VA Permit Practice Test 5

All 20 questions in test 5

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 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.

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

2. 2. 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
   Show answer

   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; the arrow instead marks a movement the signal has opened for you. 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.

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

3. 3. What does braking distance describe?

   1. The time needed to notice a hazard
   2. The distance the car travels after the brakes are applied
   3. The distance traveled before the driver reacts
   4. The width of the lane during a stop
   Show answer

   The distance the car travels after the brakes are applied. Braking distance begins after the driver applies the brakes and continues until the vehicle stops. Perception time comes earlier, when the driver recognizes a hazard, and reaction distance covers the travel before the pedal is applied. The lane width is unrelated. Wet pavement can lengthen the braking portion substantially, so maintain a larger cushion and reduce speed before a slick area. Separating these three parts of stopping distance helps explain why a late response can still produce a collision even when the brakes work properly.

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

4. 4. After moving to a new address within Virginia, how soon must you notify DMV?

   1. Within 10 days
   2. Within 60 days
   3. Only at your next renewal
   4. Within 30 days
   Show answer

   Within 30 days. Virginia requires drivers to notify DMV within 30 days of a move. The postal service will not forward a driver's license, so a card mailed to an old address goes back to DMV. Sixty days is the deadline for a new resident to get a Virginia license, a different rule. Ten days is too short, and waiting until renewal leaves DMV with the wrong address for mailings.

   Study this in the handbook: Learner's permit, license and vehicle paperwork

5. 5. A Virginia driver without an E-ZPass transponder approaches a toll plaza. What should they do?

   1. Look for and follow the signs for cash only lanes, slowing down as they approach
   2. Use any lane and pay later
   3. Use the E-ZPass express lane
   4. Stop before the plaza and wait for an attendant
   Show answer

   Look for and follow the signs for cash only lanes, slowing down as they approach. If you do not have a transponder, look for and follow the signs for cash only lanes as you approach a toll plaza, and slow down as you approach it. Be extra cautious approaching, entering and leaving the plaza because other drivers may be changing lanes and toll employees may be crossing the lanes. Some toll roads have high speed lanes reserved for vehicles with E-ZPass transponders, so do not enter those lanes unless you have one.

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

6. 6. 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.

   Study this in the handbook: The knowledge exam, road skills test and vision screening

7. 7. Where do the Virginia requirements for yielding to vehicles with flashing lights not apply?

   1. Highway work zones
   2. Divided highways
   3. Residential streets
   4. Roads with posted speed limits
   Show answer

   Highway work zones. The manual expressly says these requirements do not apply in highway work zones. That is a specific exception, not a general exemption for residential streets, divided highways, or roads with posted limits. Drivers should still follow signs, flaggers, and work zone controls because the exception does not make the area consequence free. When a work zone is present, reduce speed, watch for workers and traffic shifts, and obey the instructions governing that zone.

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

8. 8. On a highway with at least four lanes, how should a driver pass a stationary trash collection vehicle when it is safe to change lanes?

   1. Pass in the adjacent lane at the posted speed
   2. Stop in the lane directly behind the collection vehicle
   3. Change to a lane that is not next to the vehicle
   4. Use the shoulder to get around it
   Show answer

   Change to a lane that is not next to the vehicle. On a highway with at least four lanes, Virginia directs a driver passing stationary trash-collection vehicles to move into a lane that is not next to the vehicle when a lane change is possible. Passing in the adjacent lane leaves the vehicle immediately beside the work area, so it misses the required separation. The guidance does not call for stopping behind the truck or using the shoulder. Look ahead for collection activity, signal early, check the open lane, and move over smoothly while preserving a safe speed and following distance.

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

9. 9. Your car stalls on railroad tracks. What does the Virginia manual tell you to do?

   1. Stay inside with your seat belt on and call for help
   2. Keep trying to restart the engine until you see a train
   3. Get out and run away from the tracks in the same direction the train is traveling
   4. Get out right away and run diagonally away from the tracks toward the oncoming train
   Show answer

   Get out right away and run diagonally away from the tracks toward the oncoming train. If your car stalls on the tracks, the manual says not to hesitate. Get out of the car right away and run diagonally away from the tracks in the direction of the oncoming train. Staying in the car or spending time trying to restart the engine keeps you in danger. Running in the same direction the train is traveling is the opposite of the direction the manual gives. To avoid this situation, cross only when there is room for your vehicle on the other side of the tracks.

   Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings and work zones

10. 10. Visibility is poor and the road is covered with rain, snow or ice. How should you change your normal following distance?

    
    1. Keep it the same if you are already below the speed limit
    2. Add one second to it
    3. Double it
    4. Shorten it so you can follow the taillights ahead
    Show answer

    Double it. Virginia says driving becomes hazardous when visibility is reduced or when the road is covered with rain, snow or ice. Virginia tells drivers to increase their space cushion in these conditions by doubling the normal following distance, along with reducing speed and turning on headlights. Adding only one second is less than the manual calls for, and keeping the same gap ignores the longer time you may need to stop. Moving closer to follow the taillights ahead removes the space you need to react if that vehicle slows or stops suddenly.

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

11. 11. Under Virginia DMV's current insurance requirements, what must an owner do to purchase license plates or decals for a vehicle?

    1. Pay a $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee instead of buying insurance
    2. Certify that the vehicle is covered by the minimum insurance requirements
    3. Show a clean driving record in place of insurance
    4. Nothing beyond paying the registration fee
    Show answer

    Certify that the vehicle is covered by the minimum insurance requirements. Virginia DMV says that to purchase license plates or decals, you must certify that the vehicle is covered by the minimum insurance requirements, and the insurance carrier must be authorized to do business in Virginia. The printed driver manual still describes paying a $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee instead, but that handbook passage is outdated: 2023 Acts of Assembly chapter 538 repealed the fee option effective July 1, 2024. A clean driving record or a registration payment is no substitute for insurance, and a driver caught uninsured must pay a $600 noncompliance fee to get driving privileges back.

