WV Permit Practice Test 21

All 20 questions in test 21

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. How does developing good driving habits compare with falling into bad ones?

   1. Good habits take about five years of steady practice to develop
   2. Bad habits form mainly in new teen drivers during training
   3. It is just as easy to develop good habits as to fall into bad ones
   4. Good habits require yearly professional instruction for drivers
   Show answer

   It is just as easy to develop good habits as to fall into bad ones. Developing good driving habits is just as easy as falling into bad ones. Habits grow from whatever a driver repeats, so practicing the safe action from the start costs no more effort than repeating a careless one. Five years is not a stated timetable for forming a good habit. Bad habits are not limited to new teen drivers; any driver who repeats lazy or impatient actions can build them. Yearly professional instruction is also not required to form good habits. Daily choices at every stop sign, lane change, and turn decide which habits take hold.

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

2. 2. When are flooded roadways especially dangerous, and why?

   1. At night, when flooding is harder to recognize
   2. At noon, when water reflects the most sunlight
   3. At dusk, when traffic is heaviest on weekdays
   4. In morning, when roads are busiest with buses
   Show answer

   At night, when flooding is harder to recognize. Flooded roadways are especially dangerous at night when it is much more difficult to recognize flooding conditions before entering the water. The option stating "At noon, when water reflects the most sunlight" misses that point, because noon sunlight improves recognition, while darkness hides depth cues and eroded edges. Water you cannot read is water you do not enter, above all after dark.

   Study this in the handbook: Headlights and light conditions

3. 3. How long should a driver remain in a large truck's blind spot, the No-Zone?

   1. As long as traffic keeps the vehicle beside the truck
   2. Only as long as needed to pass the truck safely
   3. For the whole pass at a steady slow speed
   4. Until the truck driver waves the vehicle forward
   Show answer

   Only as long as needed to pass the truck safely. A truck's blind spots are areas where the truck driver cannot see vehicles beside or behind the truck. It is impossible to avoid those areas completely while passing, but a driver should not remain in the No-Zone any longer than needed to pass safely. Staying beside the truck because traffic is crowded keeps you invisible to its driver. A slow, steady pass stretches out the time spent in the blind spot. Waiting for a wave from the truck driver is not a safe plan either. Complete the pass promptly when it is safe and move clear.

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

4. 4. Which set matches the driver conditions listed as most common in affecting safe operation?

   1. Fatigue, alcohol, emotional state, and defective senses
   2. Extended driving hours, boredom, and minor illness
   3. Sleepiness, medication effects, anger, and poor eyesight
   4. Road surface, weather, traffic volume, and vehicle loading
   Show answer

   Fatigue, alcohol, emotional state, and defective senses. The most common driver conditions affecting safe operation are carried inside the driver: fatigue, alcohol, emotional state, and defective eyesight or hearing. Long hours and boredom can contribute to fatigue, and sleepiness, medication, anger, and eyesight each touch part of the picture, but neither set matches the four conditions as listed. Road surface, weather, traffic, and loading are outside conditions acting on the trip rather than states of the driver. Before deciding who should drive, check the person as honestly as the vehicle, because a rested, sober, calm driver with sound senses is the real safety equipment.

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

5. 5. What does the early first guide sign for an interchange permit a driver to do?

   1. Wait until the exit gore to begin changing lanes
   2. Choose an exit after passing the gore point
   3. Slow in the through lanes while deciding late
   4. Change lanes and exit smoothly in ample time
   Show answer

   Change lanes and exit smoothly in ample time. The first guide sign for an interchange is placed well in advance on purpose. It permits ample time to change lanes and exit smoothly, so the driver can signal, move over gradually, and slow in the exit lane rather than in front of through traffic. Waiting for the gore point or passing it spends that allowance completely, and slowing in the through lanes while deciding late forces faster drivers to brake around you. Read the early sign as time in hand: choose the lane, take it calmly, and be in position long before the ramp separates from the highway.

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

6. 6. Why is planning an interstate route in advance important?

   1. Exits are numbered in the order they were built
   2. Entrances and exits are sometimes far apart
   3. Entrance ramps are longer than exit ramps on most routes
   4. Guide signs appear only a few hundred feet before an exit
   Show answer

   Entrances and exits are sometimes far apart. On an interstate, a missed exit can cost many miles because entrances and exits are sometimes far apart. Planning the route in advance lets a driver know the exit number, the lane to use, and where fuel or rest stops fit, instead of making those choices at highway speed. Exit numbers follow the route system rather than construction order, ramp lengths do not create the planning need, and guide signs are placed well ahead rather than at the last few hundred feet. Study the route before starting, then let the early signs confirm a plan already made.

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

7. 7. Must a returning out-of-state driver who once held a West Virginia license take the DUI awareness course?

