VA Permit Practice Test 8

All 20 questions in test 8

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. After the first impoundment, how much longer can a Virginia court impound the car of a driver convicted of driving on an alcohol-related suspension?

   1. An additional 10 days
   2. An additional 30 days
   3. An additional two years
   4. An additional 90 days
   Show answer

   An additional 90 days. The first 30 days of impoundment are immediate, and the court can add another 90 days if the driver is convicted. Thirty days is the immediate period, so repeating it as the court's addition confuses the two steps. Ten days and two years are not listed for this offense. The total exposure is therefore up to 120 days without the vehicle, which is why the manual calls these penalties severe.

2. 2. How close to a fire hydrant may you park in Virginia?

   1. No closer than 15 feet
   2. No closer than 5 feet
   3. No closer than 10 feet
   4. No closer than 25 feet
   Show answer

   No closer than 15 feet. Virginia bans parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. Five and ten feet leave too little room for fire crews to connect hoses. Twenty-five feet is not the hydrant distance in the Virginia list. The same list uses 15 feet again for the entrance to a fire, ambulance or rescue squad station, 20 feet for an intersection, and 50 feet for a railroad crossing.

3. 3. A Virginia teen gets a third demerit point conviction for a violation committed before age 18. What is the penalty?

   1. Revocation for one year or until age 18, whichever is longer
   2. A 90-day suspension
   3. A driver improvement clinic only
   4. Revocation for 30 days
   Show answer

   Revocation for one year or until age 18, whichever is longer. The third conviction for a violation committed under 18 leads to revocation of the driving privilege for one year or until the driver reaches 18, whichever is longer. For a 16-year-old that means waiting until 18, and for a 17 and a half year old it means the full year. The 90-day suspension is the second step and the clinic is the first. Thirty days is not part of this sequence.

4. 4. You have a green light, but a pedestrian is still in the intersection. What must you do before turning?

   1. Turn first because the green light gives absolute priority
   2. Allow the pedestrian to cross before turning
   3. Drive around the pedestrian in the adjacent lane
   4. Sound the horn until the pedestrian stops
   Show answer

   Allow the pedestrian to cross before turning. A green signal permits movement only when the driver can proceed safely. When a pedestrian remains in the street, Virginia directs the driver to allow that person to cross before turning. The signal does not erase the pedestrian's need to finish crossing, and using the horn or driving around the person creates an additional hazard. Check the crosswalk and the full turning path, yield patiently, and complete the turn only after the pedestrian is clear. This same caution applies when a light changes from red to green while someone is already in the street.

5. 5. On an unmarked two-lane road, when may you pass a slow moving vehicle on the left?

   1. Whenever the vehicle ahead is traveling below 35 MPH
   2. When no signs prohibit passing and the way is clear
   3. Only after a double yellow line appears
   4. Only when an approaching vehicle flashes its headlights
   Show answer

   When no signs prohibit passing and the way is clear. On an unmarked two-lane road, Virginia permits passing a slow moving vehicle on the left when no sign prohibits passing and the way is clear. The absence of painted lines does not remove the need to check for oncoming traffic, hills, curves, pedestrians, or other hazards. A speed threshold is not the manual's test, and an approaching driver's headlight signal is not permission to pass. The key cue is the combination of no prohibiting sign and a clear path. Evaluate sight distance first, pass smoothly, and return only when there is room.

6. 6. What extra fine applies in Virginia for driving 81 to 85 mph in a 65 mph zone?

   1. An additional $500 fine
   2. No extra fine below 86 mph
   3. An additional $100 fine
   4. An automatic suspension
   Show answer

   An additional $100 fine. You are subject to an additional $100 fine if convicted of driving between 81 and 85 mph in a 65 mph zone, on top of the ordinary speeding penalty. Driving over 85 mph, or 20 or more mph above the limit, can be charged as reckless driving, a misdemeanor criminal offense, so a $500 add on or a rule of no extra fine below 86 mph misstates the law. The added fine is not an automatic suspension. Speed limits are set for ideal conditions, so slow further when conditions demand it.

7. 7. When must you drive below a posted speed limit?

   1. Only when a police officer is following you
   2. When road construction or bad weather makes the posted speed unsafe
   3. Never, because the posted limit is always safe
   4. Only when another driver is traveling below the limit
   Show answer

   When road construction or bad weather makes the posted speed unsafe. A posted limit assumes ideal conditions, not every roadway situation. Virginia requires a slower speed when signs establish a school or work zone limit and when road construction or bad weather makes the posted speed unsafe. The claim that the limit is always safe confuses a maximum with a guarantee. Watch pavement, visibility, traffic, and work activity, then reduce speed early enough to preserve control and stopping room rather than waiting for enforcement.

