VA Permit Practice Test 15

All 20 questions in test 15

Every question below comes from the Virginia 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 road ahead is covered with packed snow. How does the Virginia manual say to drive on it?

   1. Like dry pavement, at normal speed
   2. Like ice: brake gently, slow before turns
   3. Brake hard early so you stop sooner
   4. Speed up through turns to keep grip
   Show answer

   Like ice: brake gently, slow before turns. The manual says driving on packed snow is similar to driving on ice. When you brake, apply the brakes gently, and slow down before stopping or turning rather than during the turn. Hard braking can lock the wheels and send the car sliding, and speeding up in a turn makes a skid more likely. Treat a snow-covered road as slick even if it looks firm, leave more room ahead, and keep a slow, steady speed.

   Study this in the handbook: Headlights, night, fog, rain and snow

2. 2. You face a flashing yellow left-turn arrow, and an oncoming car is approaching the intersection. What must you do?

   1. Turn at once; the arrow gives you priority
   2. Let it pass, then turn if the way is clear
   3. Stop and wait for a solid green arrow
   4. Treat the arrow as a red light and stay
   Show answer

   Let it pass, then turn if the way is clear. At a flashing yellow arrow, you may turn in the direction of the arrow if the way is clear, but you must yield the right-of-way to vehicles coming from the other direction and to pedestrians in the intersection. With an oncoming car approaching, let it pass first. You do not need to wait for a solid green arrow, and the flashing yellow is not a red. Check for motorcycles and bicycles, which are easy to miss.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and turns on red

3. 3. You park facing uphill next to a curb in Virginia. Which way should you turn your front wheels?

   1. To the right, toward the curb
   2. Straight ahead, with the brake set
   3. Toward the curb, then straighten
   4. To the left, away from the curb
   Show answer

   To the left, away from the curb. Turning the wheels on a hill keeps a parked car from rolling into the street. Facing uphill with a curb, turn the front wheels left, away from the curb. With a curb, the manual says to turn the front wheels to keep the car from rolling into the street. Facing downhill with a curb, the wheels turn right toward the curb instead. With no curb, turn the wheels so that a rolling car would move away from traffic.

   Study this in the handbook: Special lanes, painted curbs and parking

4. 4. A Virginia intersection has two left-turn lanes. How should you choose between them?

   1. Use the leftmost turn lane every time
   2. Use whichever lane has the shorter line
   3. Use the right one for a better view
   4. Choose the one that best serves your next move
   Show answer

   Choose the one that best serves your next move. Normally a left turn is made from the furthest left lane into the leftmost lane of the new road, unless pavement markings lead you otherwise. When multiple left-turn lanes are provided, the manual says to choose the lane that will best serve your need once you enter the intersecting road. If you will soon turn right, the right-hand turn lane may be best. Stay in your lane through the turn, following the dotted guide lines.

   Study this in the handbook: When you must stop, school buses and stopping distance

5. 5. You notice exhaust smoke and turned front wheels on a car parked along the curb ahead. What do these clues warn you about?

   1. The car's engine is overheating
   2. The car is parked illegally
   3. The car may pull into your path
   4. The car is waiting for a tow
   Show answer

   The car may pull into your path. Part of searching the road is looking for clues that another vehicle is about to move. The manual names exhaust smoke, brake or back-up lights and turned wheels as signs that a vehicle may pull into your path. When you see them on a parked car, ease off the gas, cover the brake and give it room. They are not signs of an overheating engine, a parking violation or a breakdown. Be ready for the car to pull out without signaling.

   Study this in the handbook: Hand position, following distance and blind spots

6. 6. What does Virginia require when you pass a mail delivery vehicle that is stopped along the road?

   1. Slow to 10 mph below the posted limit
   2. Proceed with caution at a safe speed for conditions
   3. Stop behind it until the carrier leaves
   4. Move to a lane not next to it at all times
   Show answer

   Proceed with caution at a safe speed for conditions. Virginia sets different rules for different stopped vehicles. For a stationary mail vehicle, you must proceed with caution and keep a safe speed for the highway conditions. The 10 mph below the limit rule belongs to trash collection vehicles on smaller roads, and moving to a lane not next to the vehicle is the rule for emergency vehicles, tow trucks and trash trucks where it can be done safely. You do not have to wait behind a mail truck. Watch for the carrier stepping out.

   Study this in the handbook: Special lanes, painted curbs and parking

7. 7. A farm tractor ahead of you in Virginia has this emblem on its back. What does the emblem tell you about its speed?

