WV Permit Practice Test 17

All 20 questions in test 17

Every question below comes from the West 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. Your vehicle begins to skid. When should you use the brakes during the skid?

   1. At once, with full pressure on the pedal
   2. Only if you are in danger of hitting something
   3. After turning the wheel fully to one side
   4. Not until the vehicle has come to a stop
   Show answer

   Only if you are in danger of hitting something. When a vehicle begins to skid, stay calm and concentrate on steering out of trouble. Braking during a skid can lock the wheels and make the slide harder to correct, so the brakes should be used only when you are in danger of hitting something. Full pressure at once is the opposite of that restraint. Turning the wheel fully to one side can overcorrect and send the vehicle into a second skid. Waiting until the vehicle stops ignores the case where braking is needed to avoid an impact directly ahead.

   Study this in the handbook: Blowouts, fires and other vehicle emergencies

2. 2. What is the rule for using a cell phone or other electronic device while driving in West Virginia?

   1. It may be held for calls on highways only
   2. It is prohibited unless the use is hands-free
   3. It is allowed at any speed below 25 mph
   4. It is permitted for texting at red lights
   Show answer

   It is prohibited unless the use is hands-free. West Virginia bans using an electronic communications device while driving on a public street or highway unless the use is accomplished with hands-free equipment. Holding a phone for a call is still a violation on a highway, low speed does not create an exception, and composing or reading texts at a red light is device use while operating the vehicle in traffic. A hands-free system that can be engaged without using the hands is the lawful path. Set navigation and calls before moving, let passengers handle messages, and remember that looking down for a few seconds covers a long distance blind.

   Study this in the handbook: Crash reports, insurance and phone use

3. 3. Why should drivers be cooperative with trucks and buses entering an interstate?

   1. They are allowed to stop on entrance ramps briefly
   2. They always enter faster than passenger vehicles
   3. They may need extra time to adjust to traffic patterns
   4. They yield to every vehicle already behind them
   Show answer

   They may need extra time to adjust to traffic patterns. Trucks and buses entering an interstate may need extra time to adjust to traffic patterns, so other drivers should be cooperative and give them extra time and space. No rule gives a large vehicle permission to stop on an entrance ramp; the guidance is to open a gap and let the vehicle merge, not to treat the ramp as a stopping place. Large vehicles also accelerate slowly rather than entering faster than passenger cars. They do not yield to every vehicle behind them as a special rule. Ease off early and make room beside you.

   Study this in the handbook: Entering, exiting and driving on interstates

4. 4. Your view is blocked while backing out of an angle parking space. What should you do?

   1. Back out quickly before another vehicle arrives
   2. Move back cautiously, watching for a pedestrian or vehicle
   3. Rely only on the rear view mirror and continue
   4. Sound the horn once and back out at normal speed
   Show answer

   Move back cautiously, watching for a pedestrian or vehicle. Backing out of an angle space is hazardous because parked vehicles can hide people and traffic until they are right behind you. If your vision is blocked, move back cautiously and watch for a pedestrian or a vehicle that might suddenly appear. The rear view mirror alone leaves blind areas, and speed or a single horn blast does not replace looking. Ease out a little at a time, stop when you can see along the lane, and remember not to back across the center line. A slow exit gives an approaching driver time to see your vehicle and respond.

   Study this in the handbook: U-turns, backing, parking and following distance

5. 5. How can riding as a passenger help a future driver learn signs?

   1. Count signs to estimate the trip distance traveled
   2. Memorize signposts on one familiar route only
   3. Notice all signs seen and what each is for
   4. Ask the driver to explain only railroad signs
   Show answer

   Notice all signs seen and what each is for. A passenger can prepare to drive by noticing all signs seen during a ride and considering what each sign is for. Counting signs to estimate distance does not build sign recognition, and memorizing one familiar route leaves gaps elsewhere. Asking about only railroad signs is too narrow because the handbook says to notice all signs. The useful passenger habit is to identify each sign's purpose as it appears.

   Study this in the handbook: Sign shapes, colors and pavement markings

6. 6. How can a driver ensure proper disposal of used tires?

   1. Leave them beside a rural road at night
   2. Store them behind a garage indefinitely
   3. Leave them with a tire retailer
   4. Burn them in small batches outdoors
   Show answer

   Leave them with a tire retailer. Leaving used tires with a tire retailer will ensure proper disposal, avoiding illegal stockpiles that collect water and attract pests. The option stating "Leave them beside a rural road at night" misses that point, because roadside abandonment is the illegal dumping the disposal guidance exists to prevent. New tires on, old tires left with the shop: the exchange closes the disposal loop.

   Study this in the handbook: Points, citations and suspensions

7. 7. How can overheating be prevented in slow-moving traffic?