8. 8. What is the fine for using a handheld communications device in a Virginia highway work zone?

   1. $50
   2. $250
   3. $1,000
   4. A warning only
   Show answer

   $250. If you are convicted of using a handheld communications device in a highway work zone, you will be fined $250. Work zone speeding can bring a fine up to $500, and orange marks a work zone and means slow down and stay alert. Workers, lane shifts and barricades leave no margin for a driver looking at a phone, which is why the fine is fixed rather than discretionary.

9. 9. How close may a driver park to fire trucks or equipment stopped while answering an alarm?

   1. No closer than 500 feet
   2. No closer than 50 feet
   3. No closer than 100 feet
   4. There is no distance rule if hazard lights are on
   Show answer

   No closer than 500 feet. The manual prohibits parking within 500 feet of fire trucks or equipment stopped while answering an alarm. Fifty feet is the separate distance listed for a railroad crossing, so it is an easy number to borrow incorrectly. One hundred feet is not the fire scene buffer in this passage, and flashing lights do not create a parking exemption. Choose a legal location well outside the response area so emergency crews retain room to work and move equipment.

10. 10. What must happen before a Virginia applicant can take the knowledge exam a fourth time after three failures?

    1. The applicant must wait one year
    2. The applicant must take only the road skills test
    3. The applicant must complete and pass the classroom component of driver education
    4. The applicant may retest immediately
    Show answer

    The applicant must complete and pass the classroom component of driver education. Three failed knowledge exams trigger a prerequisite before a fourth attempt: the applicant must complete and pass the classroom component of driver education. A one-year delay is not the stated condition, and passing the road skills test does not substitute for classroom completion. Immediate retesting is unavailable. When a question mentions three failures, look for the added education requirement rather than another ordinary scheduling interval.

11. 11. What does the eight-sided sign require before you enter the intersection?

    
    1. Come to a complete stop at the sign, line, crosswalk, or curb
    2. Slow to walking speed and continue without stopping
    3. Stop only when another vehicle is approaching
    4. Yield only to vehicles approaching from the left
    Show answer

    Come to a complete stop at the sign, line, crosswalk, or curb. Virginia assigns one meaning to the octagon: stop. The required stop may be at the sign, stop line, pedestrian crosswalk, or curb, so an empty-looking intersection does not remove the duty. Waiting lets vehicles and pedestrians clear your path. The left-side priority choice is also wrong because an all-way stop can require every approach to stop, followed by right-of-way rules. Use the red octagon as your immediate cue to halt fully before checking traffic.

12. 12. When a Virginia DUI conviction involves a passenger age 17 or younger, what additional mandatory jail term is listed?

    1. Two days
    2. Ten days
    3. No added jail term
    4. Five days
    Show answer

    Five days. A DUI conviction involving a juvenile passenger, defined here as age 17 or younger, adds a mandatory five day jail term on top of the other fines and jail sentences. Two and ten days are different numbers from the stated rule, while no added term ignores the passenger condition entirely. The same passage also lists an additional fine range of at least $500 and up to $1,000. A young passenger therefore changes the consequences of the DUI conviction, not merely the social circumstances of the trip.

13. 13. What does an advance railroad crossing sign tell a driver to do?

    
    1. Cross quickly without checking the tracks
    2. Look, listen, slow down, and be prepared to stop
    3. Stop only after a train enters the crossing
    4. Turn around before reaching every crossing
    Show answer

    Look, listen, slow down, and be prepared to stop. An advance railroad warning sign appears before the tracks, giving time to prepare. Virginia says to look and listen, reduce speed, and be ready to stop for a train or another vehicle using the rails. Waiting until a train is already in the crossing gives too little margin, while crossing quickly is not a safety rule. Treat the round warning sign as an early prompt to check both the roadway and the tracks.

14. 14. When parking on a public road in Virginia, how should you position your vehicle?

    1. With the driver-side wheels on the centerline
    2. More than one foot from the curb
    3. As far from traffic as possible
    4. Facing against traffic on every road
    Show answer

    As far from traffic as possible. When parking on a public road, Virginia directs drivers to move as far from traffic as possible. If using a shoulder, pull as far onto it as conditions allow; if next to a curb, pull close to the curb. The centerline choice creates a hazard, and parking more than one foot from the curb violates the stated curb distance. Facing against traffic is not required on every road because one-way streets allow parking on either side. Look for a legal space that leaves moving traffic a clear path.

