Utah DLD Permit Practice Test 18

  • Questions50
  • Correct to pass40
  • Passing score80%
  • Minimum age15 years

50 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why; you need 40 correct answers to pass.

  1. 1. A truck ahead of you is spreading salt or grit on the road. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Drop back so the material does not reach your car

    Spreaders throw material backward and sideways, and following close means stone chips and a screen full of spray, so leave extra distance.

  2. 2. How should a pregnant driver or passenger wear a seat belt?

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    Answer A: Lap belt below the belly across the hips, shoulder belt across the chest

    A properly worn belt protects both mother and baby. The lap portion goes low under the belly, snug across the hip bones, and the shoulder belt crosses between the breasts.

  3. 3. Where are signs of this kind placed at an intersection?

    A black rectangle with a white arrow and white lettering
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    Answer C: At the near right and far left corners, facing drivers on the intersecting street

    They are installed at the corners of the intersecting street so that a driver about to turn in sees the restriction before committing to the turn.

  4. 4. 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.

  5. 5. What discounted fee does Utah charge for a standard ID card when the applicant has a qualifying disability?

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    Answer C: 17 dollars

    Utah reduces the standard 23 dollar ID card fee to 17 dollars for an applicant with a qualifying disability.

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

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    Answer C: Give way to the traffic already on the highway and merge into a gap

    The yield sign confirms that the merging driver is the one who must fit into the traffic stream rather than the other way round.

  7. 7. A sign at the start of an exit ramp shows a speed much lower than the highway limit. What does it apply to?

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    Answer C: The curve of the ramp itself, once you have left the highway

    The ramp speed is set by the sharpness of the ramp curve, so you slow to it inside the deceleration lane rather than out on the highway.

  8. 8. A traffic signal is displaying a flashing red light. How must you treat it?

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    Answer D: Stop completely, then proceed when the way is clear

    A flashing red carries the same meaning as a stop sign: come to a full stop, then go only when it is safe.

  9. 9. How long is a standard adult Utah driver license valid before renewal is required?

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    Answer A: 5 years

    A standard adult Utah driver license is valid for 5 years before it must be renewed.

  10. 10. When should headlights be switched on besides during the hours of darkness?

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    Answer C: Whenever rain, fog, snow or dust makes it harder to see or to be seen

    Headlights are as much about being seen as about seeing, so they go on whenever visibility drops.

  11. 11. Traffic is heavy and a truck is stopped in the lane on your right. How do you keep an out?

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    Answer B: Keep space open ahead of you and avoid being boxed in on both sides at once

    Being hemmed in on both sides with no gap ahead removes every option, so keep at least one direction open.

  12. 12. You are the second vehicle waiting to turn left on a green ball. Where should you wait?

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    Answer A: Behind the stop line, until the first vehicle has actually turned

    Only the lead vehicle should move into the intersection to wait; a second vehicle inside it is likely to be stranded there when the light changes.

  13. 13. What is the safest way to deal with the situation this sign announces?

    A yellow diamond showing two black lines joining into one as they go up
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    Answer B: Match the speed of the other traffic stream and open a gap so vehicles can blend without hard braking

    Blending works when speeds are matched and gaps are opened, so nobody has to brake hard or swerve where the two streams come together.

  14. 14. A lane along the right edge is set off by a solid white line and marked with a bicycle symbol. How should a driver treat it?

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    Answer B: Stay out of it except for the short distance needed to turn or cross where that is allowed

    A marked bicycle lane is set aside for bicycle traffic, and motor vehicles may enter it only briefly where turning or crossing is permitted.

  15. 15. A yellow diamond showing a truck is posted beside a quarry entrance. What is it warning about?

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    Answer A: Trucks turning onto the highway from that entrance

    A truck crossing or trucks entering sign is used where heavy vehicles pull onto the road from a site, and they accelerate slowly once they are on it.

  16. 16. Why is a wet road at night harder to read than the same road in daylight?

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    Answer A: The wet surface reflects light away and swallows the lane markings

    A film of water sends your headlight beam onward instead of back to you, so lines, edges and people in dark clothing almost disappear.

  17. 17. Up to what age does Utah require a child to ride in a car seat or booster seat?

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    Answer C: Age 8

    Utah requires children younger than 8 to ride in an appropriate car seat or booster seat.

  18. 18. This sign is still standing late at night, and nobody is working. What should the driver assume?