   1. Turn the engine off at every brief traffic stop made
   2. Cover the grille to hold heat inside the engine bay
   3. Accelerate hard between stops to cool the radiator down
   4. Shift to neutral and race the engine briefly at stops
   Show answer

   Shift to neutral and race the engine briefly at stops. Overheating in slow-moving traffic can be prevented by shifting into neutral and racing the engine briefly during stops, which speeds up the fan and water pump and moves more air and coolant through the radiator. Turning the engine off at every brief stop does not provide that neutral shifting and brief racing, and it leaves the fan and pump stopped while heat remains in the engine. Covering the grille traps heat that needs to escape. Hard acceleration between stops adds engine heat instead of removing it. Use the brief neutral rev during long stops in heavy traffic.

   Study this in the handbook: Blowouts, fires and other vehicle emergencies

8. 8. Why must water never be used on a burning gasoline fire?

   1. Water sinks gasoline and seals it away from air
   2. Water cools gasoline below burning within seconds
   3. Burning gasoline floats on water and spreads the fire
   4. Water spreads a fire only after it is already large
   Show answer

   Burning gasoline floats on water and spreads the fire. Gasoline and water do not mix, and that is the danger. Burning gasoline floats on water and spreads the fire, riding the flow outward to new fuel, grass, or another vehicle. Water does not sink gasoline safely away from air, does not cool a fuel fire into harmless foam in seconds, and does not wait for a large fire before spreading a small one. A hose aimed at a burning fuel leak can widen the burning area with every gallon. Use an extinguisher or smothering dirt or sand, move people away, and let firefighters handle a fire that is growing.

   Study this in the handbook: Blowouts, fires and other vehicle emergencies

9. 9. How much water can the oil from one oil change ruin if dumped in a lake?

   1. About a thousand gallons of water
   2. About ten thousand gallons of water
   3. About ten million gallons of water
   4. About a million gallons of water
   Show answer

   About a million gallons of water. If dumped in a lake, the oil from a single oil change, about a gallon, can ruin a million gallons of water through contamination. The option stating "About a thousand gallons of water" misses that point, because a thousand gallons understates the spread by a factor of a thousand in the stated comparison. One gallon against a million is the ratio that makes proper oil recycling nonnegotiable.

   Study this in the handbook: Points, citations and suspensions

10. 10. In the second six months of a Level 2 license, how many non-family passengers under 20 may ride along?

    1. No more than one such passenger
    2. No such passengers at all during that whole second period
    3. Up to two such passengers if they are close family friends
    4. Up to three such passengers when a licensed adult also rides
    Show answer

    No more than one such passenger. During the second six months, a Level 2 holder may carry no more than one non-family member under the age of 20 as a passenger. The option stating "No such passengers at all during that whole second period" misses that point, because none at all describes the stricter first six months, not the second six month period. Remember the steps: none first, then one, as experience grows month by month.

    Study this in the handbook: Graduated Driver's License levels

11. 11. A medicine is prescribed by a physician. Can it still impair driving in West Virginia's view?

    1. No, prescribed medicines leave every driver unimpaired
    2. Yes, it can cause drowsiness and loss of coordination
    3. No, impairment comes from illegal street drugs alone
    4. Yes, but only when the dose is doubled
    Show answer

    Yes, it can cause drowsiness and loss of coordination. A prescription explains why a medicine is taken, but it does not cancel the side effects the medicine can cause. Drugs used exactly as directed, and even products bought over the counter, can bring drowsiness, loss of coordination, hallucinations, or worse. Doubling a dose is not the trigger; a normal dose can be enough for a driver who is sensitive to it. Illegal street drugs are only part of the danger. Read the warning label before driving, ask the pharmacist about drowsiness, and do not drive after a first dose until you know how the medicine affects you.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, BAC limits and zero tolerance

12. 12. Driving east at sunrise or west at sunset can create which seeing problem?

    1. Too little light from a heavy overcast
    2. Darkness that requires parking lights only
    3. Fog forming along low river valleys
    4. Glare caused by too much natural light
    Show answer

    Glare caused by too much natural light. Low sun shining straight into a windshield can flood a driver with more natural light than the eyes can handle, washing out signals, brake lights, and the road edge. That low angle puts the glare directly ahead of the driver. Sunglasses and a clean windshield help, and slowing down buys time while your eyes adjust. Too little light from overcast skies is the opposite problem, and fog or early darkness call for headlights rather than glare control. If the sun blinds you at a crest, ease off, increase following distance, and look toward the right edge markings.

    Study this in the handbook: Headlights and light conditions

13. 13. What makes an electronic communication device hands-free under West Virginia's description?

    1. It can be engaged without using either hand
    2. It requires the driver to hold it in one hand
    3. It works only while the vehicle is parked
    4. It is hands-free only if it is mounted on the dashboard
    Show answer

    It can be engaged without using either hand. A hands-free electronic communication device has a feature that allows the user to engage it without using either or both hands while driving. Holding the device in one hand is not hands-free, and the handbook does not define the term by whether the vehicle is parked or where the device is mounted. The relevant test is how the driver engages the device, not its shape or location.

    Study this in the handbook: Crash reports, insurance and phone use

14. 14. What does West Virginia law require during adverse conditions on an interstate?

