VA Permit Practice Test 4

All 20 questions in test 4

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. When may a Virginia driver hold a cell phone while the vehicle is in use?

   1. Whenever the call is under one minute
   2. While using it for navigation and typing an address
   3. In a driver emergency or when the vehicle is lawfully parked or stopped
   4. At any red light
   Show answer

   In a driver emergency or when the vehicle is lawfully parked or stopped. Virginia law prohibits holding a cell phone or other wireless device while driving, except in a driver emergency or when the vehicle is lawfully parked or stopped. A phone may be used for navigation only if the driver is not entering information or holding it. Typing an address while moving breaks that rule. Short calls get no exception, and a red light is not the same as being lawfully parked or stopped.

2. 2. What vision does Virginia require for an unrestricted driver's license?

   1. 20/40 or better in one or both eyes, with 110 degrees or better horizontal vision
   2. 20/20 in both eyes
   3. 20/70 with 70 degrees of horizontal vision
   4. Any vision with glasses
   Show answer

   20/40 or better in one or both eyes, with 110 degrees or better horizontal vision. Virginia's unrestricted license standard is 20/40 or better vision in one or both eyes and 110 degrees or better horizontal vision in one or both eyes, or a comparable measurement showing a field of vision within that range. A driver who can reach only 20/70 with 70 degrees may be restricted to daylight hours. If you need glasses or contacts to pass the screening, you must wear them when you drive.

3. 3. What does a diamond-shaped traffic sign generally warn you about?

   1. A destination service such as fuel
   2. A legal requirement to park
   3. A special condition or hazard ahead
   4. A school crossing only
   Show answer

   A special condition or hazard ahead. The diamond shape is used for warning signs that identify special conditions or hazards ahead. Drivers should slow down, use caution, and be ready to stop. A parking requirement is regulatory information, services use another sign color system, and a school crossing is associated with the five-sided pentagon shape. Notice the shape before reading every word, especially in fog or at a distance. The diamond should prompt a search for the specific hazard and a speed adjustment suited to it.

4. 4. For a driver age 21 or older operating a noncommercial vehicle in Virginia, what is the lowest BAC covered by the general alcohol per se threshold?

   1. 0.02 percent or higher
   2. 0.05 percent or higher
   3. 0.10 percent or higher
   4. 0.08 percent or higher
   Show answer

   0.08 percent or higher. Virginia treats a driver who is at least 21 as driving under the influence when BAC reaches .08 percent. A reading of .02 percent belongs to the separate under-21 alcohol rule, while .05 percent is not the adult threshold stated here. A .10 percent reading is above the threshold, but it is not the minimum that triggers the rule. Focus on age first, then match the adult BAC figure. Actual impairment can also support a DUI conviction at a lower BAC.

5. 5. What does yellow used with black convey on a traffic sign?

   1. A regulatory instruction such as a speed limit
   2. Directions to a motorist service
   3. A warning about a curve, stop ahead, or slippery pavement
   4. A historical or cultural destination
   Show answer

   A warning about a curve, stop ahead, or slippery pavement. Yellow used with black marks a warning sign. The manual gives curves ahead, stop ahead, overhead clearances, and slippery pavement as examples. A regulatory instruction uses black with white, motorist services use blue and white, and historical or cultural interests use brown and white. Read the warning as a prompt to slow down, search for the condition, and be ready to stop. The color does not tell you the exact hazard by itself, so use the symbol or words to choose the proper response.

6. 6. May children ride in the bed of a pickup truck in Virginia?

   1. Yes, if the truck stays under 35 mph
   2. No, transporting children under 16 in a pickup bed is illegal even with a camper shell
   3. Yes, if a camper shell is installed
   4. Yes, on private roads and highways alike
   Show answer

   No, transporting children under 16 in a pickup bed is illegal even with a camper shell. It is illegal to transport children under age 16 in the bed of a pickup truck, even if it is equipped with a camper shell. A truck bed has no belts and no crash protection, and a shell does not change that. The same section says never to leave a hatchback open with a child in the back seat. Children belong in a belted seat inside the cab.

7. 7. Where does the Virginia manual say children ages 12 and under are safest?

   1. Buckled up in the back seat
   2. On a parent's lap
   3. In the front seat with the belt behind them
   4. In the front seat with the air bag on
   Show answer

   Buckled up in the back seat. Children ages 12 and under are safer buckled up in the back seat, away from front air bags that deploy with enough force to injure a small body. If you must sit close to the wheel, tilt an adjustable steering wheel downward so the bag points at your chest. Information about air bag on off switches is available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

8. 8. A Virginia 19-year-old uses a fake ID to try to buy alcohol. How long is the mandatory license suspension?