   
   1. It travels at 25 mph or less
   2. It travels at 35 mph or less
   3. It travels at 45 mph or less
   4. It travels at 15 mph or less
   Show answer

   It travels at 25 mph or less. This orange and red triangle is the slow moving vehicle emblem. Vehicles that travel at 25 MPH or less, such as farm equipment, horse-drawn vehicles and highway work vehicles, must display it when using a public highway. You will close the gap on such a vehicle very quickly at normal speeds. Be ready to adjust your speed or position as soon as you see the emblem. Pass only where passing is legal and the road ahead is clear.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory and warning signs

8. 8. You notice your chest is about six inches from the steering wheel air bag when you sit to drive. What should you do?

   1. Move the seat back to at least ten inches
   2. Keep it there for better control
   3. Tilt the wheel up toward your face
   4. Lean forward so the belt stays loose
   Show answer

   Move the seat back to at least ten inches. If your vehicle has air bags, the manual says to move your seat back so you are at least ten inches from the steering wheel. Six inches is closer than that. Tilting an adjustable wheel downward also helps by pointing the bag at your chest instead of your head and neck. Always buckle up, since air bags are designed to work with safety belts, and keep the belt snug.

   Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, air bags and child safety seats

9. 9. A slow truck is ahead of you, the center lines are double solid yellow, and the road ahead looks clear. May you pass?

   1. Yes, since the road is clear
   2. Yes, if you are quick about it
   3. Yes, if the truck is very slow
   4. No, passing is not allowed here
   Show answer

   No, passing is not allowed here. Double solid yellow lines mark the center of the road and separate traffic traveling in two different directions. Passing is not allowed in either direction, even when the road looks clear. The broken line is the marking that permits passing. You may cross them only to make a left turn, or to pass pedestrians, bicyclists, or scooter and skateboard riders when the opposite lane is clear. Stay behind the truck until passing becomes legal.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory and warning signs

10. 10. An adult friend riding in your back seat says rear passengers do not need seat belts in Virginia. Is that right?

    1. No, all passengers must buckle up
    2. Yes, only front seats need belts
    3. Yes, on trips shorter than ten miles
    4. Yes, if the car has rear air bags
    Show answer

    No, all passengers must buckle up. Under Virginia law, the driver and all passengers, both front and rear, must wear safety belts. That includes adults in the back seat. Belts can double your chances of surviving a crash. Short trips and air bags do not change the rule. A waiver is possible only with a physician's signed statement for a medical reason, which the person must carry.

    Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, air bags and child safety seats

11. 11. You plan to turn right into a driveway on a Virginia road. About how far ahead of the driveway should you begin signaling?

    1. About 25 feet
    2. About 50 feet
    3. About 300 feet
    4. About 100 feet
    Show answer

    About 100 feet. Signal your intent to turn at least three or four seconds, about 100 feet, ahead of the turn. That gives drivers behind time to slow down and lets others know where you are going. Signaling only 25 or 50 feet ahead gives too little warning. Drivers who plan to turn into your lane may not know exactly where you will turn, so stay alert. Brake smoothly as you approach and check for pedestrians before turning.

    Study this in the handbook: When you must stop, school buses and stopping distance

12. 12. After several drinks, a friend says a strong coffee and a cold shower will make them fine to drive in 20 minutes. What does the Virginia manual say?

    1. Coffee works if the drink was beer
    2. A cold shower is enough by itself
    3. Only time lowers intoxication
    4. Exercise works faster than coffee
    Show answer

    Only time lowers intoxication. The manual is clear: only time can decrease intoxication, and coffee, cold showers or exercise will not sober you up. Your friend may feel more awake, but alcohol still affects vision, judgment and coordination. Twelve ounces of beer counts the same as a shot of liquor or a five-ounce glass of wine. Offer another way home, such as a sober driver or other transportation, and decide before drinking that you will not drive.

    Study this in the handbook: Aggressive, distracted and drowsy driving

13. 13. According to the Virginia manual, how should air bags be used to cushion people in a front-end crash?

    1. Used properly with safety belts
    2. With the seat moved close to the wheel
    3. With the safety belt left unbuckled
    4. With the wheel tilted up toward the face
    Show answer

    Used properly with safety belts. Air bags, when used properly with safety belts, cushion drivers and passengers as they move forward in a front-end crash. The cushion keeps the head, neck and chest from hitting the steering column or dashboard and reduces the force of impact. The manual says to always buckle up when a vehicle has air bags. Sit at least ten inches from the wheel, tilt an adjustable wheel downward, and buckle up every time.

    Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, air bags and child safety seats

14. 14. During a Virginia traffic stop, an officer finds an opened bottle of alcohol in the car's unlocked glove box. Is the glove box part of the passenger area?

