Utah DLD Permit Practice Test 27

  • 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. When is a Utah driver excused from stopping for a school bus with flashing red lights?

    Show answer

    Answer D: When a physical median divides the roadway, the road has five or more lanes, or a signal or officer controls the intersection

    Utah excuses a driver from stopping for a school bus when a physical median separates the traffic, the road has five or more lanes, or the crossing is controlled by a traffic signal or a police officer.

  2. 2. On which approach is this sign normally installed?

    A yellow diamond showing a black T shape
    Show answer

    Answer C: On the road that ends, far enough ahead for the driver to slow down

    The warning belongs on the approach that terminates, placed early enough that the driver can lose speed and choose a direction before reaching the junction.

  3. 3. You are about to open your door after parking on the traffic side of the street. What should you do first?

    Show answer

    Answer C: Check the mirror and look back for approaching vehicles and bicyclists before opening the door

    A door opened into traffic can strike a passing bicyclist or vehicle, so you check behind you first and keep the door open no longer than necessary.

  4. 4. A sign beside the signal reads STOP HERE ON RED. What does it tell you?

    Show answer

    Answer B: Stop at that point on red, not closer to the intersection

    The sign marks the required stopping point, which is set back from the corner so that turning vehicles and sight lines are not blocked.

  5. 5. A driver on a hands free call looks straight at a red light and drives through it. What best explains this?

    Show answer

    Answer B: The eyes saw it but the brain did not process it

    Attention, not eyesight, decides what a driver actually sees, and a loaded mind can leave a driver looking straight at a hazard without registering it.

  6. 6. A wide crosswalk you are turning across has a refuge island in the middle. What should you assume about people standing on it?

    Show answer

    Answer D: They may step off the island into your path at any moment

    An island is a pause in a crossing, not the end of one, so treat anyone on it as a pedestrian who is still crossing.

  7. 7. When should most of your braking for a turn be finished?

    Show answer

    Answer B: Before you begin to turn the wheel

    Slow to the right speed before the turn begins; braking hard while turning uses up the grip the tires need for steering.

  8. 8. A bicycle symbol topped by two chevrons is painted in the middle of a travel lane. What does that marking indicate?

    Show answer

    Answer D: Bicyclists share the lane with motor vehicles and may ride away from the curb

    A shared lane marking shows drivers where bicyclists are likely to ride in a lane used by both bicycles and motor vehicles.

  9. 9. Blue pavement markings are used together with white markings at

    Show answer

    Answer D: parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities

    Blue supplements the white markings of accessible parking spaces, which is the only assignment blue has on the pavement.

  10. 10. A pedestrian steps off the curb without looking your way. What should you assume?

    Show answer

    Answer B: That the person has not seen you at all, and be ready to stop for them

    Defensive driving means assuming you have not been seen until there is clear evidence that you have.

  11. 11. How many points does Utah assign to a texting while driving conviction?

    Show answer

    Answer C: 50 points

    Utah rates texting while driving at 50 points, the same weight as running a red light or a stop sign.

  12. 12. How do worn tires and worn brakes affect your ability to stop?

    Show answer

    Answer C: They lengthen the stopping distance, especially on a wet road

    Worn tread cannot clear water and worn brakes cannot produce full force, so both stretch the distance needed to stop.

  13. 13. You are waiting to turn and the traffic ahead has stopped. Where must you not come to rest?

    Show answer

    Answer D: On the crosswalk, which people need in order to cross the street

    Stopping on a crosswalk forces pedestrians out into the traffic lanes to get around you, so you hold back before it instead.

  14. 14. When a Utah driver must stop for a railroad crossing, where does the law require the vehicle to stop?

    Show answer

    Answer D: Within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail

    Utah law requires a vehicle to stop within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail of a railroad crossing when a stop is required.

  15. 15. You reach an intersection with no signs, signals or markings clearly before a vehicle that is approaching on your right. What is the rule?

    Show answer

    Answer B: You may go first because you got there first

    At an uncontrolled intersection the first driver to arrive goes first; the yield to the right rule only settles a tie.

  16. 16. You are approaching a highway-rail grade crossing marked only with a crossbuck sign. What does that sign require?

    Show answer

    Answer A: Yield to any approaching train and cross only when the tracks are clear

    The crossbuck is a regulatory yield sign, and a train can never stop or steer around a vehicle, so the driver must always give way.

  17. 17. A white diamond symbol is painted in a highway lane. What does it identify?

    Show answer

    Answer C: A lane reserved for high-occupancy vehicles

    The diamond symbol marks a preferential lane, most often one reserved for vehicles carrying a minimum number of occupants.

  18. 18. You enter a corner faster than the turn can be taken. What is the most likely result?

