WV Permit Practice Test 6

All 20 questions in test 6

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. Which situation is specifically listed as a reason to slow down even before a driver reaches the posted speed limit?

   1. Leaving a parking space after checking traffic
   2. Driving on a clear, empty straight road
   3. Approaching and crossing an intersection
   4. Traveling below the normal flow on a wide road
   Show answer

   Approaching and crossing an intersection. The handbook names approaching and crossing an intersection as a situation requiring extra caution and reduced speed. Intersections bring turning vehicles, pedestrians, signals, and cross traffic into the same space, so the posted maximum may be too fast for what is unfolding. The empty straight road lacks the listed hazard, and traveling below the normal flow on a wide road is not one of the listed situations. A useful cue is to scan every direction and cover the brake before entering the intersection, especially when sight lines are limited.

2. 2. What should a driver expect after seeing a crossroad warning?

   
   1. Other vehicles may enter or leave the highway
   2. The road is closed to all crossing traffic
   3. Only pedestrians may use the next intersection
   4. The next junction is a railroad crossing by definition
   Show answer

   Other vehicles may enter or leave the highway. A crossroad warning signals an intersection where other vehicles may enter or leave the highway. It does not close the road, limit the junction to pedestrians, or prove that railroad tracks are present. Reduce speed, look left and right for crossing traffic, and be ready to yield according to the control at the intersection. The plus-shaped symbol is an advance scan cue.

3. 3. What must an under-18 driver do after surrendering a Level 2 GDL license?

   1. Wait 30 days and resume Level 2
   2. Apply directly for a Level 3 license
   3. Start over with a Level 1 GDL instruction permit
   4. Retake only the vision test
   Show answer

   Start over with a Level 1 GDL instruction permit. An under-18 driver who surrenders a Level 2 GDL intermediate license must start over with a Level 1 GDL instruction permit. The handbook does not allow a direct jump to Level 3, a short waiting period followed by automatic reinstatement, or a vision-only retest. Starting over means returning to the supervised beginning of the graduated process and meeting its requirements again. The age condition matters: the stated consequence applies when the driver is under 18. Read the surrender rule separately from the ordinary passenger and nighttime restrictions.

4. 4. What vision is required to qualify for a West Virginia driver's license?

   1. 20/20 vision in both eyes
   2. At least 20/70 in each eye
   3. No vision requirement
   4. At least 20/40 vision in one eye
   Show answer

   At least 20/40 vision in one eye. To qualify for a driver's license in West Virginia you must have at least 20/40 vision in one eye. Perfect 20/20 vision is not required, and the standard is met with one eye. If you need corrective lenses to reach 20/40, the license will carry a restriction requiring them. The vision and knowledge tests are given by driver examiners at DMV locations, and no phones, smart glasses or other electronic devices are allowed in the exam room.

5. 5. A West Virginia Level 2 driver qualifies for a Level 3 GDL. Must the driver upgrade?

   1. Yes, the upgrade is automatic on the qualifying date
   2. No, the driver may keep Level 2 and follow its restrictions until 18
   3. Yes, or the Level 2 license is revoked
   4. No, but the driver must then restart at Level 1
   Show answer

   No, the driver may keep Level 2 and follow its restrictions until 18. The handbook makes the Level 3 GDL optional. A qualified driver may apply for it at a DMV Regional Office or Testing Center, or keep the Level 2 license and follow its restrictions until age 18. The upgrade is not automatic, since the driver must visit an office to apply. Declining it does not trigger revocation, and restarting at Level 1 applies only when a Level 2 license under 18 is surrendered.

6. 6. What license penalty does West Virginia add for filing false or fraudulent insurance information?

   1. A warning letter only
   2. A 30 day suspension
   3. A permanent revocation
   4. An additional 90 day suspension
   Show answer

   An additional 90 day suspension. Filing false or fraudulent insurance information brings an additional 90 day license suspension, revocation of the vehicle registration, and possible prosecution with a fine of up to $1,000 and up to one year in jail. A warning letter is far lighter than the stated penalty. Thirty days understates the suspension, and the handbook does not list a permanent revocation for this offense.

7. 7. When may a West Virginia DUI offender avoid serving a minimum revocation period?

   1. By paying a larger fine
   2. By applying and being approved for the Interlock Program before the revocation begins
   3. By completing a defensive driving class
   4. By requesting a hearing after the revocation starts
   Show answer

   By applying and being approved for the Interlock Program before the revocation begins. If a driver applies and is approved for the Interlock Program before the scheduled revocation begins, the driver does not have to serve a minimum revocation period and can have the device installed and keep driving. A driver who applies too late may have to serve a minimum revocation and then complete the program. The handbook does not offer a fine payment or a defensive driving class as a substitute.

