VA Permit Practice Test 24

All 20 questions in test 24

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. It is raining as you pass this yellow diamond sign showing a car with wavy skid marks, and you need to turn soon. What should you avoid doing?

   
   1. Slowing down early for the turn
   2. Leaving more space behind the car ahead
   3. Using your low beam headlights
   4. Braking hard or turning sharply
   Show answer

   Braking hard or turning sharply. The Slippery When Wet sign warns that the pavement loses grip when wet. When it is wet, reduce your speed, do not brake hard or change direction suddenly, and increase the distance between your car and the one ahead. A sharp turn or hard stop on slick pavement can send the car into a skid. Slowing early and leaving extra space are exactly what the sign asks. Low beams in rain help others see you.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory and warning signs

2. 2. You are following a school bus toward a railroad crossing where the lights are not flashing. What should you expect the bus to do?

   1. Cross without slowing down
   2. Stop at the crossing anyway
   3. Speed up to clear the tracks
   4. Pull aside so you can pass
   Show answer

   Stop at the crossing anyway. School buses must always stop at railroad crossings, even when the lights are not flashing. Drivers following a bus should expect that stop and leave enough space behind it. Do not try to pass the bus near the crossing, since passing at railroad crossings is unlawful and unsafe. Stay back, wait for the bus to cross, then check for trains yourself before you go.

   Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings and work zones

3. 3. You stop at a yellow-painted curb in a Virginia town to unload groceries. What does the curb color generally require?

   1. Leave the car and shop for a while
   2. Park there until the evening
   3. Do not stop there for any reason
   4. Stay with your car while you unload
   Show answer

   Stay with your car while you unload. A painted curb means special rules apply, so check local signs. Generally a yellow curb means stop only long enough to load or unload and stay with your car. Walking away to shop or leaving the car parked for hours breaks that rule. A red curb is the one that means do not stop, stand or park, and a white curb allows a brief stop to pick up or drop off passengers. Unload quickly and move on.

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

4. 4. To get around a slow truck on a two-lane road posted at 55 mph, you would need to reach about 65 mph for a few seconds. What should you do?

   1. Pass quickly; brief speeding is allowed
   2. Stay behind unless you can pass legally
   3. Pass if no oncoming car is in sight
   4. Pass and slow down right after
   Show answer

   Stay behind unless you can pass legally. The manual says it is against the law to exceed the speed limit as you pass. If a pass would take you to 65 MPH on a 55 MPH road, you should not start it. Stay behind the truck and wait for a longer clear stretch or a place where passing is allowed. Before any pass, check traffic ahead, behind and in your blind spot, signal, and finish before reaching a No Passing zone.

   Study this in the handbook: Passing, turning, U turns and signals

5. 5. Compared with cars, how much time and room do trucks, buses and RVs need to stop, according to the Virginia manual?

   1. About the same as a car
   2. About half as much
   3. Nearly twice as much
   4. About four times as much
   Show answer

   Nearly twice as much. Large vehicles accelerate slowly and need greater stopping and turning distances. The manual says trucks, buses and RVs need nearly twice the time and room to stop as cars. That is why cutting in front of one too soon after passing, or cutting in and then slowing, can get you rear-ended. After passing, wait until you can see the entire front of the truck in your rearview mirror before moving over, then keep your speed steady.

   Study this in the handbook: Bicycles, motorcycles, trucks and other road users

6. 6. You want to turn left, and the signal shows a flashing red left arrow. Oncoming lanes are empty, but a pedestrian is crossing the street you are turning into. What should you do?

   1. Stop, let the pedestrian cross, then turn
   2. Turn now, since oncoming traffic is clear
   3. Wait for a solid green arrow to appear
   4. Turn slowly behind the pedestrian
   Show answer

   Stop, let the pedestrian cross, then turn. At a flashing red arrow, come to a complete stop, yield the right-of-way to vehicles coming from the other direction and to pedestrians in the intersection, and proceed in the direction of the arrow when the way is clear. An empty oncoming lane is not enough while a pedestrian is still crossing your path. You do not need to wait for a green arrow. Once the person is across, turn carefully.

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

7. 7. At night you catch up to a car ahead in your lane and are now about 150 feet behind it with your high beams on. What should you do?