15. 15. A Virginia driver ignores an officer's signal to stop, and the pursuing officer is killed as a result. What charge applies?

    1. A Class 4 felony
    2. A Class 1 misdemeanor
    3. A traffic infraction
    4. Reckless driving
    Show answer

    A Class 4 felony. If you do not obey a law enforcement officer's signal to stop and the officer pursues you and is killed as a direct result of the pursuit, you will be guilty of a Class 4 felony. Eluding police is a serious crime even without injury, and a death raises it to a felony carrying prison time. When signaled, pull over promptly to a safe spot and stay in the vehicle.

16. 16. At a railroad crossing with flashing signals, what must you do?

    1. Slow down and cross if the gates are raised
    2. Stop only when a train horn can be heard
    3. Come to a complete stop, even if no train is visible
    4. Proceed without stopping when the crossing looks clear
    Show answer

    Come to a complete stop, even if no train is visible. Virginia requires a complete stop at a railroad crossing when the signals are flashing, whether or not a train can be seen. Raised gates or a quiet track do not cancel the signal. The choice to slow down and continue treats a warning as optional, while waiting for a horn relies on an unreliable cue. Stop before the crossing, check for a safe route, and move only when the signals permit passage. This habit protects against a train hidden by darkness, weather, or another obstruction.

17. 17. What is the safest response when another driver is tailgating you?

    1. Brake suddenly to force the driver to stop
    2. Speed up well above the posted limit
    3. Move onto the shoulder without checking traffic
    4. Increase space ahead, maintain a steady speed, and encourage the driver to pass
    Show answer

    Increase space ahead, maintain a steady speed, and encourage the driver to pass. A tailgater reduces your margin behind, so create more room ahead and keep a steady speed. That extra space lets you slow gradually if something changes and can encourage the following driver to pass. Sudden braking turns the close following distance into an immediate crash risk. Speeding violates the limit and may not solve the problem, while using the shoulder without checking creates a new hazard. If possible, move to another lane only after checking it is safe. Keep your attention on escape space, not on punishing the other driver.

18. 18. In Virginia, what does orange on a roadway sign or marker identify?

    1. A hospital or other emergency medical destination
    2. A historic site or cultural point of interest
    3. A route providing ordinary highway directions
    4. A construction area where drivers should slow down and stay alert
    Show answer

    A construction area where drivers should slow down and stay alert. Orange identifies construction activity, so expect workers, altered lane patterns, barriers, or other temporary controls. Reduce speed and watch carefully for the instructions paired with the orange warning. The hospital choice confuses a service destination with a work area. Historic and cultural attractions use brown information signs, not orange. Ordinary directions are shown by green guide signs. A useful road cue is to connect orange with an active work zone and to anticipate that the normal path, speed, or lane arrangement may change before you reach the workers.

19. 19. At a green light, what must a driver doing a left turn without a green arrow recognize?

    
    1. Only vehicles behind you
    2. No one, because a green circle guarantees a clear turn
    3. Vehicles coming from the other direction and pedestrians in the intersection
    4. Only a vehicle displaying hazard flashers
    Show answer

    Vehicles coming from the other direction and pedestrians in the intersection. A left turn on a green light does not automatically have priority over opposing traffic. The turning driver must watch for oncoming vehicles and yield before crossing their path. The green signal permits movement only when the way is clear, so the answer that no one must be yielded to incorrectly treats the light as an unconditional release. Traffic behind the turning vehicle and a car using hazard flashers do not decide this conflict. Keep the wheels controlled, search beyond the first vehicle, and wait until the opposing lane and crosswalk are open.

20. 20. Before starting across railroad tracks, what must a driver make sure of?

    1. The driver can shift gears while on the tracks
    2. A vehicle is stopped on the opposite side of the crossing
    3. The crossing lights are off even if traffic blocks the exit
    4. There is room on the other side to clear the tracks completely
    Show answer

    There is room on the other side to clear the tracks completely. A driver must not enter a railroad crossing unless the vehicle can clear the tracks completely and there is space beyond them. A blocked exit, even with the lights off, could leave the vehicle stranded in the path of a train. A dark crossing signal does not guarantee that the route ahead is open, and shifting on the tracks is specifically unsafe. Stop short when traffic is backed up, then reassess. The practical cue is to look past the rails before moving, not merely to look for a train at the crossing itself.