Texas DPS Permit Practice Test 1

1. You are driving in fog so thick that you can barely see the vehicle ahead. Which pavement marking is the best guide for staying in your lane?

• A The white edge line on the right side of the road
• B The yellow center line, so you stay away from the shoulder
• C The tail lights of the vehicle ahead, following them closely
• D The reflective lane markers on the left side of the road

2. How does Texas classify the offense of leaving the scene of a collision that results in another person's death?

• A A Class A misdemeanor, the most serious misdemeanor grade
• B A state jail felony, the lowest felony grade Texas uses
• C A third-degree felony
• D A second-degree felony

3. Warning signs such as stop ahead, yield ahead and signal ahead are installed mainly where

• A the intersection has no control device at all
• B the traffic control device cannot be seen from far enough away
• C the road is being resurfaced
• D the intersection lies inside a school zone

4. You hear a bang and one of the front tires deflates while you are on the highway. What happens to the vehicle?

• A The steering goes completely dead and the wheel spins in your hands
• B The rear steps out sideways as though it were on a patch of ice
• C The brake pedal sinks to the floor and the vehicle slows on its own
• D It pulls strongly toward the side that failed

5. What must a Texas driver involved in a collision provide to the other parties at the scene?

• A Name, address, vehicle registration, and insurance company information, plus a license if asked
• B Only a phone number, with no other identifying information required
• C Nothing at the scene itself, only a report filed later with police
• D A copy of the vehicle's title and nothing else

6. At what level of property damage does Texas law require a written collision report to be made?

• A $100 or more
• B $250 or more
• C $500 or more
• D $1,000 or more

7. Under Texas law, when does a vehicle's registration fee become delinquent if the vehicle is used on a public highway without the fee having been paid?

• A After a 15-day grace period from the due date
• B After a 30-day grace period from the due date
• C Only once the department sends a formal written notice
• D Immediately

8. A driver hunting for an on-ramp meets this sign at the mouth of the pavement ahead. What is the correct action?

• A Go in slowly with the hazard lights switched on to warn any oncoming driver
• B Go in after giving way to any traffic already on that pavement
• C Keep out of that roadway and look for the proper approach elsewhere
• D Go in as long as no vehicle is currently visible anywhere on it

9. Where does Texas law require an emissions inspection in addition to any safety inspection?

• A Nowhere at all; Texas has never required any kind of emissions inspection anywhere in the state
• B In every single county in the state, without exception
• C Only for vehicles manufactured before the year 1995
• D In areas where the state environmental commission has established an emissions inspection program

10. Under the Texas Move Over or Slow Down law, when does the duty to vacate the lane closest to a stopped emergency or service vehicle apply?

• A Only when driving on a highway with two or more lanes traveling in the driver's direction
• B Whenever the driver is on any road at all, including a single-lane rural road
• C Only between the hours of sunset and sunrise each day, regardless of the number of lanes present
• D Only on interstate highways, never on farm-to-market or state highways

11. You stop at a rest area because you are sleepy. How long a nap is usually recommended?

• A About two minutes, just long enough to close your eyes
• B At least three hours, or the nap will have no value
• C Exactly one hour, in order to complete a sleep cycle
• D About fifteen to twenty minutes

12. A pedestrian near the curb is staring at a phone and not looking at traffic. What should you do?

• A Slow down and be ready to stop, because the pedestrian may step out without looking
• B Continue at your normal speed, because a pedestrian outside the crosswalk has no right-of-way
• C Sound a long blast of the horn to make the pedestrian look up
• D Steer closer to the center line and keep your speed so you pass quickly

13. The driver of a slow farm vehicle moves partly onto the shoulder and waves you past. Who is responsible for the pass?

• A You are, so pass only if you can see that the road is clear
• B The operator of the farm vehicle, because the wave counts as a signal that it is safe to go
• C Neither driver, because passing a slow farm vehicle is exempt from the usual passing rules
• D The oncoming traffic, which is required to slow whenever a farm vehicle is being overtaken

14. What fine applies to a first offense of illegally passing a stopped Texas school bus?

• A $50 to $200
• B $2,000 to $4,000
• C $500 to $1,250
• D A flat $100 with no range given

15. When are the hazard warning lights properly used?

• A When your vehicle is stopped or barely moving and is a hazard
• B Whenever you double park for a moment to drop off a passenger
• C When you want other drivers to know you are about to make a turn
• D When you want to keep other drivers from passing you on a long hill

16. You are backing out of a home driveway onto a street with a sidewalk. Who must you yield to?

• A Only vehicles, because people on the sidewalk must watch for driveways
• B Nobody, because a vehicle leaving private property has priority over others
• C Only pedestrians who are already directly behind your rear bumper
• D All traffic on the street and everyone on the sidewalk

17. You feel dizzy and get a headache while driving with the windows closed. What could be the cause and what should you do?