    An orange diamond with black lettering
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    Answer B: The layout may still be altered, so the same care and reduced speed apply

    Narrowed lanes, shifted alignments, dropped pavement edges and parked equipment remain overnight, so the hazard does not end when the crew goes home.

  19. 19. A freeway sign reads BUSES ONLY ON SHOULDER 6 AM TO 9 AM. Who may drive on the shoulder then?

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    Answer A: Only the vehicles named on the sign, during the hours shown

    Shoulder running is granted by the sign to the class of vehicle and the hours the sign names, and it does not turn the shoulder into a general travel lane.

  20. 20. Your brake pedal sinks to the floor and the vehicle does not slow down. What is a reasonable sequence of actions?

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    Answer C: Pump the pedal, shift to a lower gear and apply the parking brake gradually while steering to a safe spot

    Pumping can rebuild pressure in a partly failed system, a lower gear adds engine braking, and easing on the parking brake slows the vehicle without locking the wheels.

  21. 21. A yellow sign reads SOFT SHOULDER. What is it telling you?

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    Answer C: The shoulder may not carry the weight of a vehicle

    A soft shoulder is unpaved and can let a wheel sink, so a driver who leaves the pavement there may lose control or become stuck.

  22. 22. Where nothing is posted and no special hazard exists, what speed does Utah law allow past a school building during recess or at opening and closing hours?

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    Answer D: 20 mph

    Utah sets 20 mph past a school building or grounds during recess and while children are arriving or leaving, and 25 mph in a business or residential area.

  23. 23. The circular sign shape is reserved for which warning?

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    Answer C: Advance warning of a highway-rail grade crossing

    A round yellow sign with a black X and the letters RR is the grade crossing advance warning sign, and the circular outline is used for no other message.

  24. 24. Under Utah law, an approaching train's audible signal within what distance obligates a driver to stop at a railroad crossing?

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    Answer C: 1,500 feet

    A train's audible signal sounding within 1,500 feet of a crossing is one of the conditions that requires a driver to stop and not proceed.

  25. 25. How much of a traffic lane is a motorcycle entitled to use?

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    Answer D: The full width of the lane

    A motorcycle is entitled to the full lane, and riders move within it to stay visible and to avoid surface hazards, so drivers should never try to share a lane with one.

  26. 26. A trailer that sways badly at speed is often loaded the wrong way. What is the usual fault?

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    Answer A: Too much of the load sits behind the trailer axle

    Weight behind the axle lightens the hitch and lets the trailer wag the vehicle. Most of the load should sit ahead of the axle to keep weight on the hitch.

  27. 27. You are driving on a rural road with no sidewalk. Where should you expect to meet pedestrians?

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    Answer A: Walking toward you on your side of the road

    Where there is no sidewalk, pedestrians are taught to walk facing traffic, so they appear on your side of the road coming toward you.

  28. 28. A lane control sign over one lane shows both a straight arrow and a left arrow. What does it tell drivers in that lane?

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    Answer A: Either movement may be made from that lane

    An optional movement lane control sign lists every movement permitted from the lane, so a driver may choose any arrow shown.

  29. 29. A sign showing a figure with an outstretched thumb inside a red circle with a slash means that

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    Answer B: soliciting a ride is prohibited there

    The no hitchhiking sign bars standing beside the road to solicit a ride, and it is common along freeway ramps and shoulders.

  30. 30. The red oil pressure warning light comes on while you are driving. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Pull over safely as soon as possible and shut off the engine

    Loss of oil pressure means the engine is no longer being lubricated and can be destroyed within minutes. Stop, shut down and check before restarting.

  31. 31. You have just been involved in a crash on a city street. Which sequence of first steps is correct?

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    Answer A: Stop where you are, check everyone for injuries, and then make the scene safe

    You are required to stop, and the first priority at the scene is people, followed by preventing a second collision.

  32. 32. What must a Utah learner permit applicant provide, beyond passing the required tests?

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    Answer D: Proof of identity, lawful presence if a non-citizen, a Social Security number, and a Utah address

    Utah requires a learner permit applicant to document identity, lawful presence for a non-citizen, a Social Security number, and a Utah address.

  33. 33. You are behind three slow vehicles on a two-lane road and the way ahead looks clear. What is the sound decision?

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    Answer D: Pass one vehicle at a time, if the road allows it

    Passing several vehicles in one move keeps you in the oncoming lane far too long and leaves nowhere to go if a vehicle appears.

