VA Permit Practice Test 2

All 20 questions in test 2

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. What roadway condition is shown by a Winding Road warning sign?

   
   1. A series of turns or curves ahead
   2. A straight road with a single lane closure
   3. A railroad crossing with several tracks
   4. A hill where stopping is prohibited
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   A series of turns or curves ahead. The winding-road symbol forecasts a series of turns or curves rather than one isolated bend. Virginia recommends slowing on all curves for better control, so a driver should select a steady, manageable pace before the sequence begins. The sign does not identify tracks, a lane closure, or a no-stopping hill. Use the repeated-arrow cue to look through the entire section, maintain a safe lane position, and avoid sudden inputs.

2. 2. When a Lane Reduction sign shows the right lane ending, who must merge left?

   
   1. Drivers in the right lane when space opens up
   2. Only drivers already in the left lane
   3. Every driver, including those behind the sign
   4. No one, because the lane continues normally
   Show answer

   Drivers in the right lane when space opens up. A Lane Reduction warning tells the driver that the right lane ends soon. Vehicles in that lane must merge left when space opens, while drivers already in the left lane should allow the merge to happen smoothly. The left-lane-only option reverses the instruction, and no driver can assume the lane continues. Look well ahead, signal before moving, and choose a safe gap instead of waiting until the pavement narrows.

3. 3. Which occupants must wear safety belts under Virginia law?

   1. Only the driver and front seat passenger
   2. The driver and all passengers, front and rear
   3. Only passengers under 18
   4. Only occupants on interstate highways
   Show answer

   The driver and all passengers, front and rear. Virginia law requires the driver and all passengers, in both front and rear seats, to wear safety belts. The front seat only answer leaves out rear passengers who are covered. The driver has a separate duty to make sure anyone under 18 is secured in a belt, booster or child seat wherever the child sits, so the under 18 rule adds to the belt law rather than replacing it. The law is not limited to interstates.

4. 4. What is the maximum speed of a low speed vehicle, and where may it be driven in Virginia?

   1. 45 mph, on any road except interstates
   2. 21 to 25 mph, on public roads with limits of 35 mph or less
   3. 35 mph, on any road
   4. 15 mph, on sidewalks
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   21 to 25 mph, on public roads with limits of 35 mph or less. Low speed vehicles are electrically or gas powered four wheel vehicles with a maximum speed ranging from 21 to 25 mph. They may be operated on public roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less by licensed drivers or by learner's permit holders accompanied by a licensed driver, and they must meet federal safety standards and Virginia's passenger vehicle requirements. They do not belong on faster highways.

5. 5. What does red used with white convey on a Virginia traffic sign?

   1. Motorist services only
   2. A destination or route distance
   3. Stop, yield, do not, and no
   4. A historical or cultural interest
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   Stop, yield, do not, and no. Red used with white conveys stop, yield, do not, and no on Virginia traffic signs. That color combination is a quick warning that the sign carries a restriction or required response, such as stopping, yielding, or avoiding a movement. Green, blue, and brown have different information roles, including destinations, motorist services, and historical or cultural interests. The choice naming a route distance confuses sign colors with guide information. When red and white appear together, read the symbol and wording carefully, slow as needed, and follow the instruction before entering the controlled area.

6. 6. What does an advisory speed sign tell a driver?

   1. The minimum legal speed on every nearby road
   2. The distance to the next service area
   3. The speed required for all vehicles in Virginia
   4. The maximum safe speed for a highway exit
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   The maximum safe speed for a highway exit. An advisory speed sign identifies the maximum safe speed for a highway exit. It helps a driver choose a speed for the geometry and conditions of that exit, but it is not a universal minimum or a statewide speed rule. It also does not measure distance to services. Reduce speed before entering the exit rather than braking late within the curve. Continue to account for rain, traffic, visibility, and the vehicle's handling because a posted advisory assumes a need for caution, not permission to exceed it.

7. 7. What should you do when you approach a stopped vehicle displaying hazard warning flashers on a highway?

