WV Permit Practice Test 20

All 20 questions in test 20

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. Battery acid splashes onto skin during a jump start. What is the response?

   1. Wash it off immediately with water
   2. Wipe it off with a dry cloth and continue
   3. Rinse it with water after reaching home
   4. Cover the area with a dry cloth before using water
   Show answer

   Wash it off immediately with water. If battery acid gets on skin, eyes, or a vehicle, wash it off immediately with water. Delaying until reaching home gives the corrosive fluid more time to cause injury, and a dry cloth alone does not remove or dilute the acid. Covering the area before washing also postpones the needed response. Water should be used at once rather than treating the splash as an ordinary spill.

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

2. 2. How should a driver start moving on snow or ice?

   1. Raise engine speed high and accelerate quickly
   2. Rock the vehicle rapidly between gears
   3. Accelerate normally, since tires will adjust
   4. Keep engine speed low and accelerate slowly
   Show answer

   Keep engine speed low and accelerate slowly. When starting on snow or ice, keep engine speed low and accelerate slowly and smoothly so tires can find grip without spinning. The option stating "Raise engine speed high and accelerate quickly" misses that point, because high engine speed spins wheels and polishes ice, leaving the vehicle stuck or sliding. Feather the pedal at a start; gentle power is what snow and ice can accept.

   Study this in the handbook: Weather, road, vehicle and traffic conditions

3. 3. What rights and rules apply to persons riding animals on highways?

   1. Greater rights than any motor vehicle user
   2. Same rights and rules as motor vehicle users
   3. No traffic rules while riding outside towns
   4. Rights only when riding in a marked group
   Show answer

   Same rights and rules as motor vehicle users. Persons riding animals have the same rights as motor vehicle users and are subject to the same rules. That equality works in both directions: a rider is a lawful user of the road, and the rider must also follow traffic rules. Claiming greater rights for the rider overstates the rule, because the statement grants the same rights, not superior ones. Riding outside a town does not remove traffic rules, and riding in a marked group is not what creates the rider's rights. Treat a horse and rider as lawful traffic, give room, and pass without frightening the animal.

   Study this in the handbook: School buses, bicycles, motorcycles and trucks

4. 4. An exit ramp sits beside an entrance ramp. How is the exit marked?

   1. With green guide arrows pointing downward
   2. With Do Not Enter and Wrong Way signs
   3. With yellow advisory speed panels only
   4. With white route markers for both ramps
   Show answer

   With Do Not Enter and Wrong Way signs. An exit ramp beside an entrance ramp is marked with Do Not Enter and Wrong Way signs, which an entering driver must heed while finding the proper ramp. The option stating "With green guide arrows pointing downward" misses that point, because green downward arrows mark open reversible lanes, not the forbidden mouth of an exit ramp. Red and white warnings at a ramp mouth mean your entrance is the neighboring one.

5. 5. What can convictions during Level 1 or Level 2 graduated licensing cause?

   1. Only a written warning mailed to the home address
   2. An automatic move to Level 3 ahead of schedule
   3. Points only, with no effect on driving privileges
   4. Suspension or revocation of driving privileges
   Show answer

   Suspension or revocation of driving privileges. Convictions at Level 1 or Level 2 result in penalties that may include suspension or revocation of driving privileges. A written warning is not the only possible consequence, and a conviction does not promote a driver to Level 3 ahead of schedule. Limiting the result to points is also wrong because the handbook allows a loss of the driving privilege, not merely points with no effect. A young driver's conviction can therefore interrupt the licensing path itself.

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

6. 6. What can factories, forest fires, and burning leaves produce that affects driving?

   1. Smoke that creates conditions similar to fog
   2. Dust that only settles on parked vehicles
   3. Ash that improves traction on wet roads
   4. Heat that clears ice from shaded bridges
   Show answer

   Smoke that creates conditions similar to fog. Smoke from factories, forest fires, and burning leaves can hang over a road and cut visibility much like fog does. A driver may enter a clear stretch and then roll into a bank of smoke where brake lights vanish and the lane lines disappear. Slow down before visibility drops, turn on low beam headlights, and increase following distance so a stopped vehicle inside the smoke does not become a surprise. Ash does not improve traction, and smoke is a moving hazard, not something limited to parked cars. If sight distance falls to almost nothing, get off the road safely and wait.

   Study this in the handbook: Weather, road, vehicle and traffic conditions

7. 7. Unless another speed is posted, what is the speed limit in West Virginia business or residential areas?

   1. 15 mph
   2. 25 mph
   3. 35 mph
   4. 55 mph
   Show answer

   25 mph. West Virginia sets designated speed limits by law for some roads and areas. Unless another speed is posted, the limit in business or residential areas is 25 mph. Open county highways have a designated limit of 55 mph, and interstates have a maximum of 70 mph unless otherwise posted. These designated speeds still apply only when they are reasonable and prudent for the conditions. If traffic, weather, or road hazards make 25 mph unsafe, you must slow down further.

