Texas DPS Permit Practice Test 20
- Questions30
- Correct to pass21
- Passing score70%
- Minimum age15 years
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1. At a rural intersection a beacon flashes yellow toward the main road and red toward the side road. How is each approach treated?
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Answer A: The main road slows and proceeds, the side road stops
An intersection control beacon assigns flashing yellow to the road with priority and flashing red to the approach that must stop and yield.
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2. The vehicle in front of you has stopped and is waiting to turn left, and there is a paved shoulder to the right. May you use it to get by?
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Answer D: No, in most states a pass may not be made by leaving the paved travel lanes
Passing on the right is normally lawful only inside the marked travel lanes, and most states prohibit driving onto the shoulder to get around a turning vehicle; the few states that allow it attach strict conditions.
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3. What is the main purpose of the TexasSure database used by Texas law enforcement and county officials?
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Answer C: To quickly identify vehicle owners who lack the required liability insurance
TxDMV describes TexasSure as an automated database designed to quickly identify vehicle owners without the required insurance coverage.
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4. A pedestrian with a white cane draws the cane back and steps away from the curb as you approach. What does that usually mean?
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Answer B: They are signaling you to go ahead and drive on
Pulling the cane in and stepping back from the curb is the customary way a blind pedestrian tells drivers to proceed.
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5. Does Texas law require a school bus to stop before crossing railroad tracks?
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Answer C: Yes, school buses must stop before crossing the tracks
Section 545.2535 requires a school bus to stop before crossing railroad tracks.
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6. You are following a tractor-trailer so closely that its rear doors fill your windshield. What is the main problem?
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Answer D: You cannot see the road ahead and the truck driver cannot see you
A truck has a deep blind spot directly behind it, and tailgating also hides everything in front of the truck from you. Drop back so you can see and be seen.
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7. Is it safe to check your phone while stopped at a red light?
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Answer B: No, you may miss the signal change and hazards around you
Attention does not return instantly when the light changes, and emergency vehicles, pedestrians or a rear-end threat can appear while you are stopped. Stay focused on the road.
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8. What is the safest way to handle an unrestrained pet or a child who needs attention while you are driving?
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Answer D: Secure pets before the trip and pull over safely before attending to a child
A loose animal or an urgent situation in the back seat can capture a driver's attention completely, so restrain pets beforehand and stop in a safe place when someone needs help.
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9. Where do you find how much weight your vehicle may carry?
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Answer C: On the placard in the driver door opening
The certification placard in the driver door opening gives the load limit and the recommended cold tire pressures for the vehicle as built.
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10. How far down a Texas windshield may sunscreening tint extend?
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Answer C: No lower than a manufacturer's marking on the glass, or a set distance from the top
Section 547.613(b)(1) limits windshield tint placement to no lower than the AS-1 line or 5 inches from the top of the windshield.
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11. You have a green light at a school crossing, but the crossing guard steps out and holds up a stop sign toward you. What must you do?
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Answer A: Stop, because the crossing guard controls this crossing and outranks the signal
Directions from a crossing guard or a police officer take priority over signals and signs.
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12. A SHOULDER DROP OFF sign warns that
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Answer B: there is a step down from the pavement to the shoulder
The sign is used where the edge of the pavement stands several inches above the shoulder, which can grab a wheel and pull the vehicle sideways.
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13. At night you are waiting to turn left and can see only the headlights of an approaching vehicle. Why should you allow a bigger margin?
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Answer D: Because lights alone make speed and distance hard to judge
With no other visual cues, two points of light give you very little information about how fast the vehicle is closing, so leave extra margin.
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14. You find that the road surface has turned to sheet ice. What speed is appropriate?
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Answer A: A crawl, slow enough that you could stop without braking hard
Ice can cut grip to a fraction of normal, so stopping takes many times the usual distance and only a crawl leaves any margin.
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15. Why is this restriction so common beside fire hydrants, crosswalks and intersection corners?