    Show answer

    Answer A: The vehicle runs wide and may cross into another lane

    Excess speed uses up the available grip, so the vehicle follows a wider arc than intended and drifts out of its lane.

  19. 19. Beyond a fixed age, what standard does Utah use to decide when a child can stop using a booster seat?

    Show answer

    Answer B: Once the child is 4 feet 9 inches tall or the seat belt fits properly without one

    Utah's guidance ties leaving a booster seat to reaching 4 feet 9 inches tall or to the seat belt fitting properly without one, not to a single fixed age.

  20. 20. A turn restriction sign at the corner shows a range of times below the symbol. What does that mean?

    Show answer

    Answer A: The turn is banned only during the hours shown on the sign

    Times posted under a regulatory symbol set the period during which the restriction applies; outside those hours the movement is permitted.

  21. 21. The center line beside your lane is a broken yellow line. What does it allow?

    Show answer

    Answer D: You may cross into the opposing lane to pass when it is safe and clear

    A broken yellow center line marks a passing zone where traffic in that direction may cross into the opposing lane to pass when the way ahead is clear.

  22. 22. What does a marked crosswalk tell a driver approaching a corner?

    Show answer

    Answer D: Where pedestrians are expected to cross and must be given way

    Crosswalk markings show pedestrians where to cross and warn drivers to yield to anyone using the crossing.

  23. 23. A driver has to stop for a train at this sign. How far back from the nearest rail should the vehicle be held?

    Two white crossed boards forming an X, with black lettering along each board
    Show answer

    Answer C: No closer than roughly fifteen feet

    A train and its load overhang the rails, so stopping no closer than about fifteen feet keeps the vehicle outside the space the train actually sweeps.

  24. 24. The gates at a railroad crossing are down, and you can see that the road beyond them is clear. What is the correct action?

    Show answer

    Answer A: Wait until the gates rise completely and the lights go out

    Lowered gates mean rail traffic is expected, and driving around them removes the only protection the crossing provides.

  25. 25. You are waiting to turn left across two oncoming lanes when a driver in the near lane stops and waves you through. What should you do?

    Show answer

    Answer D: Turn only after checking the far lane yourself

    The waving driver cannot give away the right of way of the traffic in the second lane, which may not be stopping at all.

  26. 26. What does a tire with worn tread do on a wet road?

    Show answer

    Answer B: It loses grip and it hydroplanes at a lower speed than a good tire

    Tread grooves carry water away from the contact patch, and a worn tire cannot do that, so it floats on the water sooner.

  27. 27. How many points does the Utah point schedule assign to a conviction for driving 1 to 10 mph over the posted limit?

    Show answer

    Answer A: 35 points

    Utah's point schedule rates a minor speeding conviction of 1 to 10 mph over the limit at 35 points, the lightest of the three speeding tiers.

  28. 28. You reach the end of the acceleration lane and there is still no gap in the traffic. What should you do?

    Show answer

    Answer B: Slow down and merge behind the traffic rather than forcing your way in

    Merging behind the traffic costs you only a little speed, while forcing into a space that is not there puts you alongside a vehicle with nowhere to go.

  29. 29. A sign warns that the right lane ends ahead, and traffic is still flowing freely. What should you do if you are in that lane?

    Show answer

    Answer C: Signal, adjust your speed and move left in good time before the lane ends

    When traffic is moving freely there is room to merge early and smoothly, which avoids the last-second lane change at the closure point.

  30. 30. What night restriction applies to a licensed 16 year old driver in Utah?

    Show answer

    Answer C: No driving between midnight and 5 a.m., unless accompanied by a licensed driver aged 21 in the front seat or traveling for work, school activity, farm work or an emergency

    Utah restricts licensed 16 year olds from driving between midnight and 5 a.m., with exceptions for a licensed adult of 21 in the front seat, agricultural assignments, travel to and from work or a school sponsored activity and emergencies.

  31. 31. A yellow sign ahead of an underpass reads LOW CLEARANCE 12 FT 6 IN. What does the figure tell you?

    Show answer

    Answer B: The greatest height that can pass beneath the structure

    The figure is the actual clearance available, so a vehicle taller than that must leave the road and take a marked alternative route.

  32. 32. You are approaching a refuse collection truck working along your street. What should you expect?

    Show answer

    Answer D: Workers stepping into the road around the truck

    Collection crews move constantly between the truck and the curb, often from where you cannot see them, so slow right down and pass only when the whole area is clear.

  33. 33. You decide to turn around using a driveway on your right. What is the safer way to do it?

    Show answer

    Answer C: Stop past the driveway, reverse into it, then pull out and drive away

    Passing the driveway and backing in means you reverse off the roadway and then rejoin traffic facing forward, with a full view of both directions.

  34. 34. You are turning left from a one-way street onto another one-way street. Which lane should you use?