8. 8. If a lane closes in an interstate construction zone, when should a driver move into the open lane?

   1. At the last possible moment beside the barricade
   2. As soon as possible after the advance signs provide notice
   3. Only after entering the closed lane completely
   4. After stopping in the closed lane to wait for a gap
   Show answer

   As soon as possible after the advance signs provide notice. The handbook says that when a lane is closed in a construction zone, signs will be posted well in advance, and drivers should move over to the open lane as soon as possible. It adds a direct warning to avoid waiting until the last minute to change lanes, because a late move forces a sudden merge beside the barricades. Entering the closed lane is not a required step, and stopping there to wait for a gap leaves the vehicle sitting in a lane that is shut. Read the advance signs, reduce speed, signal early, and merge smoothly when a safe opening appears.

9. 9. When should a driver turn on the headlights according to the handbook?

   1. When it begins to get dark or visibility may be impaired
   2. Only after another driver flashes headlights
   3. Only while traveling on an Interstate Highway
   4. Only between midnight and 5 a.m.
   Show answer

   When it begins to get dark or visibility may be impaired. The handbook says headlights should be used when it begins to get dark or whenever visibility may be impaired, including conditions such as fog, smoke, and extreme cloudiness. The rule helps a driver see and helps other road users see the vehicle. Waiting for another driver is too late, and the rule is not limited to Interstate travel or a narrow overnight period. Turn on the headlights early when light or weather starts reducing visibility, and keep the lighting system clean and in proper repair.

10. 10. Why must a driver recognize a warning sign even when its words are hard to read?

    
    1. Warning signs are advisory and may always be ignored
    2. The sign's shape and color still help identify the needed response
    3. Only the sign's location matters after dark
    4. Drivers should wait for another vehicle to explain it
    Show answer

    The sign's shape and color still help identify the needed response. West Virginia explains that sign shape and color remain useful when fading light, fog, rain, snow, or darkness hide the lettering. The handbook gives examples: an eight-sided octagon is reserved for stop signs, and a pennant marks the start of a no-passing zone. Recognizing the shape lets a driver prepare the right response before the words are readable. Warning signs are not automatically optional, and waiting for another vehicle to explain the sign leaves too little time to react. Reduce speed, read the shape and color, and respond accordingly.

11. 11. A blind pedestrian carrying a white cane is crossing outside a marked crosswalk. What is the driver's duty?

    1. Sound the horn and pass before the pedestrian reaches the lane
    2. Continue because right-of-way exists only inside painted lines
    3. Yield because the pedestrian has the right-of-way regardless of the crosswalk
    4. Yield only if a guide dog is also present
    Show answer

    Yield because the pedestrian has the right-of-way regardless of the crosswalk. The handbook gives a blind pedestrian using a white cane or walking stick the right-of-way on a highway, street, or road whether or not the person is in a crosswalk. Painted lines are not the condition that creates this protection. A guide dog is one possible aid, not a requirement when the cane is present. Sounding the horn does not authorize passing through the person's path. Slow early, stop when needed, and allow the pedestrian to clear the roadway before continuing.

12. 12. Which person is exempt from West Virginia's handheld phone ban while driving?

    1. A firefighter or ambulance driver performing official duties
    2. A driver reading entertainment messages while moving
    3. A driver playing an electronic game at a red light
    4. A driver transmitting personal data without hands-free equipment
    Show answer

    A firefighter or ambulance driver performing official duties. West Virginia's Electronically Distracted Driving Act exempts law-enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, ambulance drivers, and similar public safety first responders while they perform official duties. Other exemptions cover reporting a crash, fire, medical emergency, or serious road hazard, and a person in a lawfully parked vehicle. Stopping at a red light is not parking, so gaming or reading messages there is still a violation. Personal data use without a hands-free feature is exactly what the law prohibits. The exemption follows the job and the duty, not the urgency a driver feels.

13. 13. What do square and rectangular signs tell drivers about speed and direction?

    1. The condition of the vehicle ahead
    2. Only scenic viewpoints
    3. The current weather forecast
    4. Traffic regulations and guidance
    Show answer

    Traffic regulations and guidance. Rectangular and square signs carry regulatory or guide information that helps organize movement. They can tell you about speed limits, prohibited turns, lane direction, or other traffic laws. A scenic viewpoint may have its own guide sign, but that is not the defining purpose of this group. A sign cannot forecast weather or report another vehicle's condition. Read the words and symbols before reaching the sign, then make the required adjustment smoothly and leave room for other road users.

14. 14. What do solid yellow lines on your side of the roadway require?

