide a child or cyclist from the driver behind you. Look for a marked space or a curb section with no car against it. If the only gap is beside an occupied space, keep driving.

6. 6. A Utah fire station has a posted sign at its driveway. How close to that driveway entrance may you park?

   1. No closer than 10 feet
   2. No closer than 50 feet
   3. No closer than 35 feet
   4. No closer than 20 feet
   Show answer

   No closer than 20 feet. Utah keeps fire apparatus able to swing out of a station driveway, so parking is barred within 20 feet of that entrance when a sign is posted. The 10 foot option would leave the truck almost no turning radius and still sits inside the prohibited zone. Thirty-five feet is farther than the rule demands, and 50 feet belongs to the railroad crossing buffer, not a fire station. On the opposite side of the street the handbook sets a larger 75 foot limit, so read the sign before you choose a space. A useful cue is the driveway apron: if your bumper could overlap the apron swing area, move on.

7. 7. At a Utah freeway ramp meter, how many vehicles may pass on each green light?

   1. Only one vehicle each time the green light comes on, unless posted differently
   2. Two vehicles from each ramp lane
   3. As many vehicles as can squeeze through before the light turns red
   4. One vehicle every other green cycle shown
   Show answer

   Only one vehicle each time the green light comes on, unless posted differently. Utah ramp meters, which look like small traffic signals with only red and green lights on freeway on-ramps, allow only one vehicle to pass each time the green light comes on, unless posted differently. Two per lane, filling the green, and skipping cycles all defeat the metering that spaces entries and prevents freeway slowdowns. Metering runs only when many vehicles are trying to enter, announced by a lighted meter on sign at the ramp entrance.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement Markings and Special Lanes

8. 8. You drive in a Utah HOV lane and approach a stationary vehicle displaying amber lights. What should you do if practical?

   1. Change out of the HOV lane into a lane away from the vehicle
   2. Stay in the HOV lane and slow slightly
   3. Stop behind it and wait for it to move
   4. Cross the double white line at any point needed to pass the vehicle
   Show answer

   Change out of the HOV lane into a lane away from the vehicle. A Utah driver traveling in the HOV lane who approaches a stationary vehicle displaying amber lights must, if practical and with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, make a lane change out of the HOV lane into a lane not adjacent to that vehicle. Drifting past at nearly full speed, stopping behind it, and crossing restricted markings wherever convenient all miss the safe lane change aimed for. Plan the move early so it stays smooth rather than sudden.

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

9. 9. You wait to turn into a lane while an oncoming Utah vehicle shows a turn signal. Why should you not pull into that lane yet?

   1. They have promised to turn before they reach your lane and clear it
   2. They may pass you first, or may have left the signal on
   3. They must turn off at the next driveway or side street
   4. They have given up their right of way to your vehicle
   Show answer

   They may pass you first, or may have left the signal on. A turn signal communicates what a driver plans to do, never what that driver will actually do in the next few seconds. The oncoming driver may intend to turn only after passing your position, or the signal may still be flashing because it was never canceled after an earlier turn. Treating that blink as a promise that your lane will clear puts your car in front of a vehicle still traveling at speed. Watch the front wheels and the closing gap instead: wait until the vehicle slows and begins its turn, then move.

   Study this in the handbook: Freeway Driving and Work Zone Speeds

10. 10. At 55 mph, how far may a fully loaded tractor-trailer need to stop compared with a passenger car?

    1. More than 400 feet, while a car needs about 130 to 140 feet
    2. About the same distance as a car at that speed
    3. About 200 feet, slightly more than a car
    4. Less than a car because of stronger air brakes
    Show answer

    More than 400 feet, while a car needs about 130 to 140 feet. Utah braking figures give an average passenger car at 55 mph a stop of about 130 to 140 feet, while a fully loaded tractor-trailer may take more than 400 feet to come to a complete stop. Equal distance, roughly 200 feet, and a shorter truck stop all ignore the weight that keeps a loaded rig rolling. Never cut in front of a truck and brake, because the space you just filled was the truck driver survival cushion.

11. 11. What does Utah say about carrying a fire extinguisher in a passenger vehicle?

    1. Every vehicle is legally required to carry at least one fire extinguisher
    2. All drivers are recommended to carry at least one fire extinguisher
    3. Only commercial vehicle drivers should carry a fire extinguisher
    4. A driver does not need one until a vehicle fire starts
    Show answer

    All drivers are recommended to carry at least one fire extinguisher. Utah does not require a fire extinguisher for every vehicle, but it recommends that all drivers carry at least one. The recommendation gives a driver a chance to control a small fire before it causes greater property loss or danger. Treating the recommendation as a legal requirement overstates the rule, while limiting it to commercial drivers narrows the handbook's advice. Waiting until a fire has already started defeats the purpose of carrying the extinguisher. The item should be available before an emergency begins.

12. 12. You plan a right turn at a Utah intersection where a bicyclist is riding straight ahead beside you. What should you do?

    1. Turn quickly ahead of the cyclist
    2. Move into the bike lane and wait there for a gap
    3. Sound your horn so the cyclist stops
    4. Slow down and let the cyclist clear the intersection
    Show answer

    Slow down and let the cyclist clear the intersection. Before a right turn, Utah tells drivers to slow down and let a bicyclist clear the intersection. Turning ahead of the rider, honking to move them, or parking in the bike lane all put the cyclist at risk, because a bicycle traveling straight has the same right to continue as a car. The hazard is the right hook: your turn cuts across the rider's path. Check the right mirror and blind spot, then wait until the cyclist has passed the corner before completing the turn.

13. 13. A Utah driver forfeits bail after arrest for an offense that can lead to revocation. How is the forfeiture treated?

