UT Permit Practice Test 8

All 20 questions in test 8

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. In Utah, how close may you park to a stop sign, yield sign, flashing beacon or traffic signal?

   1. No closer than 30 feet
   2. No closer than 10 feet
   3. No closer than 15 feet
   4. No closer than 100 feet
   Show answer

   No closer than 30 feet. Utah prohibits parking within 30 feet of any flashing beacon, stop sign, yield sign, or traffic control signal. Ten and fifteen feet are too close; fifteen feet is the fire hydrant rule. One hundred feet is not a Utah parking distance. A car parked right before a sign or signal hides it from approaching drivers, which is why the gap is larger than the hydrant distance.

2. 2. A Utah driver whose license was suspended for DUI is caught driving. What maximum fine and jail term does the handbook list?

   1. $100 and 10 days
   2. $10,000 and five years
   3. $250 and 30 days
   4. $1,000 and up to six months
   Show answer

   $1,000 and up to six months. When the original suspension or revocation is alcohol related, the fine for driving anyway may be up to $1,000 with up to six months in jail. The other pairs do not match the handbook. The vehicle may also be impounded when the suspension was for DUI, drug metabolite, automobile homicide, alcohol-restricted violations, or test refusal, and the original suspension time is added again.

3. 3. A 17 year old Utah driver wants to use a phone while driving. Which use is allowed?

   1. Talking with friends on speaker
   2. Using GPS by typing an address
   3. Communicating with a parent or legal guardian
   4. Texting at a red light
   Show answer

   Communicating with a parent or legal guardian. Drivers under 18 may use a handheld wireless device while driving only for a medical emergency, reporting a safety hazard, reporting criminal activity, or communicating with a parent or legal guardian. Calling friends, typing into a GPS, and texting at a light are not on that list. Drivers over 18 may talk using voice commands, and texting remains a Class C misdemeanor with a fine of up to $100.

4. 4. In Utah, smoking in a vehicle while transporting children of what age is an infraction?

   1. Children 15 years of age or younger
   2. Children under 5 only
   3. Children under 12 only
   4. It is not an offense in Utah
   Show answer

   Children 15 years of age or younger. The handbook says it is an infraction to be stopped for smoking in a vehicle while transporting children 15 years of age or younger. The rule is not limited to children under 5 or under 12, and it is a real offense, not only advice. It appears in the handbook's section on protection of children, alongside the car seat rules that keep young passengers restrained in the back seat.

5. 5. Which headlights should a Utah driver use in fog, rain, or snow?

   1. Parking lights only
   2. High beams, to see farther
   3. Low beams, to avoid glare
   4. Hazard flashers instead of headlights
   Show answer

   Low beams, to avoid glare. High beams reflect off water droplets and snowflakes and throw the glare straight back at you, so the handbook says to use low beams in fog, rain, or snow. Parking lights are not driving lights, and hazard flashers do not light the road. Low beams aim down and light the pavement in front of you, which is where the danger is when visibility is poor. Slow to a speed that lets you stop within what you can see.

6. 6. A 19-year-old drives in Utah with measurable alcohol in their body and receives a first Not-a-Drop offense. How long are driving privileges denied?

   1. For 30 days
   2. For 90 days
   3. For six months
   4. For eighteen months
   Show answer

   For six months. A first Not-a-Drop offense brings a six-month denial of all driving privileges for someone under 21 who drives with measurable alcohol. The 90-day choice understates that period; this rule is not a short warning suspension. In a situation involving a 19-year-old leaving a party, the useful cues are the driver’s age and the presence of alcohol, rather than whether the person appears drunk. Plan transportation that does not put that person behind the wheel.

7. 7. At a single-point urban interchange, what danger do WRONG WAY signs on the ramps help drivers avoid?

   
   1. Taking a ramp with a lower speed limit
   2. Entering a ramp against its traffic flow
   3. Leaving the freeway at a signalized exit
   4. Using a ramp that crosses above the freeway
   Show answer

   Entering a ramp against its traffic flow. Wrong way signs identify the risk of entering a ramp against traffic at a single-point urban interchange. These layouts place several ramp movements near one another, so selecting an opening simply because it is nearby can put you in opposing traffic. A signalized exit is not itself the danger described by the sign. Watch the ramp signs and lane guidance together before committing to a turn, especially when the interchange layout is unfamiliar.

8. 8. You want to reach a business opposite the arrow on this ONE WAY sign. How should you choose your route?