   1. No, prior West Virginia licensing exempts the driver
   2. Yes, even if previously licensed in West Virginia
   3. No, only drivers under age 25 must complete it
   4. Yes, but only after a DUI conviction elsewhere
   Show answer

   Yes, even if previously licensed in West Virginia. The DUI awareness course must be completed by all out-of-state drivers coming into West Virginia, even if they were previously licensed in West Virginia. The option stating "No, prior West Virginia licensing exempts the driver" misses that point, because prior licensing is named as no exemption, so returning drivers complete the course like newcomers. A West Virginia license in your past does not skip the awareness course on return.

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

8. 8. May bi-optic or telescopic lenses be used to satisfy West Virginia visual acuity standards?

   1. Yes, any lens device that reaches the chart line counts
   2. Yes, but only when a physician signs a waiver form
   3. Yes, for renewals but never for first time applicants
   4. No, special lens arrangements are not permitted
   Show answer

   No, special lens arrangements are not permitted. Ordinary glasses and contact lenses can be used to reach the vision standard, but special lens arrangements are a different category. Bi-optic and telescopic lenses may not be used to satisfy the visual acuity standards in West Virginia, no matter who signs a form or whether the applicant is renewing or applying for the first time. A device that magnifies a chart line does not show the wide, ordinary vision needed for scanning traffic. An applicant who relies on such a device should ask about the specialist review process instead of expecting the device to count at screening.

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

9. 9. What braking action must a driver never take directly in front of a truck?

   1. Braking gently with early brake lights shown
   2. Slowing gradually after merging well ahead
   3. Slamming on the brakes in front of it
   4. Using hazard lights when traffic stops suddenly
   Show answer

   Slamming on the brakes in front of it. Never slam on your brakes in front of a truck, because a heavy vehicle needs far more distance to stop than the car ahead of it. The option stating "Braking gently with early brake lights shown" misses that point, because gentle early braking gives the truck driver time and is the safe opposite behavior. If you must slow ahead of a truck, make brake lights early and pressure gradual.

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

10. 10. What does a driver's speed determine about reacting to a traffic situation?

    1. How much time the driver has to react
    2. Which lane the driver must use at night
    3. How often the driver must check mirrors
    4. The distance headlights will shine ahead
    Show answer

    How much time the driver has to react. Speed sets the clock for every decision on the road. The faster a vehicle travels, the less time the driver has to spot a hazard, judge how quickly cross traffic is closing, and act before the gap is gone. That is why a speed that feels manageable on an empty road can be too fast near intersections, parked cars, or a curve. Mirror checks and headlight reach matter, but neither is set by speed in the way reaction time is. Give yourself time by slowing early; a few seconds of extra room is the margin that turns a scare into a routine stop.

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

11. 11. At a steady circular green signal, a driver wants to turn left. What must the driver do?

    1. Yield to oncoming traffic before turning left.
    2. Turn left first because the green light gives priority.
    3. Wait for a green left arrow before any left turn.
    4. Yield only to pedestrians, not to oncoming vehicles.
    Show answer

    Yield to oncoming traffic before turning left.. Facing a circular green signal does not give a left-turning driver priority over vehicles coming toward the intersection. The handbook says the left-turning driver must yield to oncoming traffic. Treating the green light as a protected left turn is wrong because a circular green does not provide that protection. Waiting for a green left arrow is too strict because a driver may turn on the circular green after yielding, even without a left arrow. Saying to yield only to pedestrians omits the oncoming vehicles that also have the right to proceed. Wait for a safe gap, then complete the turn.

12. 12. What right-of-way duty does the handbook give a bicyclist?

    1. Yield only to marked-lane traffic
    2. Take priority over nearby pedestrians
    3. Yield after a driver's horn
    4. Yield the right-of-way to pedestrians
    Show answer

    Yield the right-of-way to pedestrians. The handbook specifically requires bicyclists to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians. That duty does not depend on a marked vehicle lane, a driver's horn, or a pedestrian giving up priority. Saying a bicycle takes priority over nearby pedestrians reverses the stated rule. Drivers should remember this shared responsibility when a bicycle and pedestrian approach the same crossing, because the bicycle rider must account for the pedestrian's movement before continuing.

13. 13. What should a driver do when a roadway is flooded?

    1. Turn around and avoid driving across it
    2. Cross if the water appears to be moving slowly
    3. Follow a larger vehicle through the water
    4. Increase speed to get through before the water rises
    Show answer

    Turn around and avoid driving across it. A driver should never attempt to drive across a flooded roadway. Even shallow water can float some smaller vehicles, and deeper water can carry vehicles away or trap the occupants. Slow-moving water is not a safety guarantee, and following a larger vehicle or increasing speed does not remove the danger. The safe choice is to avoid entering the flooded section and find another route or higher ground.