   1. At least six months but not more than one year
   2. Exactly 30 days
   3. At least two years
   4. No suspension, only a fine
   Show answer

   At least six months but not more than one year. Misrepresenting age with a fake ID to drink or buy alcohol brings a license suspension of at least six months and no more than one year. The same offense also carries a fine of at least $500, at least 50 hours of community service, and up to 12 months in jail. A flat 30 days is too short, two years exceeds the maximum, and the idea of a fine alone ignores the mandatory suspension.

9. 9. What does a Roundabout sign indicate, and who yields when entering?

   
   1. A four-way stop; traffic on the circle must stop first
   2. A circular intersection; entering traffic yields to traffic already in the circle
   3. A one-way ramp; entering traffic has priority
   4. A divided highway; vehicles must pass on the left
   Show answer

   A circular intersection; entering traffic yields to traffic already in the circle. A roundabout sign announces a circular intersection with a center island, sometimes called a traffic circle. Vehicles already circulating have priority, so entering traffic must yield before joining and then travel counterclockwise. It is not an automatic four-way stop, and the entering driver does not receive priority simply by reaching the entry. Slow before the circle, scan for circulating vehicles, yield, and enter only when a safe gap is available.

10. 10. A Virginia driver with a prior conviction for driving without a license is caught driving unlicensed again. How long does the vehicle stay impounded?

    1. For 30 days no matter what
    2. Until the driver gets a license or for three days, whichever is less
    3. Until the driver pays a $500 fee
    4. For 90 days after conviction
    Show answer

    Until the driver gets a license or for three days, whichever is less. When someone drives without a license after a prior conviction for the same thing, police impound the vehicle until the person gets a license or for three days, whichever is less. Thirty days and the added 90 days belong to driving on an alcohol-related suspension, a different offense. A $500 fee is not how this impoundment ends. Getting licensed within the three days releases the vehicle sooner.

11. 11. When may a Virginia driver travel below the posted speed limit?

    1. Never, because the posted number is mandatory minimum speed
    2. Only when following a police vehicle
    3. Only on unpaved roads
    4. When doing so does not impede the normal movement of traffic
    Show answer

    When doing so does not impede the normal movement of traffic. Virginia permits a driver to go slower than the speed limit as long as the slower pace does not impede normal traffic movement. The posted number is a maximum, not a required minimum. This does not create a special exception only for police-following or unpaved roads. Slow for rain, congestion, curves, or another hazard, while remaining attentive to traffic behind you and avoiding an unnecessary obstruction.

12. 12. What action is prohibited by a No U-Turn sign?

    
    1. Making a U-turn at that location
    2. Turning right after a full stop
    3. Changing lanes before the intersection
    4. Turning around through a legal opening
    Show answer

    Making a U-turn at that location. The No U-Turn symbol prohibits reversing direction with a U-turn at the signed location. A right turn and a lane change are different movements, though each still requires ordinary caution and compliance with other signs. Looking for a gap does not create an exception. The cue is the curved U-shaped arrow with its red slash: it identifies the maneuver that cannot be made there, even when traffic appears light.

13. 13. How often may the Virginia knowledge exam be taken?

    1. Twice during every business day
    2. Only once per business day
    3. Any number of times on the same day
    4. Once per calendar month
    Show answer

    Only once per business day. Virginia allows the knowledge exam only once per business day. That means a failed attempt cannot be followed by another sitting later the same day, even if an appointment slot opens. Twice daily and unlimited same day choices ignore the stated scheduling limit, while a calendar month imposes a delay much longer than the manual describes. Plan the next attempt for a later business day and use the interval to review signs, laws, and safe driving material instead of expecting repeated same day tries.

14. 14. What action is required when passing a stationary vehicle with hazard flashers, a caution sign, or properly lit flares?

    1. Maintain speed and remain in the same lane
    2. Stop at least 100 feet before every such vehicle
    3. Make a lane change and proceed with caution
    4. Pass on the shoulder without reducing speed
    Show answer

    Make a lane change and proceed with caution. Virginia requires a lane change and cautious progress when a stationary vehicle displays hazard flashers, a caution sign, or properly lit flares or torches. Maintaining the original lane ignores the protective space the rule is designed to create. The passage does not impose a universal 100 foot stop, and using the shoulder at speed is not a safe substitute for a legal lane change. Reduce risk early by checking mirrors, signaling, and moving only when the adjacent lane is clear.