    
    1. Pass if you signal first
    2. Do not pass
    3. Use the opposing lane for a left turn
    4. Change lanes before the next intersection
    Show answer

    Do not pass. A solid yellow line on your side means passing is prohibited. The marking separates opposing traffic and warns that crossing to overtake is not an available maneuver there. Signaling does not cancel a pavement restriction, so the choice “Pass if you signal first” is unsafe. A center left-turn lane is identified by a different combination of solid and broken lines, not simply by any solid yellow line. The safest memory aid is direct: broken yellow may permit a safe pass, while solid yellow on your side says do not pass.

15. 15. What should a driver do before passing a bicyclist on a West Virginia roadway?

    
    1. Slow down, make sure the bicyclist is aware, and leave plenty of room
    2. Sound the horn continuously and pass within the same lane
    3. Accelerate so the bicyclist has less time beside the vehicle
    4. Wait only for a traffic signal before moving around the bicyclist
    Show answer

    Slow down, make sure the bicyclist is aware, and leave plenty of room. West Virginia tells drivers to slow down, make sure the bicyclist knows the vehicle is approaching, and leave plenty of room while passing. The choice about accelerating reverses the safety priority because extra speed reduces the time available to react if the rider moves around a pothole or changes position. A horn can provide notice, but it is not a substitute for space and controlled speed. Think of the pass as a wide, patient maneuver: check the roadway, give the rider room, and wait if opposing traffic prevents a safe path.

16. 16. On an interstate, which lane should slower traffic normally use?

    1. The right-hand lane
    2. The left-hand lane
    3. The shoulder whenever traffic is heavy
    4. Any lane selected without signaling
    Show answer

    The right-hand lane. The handbook directs slower interstate traffic to the right-hand lane, except when a driver is passing another vehicle. Staying right gives faster traffic a predictable passing path and reduces abrupt lane changes. The left lane is not the normal place for slower traffic, and the shoulder is reserved for disabled vehicles rather than routine travel. Choosing any lane without signaling ignores the need to communicate and check surrounding traffic. Watch the signs, maintain a steady legal speed, and move left only for a lawful pass.

17. 17. How should a driver identify a sign when fog, rain, snow, or darkness obscure its lettering?

    1. Assume every obscured sign prohibits passing
    2. Ignore the sign until the lettering becomes clear
    3. Use the sign's color but disregard its shape
    4. Use the sign's shape and respond accordingly
    Show answer

    Use the sign's shape and respond accordingly. The handbook says drivers should still recognize and respond to a sign when fading light, fog, rain, snow, or darkness makes its letters difficult to see. Shape and color provide useful information before every word can be read, but the driver should use the whole visual design rather than discard one part. Ignoring the sign delays the needed response, and assuming every unclear sign prohibits passing invents a rule the sign may not carry. Slow enough to identify the sign safely, then follow the message it communicates.

18. 18. According to the West Virginia handbook, what does driving drowsy do to a driver?

    1. It decreases reaction time and increases crash risk
    2. It only affects night driving
    3. It improves focus for short trips
    4. It has no effect if the radio is on
    Show answer

    It decreases reaction time and increases crash risk. After enough hours awake, driving skills become comparable to those of someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Driving drowsy decreases your reaction time and increases your crash risk; you often cannot react in time to apply the brakes or steer away from a potential crash, and drowsy driving crashes can be very serious. The effect is not limited to night, and a radio or short trip does not restore alertness. Stop and rest.

19. 19. When should a driver stop at a crash scene?

    1. Only when a crowd has already gathered
    2. Whenever traffic behind the driver is moving slowly
    3. When involved in the crash or able to render assistance
    4. Any time the driver wants to inspect the vehicles
    Show answer

    When involved in the crash or able to render assistance. Stopping is appropriate when you are involved or can provide assistance. Unnecessary stopping adds vehicles and people to an already dangerous location, which can contribute to another collision. A slow queue, a crowd, or curiosity is not enough by itself. If you do stop to help, place the vehicle safely, alert emergency services as appropriate, and avoid creating a new obstruction. The safest response is useful assistance, not an unplanned inspection from the travel lane.

20. 20. What hazard should a driver expect when traveling through a rural area?

    1. Traffic moving only at the posted minimum speed
    2. Only marked pedestrian crossings
    3. Slow farm machinery, stray livestock, or game animals
    4. No unusual hazards if the road is straight
    Show answer

    Slow farm machinery, stray livestock, or game animals. Rural driving can combine slow farm machinery with animals that wander onto or near the roadway, while other motorists may be traveling quickly. The choice about marked pedestrian crossings is too narrow because it omits the hazards the handbook specifically associates with rural areas. A straight stretch does not remove the need to scan ahead and around the road. Reduce speed when sight distance is limited, watch the shoulders and fields, and be ready for an animal or equipment to enter your path without much warning.