WA Permit Practice Test 7

All 20 questions in test 7

Every question below comes from the Washington 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. In Washington, DUI rules can apply when a person is in what situation even if the vehicle is parked?

   1. Standing beside a locked vehicle
   2. Having a vehicle registered nearby
   3. Reading a map in a passenger seat
   4. Physical control of the vehicle
   Show answer

   Physical control of the vehicle. Washington's guide says DUI can apply to being in control of a vehicle even when that vehicle is parked. Physical control means the person has the ability to take control of the engine or operation. Merely standing beside a locked vehicle does not describe that ability, and registration or map reading alone does not establish control. The practical cue is that parking does not automatically remove the risk when an impaired person can operate the vehicle.

2. 2. A red circle and slash over a U-turn symbol indicates what?

   
   1. U-turns are required
   2. Left turns are the only prohibited movement
   3. U-turns are not allowed
   4. The lane is reserved for passing
   Show answer

   U-turns are not allowed. Washington uses a red circle with a red slash over a symbol to prohibit the pictured action. When that symbol shows a U-turn, the restriction applies to U-turns at that location. It does not automatically ban left turns, require a U-turn, or create a passing lane. Read the movement under the slash, then obey that specific restriction while following any other lane or intersection controls. The crossed U-shaped arrow is the cue that distinguishes this sign.

3. 3. If a driver refuses an alcohol or drug test after an officer suspects impairment, what may happen to the driving privilege?

   1. It may be lost for 90 to 730 days or until age 21, whichever is longer
   2. It is suspended for exactly 24 hours
   3. It is permanently canceled after the first refusal
   4. Nothing happens unless the driver was speeding
   Show answer

   It may be lost for 90 to 730 days or until age 21, whichever is longer. The guide says refusing a suspected impairment test can cost the driver the privilege for 90 to 730 days, or until age 21, whichever period is longer. That range is not a guaranteed one day suspension, and the guide does not describe an automatic permanent cancellation after one refusal. Speeding is not a prerequisite in the quoted rule. The memory cue is to look for both the numerical range and the age comparison. The exact suspension depends on several factors, including the number of prior violations.

4. 4. At a yield sign, what action is required before entering the roadway?

   
   1. Stop for exactly three seconds every time
   2. Slow down and allow right of way traffic to cross first
   3. Proceed first if you are in the larger vehicle
   4. Accelerate to enter before cross traffic
   Show answer

   Slow down and allow right of way traffic to cross first. A yield sign calls for a meaningful reduction in speed and deference to traffic that already has the right of way. You must let that traffic cross first, and you should be ready to stop if the situation requires it. The sign does not impose a fixed three second wait when no traffic is present. Size, urgency, or acceleration never creates priority. Approach slowly, look for vehicles and pedestrians, and enter only when the crossing path is clear.

5. 5. What does a double solid white line between lanes indicate?

   1. You may change lanes whenever you signal
   2. It is a barrier that you may not cross
   3. It separates traffic traveling in opposite directions
   4. It marks a lane where stopping is required
   Show answer

   It is a barrier that you may not cross. Double solid white lines separate lanes moving in the same direction but form a barrier that drivers may not cross. A turn signal does not authorize crossing the pair. Opposing traffic is separated by yellow lines, not double white lines, and the markings do not themselves require a stop. The practical cue is the repeated solid white boundary: remain on your side unless roadway instructions provide a different legal path. Plan lane changes before reaching the double line.

6. 6. A Washington intermediate driver needs to drive at 2 a.m. Besides a parent or guardian, who may ride along to make the trip legal?

   1. A licensed driver at least age 18
   2. A licensed driver at least age 21
   3. A licensed driver at least age 25
   4. Any passenger age 20 or older
   Show answer

   A licensed driver at least age 25. The only adults who lift the 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. restriction are a parent, a guardian, or a licensed driver at least 25 years old. Eighteen and twenty-one are tempting guesses, but Washington sets 25 for this exception. A passenger of 20 who is unlicensed or younger than 25 does not qualify. Agricultural trips and drivers with a year of safe driving are separate exceptions.

7. 7. What is the safest response when approaching a slow agricultural vehicle on a Washington road?

