Delaware DMV Permit Practice Test 14
- Questions32
- Correct to pass26
- Passing score81%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. 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.
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2. A flashing red arrow is displayed for your turning lane. What does it require?
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Answer D: Stopping, then turning when the way is clear
A flashing red arrow is treated like a stop sign for that movement: come to a full stop, then turn when it is safe and no one has to be cut off.
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3. How much moving water is generally enough to float and carry away most passenger vehicles?
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Answer D: About one foot
About a foot of moving water will float most cars, and even less will stall an engine. That is why the rule is to turn around instead of judging the depth.
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4. The brake pedal goes to the floor and the vehicle does not slow. What should you try first?
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Answer C: Pump the pedal quickly to try to build pressure
Most vehicles have a split braking system, so rapid pumping can often build enough pressure to slow you. If it does not, use the parking brake gradually.
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5. A large truck ahead of you swings toward the left just before turning right at an intersection. What should you do?
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Answer B: Stay back and never try to move into the gap between the truck and the curb
Long vehicles need extra room and often swing wide to complete a right turn, so the space that opens on their right closes again as the trailer sweeps through it.
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6. 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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7. You have stopped after a crash. Why should the engines of the vehicles involved be switched off?
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Answer A: To reduce the risk of a fire starting around any fuel that has spilled
Crashes often break fuel lines, and a running engine is a source of ignition, so switching off lowers the risk of fire.
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8. Does this sign settle who has the right-of-way at the intersection ahead?
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Answer D: No, it only gives notice of the intersection; the control there decides priority
A warning prepares the driver for what is coming but grants no priority, so whatever stop control, yield control, signal or right-of-way rule applies at the intersection is what decides.
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9. Alcohol is classified as which kind of drug?
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Answer B: A depressant that slows the central nervous system
As a depressant, alcohol slows the brain and nervous system, which lengthens reaction time and dulls the coordination that driving depends on.
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10. Which clue tells you that a parked vehicle is about to pull into traffic?
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Answer D: Exhaust smoke, brake lights, front wheels turned out or a driver in the seat
A running engine, lit brake lights, turned wheels or a person behind the wheel all mean the vehicle may move. Slow down and give it room.
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11. Some states allow a left turn against a red light. Which movement is it?
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Answer A: A left turn from a one-way street onto another one-way street
The movement generally allowed on red is one-way to one-way, because the turn does not cross any lane of oncoming traffic; a few states also extend it to a two-way street turning onto a one-way street.
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12. A driver behind you on a two-lane road clearly wants to pass. Why should you not wave that driver past?
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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.
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13. Crossing a parking lot on a hot day, you see a young child alone in a locked car. What should you do?
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Answer A: Call 911 right away and stay with the vehicle
The inside of a parked car can reach lethal temperatures within minutes, so a child left alone in one is an emergency.
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14. Why does a long downhill grade lengthen the distance you need to stop?
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Answer C: Because gravity keeps pulling the vehicle forward as you brake
On a downgrade gravity works with the vehicle and against the brakes, so the same speed needs noticeably more distance than it would on level ground.
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15. A yellow diamond showing a bicycle is posted on a rural road. What should a driver expect?
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Answer A: Bicyclists crossing or riding along the roadway there
The bicycle warning sign is used where a bikeway crosses the road or where riders are likely to be in the traffic lanes, so drivers should look carefully and pass wide.
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16. How many points does Delaware assign to a moving violation that has no specific entry in the point schedule?
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Answer A: 2
Any moving violation drawn from Chapters 27, 41 or 42 of Title 21 that is not listed separately carries two points.
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17. A yellow diamond shows a car with wavy lines behind its rear tires. What is the warning?
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Answer D: The surface loses grip badly when it is wet
The slippery when wet sign marks a stretch where traction falls off sharply in rain, so speed and braking must be reduced well in advance.
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18. You are at a red light where right turns on red are allowed, you cannot see clearly, and the driver behind sounds the horn. What should you do?
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Answer C: Stay stopped until you can see that the turn is safe
Turning right on red is permitted, never required, so you wait until you can see that the way is clear no matter what the driver behind does.
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19. While driving on a Delaware temporary instruction permit issued to an applicant aged 18 or older, how many people other than the supervising driver may be in the vehicle?
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Answer C: Two
The adult permit is valid only when an accompanying licensed operator is present and no more than two other people are in the vehicle.
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20. A pedestrian signal displays a steady walking person symbol. What does it mean for a pedestrian at that corner?
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Answer B: The pedestrian may start crossing in the direction of the signal
The steady walking person permits a pedestrian to begin the crossing, while still yielding to vehicles already lawfully in the intersection.
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21. Why can an oncoming vehicle that looks comfortably far away leave you far less room than you expect?
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Answer D: You and that vehicle close the gap at the sum of both your speeds
Two vehicles approaching at 55 mph each close the distance between them at about 110 mph, so the gap disappears in half the time you would expect.
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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. You have strapped luggage to the roof rack for a long trip. What should you expect?
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Answer D: A higher center of gravity, so take the curves and lane changes gently
Weight on the roof raises the center of gravity and makes the vehicle lean and respond more slowly to steering.
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24. Traffic in a work zone is down to one lane in each direction, separated by a temporary double yellow line. May you pass?
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Answer C: No, temporary markings prohibit passing just as permanent ones do
A temporary marking has the same legal force as a permanent one, and a work zone is the last place with room to spare for an overtaking vehicle.
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25. What is threshold braking?
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Answer C: Braking hard but staying just short of locking the wheels
A rolling tire grips better than a sliding one, so the shortest stop comes from pressure held just below the point where the wheels lock.
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26. You are in the right-hand of two left-turn lanes and the vehicle beside you starts to drift toward your lane during the turn. What should you do?
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Answer B: Slow slightly, keep to your own lane and give the other vehicle room
Drivers commonly drift wide in dual turn lanes, so hold your own line, ease off and leave space rather than racing or crowding the other vehicle.
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27. 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.
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28. An officer directing traffic faces you and holds one hand up with the open palm toward your vehicle. What does the gesture mean?
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Answer D: Stop before reaching the officer
A raised open palm shown toward a driver is the standard signal to stop.
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29. 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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30. You are the first to arrive at a crash on a rural road. What should you do first?
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Answer C: Park well clear of the scene, put on your hazard lights and call for help
Getting trained help on the way and keeping the scene visible does more good than anything an untrained bystander can do.
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31. What should you do with the key and your belongings when you leave the vehicle in a public lot?
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Answer D: Take the key with you, lock up and put valuables out of sight
Most vehicle thefts are opportunistic: a key left behind or a bag in plain view is the invitation.
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32. 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.