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Answer C: To keep sight lines open and leave access for emergency crews
A vehicle left in those places hides pedestrians from approaching drivers, blocks the path of turning vehicles and can keep firefighters from reaching a hydrant.
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16. Well before an intersection, an overhead sign shows a diagram of the lanes with an arrow above each one. What is its purpose?
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Answer C: To let drivers pick the correct lane in good time
Advance intersection lane control signs display the lane assignment far enough back that drivers can move over calmly instead of at the last moment.
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17. Two left-turn lanes are marked at the intersection and you are in the left one. What must you do?
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Answer A: Stay in your own lane all the way around the turn
With dual turn lanes each driver must hold a lane through the whole turn and come out in the matching lane of the new street.
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18. You feel dizzy and get a headache while driving with the windows closed. What could be the cause and what should you do?
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Answer D: An exhaust leak letting carbon monoxide into the cabin, so open the windows and stop to get fresh air
Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, and headache, dizziness and drowsiness are early signs. Get fresh air at once and have the exhaust system inspected.
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19. If a Texas driver facing a department suspension, such as for being a habitual violator, does not request a hearing, how long is the suspension?
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Answer D: 90 days
When the person does not request a hearing, a suspension under Section 521.292 lasts 90 days.
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20. You must slow suddenly on a highway and a vehicle is following close behind you. What helps prevent a rear-end collision?
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Answer D: Tapping the brake pedal early so your brake lights flash a warning
Early brake light flashes give the driver behind more time to react, and slowing gradually instead of suddenly reduces the chance of being struck.
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21. Why should you make sure your turn signal has stopped flashing after a lane change?
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Answer A: A signal left flashing tells other drivers that you intend to move again
Other drivers act on your signals, so one that is left on gives them false information about what you are about to do.
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22. A black and white regulatory sign facing traffic at a divided section reads KEEP LEFT. What does it require?
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Answer D: Passing the island or obstruction on its left side
Keep Left is posted at an island or obstruction that traffic must pass on the left, which is the opposite of the far more common Keep Right situation.
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23. A center lane is marked with a broken yellow line on each side and is controlled by overhead lane signals. How is that lane used?
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Answer A: It carries traffic one way or the other according to the signals
A reversible lane is marked with broken yellow lines on both sides and its direction of travel is set by the lane control signals above it.
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24. You will leave your vehicle for several hours after dark. Where is the best place to park it?
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Answer D: In a well-lit spot with people and cameras nearby
Light, passing people and cameras all discourage theft and make your own return to the vehicle safer.
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25. How should you follow a school bus in traffic?
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Answer A: Far enough back to see its lights and stop in time
A school bus stops often and with little warning, so a longer following distance gives you time to see the lights come on and stop clear of it.
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26. What is the sensible way to handle a meal on a long drive?
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Answer D: Eat before you leave or stop to eat
Eating takes hands, eyes and attention, and the only version with no cost to your driving is the one that happens while the car is parked.
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27. What must a Texas court require of a minor convicted for the first time of certain underage alcohol offenses, such as possession or purchase of alcohol by a minor?
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Answer A: Successful completion of an alcohol awareness program or a substance misuse education program
Alcoholic Beverage Code Section 106.115 requires the court to order a first-time minor offender to complete an alcohol awareness program or substance misuse education program.
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28. The trailer you are towing begins to sway from side to side at highway speed. What should you do?
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Answer D: Ease off the accelerator, hold the wheel steady and let the speed drop
Sway grows with speed and with sudden inputs. Reducing speed gently while keeping the steering steady lets the trailer settle behind you.
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29. Can a driver be charged with impaired driving after taking a legal over the counter medicine?
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Answer C: Yes, if the medicine impairs the ability to drive safely
Impaired driving laws cover any substance that affects driving, including cold remedies, allergy pills and sleep aids sold without a prescription.
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30. What does a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 mean for the driver of a car?
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Answer B: It is the level almost every state treats as legally intoxicated
In almost every state a driver at 0.08 or above is legally intoxicated whatever the driver seems like, but impairment starts well before that level is reached.