    1. Use parking lights instead of headlights
    2. Use headlights only after dark falls
    3. Turn headlights off to reduce glare
    4. Turn headlights on during adverse conditions
    Show answer

    Turn headlights on during adverse conditions. State law requires headlights during adverse conditions, because poor weather and reduced visibility make vehicles harder to see long before darkness arrives. Parking lights do not give the same visibility and are meant for a parked vehicle. Turning headlights off removes the main signal that helps other drivers judge your position and speed. Waiting until dark also misses rain, fog, and smoke that can hide a vehicle in daylight. Switching the full headlights on early gives approaching and following drivers more time to notice you.

    Study this in the handbook: Entering, exiting and driving on interstates

15. 15. Which object suits the three-to-four second following distance count?

    1. A moving truck traveling ahead in the next lane
    2. A fixed signpost, tree, overpass, or bridge abutment
    3. A shadow that moves with the vehicle in front
    4. Another vehicle's brake light flashing on and off
    Show answer

    A fixed signpost, tree, overpass, or bridge abutment. To use the three to four second rule, choose a fixed object on the road ahead such as a signpost, tree, overpass, or bridge abutment and count as the vehicle ahead passes it. The option stating "A moving truck traveling ahead in the next lane" misses that point, because a moving truck cannot mark the fixed point both vehicles must pass for timing. Pick something bolted to the roadside that will still be there when you arrive.

    Study this in the handbook: U-turns, backing, parking and following distance

16. 16. In a manual vehicle parked on a downgrade, which gear reinforces the parking brake?

    1. Reverse gear on a downgrade
    2. First gear on a downgrade
    3. Neutral gear on a downgrade
    4. Third gear on a downgrade
    Show answer

    Reverse gear on a downgrade. For a manual shift vehicle, use reverse on a downgrade or first gear on an upgrade to reinforce the parking brake. Neutral does not provide either directional gear support, and third gear is not the listed choice. The direction pairing is the important detail: reverse is used when the vehicle is parked facing downhill, while first gear is used when it is parked facing uphill.

    Study this in the handbook: U-turns, backing, parking and following distance

17. 17. Where do designated speeds set by law apply besides highways?

    1. Areas such as school, business, and residential zones
    2. Private driveways and parking lots at night
    3. Shopping center parking aisles and service roads
    4. Fairground lots used only during special events
    Show answer

    Areas such as school, business, and residential zones. Designated speeds are set by law for highways and for certain areas such as school zones, business areas, and residential areas. Those legal speeds apply even before a driver sees a posted sign on a neighborhood or business street. Private driveways and parking lots are not the public areas named in the rule. Shopping center aisles and service roads are private property areas, and fairground lots used for events are not listed either. When no sign is visible in a residential or school area, the legal designated speed still governs how fast you may travel.

    Study this in the handbook: Basic speed law and school zones

18. 18. When is rush-hour traffic usually inbound to metropolitan areas?

    1. Between 4 pm and 6 pm inbound
    2. Between 10 am and noon inbound
    3. Between 6 pm and 8 pm inbound
    4. Between 7 am and 9 am inbound
    Show answer

    Between 7 am and 9 am inbound. Rush-hour traffic is usually inbound to metropolitan areas between 7 and 9 in the morning and outbound between 4 and 6 in the afternoon. The option stating "Between 4 pm and 6 pm inbound" misses that point, because late afternoon flow heads outbound from city centers, the reverse of the morning pattern. Morning pours in, evening pours out; plan merging patience around both tides.

    Study this in the handbook: Drowsy driving, fatigue and emotions

19. 19. Where is it against the law to turn your vehicle around to go the opposite way?

    1. On any road with two lanes each way
    2. Only on city streets after dark falls
    3. Near a curve or hill crest with poor sight distance
    4. On streets where parking is allowed
    Show answer

    Near a curve or hill crest with poor sight distance. Turning around is unlawful near a curve or near the crest of a hill where an approaching vehicle within 500 feet in either direction cannot see you, and also where signs prohibit the turn. A wide multi-lane road is not banned by itself, because visibility and signs control the rule. City limits and darkness alone do not create the ban, and lawful parking along a street says nothing about turning around. Before turning around, ask whether drivers approaching from both directions can see you early enough to slow or stop.

    Study this in the handbook: U-turns, backing, parking and following distance

20. 20. After a motorcycle permit, which two paths lead toward a Class F license?

    1. Pass the DMV motorcycle test or finish rider education
    2. Pass only the motorcycle knowledge test or repeat the permit application
    3. Complete a car road test or log highway miles
    4. Pass a Class E road test or complete a defensive driving class
    Show answer

    Pass the DMV motorcycle test or finish rider education. After obtaining the motorcycle permit, a Class F applicant must either pass the motorcycle road skills test given by a DMV examiner or complete the West Virginia Motorcycle Rider Education Program. A motorcycle knowledge test alone does not demonstrate the required on-cycle skill. A car road test, highway mileage log, Class E test, or defensive driving class is a different qualification and does not replace either motorcycle path. The two approved routes are the motorcycle skills test and the state rider education program.