   1. Be patient, slow down, and give plenty of space when passing
   2. Pass immediately without checking for oncoming traffic
   3. Follow within one car length so other drivers cannot pass
   4. Honk repeatedly until the agricultural vehicle leaves the road
   Show answer

   Be patient, slow down, and give plenty of space when passing. Agricultural vehicles can travel slowly and may need room to maneuver. Washington’s guide tells drivers to be patient, reduce speed, and leave plenty of space while passing. Immediate passing ignores the need to check opposing traffic. Following one car length leaves little time to respond if the farm vehicle slows or turns. Repeated honking can startle the operator and does not create a safe gap. Slow down, assess the roadway, and pass only when the sight distance and space are adequate.

8. 8. How should you enter a Washington roundabout?

   1. Stop in the center island until every approaching lane is empty
   2. Enter from the left and travel clockwise
   3. Slow down, look left, and yield to traffic already in the roundabout
   4. Accelerate into the circle because entering traffic has priority
   Show answer

   Slow down, look left, and yield to traffic already in the roundabout. Traffic already circulating in a roundabout has the right-of-way. Approach slowly, look left, yield to vehicles in the circle, and enter only when a safe gap appears. Stopping in the center island is not how the intersection operates and can block other users. Roundabouts are entered to the right and traveled counterclockwise, so the clockwise choice reverses the intended flow. Entering traffic does not have priority. Use the lane choice sign, stay in the selected lane, and exit at the intended street.

9. 9. If a vehicle’s engine shuts off while it is moving, what should the driver do first?

   1. Brake hard while keeping the vehicle in the traffic lane
   2. Keep a strong grip on the steering wheel and look for an escape path
   3. Open the door and jump out before the vehicle slows
   4. Turn the wheel sharply toward the nearest curb
   Show answer

   Keep a strong grip on the steering wheel and look for an escape path. When the engine stops, steering may become difficult, but the guide says the vehicle can still be turned. Maintain a strong grip, identify an escape path, use steady brake pressure, and pull off the roadway. Hard braking in the lane can create a sudden hazard, while jumping out exposes the driver to traffic. A sharp turn toward a curb may cause a collision or loss of control. The key is controlled steering and braking while moving toward a safe stopping place.

10. 10. What does a double solid yellow centerline indicate on a two-way roadway?

    
    1. The line marks a bicycle lane
    2. Passing is required in both directions
    3. The road has one-way traffic only
    4. Passing is not allowed
    Show answer

    Passing is not allowed. The guide uses double solid yellow centerlines to show the middle of a two-way road and says drivers are not allowed to pass there. The wrong alternative reverses the restriction, while the one-way and bicycle-lane choices identify different roadway arrangements. Yellow separates traffic moving in opposite directions, which is a useful visual cue before applying the passing rule. Keep the vehicle in its lane and wait for markings or signs that lawfully permit a maneuver. Do not cross the double solid line merely because the road ahead looks clear.

11. 11. What should you do as soon as an emergency vehicle's lights or siren signal its approach?

    
    1. Pull to the right side and stop
    2. Stop in the center of the roadway
    3. Follow it through the next intersection
    4. Continue until the emergency vehicle changes lanes
    Show answer

    Pull to the right side and stop. Washington directs drivers to pull immediately to the right side of the road and stop when a fire truck, ambulance, or police car uses lights or sirens. This creates a predictable clear path for the responder. Following behind the vehicle turns its emergency movement into a lead for your own trip, while stopping in the center can block the route. Waiting for a lane change also wastes valuable time. Stay stopped until the emergency vehicle has passed, then signal and reenter in the order traffic was traveling.

12. 12. What headlight timing does Washington law specify?

    1. Only from midnight until dawn
    2. Only when another driver flashes headlights
    3. From sunset until one hour after sunrise
    4. From a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise
    Show answer

    From a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise. Washington law specifies headlights from one half hour after sunset until one half hour before sunrise. The guide also suggests an easier safety habit: use them all the time, especially in rain, snow, fog, or smoke. The midnight option begins too late, the one hour morning extension changes the stated window, and another driver's signal is irrelevant. Think of the rule as a half hour buffer on both sides of nighttime. Good lighting helps the driver see and helps other road users see the vehicle.

13. 13. What information appears on Washington destination signs?

    1. Only the names of vehicle services
    2. Only warnings about construction
    3. Directions and distances to various locations
    4. Only restrictions on U-turns
    Show answer

    Directions and distances to various locations. Destination signs provide navigation information by showing directions and distances to locations. Examples include cities, airports, state lines, national parks, historical areas, and museums. Construction warnings, service locations, and turn restrictions are separate sign purposes. Read destination information early, follow the lane needed for the route, and avoid a sudden maneuver caused by waiting until the sign is too close to interpret.