   1. Keep high beams to see past it
   2. Flash them so the driver speeds up
   3. Wait until you are 50 feet back
   4. Switch to your low beams
   Show answer

   Switch to your low beams. When following another vehicle, use low beams whenever you are within 200 feet of the vehicle ahead. At 150 feet your high beams shine into the other driver's mirrors and can blind them. Switch to low beams now and stay on them as long as you follow that closely. Flashing lights to hurry someone is a form of aggressive driving. Also switch to low beams whenever you meet oncoming traffic.

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

8. 8. A car pulls out to pass you on a two-lane Virginia road just as an oncoming truck comes into view. What should you do?

   1. Ease off your speed so it can return
   2. Speed up so it has to drop back
   3. Hold the center line to block it
   4. Flash your lights and keep your speed
   Show answer

   Ease off your speed so it can return. Speeding up while someone passes you is the wrong move. The manual says to maintain a steady speed or slow down. With an oncoming truck approaching, easing off gives the passing driver the quickest way back into the lane. Speeding up or crowding the line keeps the other car in the opposite lane longer and can cause a head-on crash. Leave room ahead of you, and stay calm even if the other driver made a poor choice.

   Study this in the handbook: Passing, turning, U turns and signals

9. 9. A bicyclist is ahead of you on a road with a solid yellow line on your side, and the oncoming lane is clear. May you cross the line to pass the cyclist?

   1. No, a solid line on your side can never be crossed
   2. Yes, if you sound the horn first
   3. No, you must stay behind until the line breaks
   4. Yes, if the opposite lane is clear and it is safe
   Show answer

   Yes, if the opposite lane is clear and it is safe. Vehicles on the solid yellow line side may cross the line only to pass pedestrians, bicyclists, and riders of scooters or skateboards, when the opposite lane is clear and you can pass safely. Passing a cyclist is one of those cases. Slow down and leave at least three feet of clearance as you go by. Sounding the horn is not part of the rule and may startle the rider. Return to your lane once you are safely past.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory and warning signs

10. 10. According to the Virginia manual, in which situation should you keep going through a yellow light instead of stopping?

    1. When you are already in the intersection
    2. When you can speed up to beat the red
    3. Whenever no cross traffic is in sight
    4. When you are about to turn left
    Show answer

    When you are already in the intersection. A yellow light warns that the signal is about to change. If you have not entered the intersection, stop, unless stopping would be unsafe. If you are already in the intersection, go through it cautiously. The manual specifically says not to speed up to beat the light. An empty cross street or a planned turn does not change the rule. Watch your speed as you approach signals so you can make a safe choice when the light changes.

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

11. 11. How does the Virginia manual say wearing a seat belt can change your chance of surviving a crash?

    1. It raises it a small amount
    2. It can double your chances
    3. It matters little with air bags
    4. It can triple your chances
    Show answer

    It can double your chances. The manual says wearing seat belts, also called safety belts, can double your chances of surviving a crash and more than double your chances of avoiding serious injury. Air bags are designed to work with belts, not replace them. Virginia law requires the driver and all passengers, front and rear, to wear safety belts. Buckle up on every trip, however short, and make sure everyone riding with you is secured before you start moving.

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

12. 12. Which abilities does the Virginia manual say even one alcoholic drink can affect?

    1. Hearing, but not your vision
    2. Reaction time, but only at night
    3. Vision, judgment and coordination
    4. None, if your BAC stays under .05
    Show answer

    Vision, judgment and coordination. Just one alcoholic drink can affect your driving because even a small amount of alcohol affects the brain, particularly vision, judgment and coordination. Those are the skills you rely on to see hazards, decide what to do and control the car. There is no safe exception for daytime driving or a low BAC. Alcohol also affects judgment itself, so a driver may not notice the decline. Plan a sober ride before you start drinking.

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

13. 13. When does driving below the speed limit become a problem under Virginia's rules?

    1. When it impedes the normal flow of traffic
    2. Whenever you drive under the posted number
    3. When you drive under it at night on a highway
    4. When you drive under it in a school zone
    Show answer

    When it impedes the normal flow of traffic. A speed limit is the maximum legal speed under ideal conditions. The manual says you may drive slower than the limit as long as you do not impede the normal movement of traffic, but it is illegal to drive any faster. Driving well under the limit in the left lane of a busy highway can force others to brake or pass unsafely. In bad weather or construction, slower driving is often required, so going under the limit is not wrong by itself.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and reckless driving

14. 14. Which is one sign that a child is ready to ride without a booster seat in Virginia?