    Show answer

    Answer B: Turn from the far left lane into the far left lane of the new street

    The general turning rule is to turn from the lane nearest the direction of the turn into the nearest lane of the new roadway, which on a one-way to one-way left turn means far left to far left.

  35. 35. A driver is tailgating you. Why is it a bad idea to tap or stab the brakes to warn them?

    Show answer

    Answer C: Because it cuts the little space they have and can cause a crash

    Brake checking removes the small margin the tailgater has left and can provoke a collision; add space in front of you instead and let them pass.

  36. 36. A driver behind you on a two-lane road clearly wants to pass. Why should you not wave that driver past?

    Show answer

    Answer B: You cannot see the whole road ahead for them and they may rely on your signal

    Waving another driver out invites them to trust your judgment of a road you cannot see well enough, and the decision to pass belongs to the driver making it.

  37. 37. Where should a rear-facing infant seat never be placed?

    Show answer

    Answer C: In a front seat with an active passenger air bag

    A deploying front air bag strikes the back of a rear-facing seat with enormous force. Rear-facing seats belong in the back seat.

  38. 38. A curb sign reads 2 Hour Parking, 8 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Saturday. When may you stay longer than two hours?

    Show answer

    Answer A: Outside those hours and on Sundays

    A time limit applies only during the days and hours printed on the sign; outside them the ordinary parking rules apply.

  39. 39. You are slowing to turn right at an intersection and a bicyclist is riding beside your right side in a bike lane. What should you do?

    Show answer

    Answer D: Let the bicyclist go through the intersection before you begin the turn

    Turning across the path of a bicyclist who is going straight causes the classic right-hook crash. The rider continuing straight has the right-of-way over your turn.

  40. 40. Where is a U-turn most clearly unsafe and generally prohibited?

    Show answer

    Answer D: On a curve or near a hill crest, where other drivers cannot see you

    U-turns are barred where approaching drivers cannot see you in time, such as on a curve or near the top of a hill.

  41. 41. You are approaching an uncontrolled intersection on a residential street where parked cars hide the cross street. What is the correct approach?

    Show answer

    Answer B: Slow enough to stop and creep out until you can see

    Without a sign or signal you still have to be able to yield, and you cannot yield to traffic you have not seen.

  42. 42. What happens to the fine for speeding in a Utah highway construction or maintenance zone where workers are present?

    Show answer

    Answer A: It is doubled compared with the ordinary fine schedule

    Utah law requires courts to at least double the ordinary fine for a speeding conviction in a highway work zone where workers are present.

  43. 43. What can a loose or doubled up floor mat on the driver side cause?

    Show answer

    Answer A: It can slide forward and trap the accelerator pedal down

    An unsecured mat, or a second mat laid over the first, can slip forward and hold the accelerator open. Use the mat clips and never stack mats.

  44. 44. Your wiper blades smear the windshield instead of clearing it. What should you do?

    Show answer

    Answer C: Replace the blades, because smearing means that the rubber is worn

    Worn or hardened rubber cannot wipe cleanly, and blades are cheap compared with driving without a clear view.

  45. 45. A broken white line separates your lane from the lane on your right. What does it permit?

    Show answer

    Answer C: Changing lanes when it is safe to do so

    A normal broken white line marks a boundary between lanes traveling the same way that road users may cross when it is safe.

  46. 46. Which of these is never a legal place to park?

    Show answer

    Answer C: In a crosswalk, on a sidewalk or within an intersection

    Crosswalks, sidewalks and intersections must stay clear so that pedestrians can cross and drivers can see approaching traffic.

  47. 47. The posted limit is 55 mph, but heavy traffic and rain make that speed unsafe. What does the law expect of you?

    Show answer

    Answer D: You must slow to a speed that is safe for the conditions

    The basic speed rule requires a speed that is reasonable for the traffic, weather and road, and that speed is often well below the posted maximum.

  48. 48. The left-turn signal facing you shows a flashing yellow arrow. What does it mean?

    Show answer

    Answer C: You may turn left after yielding to oncoming traffic and to pedestrians

    A flashing yellow arrow permits a left turn but gives no protection, so you must yield to oncoming vehicles and to people in the crosswalk.

  49. 49. At roughly what speed can hydroplaning begin when a lot of water is lying on the road?

    Show answer

    Answer C: At speeds as low as about 35 mph

    With enough water and less than perfect tread, a tire can start to ride on the water at around 35 mph, well below normal highway speeds.

  50. 50. At highway speed, a large object suddenly appears in your lane and there is open space beside you. Which response is often the most effective?

    Show answer

    Answer B: Steer around it, since at speed you can often turn quicker than you can stop

    Above roughly 25 mph, stopping distance is long while a lane change takes only a moment. When space is available, a controlled steer around the hazard avoids the impact.