15. 15. What should you do when a winding road warning shows a series of curves ahead?

    1. Accelerate before each curve
    2. Keep the same speed until the last curve
    3. Use the posted speed only after the winding section
    4. Slow down for better control
    Show answer

    Slow down for better control. A winding road warning identifies a series of turns or curves ahead, so Virginia advises slowing down for better control on all curves. Holding speed through the entire sequence can make steering and lane position harder to manage, while acceleration reduces the time available to react to the next bend. The sign is a cue to anticipate repeated changes, not an instruction to wait until the final curve. Scan beyond the first turn, ease off the accelerator before entering, and keep a steady path that leaves room for unexpected traffic or roadway conditions.

16. 16. What should you do when a yellow warning sign indicates a hazard ahead?

    1. Slow down, drive with caution, and be ready to stop
    2. Ignore the sign if the posted speed is unchanged
    3. Accelerate to clear the hazard before it begins
    4. Stop only after another driver has stopped
    Show answer

    Slow down, drive with caution, and be ready to stop. A yellow warning sign tells the driver that a special condition or hazard is ahead. Virginia's sign guidance is to slow down, drive with caution, and be ready to stop. Accelerating toward the hazard removes the time needed to respond, while ignoring the sign because the speed limit has not changed misses its warning function. A driver need not wait for another vehicle to stop before taking the message seriously. Use the sign as an advance cue: reduce speed early, look for the condition it names, and keep enough control to stop if the roadway requires it.

17. 17. What is the first response to reduced visibility or a rain, snow, or ice covered road?

    1. Turn off the headlights to reduce glare
    2. Accelerate until the road surface improves
    3. Keep the same speed and shorten the gap ahead
    4. Reduce speed
    Show answer

    Reduce speed. The manual identifies slowing down as the first response when visibility falls or rain, snow, or ice covers the road. It also advises turning on headlights and doubling the normal following distance. The other choices increase risk by reducing visibility, shrinking the reaction space, or adding speed on a slippery surface. Begin the adjustment as soon as conditions change, before the vehicle reaches a hazard. A lower speed gives the tires and driver more time to respond when traction or sight distance is limited.

18. 18. What must a driver do for a pedestrian lawfully crossing a roadway?

    
    1. Slow slightly and pass before the pedestrian reaches the lane
    2. Honk so the pedestrian moves faster
    3. Come to a full stop and remain stopped until the pedestrian has cleared the lane
    4. Stop only if the pedestrian is using a cane
    Show answer

    Come to a full stop and remain stopped until the pedestrian has cleared the lane. A driver must come to a full stop for pedestrians who are lawfully crossing a roadway. The vehicle stays stopped until the pedestrian has passed the lane in which the vehicle is stopped. Slowing without stopping leaves the person exposed, and a horn does not replace the required protection. The cane choice is too narrow because the full stop rule applies to lawful roadway crossings generally. Scan ahead before turning or proceeding, and wait until the pedestrian has safely cleared your lane before moving again.

19. 19. What do yellow center lines indicate about traffic on the road?

    1. They separate lanes traveling in the same direction
    2. They separate traffic traveling in opposite directions
    3. They mark a lane reserved for bicycles
    4. They show where parking is permitted
    Show answer

    They separate traffic traveling in opposite directions. Yellow center lines divide traffic moving in opposite directions. They help establish which side of the roadway carries opposing vehicles, while white lines generally separate lanes moving in the same direction. The same-direction choice confuses the two marking colors, and neither bicycle use nor parking is established by a yellow center line. Keep right of the center marking, watch for additional broken or solid patterns, and never cross simply because the road looks empty.

20. 20. When is passing at a crosswalk prohibited?

    1. Only when the crosswalk has a traffic signal
    2. Only after a pedestrian has already crossed
    3. Whenever the road has two lanes in your direction
    4. When approaching a crosswalk and a vehicle ahead or beside you is stopped
    Show answer

    When approaching a crosswalk and a vehicle ahead or beside you is stopped. Passing is unlawful when approaching a crosswalk and the vehicle ahead of you or the lane next to you is stopped. The stopped vehicle may be hiding a pedestrian, so moving around it can create a serious blind side collision. A signal is not required for the prohibition, and multiple lanes do not automatically make the maneuver safe. Do not pass simply because the crosswalk looks empty. Slow and remain behind the stopped vehicle until you can see that the crossing and adjacent travel path are clear.