   1. Pass closely without changing lanes if your lane is moving
   2. Stop in the lane next to the vehicle until its lights go off
   3. Speed up so you spend less time beside the vehicle
   4. Change to a lane away from the vehicle when safe and proceed cautiously
   Show answer

   Change to a lane away from the vehicle when safe and proceed cautiously. A stationary vehicle with hazard flashers signals a situation that requires extra space and attention. Virginia requires a lane change away from the stopped vehicle when that can be done safely, followed by cautious travel. The close pass choice is unsafe because it leaves little room for a person, door, or unexpected movement beside the vehicle. Check mirrors and blind spots, signal early, and move over only when the adjacent lane is clear enough to protect everyone at the roadside.

8. 8. What should a driver use in heavy fog to improve visibility?

   1. Parking lights and increased speed
   2. High beams and the center of the roadway
   3. Low beam headlights and road edge markings
   4. Hazard flashers and no headlights
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   Low beam headlights and road edge markings. Heavy fog reflects light, so high beams can send glare back toward the driver and make the scene harder to read. Use low beam headlights and look for road edge markings to guide the vehicle. Parking lights do not provide the needed illumination, while hazard flashers are not a substitute for headlights. Reduce speed because fog lowers visibility and makes distance judgments less reliable. Keep scanning the roadway edges, leave extra space, and avoid staring into the bright reflection created by stronger beams.

9. 9. When a broken yellow line is beside a solid yellow line, from which side is passing allowed?

   1. From the side with the solid line
   2. From the side with the broken line
   3. From both sides at all times
   4. From neither side, even for a left turn
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   From the side with the broken line. The paired center marking assigns different passing rules to the two directions. Passing is allowed from the side next to the broken yellow line, while the side next to the solid yellow line may not pass. This is not a blanket permission: the driver still needs a clear opposite lane and a safe opportunity. The solid-line driver cannot borrow the broken-line rule simply because the other direction is permitted to pass. Look down at the line nearest your lane before deciding, then check traffic, visibility, and distance before moving left.

10. 10. About what share of Virginia traffic crashes does driver distraction account for each year?

    1. Roughly 17 percent
    2. Roughly 2 percent
    3. Roughly 50 percent
    4. Roughly 90 percent
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    Roughly 17 percent. Annually, driver distraction accounts for roughly 17 percent of all traffic crashes in Virginia. While the driver is distracted the vehicle may drift into a high risk situation, and the driver loses precious seconds before recognizing it and making an emergency maneuver. Hands free navigation is allowed only when the driver is not entering information or holding the device, and texting while driving is banned outright.

11. 11. What does a flashing yellow light require a driver to do?

    1. Stop and remain stopped until the light changes
    2. Turn only in the direction of a nearby arrow
    3. Speed up before the light turns red
    4. Slow down and proceed with caution
    Show answer

    Slow down and proceed with caution. A flashing yellow light requires reduced speed and cautious progress. It is not the same as a flashing red signal, which calls for a complete stop before proceeding. The option requiring a continued stop confuses those two signal meanings, while accelerating works against the warning. Virginia places flashing yellow lights where hazardous conditions are higher than normal, so look carefully for cross traffic, pedestrians, and vehicles that may be difficult to see. Ease off the accelerator before the intersection, confirm that the way is clear, and continue only when the movement can be made safely.

12. 12. What share of drivers arrested for DUI in Virginia are social to moderate drinkers?

    1. About 5 percent
    2. About 90 percent
    3. Almost none
    4. Nearly 50 percent
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    Nearly 50 percent. Nearly 50 percent of the drivers arrested for DUI are social to moderate drinkers, and the manual adds that in your lifetime there is a 50-50 chance you will be involved in an alcohol related crash. Just one drink can affect driving ability. The only sure way to avoid the risk is to decide before you start drinking that you will not drive.

13. 13. When entering a Virginia roundabout, to whom must the entering driver yield?

    1. Pedestrians and traffic already in the circle
    2. Only vehicles signaling a turn
    3. No one, because entering traffic has priority
    4. Only vehicles approaching from the left
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    Pedestrians and traffic already in the circle. Entering traffic yields to pedestrians and to traffic already circulating in the roundabout. The rule is not limited to vehicles approaching from one side, and a turn signal does not create priority. Entering drivers should slow, read the yield sign, and wait for a safe gap. Picture the circle as already occupied: people crossing and vehicles in the circle go first, then the entering vehicle joins counter-clockwise.

14. 14. What must a Virginia driver do before entering a roadway from a private driveway?