    Study this in the handbook: Headlights and light conditions

14. 14. Before pulling out of a parallel parking space, what two actions are required?

    1. Honk twice and pull out without stopping first
    2. Flash headlights and exit before traffic arrives
    3. Signal intentions and make sure traffic is clear
    4. Open the door briefly to check the lane beside
    Show answer

    Signal intentions and make sure traffic is clear. When exiting a parallel parking space, always signal to let others know your intentions and make sure traffic is clear before pulling back onto the roadway. The option stating "Honk twice and pull out without stopping first" misses that point, because honking cannot replace the signal and clear check that protect the merging move. Signal first, look for a real gap, then pull out in one smooth motion.

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

15. 15. When do bicyclists need extra care from drivers during the day?

    1. During late night hours on empty highways
    2. During morning and afternoon travel times
    3. During an organized bicycle race on closed roads
    4. On rural roads far from homes and schools
    Show answer

    During morning and afternoon travel times. Extra care is needed during the morning and afternoon, when bicyclists are traveling between home, work, school, or play. Those travel times put more riders on the road at the same hours when traffic is heaviest. Care is not limited to late night highways, because most school and work trips happen in daylight. A marked race is one organized setting and does not cover daily riding. Rural roads are not the main concern either. Expect riders near homes, schools, and workplaces at the start and end of the day.

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

16. 16. Which non-driving obligation can also lead the West Virginia DMV to suspend a license?

    1. Failing to maintain child support payments
    2. Failing to renew a vehicle inspection
    3. Failing to file a state income tax return
    4. Failing to register a vehicle trailer
    Show answer

    Failing to maintain child support payments. A license can be suspended for a court obligation that has nothing to do with driving. State law requires the DMV to suspend the license of a driver who fails to maintain child support payments ordered by a court. A lapsed vehicle inspection affects the vehicle, a tax return belongs to a different process, and a trailer registration is a vehicle duty rather than the personal support obligation named here. The practical lesson is that license standing follows court compliance as well as traffic behavior, so a support order must be kept current even when no ticket is involved.

    Study this in the handbook: Points, citations and suspensions

17. 17. When may a bicyclist carry a passenger?

    1. Whenever the passenger can hold on
    2. Only when an attached seat is available
    3. Only on a bicycle path
    4. Only when the passenger is under 12
    Show answer

    Only when an attached seat is available. A bicyclist may carry a passenger only when an attached seat is available. Holding onto the rider, riding on a bicycle path, or meeting an age condition does not provide the seat the handbook requires. An unsecured passenger can interfere with balance and control, so the rule applies to the bicycle's equipment and not to how confident the passenger feels. A driver sharing the road should expect a properly seated rider, while still allowing enough space for the bicycle to move safely.

18. 18. Besides curves, hilltops, and corners, where should a driver expect heavier jogger traffic?

    1. Inside multi level parking garages
    2. On pedestrian bridges over expressways
    3. Along the shoulders of interstate highways
    4. In places such as parks or jogging paths
    Show answer

    In places such as parks or jogging paths. Joggers appear where people run for exercise, and parks and jogging paths draw them in numbers at predictable times of day. A driver passing a park entrance should scan the sidewalk edges, crosswalks, and parked car gaps for a runner stepping out at speed. Parking garages and expressway shoulders are not places where heavier jogger traffic gathers, and runners are not expected on interstate shoulders at all. Slow a little near park gates, look left and right twice, and be ready for a jogger wearing headphones who may not hear your vehicle approaching the crossing.

19. 19. What is the minimum age to apply for a West Virginia motorcycle instruction permit?

    1. 15 years old
    2. 18 years old
    3. 17 years old
    4. 16 years old
    Show answer

    16 years old. A person must be at least 16 years old to apply for a West Virginia motorcycle instruction permit. The age is a minimum for applying, not a statement that every 16-year-old automatically receives the permit. The choices of 15, 17, and 18 change that threshold. A younger applicant must wait until reaching the stated age before beginning this motorcycle licensing step.

20. 20. Without implied consent, what problem does the handbook foresee?

    1. Testing laboratories would run out of supplies quickly
    2. Officers would stop making any DUI arrests at all
    3. Some drivers would escape punishment and remain hazards
    4. Sober drivers would lose their licenses by mistake
    Show answer

    Some drivers would escape punishment and remain hazards. The handbook says that without implied consent, some drivers might escape punishment and continue to pose a hazard to the community. A shortage of laboratory supplies is not the concern identified there, and the law does not mean officers would stop making every DUI arrest. The problem is that refusing the test could let an impaired driver avoid the evidence and consequences associated with testing. The sober-driver choice is unrelated to the purpose of implied consent.

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