• A Low tire pressure making the ride rough and noisy, so check all four tires at the next service station stop
• B The air conditioner running too cold, so turn it off and keep driving
• C Eye strain from the windshield, so clean it at the next stop
• D An exhaust leak letting carbon monoxide into the cabin, so open the windows and stop to get fresh air

18. How does a full load of passengers and luggage affect your braking?

• A It shortens the stopping distance, because the extra weight presses the tires down
• B It lengthens the stopping distance, so you should brake earlier
• C It has no effect at all, since the brakes work the same whatever the load
• D It only matters on a downgrade, where the load pushes the vehicle forward

19. For a vehicle required to stop at a Texas railroad crossing, how close to the nearest rail must that stop occur?

• A Not closer than 15 feet, and not farther than 50 feet, from the nearest rail
• B Exactly at the crossing gate itself, with no distance specified
• C At least 100 feet back, regardless of the driver's visibility
• D Anywhere within 10 feet of the first rail encountered

20. In near freezing weather, which part of an otherwise clear road is most likely to still be icy?

• A A long straight section crossing an open field in full sunlight
• B A south facing slope that has been in the sun since early morning
• C The middle of a wide intersection where many vehicles have passed
• D A shaded dip under trees or beside a rock cut

21. What is the first thing to do once your disabled vehicle is stopped on the shoulder?

• A Switch on the hazard warning lights so other drivers can see the vehicle
• B Raise the hood and tie a white cloth to the antenna before anything else
• C Walk back along the shoulder to flag down the traffic coming toward you
• D Call for a tow truck and stay seated with all of the lights switched off

22. When is passing another vehicle on the right generally permitted?

• A Whenever the shoulder is paved and wide enough for your vehicle, provided you signal first and return to the travel lane as soon as the pass is finished
• B Whenever the vehicle ahead of you is traveling below the posted speed limit and refuses to move over
• C When the road has two or more lanes in your direction, or the vehicle ahead is turning left and there is room without leaving the pavement
• D Any time the driver ahead waves or signals you to go around on the right side

23. How should you follow a school bus in traffic?

• A Far enough back to see its lights and stop in time
• B Close behind, so that no other driver can cut in between you
• C Beside it in the next lane, where you can watch its doors open
• D At the same distance you would keep behind a passenger car

24. What can a Texas county commissioners court require of heavy vehicles with a gross weight above 60,000 pounds to protect county roads?

• A A monthly inspection at the county courthouse
• B A special county-issued license plate not used by other vehicles
• C A reduced speed of no more than 20 mph on all county roads
• D That they travel a designated route chosen to prevent road damage

25. You drive onto a section where the top layer has been milled off and the surface is grooved. How will it feel?

• A The brakes will grab suddenly, so you should hold the pedal down firmly
• B The engine will lose power, so you should change to a lower gear at once
• C The steering may wander, so hold the wheel firmly and slow down
• D The vehicle will float as if on water, so you should steer with small jerks

26. You are clear of the tracks after your vehicle stalled on a crossing. Whom should you contact?

• A The nearest repair shop before anyone else
• B Your insurance company first of all
• C The emergency number posted on the blue sign at the crossing, or 911
• D Nobody, because the railroad detects stopped vehicles automatically

27. A yield sign is posted where an entrance ramp meets the highway. What must you do?

• A Come to a complete stop at the sign every time before entering the highway travel lanes
• B Enter the highway first, because a vehicle on a ramp has priority at the point of the merge
• C Give way to the traffic already on the highway and merge into a gap
• D Hold your ramp speed and expect the highway traffic to change lanes in order to make room

28. How long does a Texas vehicle inspection report remain valid?

• A For the 12 months following the month the report is issued
• B For exactly 6 months from the precise day of issuance
• C For 24 months from the precise date of issuance
• D Only until the end of the calendar year in which it was issued

29. Which Texas vehicles must be equipped with safety guards or flaps located behind the rearmost wheels?

• A Road tractors, trucks, trailers, and truck-tractor combinations with specified axle configurations
• B Every passenger car regardless of size, including compact sedans and two-door coupes without exception
• C Only motorcycles pulling a small utility trailer behind them
• D Only vehicles that are registered specifically for agricultural use

30. Traffic is heavy and crawling where a sign warns that your lane ends and two lanes must become one. What is the best practice?

• A Move over as early as possible and expect drivers behind you to hold back
• B Stop at the end of your lane and wait until the other lane is completely empty
• C Use the lane to the end, then take turns merging one by one
• D Speed up and pass as many vehicles as you can before your lane runs out