14. 14. If a driver is not enrolled in driver training, when can the driver take the knowledge exam?

    1. At age 14
    2. After turning 15 and one-half
    3. After turning 18
    4. Only after turning 16
    Show answer

    After turning 15 and one-half. Applicants who are not enrolling in a driver training course can take the Washington knowledge exam after turning 15 and one-half. Age 14 is too early, and waiting until 16 or 18 is not required for this exam. The separate skills exam and license have different timing rules. Remember the distinction: the knowledge exam can begin at 15 and one-half without training, but a person must wait until 18 for the skills exam and license under this path.

15. 15. What does a flashing yellow light mean in Washington?

    1. Slow down and proceed when you have the right-of-way
    2. Speed up before the light turns red
    3. Stop and wait for a green light
    4. Treat it as a railroad crossing signal
    Show answer

    Slow down and proceed when you have the right-of-way. A flashing yellow light calls for reduced speed and careful judgment at an uncontrolled intersection. Proceed only when you have the right-of-way, watching for vehicles, pedestrians, and other road users. It is not a command to stop and wait for green, so stopping and waiting for green adds a requirement that the signal does not create. Accelerating to beat a red light is unsafe, and a railroad crossing signal has a different purpose. Slow first, scan the intersection, then continue when your path is clear and you are entitled to go.

16. 16. What does a dashed yellow line show on a two way, two lane road?

    1. A lane reserved for parking
    2. A barrier that cannot be crossed under any condition
    3. Traffic lanes moving in the same direction
    4. The center of the road, where you may pass if safe
    Show answer

    The center of the road, where you may pass if safe. A dashed yellow line marks the center of a two way, two lane road. If conditions allow, a driver may use the oncoming lane to pass another vehicle, returning only after the maneuver is safe. The solid barrier choice confuses dashed and solid markings, and yellow does not identify same direction lanes. Check sight distance, oncoming traffic, signs, and road conditions before crossing. The line permits a possibility, not an automatic invitation, so the passing decision still depends on safety.

17. 17. By how much does the Washington guide say zipper merging improves traffic flow?

    1. By 10 percent
    2. It slows traffic
    3. By 5 percent
    4. By 60 percent
    Show answer

    By 60 percent. When a lane closes, zipper merging improves traffic flow by 60 percent, creates a predictable pattern that reduces sudden lane changes, and removes the temptation to cut in line. To zipper merge, stay in your lane and use both lanes until the designated merge area, then take turns entering the open lane. Merging early leaves road space unused and lengthens the backup for everyone.

18. 18. After getting a Washington traffic ticket, how long do you have to follow the instructions on the back to avoid a suspension?

    1. 5 days
    2. 30 days
    3. 15 days
    4. 60 days
    Show answer

    15 days. The instructions on the back of a ticket must be followed within 15 days, or the driving privilege can be suspended. Driving on that suspended license can lead to losing the vehicle or being arrested. Five days is the deadline for a vehicle report of sale, and 30 and 60 days are not the ticket deadline. Signing the ticket is not an admission of guilt, and refusing to sign can lead to arrest.

19. 19. If no officer files a report after a Washington collision, how soon must the driver file a collision report form?

    1. Within 24 hours
    2. Within 4 days
    3. Within 10 days
    4. Within 30 days
    Show answer

    Within 4 days. State law requires a driver to file a collision report form within 4 days of a crash if a law enforcement officer does not file one. Twenty-four hours is too short, 10 days is the address change deadline, and 30 days is not the stated period. Drivers should also exchange names, contact details, license numbers and insurance information, and photograph the damage.

20. 20. What minimum property damage liability coverage must a Washington driver carry?

    1. $10,000 per collision
    2. $5,000 per collision
    3. $25,000 per collision
    4. $50,000 per collision
    Show answer

    $10,000 per collision. Washington requires liability insurance of at least $25,000 for injury or death of one person, $50,000 for two or more people in one collision, and $10,000 for damage to the property of others. The $25,000 and $50,000 amounts are the bodily injury limits, not the property damage limit. Five thousand dollars is below the state minimum. Drivers must keep proof of insurance with them or in the vehicle.