    
    1. Stop and yield to all traffic and pedestrians
    2. Slow down but continue if no car is nearby
    3. Yield only to vehicles traveling on the road
    4. Sound the horn and enter before approaching traffic
    Show answer

    Stop and yield to all traffic and pedestrians. A driver leaving a private road or driveway must stop and yield to all traffic and pedestrians. The obligation is broader than watching for vehicles, so the choice that excludes pedestrians is incomplete. Merely slowing, checking one direction, or sounding the horn does not replace the required stop and yield. Treat the driveway edge as a controlled entry point, and wait until both roadway users and people walking can move safely.

15. 15. At least how far above the posted speed limit may support a Virginia reckless-driving charge based on speed?

    1. 10 MPH
    2. 15 MPH
    3. 20 MPH
    4. 5 MPH
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    20 MPH. Virginia identifies 20 miles per hour above the posted limit as one speed based threshold for a possible reckless-driving charge. The phrase at least includes an excess of exactly 20 MPH, not just amounts greater than 20. A 10, 15, or 5 MPH increase falls below that particular threshold, although unsafe driving can still create other legal problems. Compare the vehicle speed with the limit shown for that road, especially where a lower temporary limit applies. A useful check is to subtract the posted number from the speedometer reading before deciding whether the gap has reached 20.

16. 16. What does the five-sided sign identify?

    
    1. A hospital entrance
    2. A school zone or school crossing
    3. A temporary construction detour
    4. A railroad track with two lanes
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    A school zone or school crossing. The pentagon is reserved for school-related warnings. It marks a school zone or warns about a school crossing, so drivers should watch for children and follow the posted speed limit and crossing-guard signals. It is not a hospital, railroad, or construction symbol. When this shape appears, reduce distractions, expect children near the roadway, and be ready to slow or stop around the school area.

17. 17. A Virginia driver under 18 is convicted of a second demerit point violation. What does DMV do?

    1. Sends a warning letter only
    2. Suspends the driving privilege for 90 days
    3. Revokes the license until age 21
    4. Requires only a second online course
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    Suspends the driving privilege for 90 days. For violations committed under 18, the first demerit point conviction sends the driver to a driver improvement clinic, and the second brings a 90-day suspension. A third conviction brings revocation for one year or until age 18, whichever is longer, not revocation until 21. A warning letter or another course alone understates the second step. Safety belt and child restraint violations count toward this sequence for young drivers.

18. 18. When a green arrow points left, what movement does it permit if the way is clear?

    1. Turn right across the intersection
    2. Proceed straight only, not left
    3. Travel in the direction of the arrow
    4. Treat the signal as a stop sign
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    Travel in the direction of the arrow. A green arrow permits movement in the arrow's direction when the way is clear, so a left-pointing arrow authorizes the left movement. It does not direct the driver right or straight, and it is not a stop indication. A driver making a turn without a green arrow must yield to opposing vehicles and pedestrians, which is why the arrow is an important distinction. Still scan the intersection for people or hazards before moving. The arrow gives the permitted direction, while the clear-path condition tells you when it is safe to use it.

19. 19. If you cannot safely change lanes around a stationary emergency vehicle, what should you do?

    
    1. Stop next to the emergency vehicle and wait
    2. Accelerate past it before another vehicle arrives
    3. Reduce speed and proceed with caution
    4. Turn off your headlights and continue at the limit
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    Reduce speed and proceed with caution. Virginia gives drivers a fallback when a safe lane change around a stationary emergency vehicle is impossible: reduce speed and proceed with caution. Stopping beside the response vehicle blocks the working area, while accelerating increases exposure to people and equipment near the roadway. Turning off headlights offers no protection. Check mirrors and the next lane early, move over whenever that can be done safely, and otherwise pass slowly with a clear path and extra attention to traffic conditions.

20. 20. What is the purpose of leaving a space cushion around your vehicle?

    1. To give you room to react and avoid a crash
    2. To let you drive faster than the posted limit
    3. To prevent every vehicle from passing you
    4. To make mirror checks unnecessary
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    To give you room to react and avoid a crash. Open space around the vehicle provides time and room to respond when traffic changes. It can help a driver steer around a problem or brake without striking the vehicle ahead. A cushion does not prohibit others from passing, authorize speeding, or replace mirror checks. Stay centered in the lane, preserve useful room ahead and behind, and adjust the gap when traffic, weather, or the surrounding vehicles change. The concrete cue is to protect an escape area instead of filling every available space.