    1. The lap belt rests across the stomach
    2. The shoulder belt crosses the neck
    3. The child can see out the window
    4. The lap belt lies snugly on the upper thighs
    Show answer

    The lap belt lies snugly on the upper thighs. The manual lists criteria for riding without a booster seat. The lap belt should lie snugly across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt snugly across the shoulder and chest. The child should be tall enough to sit without slouching, keep knees bent over the seat edge and feet flat on the floor, sit all the way back, and stay that way for the whole trip. A belt across the stomach or neck means the child still needs a booster.

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

15. 15. You reach the end of an entrance ramp to a Virginia interstate, and a truck is in the right lane right beside you. Who must yield?

    1. The truck, so you can merge
    2. Whoever is going faster
    3. You must yield to the truck
    4. Neither; both share the lane
    Show answer

    You must yield to the truck. Drivers entering an interstate from an entrance ramp must yield the right-of-way to traffic already on the highway. The truck is already on the interstate, so you must adjust your speed to find a safe gap behind or ahead of it. Yielding also means stopping if you cannot merge safely, although on most ramps you can match speed and wait for space. Never force a large vehicle to brake or swerve, since it needs much more room to stop.

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

16. 16. You are driving past barrels, drums and cones in a Virginia work zone. Where should you keep your vehicle?

    1. Close to the cones so others can pass
    2. On the shoulder, away from the barrels
    3. In the middle of your travel lane
    4. Across the lane line for more room
    Show answer

    In the middle of your travel lane. Barricades, signs, concrete barriers, drums and cones are the most common devices used to guide drivers safely through work zones. The manual tells drivers near these devices to keep the vehicle in the middle of the lane and obey the posted speed limit. Hugging the cones brings you closer to the work area, and drifting over a lane line can sideswipe another vehicle. As you leave the zone, stay in your lane and keep your speed until you are completely clear.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings and work zones

17. 17. You notice a dangerous condition at a Virginia railroad crossing, such as a vehicle stuck on the tracks. What should you do?

    1. Wait at the crossing to wave down the next train
    2. Call the number shown on the crossing's emergency sign
    3. Report it to DMV the next time you visit an office
    4. Set flares on the rails and then drive away
    Show answer

    Call the number shown on the crossing's emergency sign. Rail crossings have an emergency sign with a phone number. Calling that number lets the rail company stop or reroute approaching trains until the hazard is removed. Give the posted crossing number so the right location is identified. Standing near the tracks to signal a train puts you in danger. A report to DMV would come far too late to help. Stay well away from the tracks while you make the call.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings and work zones

18. 18. What does a broken white line between two lanes tell you on a Virginia highway?

    1. Lanes go the same way; you may change lanes carefully
    2. Traffic in the next lane is coming toward you
    3. You may not change lanes at this point
    4. The lane beside you is reserved for buses
    Show answer

    Lanes go the same way; you may change lanes carefully. White lines are used between lanes of traffic moving in the same direction. A broken white line separates those lanes and means you may change lanes with caution. Yellow lines, not white ones, separate traffic going in opposite directions. Solid white lines discourage lane changes, and double solid white lines are used to set apart special lanes such as HOV lanes. Before crossing a broken white line, check mirrors, signal and glance over your shoulder for vehicles in your blind spot.

    Study this in the handbook: Regulatory and warning signs

19. 19. Why does the Virginia manual say knowing sign shapes helps when you drive in heavy fog?

    1. Fog fades the colors printed on most signs
    2. You may make out only a sign's shape
    3. Signs are moved closer to the road in fog
    4. Diamond signs are the only ones used in fog
    Show answer

    You may make out only a sign's shape. The color and shape of a sign carry part of its message before you can read the words. In poor visibility, such as heavy fog, a driver may be able to see only the outline of a sign. Knowing that an octagon means stop or a triangle means yield lets you react before the lettering becomes readable. Color can also show up from far away, before the symbol is clear. Learn the shapes well so a blurry outline still tells you what to do.

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

20. 20. A Virginia warning sign is a strong yellow-green color with black symbols. What activity is it warning you about?

    1. Road construction and lane closures
    2. Gas, food and other driver services
    3. School zone, pedestrian or bicycle activity
    4. A crash scene or other traffic incident
    Show answer

    School zone, pedestrian or bicycle activity. Most warning signs are yellow with black, but Virginia uses a special strong yellow-green shade with black for one class of warnings: school zones, pedestrians and bicyclists. Seeing that color should make you look for people on foot or on bikes near the road. Orange and black signs belong to construction areas, and pink and black signs mark incident areas such as crash scenes. Blue signs point out services for motorists. Slow down and scan crosswalks when the yellow-green color appears.

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