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

8. 8. What does the amount of available light at a given time affect?

   1. Your ability to see or be seen by others
   2. Your ability to hear approaching emergency vehicles
   3. Your vehicle's fuel economy in city traffic
   4. Your memory of the route you are traveling
   Show answer

   Your ability to see or be seen by others. The amount of natural or artificial light available at a given time affects your ability to see or be seen, requiring adjustments in driving. The option stating "Your ability to hear approaching emergency vehicles" misses that point, because hearing sirens depends on sound and attention, not on the light level described. Too much glare or too little light both shrink the information your driving depends on.

   Study this in the handbook: Headlights and light conditions

9. 9. A permit applicant is driving to the testing center for the test. How must that applicant arrive?

   1. Driving alone on the instruction permit
   2. With a parent riding in the back seat only
   3. By any route that avoids main highways
   4. In a lawful manner
   Show answer

   In a lawful manner. An applicant must arrive at the testing center in a lawful manner. For a permit applicant, that means the trip itself must obey the permit rules; driving alone on the instruction permit would break the law before the test begins, and a parent in the back seat does not satisfy a supervision requirement that belongs beside the driver. Choosing back roads to avoid highways does not make an unlawful trip lawful. Arrive the way the permit allows, with proper licensed supervision, so the first thing the examiner sees is a driver who already follows the rules being tested.

   Study this in the handbook: Vision, knowledge and road tests

10. 10. At an intersection, what should come ahead of insisting on your own priority?

    1. Courtesy and safety before claiming priority
    2. Crossing ahead of traffic that arrived earlier
    3. A horn blast while rolling into the crossing
    4. The larger vehicle size compared with others
    Show answer

    Courtesy and safety before claiming priority. West Virginia puts courtesy first and treats safety as ranking above priority at a crossing. Yielding a moment, even when the usual order favors you, prevents a dispute over space from becoming a collision. A vehicle's size grants no extra claim; a truck and a small car follow the same yielding rules. Crossing ahead of traffic that arrived earlier grabs the priority the guidance tells you to offer. A horn does not replace yielding and careful intersection movement. Ease off, make eye contact where possible, and move only when every conflicting path has cleared.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way and pedestrians

11. 11. In an automatic vehicle parked on a grade, how is the parking brake reinforced?

    1. Put the selector shift in neutral
    2. Put the selector shift in park
    3. Put the selector shift in drive low
    4. Leave the selector in reverse gear
    Show answer

    Put the selector shift in park. To reinforce the parking brake in an automatic shift vehicle, put the selector shift in park after setting the brake on any grade. The option stating "Put the selector shift in neutral" misses that point, because neutral lets the vehicle roll freely, which is the opposite of reinforcing the brake. Brake set plus selector in park gives an automatic two layers of holding power.

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

12. 12. Which vehicle defects are listed as common causes of crashes?

    1. Faulty tires, brakes, lights, wipers, horn, mirrors, and floor mats
    2. Faulty brakes, lights, steering parts, radio, and seat belts
    3. Faulty tires, brakes, lights, wipers, horn, mirrors, and seat belts
    4. Faulty tires, air conditioning, lights, speakers, and trunk latches
    Show answer

    Faulty tires, brakes, lights, wipers, horn, mirrors, and seat belts. The defects that cause crashes are the ones that roll, stop, light, clear, warn, show, and restrain. Common causes include faulty tires, brakes, lights, windshield wipers, defrosters, mufflers and exhaust, horn, mirrors, and unusable seat belts. Floor mats, a radio, air conditioning, speakers, and trunk latches may annoy an owner, but they are not the safety failures in that list, and steering trouble in one invented set does not replace the full group. Walk around your vehicle with that list in mind: tires and brakes first, then every light, the wipers and defroster, horn, mirrors, and belts.

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

13. 13. You plan to turn beyond an intersection. Which action could make another driver think you will turn at that intersection?

    1. Signaling after passing the intersection
    2. Checking traffic before entering the turn lane
    3. Signaling before passing the intersection
    4. Canceling the signal after completing the turn
    Show answer

    Signaling before passing the intersection. Signaling before passing the intersection you will not use can make another driver believe you are turning there. The handbook advises waiting until that intersection is behind you before signaling for the later turn. Signaling after passing it, checking traffic before moving into the turn lane, and canceling the signal after the maneuver are separate parts of a clear turn. The danger is a misleading early signal that invites another driver to pull into your path at the wrong corner.

    Study this in the handbook: The road skills test and basic control

14. 14. How does an Interlock device keep an intoxicated person from driving?