   
   1. Turn against the arrow if the business is within one block
   2. Follow the arrow and find another lawful approach
   3. Drive against the arrow along the curb
   4. Back along the street to avoid making a prohibited turn
   Show answer

   Follow the arrow and find another lawful approach. Traffic on the signed street moves in the arrow’s direction. Reaching a nearby address does not justify turning the opposite way, even for a short distance. Driving close to the curb would still send your vehicle against the established traffic flow. Use the arrow as the immediate cue for your allowed direction, then select another lawful street or approach that takes you to the business without opposing vehicles traveling correctly on the one-way road.

9. 9. After a Utah Not-a-Drop suspension, what may be accepted instead of the local substance abuse assessment and completion?

   1. Proof of paying the license reinstatement fee without completing a substance abuse program
   2. A receipt for a defensive driving course
   3. Proof of enrolling in a Prime For Life DUI class without completing it
   4. Evidence of completing a Prime For Life DUI class
   Show answer

   Evidence of completing a Prime For Life DUI class. The division accepts evidence of completing a Prime For Life DUI class as the stated alternative to assessment and completion through the local substance abuse authority. A general defensive driving receipt does not identify that specified alcohol program. When gathering reinstatement paperwork after a Not-a-Drop suspension, check the exact course name on the completion document. This requirement concerns addressing the alcohol-related event, rather than routine vehicle registration or an informal family supervision arrangement.

10. 10. At about what speed does the Utah handbook say a car may begin to hydroplane on a wet road?

    1. Over 70 mph
    2. Any speed above 10 mph
    3. Over 35 mph
    4. Only above 55 mph
    Show answer

    Over 35 mph. Hydroplaning happens when the tires ride on a film of water instead of the pavement, and the handbook says it can start at speeds over 35 mph. That is well below highway speed, which is why rain calls for slowing down rather than holding the posted limit. The other numbers are either too high to be safe or too low to match the handbook. If the steering suddenly feels light, ease off the gas, keep the wheel straight, and let the car slow until the tires grip again.

11. 11. What does the Utah handbook say you should never do for an extended period of time?

    1. Drive with a spare tire that is smaller than the other tires
    2. Drive with the high beam indicator light on
    3. Drive on a soft or flat tire or with a brake that is dragging
    4. Drive with the parking brake released on a downgrade
    Show answer

    Drive on a soft or flat tire or with a brake that is dragging. A soft or flat tire overheats and can come apart, and a dragging brake overheats and can fail, so the handbook says never to drive for an extended period on either. Both are equipment problems that get worse with every mile and can end in a loss of control. A compact spare, a lit high beam indicator, or a released parking brake on a grade are not the conditions the handbook singles out with this warning. Pull off safely, fix the tire or have the brake checked, and do not try to nurse the vehicle home.

12. 12. What does the Utah handbook say about the shape of regulatory signs?

    1. Always round
    2. Square, rectangular, or a unique shape such as the octagon and triangle
    3. Always pennant shaped
    4. Always diamond shaped
    Show answer

    Square, rectangular, or a unique shape such as the octagon and triangle. Regulatory signs state the law, and the handbook describes them as square, rectangular, or having a unique shape, the octagon for stop and the downward triangle for yield being the best known. Round signs warn of railroad crossings, diamonds are warnings, and the pennant marks a no passing zone. When you see a white rectangle with black or red lettering, read it as a rule you can be cited for breaking rather than as advice.

13. 13. Which marking may border a Utah flex lane that carries traffic in one direction at some times and the opposite direction at others?

    1. Blue reflectors
    2. Solid white lines
    3. A single broken white line
    4. Double dashed yellow lines on either side
    Show answer

    Double dashed yellow lines on either side. Flex lanes are used during rush hours and may carry traffic one way at certain times and the opposite way at other times. The handbook notes these lanes may have double dashed yellow lines to either side, and signals above the lanes show which lane is safe to travel. Yellow tells you opposing traffic can be on the other side of the line. Solid white lines and broken white lines separate same direction lanes, and blue reflectors mark fire hydrants. Before entering a flex lane, check the overhead signal, and use the lane only when a green arrow shows it is open in your direction.

14. 14. What should a Utah driver do to prepare for winter driving conditions such as fog, storms, snow, or ice?