  34. 34. The car ahead drifts across the lane line and back again several times. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Assume that the driver is distracted or impaired, and keep well back

    Drifting is a classic sign of a distracted, drowsy or impaired driver, and distance is your protection from all three.

  35. 35. Heavy rain has left standing water on the road where this sign is posted. What does the law expect of the driver?

    A white vertical rectangle with a black border and black legend
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    Answer C: Driving below the posted figure, at a speed that suits the conditions

    Drivers must adapt to conditions, so in rain, fog, snow or dense traffic the safe speed falls below the posted maximum and keeping to that maximum can itself be an offense.

  36. 36. A pedestrian signal changes to a flashing upraised hand. What does that indication mean?

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    Answer C: Do not start crossing, but finish a crossing already begun

    The flashing upraised hand is the pedestrian change interval: nobody may start to cross, but a pedestrian already in the crosswalk may continue to the far side or to a median.

  37. 37. How should a driver respond to this sign?

    A yellow diamond with black lettering
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    Answer C: Slow down before reaching the rough spot and cross it at a steady, low speed

    Losing speed before a sharp rise in the pavement keeps the vehicle settled, while braking or accelerating on top of it unsettles the suspension and costs grip.

  38. 38. You have printed directions or paperwork you need to check. When should you read them?

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    Answer C: Before you leave, or after you park

    Reading takes eyes and mind off the road for far longer than any safe glance, and a light that changes while you read leaves you moving off blind.

  39. 39. The sign over the leftmost lane reads LEFT LANE MUST TURN LEFT. You are in that lane and want to go straight. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Move out of the lane before the intersection if it is safe

    A mandatory movement lane control sign makes the turn compulsory for that lane, so a driver who wants another movement must change lanes in advance.

  40. 40. You signaled a lane change and the signal did not switch itself off afterwards. Why does that matter?

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    Answer B: Other drivers may act on a turn you do not intend to make

    A signal left on tells other drivers you are about to turn, and someone may pull out in front of you. Cancel it as soon as the maneuver is finished.

  41. 41. A driver who is passing you cannot complete the pass because a vehicle is coming. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Ease off the accelerator and make room for them to drop back in

    The only place for the passing vehicle to go is the gap behind you, and easing off opens that gap immediately.

  42. 42. Does using a hands free device remove the risk of distraction?

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    Answer A: No, the conversation still takes attention away from driving

    Hands free equipment removes the manual part of the distraction but not the mental part, and a driver deep in conversation can look straight at a hazard without registering it.

  43. 43. The gates at a railroad crossing begin to come down as you approach. What must you do?

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    Answer A: Stop and wait until the gates are fully raised and the lights stop flashing

    Once the gates start down you must stop clear of the tracks and wait until they are fully raised and the warning lights have stopped.

  44. 44. Where among these is parking specifically prohibited?

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    Answer A: On a bridge, in a tunnel or on railroad tracks

    Bridges and tunnels have no safe refuge and cannot be widened, and a vehicle left on railroad tracks cannot be avoided by an approaching train.

  45. 45. 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.

  46. 46. An emergency vehicle with flashing lights and a siren is approaching from behind on a two-way street. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Pull over to the right edge of the road and stop until it passes

    Clearing a path by pulling to the right and stopping gives the emergency vehicle a predictable route, while stopping in mid-lane or inside an intersection blocks that path.

  47. 47. A vehicle ahead of you displays a reflective orange triangle on its rear. What does that emblem tell you?

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    Answer B: The vehicle is built to travel at 25 mph or less

    The orange triangle is the slow moving vehicle emblem used on farm and construction equipment designed for 25 mph or less, warning you that you are closing on it much faster than it appears.

  48. 48. What is the purpose of a wide solid white line painted straight across your lane on the approach to an intersection?

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    Answer C: It shows the point where a required stop must be made

    A stop line indicates the point at which the stop required by a signal or a stop sign is to be made, ahead of the crosswalk and the intersection.

  49. 49. How does being tired change your total stopping distance?

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    Answer A: It lengthens it, because you take longer to notice and react

    Fatigue stretches perception and reaction time, and every extra fraction of a second is added distance before the brakes even begin to work.

  50. 50. The hood of your vehicle flies open while you are driving and blocks your view. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Look through the gap beneath the hood or out the side window, slow down and pull off the road

    You usually still have a narrow view under the raised hood or through the side window. Use it to steer, slow gradually and get clear of traffic before securing the hood.