    1. Yes, it is within the driver's reach
    2. No, glove boxes are always excluded
    3. Not unless the bottle was in plain view
    4. Not unless a passenger was in the car
    Show answer

    Yes, it is within the driver's reach. For open container purposes, the passenger area means the area that seats the driver and passengers and any area within the driver's reach, including an unlocked glove compartment. So an opened bottle in an unlocked glove box is in the passenger area. A driver can be charged with drinking while driving if an open container with some contents removed is in that area and the driver shows signs of drinking. Keep any opened alcohol out of reach, such as in the trunk.

    Study this in the handbook: Suspensions, revocations and demerit points

15. 15. What does Virginia's manual tell you to do when you pass this yellow diamond sign showing a leaping deer?

    
    1. Keep your speed and switch to high beams
    2. Drive through quickly before animals appear
    3. Slow down, stay alert and be ready to stop
    4. Watch for the entrance to a wildlife park
    Show answer

    Slow down, stay alert and be ready to stop. This sign marks an area where deer cross the roadway. The manual says to slow down, be alert and be ready to stop. Speeding through only shortens the time you have to react, and keeping full speed with bright lights still leaves you too little stopping room. Virginia has tens of thousands of crashes with deer, elk and bears each year. Be especially watchful at dusk and dawn, and remember that one deer is often followed by others.

    Study this in the handbook: Regulatory and warning signs

16. 16. Your front wheels are already past the stop line and inside the Virginia intersection when the light turns yellow. What should you do?

    1. Stop right where you are and wait
    2. Continue through the intersection carefully
    3. Back up until you are behind the stop line
    4. Speed up so you clear it before the red
    Show answer

    Continue through the intersection carefully. A yellow signal warns that the light is about to change. The manual separates two cases. A driver who has not yet entered should stop if it is safe to do so. A driver who is already in the intersection should go through it cautiously. Stopping in the middle blocks cross traffic, and reversing toward the stop line puts you at risk from vehicles behind you. Speeding up to beat the red is specifically warned against. Keep a steady, careful speed and clear the intersection.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and turns on red

17. 17. Which method does the manual recommend for judging whether you are following too closely?

    1. Keep exactly one car length at every speed
    2. Use the rearview mirror without looking ahead
    3. Count the seconds between the vehicle ahead and a fixed object
    4. Match the lead vehicle's braking distance by sight
    Show answer

    Count the seconds between the vehicle ahead and a fixed object. Use a time gap, not a fixed number of car lengths. Watch the vehicle ahead pass a fixed object, then count until your vehicle reaches the same mark. The manual gives two, three, or four seconds depending on speed and says to add more time for bad weather, heavy traffic, poor pavement, or a vehicle in poor condition. One car length cannot adjust for speed, and mirror-only observation misses the road ahead.

    Study this in the handbook: Hand position, following distance and blind spots

18. 18. You are second in line at a Virginia stop sign. The car ahead of you stops and then drives on. What must you do?

    1. Follow it through without stopping
    2. Stop only if cross traffic is coming
    3. Go once it clears, since you stopped behind it
    4. Pull up and make your own stop at the sign
    Show answer

    Pull up and make your own stop at the sign. Stopping behind another car does not count as stopping at the sign. When the vehicle ahead of you proceeds, the manual says to stop at the sign yourself and go only when the way is clear. Your earlier stop farther back did not give you a view of cross traffic or pedestrians in the crosswalk. Pull forward, come to a complete stop at the line or sign, look both ways, and then proceed. The car ahead's stop does not count for you.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and reckless driving

19. 19. When may a Virginia driver drive in a marked bicycle lane?

    1. When passing a slow car on the right
    2. Whenever no bicyclists are in sight
    3. When needed to turn left or right
    4. To stop briefly and drop off riders
    Show answer

    When needed to turn left or right. A bicycle lane is marked with a solid or dashed white line or green paint and a bicycle symbol, and it is for the preferential use of bicyclists. Drivers should not drive in it except when necessary to turn left or right. Before turning across or into the lane, check your mirrors for bicyclists coming up behind you and yield to bicycles in the lane. Motor vehicles may not use bike lanes to pass, and parking in a bike lane is not allowed.

    Study this in the handbook: Special lanes, painted curbs and parking

20. 20. Which color pair appears on Virginia's stop, yield and do not enter signs?

    1. Black and white
    2. Red and white
    3. Yellow and black
    4. Blue and white
    Show answer

    Red and white. Red used with white conveys stop, yield, do not, and no. Stop signs, yield signs, do not enter and wrong way signs, the circle and slash on no turn signs, and parking restrictions all use red with white. Seeing red on a sign should make you ready to stop or to skip a movement. Black and white signs give other regulations, yellow and black signs give warnings, and blue and white signs point out motorist services.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and turns on red