12. 12. What do double solid white lines between lanes going the same direction mean in Virginia?

    1. You may not cross them, and may enter the special use lane only where signs and markings allow
    2. You may cross them to pass if the way is clear
    3. They mark a lane where traffic flows in the opposite direction
    4. They show a shared center lane for left turns
    Show answer

    You may not cross them, and may enter the special use lane only where signs and markings allow. Double solid white lines separate lanes of traffic going in the same direction. They are most often used to set a special use lane apart from regular lanes, such as a High Occupancy Vehicle lane on an expressway. You may not cross these lines. You may enter the special use lane only where signs and markings allow it. Yellow lines, not white lines, separate traffic moving in opposite directions.

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

13. 13. Between 10 PM and 2 AM, how many drivers do researchers estimate are drunk, according to the Virginia manual?

    1. Three out of every ten
    2. Half
    3. One out of every fifty
    4. One out of every hundred
    Show answer

    Three out of every ten. Researchers estimate that between the hours of 10 PM and 2 AM three out of every ten drivers are drunk, and more than one third of them have been drinking at someone else's home. Nearly half of drivers arrested for DUI are social to moderate drinkers. The manual's point is that the danger is not limited to problem drinkers, and late night driving means sharing the road with impaired drivers.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and DUI

14. 14. Depending on the locality, what can a Virginia driver convicted of DUI be charged for the emergency response to the crash?

    1. Nothing, because the response is taxpayer funded
    2. Up to $1,000 for the cost of the response
    3. Up to $100 for the police report only
    4. The full cost with no limit
    Show answer

    Up to $1,000 for the cost of the response. Some Virginia cities and counties make a DUI driver pay restitution, up to $1,000, for the police, emergency medical services, firefighters and rescue crews who respond to a crash or incident caused by the violation. The response is not always free to the driver. The charge is not limited to a $100 report fee, and it is capped rather than unlimited. This cost is on top of the fines and suspensions for the DUI itself.

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

15. 15. 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
    Show answer

    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 Virginia law bars holding a phone or other wireless device while driving except in an emergency or when lawfully parked or stopped.

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

16. 16. In Virginia, what additional movement is illegal when a No Left Turn sign is posted?

    
    1. A right turn from the outside lane
    2. A lane change after checking the mirror
    3. A left turn after yielding at a green arrow
    4. A U-turn, because Virginia treats it as two left turns
    Show answer

    A U-turn, because Virginia treats it as two left turns. Virginia gives the No Left Turn sign an important added consequence: a U-turn is treated as two left turns. Therefore, the sign bars both the obvious left turn and the attempt to reverse direction by making a U-turn. A right turn or a properly checked lane change is not the movement named by this sign. Remember the two-left-turn rule whenever the crossed-out left arrow appears, including on a quiet roadway.

    Study this in the handbook: Regulatory and warning signs

17. 17. What does Virginia’s implied-consent law mean when a person operates a motor vehicle on public roads?

    1. The driver may refuse every test without consequence
    2. The driver agrees after signing a separate form
    3. The driver must submit after a court conviction
    4. The driver agrees to take a breath test upon request
    Show answer

    The driver agrees to take a breath test upon request. Operating a motor vehicle on Virginia public roads carries agreement to take a breath test upon request under implied-consent laws. No separate signed form or prior conviction is required for the agreement described in the manual. Refusal is not presented as consequence-free. The practical cue is automatic consent attached to driving on public roads, while administrative suspension and other penalties can follow a refusal or qualifying BAC result.

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

18. 18. What kind of information does a diamond-shaped traffic sign provide?

    
    1. A command to park in a marked space
    2. A route number and destination only
    3. A warning about special conditions or hazards ahead
    4. A guarantee that the road is clear
    Show answer

    A warning about special conditions or hazards ahead. The diamond shape is a warning shape. It alerts the driver to special conditions or hazards ahead and calls for slower, more cautious driving. It does not by itself grant a route destination, parking permission, or assurance that no conflict exists. Use the warning as advance notice to scan farther down the roadway, reduce speed as needed, and stay prepared to stop if the condition requires it.

    Study this in the handbook: Sign colors and shapes

19. 19. In Virginia, what kind of area do pink and black signs mark?

    1. A school zone
    2. A historical or cultural site
    3. A construction work zone
    4. An incident area
    Show answer

    An incident area. Virginia uses sign colors to show the purpose of a sign. Orange and black and pink and black signs advise and warn drivers. Orange is used in construction areas and pink is used in incident areas. These signs may appear with black and white signs that set rules that exist only because of the construction or the incident. School zone, pedestrian and bicyclist warnings use a strong yellow green color, and brown signs point out historical or cultural interests. Orange, not pink, marks construction work zones.

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

20. 20. How soon must a new Virginia resident title and register a vehicle?

    1. Within 60 days
    2. Within 30 days of moving to Virginia
    3. Within 10 days
    4. Within one year
    Show answer

    Within 30 days of moving to Virginia. Title and register your vehicle and obtain Virginia license plates within 30 days of moving to Virginia, and get a Virginia driver's license within 60 days. Plates go on the front and rear, with month and year decals in the designated areas. The vehicle must pass an annual safety inspection, and in certain localities an emissions inspection as well. You must also keep the registration card with you while operating the vehicle.

    Study this in the handbook: Learner's permit, license and vehicle paperwork