    1. The case closes with no license action
    2. The driver receives a new hearing date without appearing in court
    3. The license is revoked or suspended as if found guilty in court
    4. Only the vehicle registration is held temporarily
    Show answer

    The license is revoked or suspended as if found guilty in court. Utah treats forfeiting bail after an arrest for one of the listed offenses as if the driver appeared in court and was found guilty. The driver's license can therefore be revoked or suspended on that basis. Bail forfeiture does not close the case without consequences, create an automatic new hearing, or place the action only on the vehicle registration. The license consequence follows from the legal treatment of the forfeiture, so missing the court process does not avoid the underlying action.

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

14. 14. You are pulling out of a Utah driveway onto a public street. Whom must you yield to?

    1. Only vehicles approaching from your left
    2. No one, because a driveway has priority
    3. Only vehicles that signal a turn into the driveway
    4. Drivers already traveling on the public road
    Show answer

    Drivers already traveling on the public road. Coming out of a driveway or private road, you must yield to drivers already on the public road. A turn signal from an approaching car does not hand you priority, and vehicles coming only from your left are not the whole test. Assuming a driveway has right-of-way is the mistake that produces pull-out crashes. Stop where you can see both directions, check for bicycles and pedestrians on the sidewalk, and enter only when the road is clear enough that no driver has to brake. The public road always goes first.

    Study this in the handbook: Intersections and Right of Way

15. 15. What gear habit does Utah require while driving and stopping?

    1. Coast in neutral toward each stop sign
    2. Be in the correct gear, do not grind the gears, and do not coast to a stop
    3. Stay in the highest gear through low-speed city streets
    4. Rest your hand on the gear shift lever while driving
    Show answer

    Be in the correct gear, do not grind the gears, and do not coast to a stop. Utah's driving guidance says to keep the vehicle in the correct gear, avoid grinding the gears, and avoid coasting to a stop. Coasting in neutral gives up engine control, and staying in the highest gear at low speed can make the vehicle lug or stall. Resting a hand on the gear lever is not the gear-use rule described by the handbook. The useful check is whether the selected gear matches the vehicle's speed while the driver keeps control during deceleration.

16. 16. How may a Utah driver over 18 legally talk on a handheld wireless device while driving?

    1. By holding the phone briefly at red lights
    2. By keeping each call under one minute in length
    3. As long as voice commands are used to connect to a call
    4. Only in a vehicle with no built-in screen
    Show answer

    As long as voice commands are used to connect to a call. Utah law allows drivers over 18 years of age to talk on a handheld wireless communication device while driving as long as voice commands are used to connect to a call, keeping hands off the manual dialing that the ban targets. Holding the phone at lights, timing calls, and vehicle screen equipment do not create the permission. Hands-free and voice-activated use also covers GPS functions and reporting safety hazards, criminal activity, and medical emergencies.

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

17. 17. What share of crashes happen at speeds under 40 mph, according to Utah belt facts?

    1. 70 percent of crashes occur at speeds under 40 mph
    2. About 30 percent of crashes
    3. About half of crashes at those speeds
    4. Nearly all crashes happen above that speed
    Show answer

    70 percent of crashes occur at speeds under 40 mph. Utah points out that 70 percent of crashes occur at speeds under 40 mph, which is why a safety belt should be worn at any speed regardless of how slow the vehicle is moving. Thirty percent, half, and a claim that nearly all crashes run faster all excuse the short neighborhood trip where belts get skipped. Three out of four fatal crashes also happen within 25 miles of home, the very ground where drivers relax the habit.

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

18. 18. What may a person of any age never do on a motor-assisted scooter in Utah regarding highways?

    1. Operate on a highway with a posted speed limit of 15 mph.
    2. Operate on a highway with a posted speed limit below 15 mph.
    3. Operate on a highway with a posted speed limit above 15 mph.
    4. Operate on a two-lane road posted at 15 mph.
    Show answer

    Operate on a highway with a posted speed limit above 15 mph.. Utah prohibits a person of any age from operating a motor-assisted scooter on a highway with a posted speed limit greater than 15 mph. The restriction depends on the posted limit, not a limit of 15 mph or less. A two-lane road posted at 15 mph is not the prohibited highway condition described here. Read the highway's posted speed limit before entering it, because the rule turns on whether the number is greater than 15 mph.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, Bicycles and Motorcycles

19. 19. After completing a Utah turn, what lane and speed steps follow?

    1. Accelerate to traffic speed, signal, check, and move right when safe
    2. Stay in the left lanes and hold low speed
    3. Stop briefly to cancel the turn signal
    4. Move right at once without checking mirrors or doing a head check over your shoulder
    Show answer

    Accelerate to traffic speed, signal, check, and move right when safe. Utah turn follow-through is to complete the turn in the correct lane with the signal canceled, accelerate to the speed of traffic, then use the turn signal, check blind spots over the shoulder, check mirrors, and move into the right-most lane when safe if not already there. Lingering left at low speed, stopping to cancel a signal, and unchecked rightward moves all break the flow the sequence builds. The examiner on a skills test watches for exactly this finish.

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

20. 20. In a Utah forward two-point turn into a driveway, when do you stop the forward move?

    1. As the vehicle rear clears the curb or edge of the driveway
    2. When the front bumper reaches the far curb
    3. After counting three seconds inside the drive
    4. When the steering wheel has turned fully once
    Show answer

    As the vehicle rear clears the curb or edge of the driveway. The Utah forward two-point turn runs: signal left with no oncoming traffic, move close to the center of the road, turn into the driveway or alley near its right side, and stop as the vehicle rear clears the curb or edge of the driveway, before checking traffic and backing out with the wheel turned quickly right. Front bumper position, a timed count, and wheel rotations do not mark the stop. A street, alley, or driveway serves when driving around the block is impossible.