    1. Nothing; winter roads are the same as summer roads
    2. Drive faster to spend less time on the road
    3. Turn off the headlights to reduce glare
    4. Expect fewer daylight hours and those conditions, and adjust speed and following distance
    Show answer

    Expect fewer daylight hours and those conditions, and adjust speed and following distance. Bad weather and poor visibility require you to reduce speed and increase following distance. The handbook says to obey posted limits and, if needed, reduce your speed to adjust for weather, road, and traffic conditions, and to increase following distance in bad weather or poor visibility. Winter brings fewer daylight hours along with fog, storms, snow, and ice, so those conditions call for more space and slower driving. Winter roads are not summer roads, extra speed shortens your reaction time, and headlights off makes you invisible. Leave extra time for the trip.

15. 15. How long must you signal before moving into another lane in Utah?

    1. At least two seconds before the move
    2. For one quick flash as the tires cross the line
    3. At least five seconds after entering the lane
    4. Only while turning your head to check the blind spot
    Show answer

    At least two seconds before the move. Give the lane-change signal at least two seconds before moving toward the adjacent lane. A single flash at the lane line leaves nearby drivers without the advance notice Utah calls for. After checking mirrors, use the signal and look over your shoulder toward the intended movement to check the blind spot. The lane stripe is a useful cue: the warning interval should happen before you begin moving across it.

16. 16. When parking on a downhill grade next to a curb in Utah, how should you position the front wheels?

    1. Turn the wheel away from the curb
    2. Turn the wheel toward the curb so the front tire touches it
    3. Keep the wheels straight
    4. It does not matter if the parking brake is set
    Show answer

    Turn the wheel toward the curb so the front tire touches it. On a downhill grade the curb is your backstop. The handbook says to turn your wheel toward the curb so the front tire touches it, which means a car that rolls will be stopped by the curb instead of drifting into traffic. Turning away from the curb is the rule for facing uphill with a curb, straight wheels give no protection, and the parking brake alone can fail. Set the brake, put the car in park, and use the curb as well.

17. 17. Before opening the door of your car parked along a street, what should you check for?

    1. Bicyclists approaching from the sides and rear
    2. Only traffic in the rearview mirror, not the sides
    3. Only vehicles approaching from directly ahead
    4. Only whether the car behind you has moved
    Show answer

    Bicyclists approaching from the sides and rear. Look to the sides and behind for bicyclists before opening a vehicle door on the street. Checking only forward misses riders approaching alongside the parked car from the rear. A cyclist can be close to your door even when no motor vehicle is immediately behind you. Use the moment before reaching for the door handle to check the space a rider will pass through, and wait if opening the door would obstruct that path.

18. 18. At a yield sign, what is required when another vehicle has the right-of-way?

    1. Maintain speed because yield signs warn only of road shape
    2. Slow down and allow the vehicle with priority to proceed
    3. Yield only if the other vehicle has already entered the intersection
    4. Always make a complete stop, even when no conflicting traffic is present
    Show answer

    Slow down and allow the vehicle with priority to proceed. A yield sign directs you to reduce speed and give way to traffic that has priority. Vehicle size does not determine who proceeds, so entering ahead of a smaller car would disregard the sign. Check the approaching traffic and allow enough room for the priority vehicle to pass without being forced to brake or swerve. An occupied approach at the yield point is the cue to wait until you can enter safely.

19. 19. Why does the Utah handbook tell you to slow down for animals standing near the roadway?

    1. They may bolt or change direction at the last minute, and other animals may follow
    2. Animals never enter the roadway in daylight
    3. So you can photograph them safely
    4. They will always move away from the road
    Show answer

    They may bolt or change direction at the last minute, and other animals may follow. An animal standing calmly at the edge of the road is not a settled situation. The handbook warns that animals may bolt or change direction at the last minute and that other animals may follow the first one. Assuming they will move away, that they stay off the road in daylight, or slowing to take pictures all misjudge the risk. Reduce speed, cover the brake, and be ready for the animal to step into your lane.

20. 20. After failing Utah's written knowledge test and leaving the office, what must you arrange before returning to retest?

    1. A new driving skills examination
    2. A new learner permit application before every retest
    3. A written retest appointment
    4. A driver education refresher course before every retest
    Show answer

    A written retest appointment. A return visit following an unsuccessful knowledge test requires a written retest appointment. Scheduling a driving skills examination would reserve the wrong service because that examination evaluates actual vehicle operation. The useful cue is that you have already left the office after failing the written test. Before making another trip, arrange the retest appointment so the visit is scheduled for the examination you still need to pass.