    1. It blocks starting through the ignition system
    2. It locks the steering wheel until morning
    3. It records speed and reports every trip to the DMV
    4. It prevents the car from exceeding the speed limit
    Show answer

    It blocks starting through the ignition system. An Interlock device is connected to the ignition system and requires a sober breath sample before the vehicle will start. If alcohol is detected, the car simply does not start, which keeps an intoxicated person from driving at all. The device does not lock the steering wheel like an anti theft bar, govern the speed of a running car, or report every trip and its speed to the DMV. Picture the sequence in a driveway: breathe into the unit first, and only a passing sample lets the engine turn over for a lawful trip.

    Study this in the handbook: Implied consent, DUI penalties and interlock

15. 15. Before driving in winter weather, what must be done with every window of the vehicle?

    1. Crack each window open for fresh air
    2. Clear the driver side window only
    3. Clear all windows and defrost them completely
    4. Wipe only the center of the windshield
    Show answer

    Clear all windows and defrost them completely. A winter trip should not start until every window is clear of ice and snow and the glass is completely defrosted. Clearing only the driver window or a peephole in the windshield leaves cross traffic, pedestrians, and lane changes hidden until they are dangerously close. Scraping the full windshield, side glass, and rear window takes a few minutes and restores the view needed for intersections and backing. Cracking windows for air does nothing to remove the coating. Start the defroster early, clear the roof snow that can slide down, and do not move until you can see in all directions.

    Study this in the handbook: Headlights and light conditions

16. 16. May a person drive in West Virginia on a license revoked in another state if no West Virginia action exists?

    1. Yes, if driving only on county roads
    2. Yes, until West Virginia sends a notice
    3. Yes, for the first 30 days of residency
    4. No, driving on that revoked license is illegal in WV
    Show answer

    No, driving on that revoked license is illegal in WV. It is illegal to drive in West Virginia with a license suspended or revoked by any state or jurisdiction. The suggestion to wait for a West Virginia notice is wrong because the rule does not create a notice period. A first 30 days of residency does not authorize driving on a revoked license, and county roads are not an exception. The status of the license controls the answer, so a driver whose home-state license was revoked must not drive in West Virginia until legally licensed again.

    Study this in the handbook: Who needs a license, new residents and address changes

17. 17. Where does a West Virginia license show that a restriction applies?

    1. A sticker placed on the vehicle windshield
    2. A note printed only on the renewal form
    3. A code in the restrictions field on the front
    4. A code stamped on the license plate
    Show answer

    A code in the restrictions field on the front. A restriction is indicated on the front of the driver's license by a number or letter code in the restrictions field, with the explanation printed on the back. The option stating "A sticker placed on the vehicle windshield" misses that point, because a windshield sticker is equipment related and has nothing to do with personal license restrictions. Check the front of the card for a code before assuming you may drive without limits.

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

18. 18. How serious can crashes related to drowsy driving become?

    1. They rarely cause more than vehicle scratches
    2. They matter mainly on short neighborhood trips
    3. They are limited to single vehicle property loss
    4. They can lead to death or severe injuries
    Show answer

    They can lead to death or severe injuries. Crashes related to drowsy driving can be very serious, leading to death or severe injuries, because an unresponsive driver may never brake before impact. The option stating "They rarely cause more than vehicle scratches" misses that point, because vehicle scratches trivialize crashes where no braking or steering happens at travel speed. Treat drowsy crashes as high severity events, not as harmless drifting incidents.

    Study this in the handbook: Implied consent, DUI penalties and interlock

19. 19. An oncoming vehicle is in your lane and its own lane is empty. Why not swerve into that empty lane?

    1. Its driver may turn back into that proper lane
    2. That lane is reserved for vehicles turning left
    3. Its driver will stay in your lane until a turnout
    4. The empty lane is safer because it has no traffic
    Show answer

    Its driver may turn back into that proper lane. The empty lane ahead looks like an escape, but it belongs to the driver who left it by mistake. Do not turn into the lane an oncoming vehicle has left, since that driver may realize the error and turn back into the proper lane, meeting you head on in the worst place. The lane is not reserved for left turns, the erring driver cannot be counted on to stay wrong, and its emptiness lasts only until the correction comes. Escape toward your right edge instead, slow down, sound the horn, and give the confused driver the lane they are most likely to reclaim.

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

20. 20. With no other transport and a front seat air bag, what kind of child seat must be used first?

    1. A rear-facing infant seat turned sideways
    2. A forward-facing child safety seat
    3. A booster cushion without any safety belt
    4. No seat if an adult holds the child firmly
    Show answer

    A forward-facing child safety seat. When no other transportation is available in a vehicle with a passenger-side air bag, the first step is that the child's safety seat must be a forward-facing seat, properly secured, with the passenger seat pushed all the way back. A rear-facing seat cannot be used in the front seat with a passenger air bag, because the deploying bag can strike the back of that seat; turning it sideways does not remove that danger. A booster without a safety belt gives no restraint, and holding a child in arms gives no crash protection at all.