Washington DOL Permit Practice Test 6
Test 6 of 10. Pick an answer for each question to see if it is right and why; your score appears at the end. You need 32 correct answers to pass, the same ratio as the real Washington test.
- Questions40
- Correct to pass32
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age15 years
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1. During which hours may a Washington intermediate license holder not drive without a qualifying supervisor?
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Answer D: Between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.
A Washington intermediate license holder may not drive between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent, guardian or licensed driver at least age 25.
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2. How long is a driver's license revoked after a third Washington DUI conviction within seven years?
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Answer C: Three to four years
A third Washington DUI conviction within seven years results in a license revocation of three to four years.
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3. A broken white line separates your lane from the lane on your right. What does it permit?
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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.
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4. Absent any other posted limit, what speed does Washington law set as the maximum on state highways?
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Answer C: 60 miles per hour
Washington's basic speed statute sets 60 miles per hour as the default maximum on state highways when no other limit is posted.
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5. A bicyclist ahead of you puts the left arm straight out to the side. What is being signaled?
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Answer B: A left turn or a move to the left
The left arm held straight out is the bicycle signal for a left turn, so hold back and give the rider room to cross toward the center.
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6. You are driving forward into a perpendicular space with a large pickup parked on the right of it. How should you take it?
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Answer D: Stay wide, turn in late and keep clear of the pickup
Starting the turn later keeps the rear of your car away from the vehicle beside the space, which is exactly what a tight early turn clips.
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7. You are parking on a hill where there is no curb, whether facing up or down. Which way should the front wheels point?
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Answer B: Toward the shoulder, so the vehicle would roll away from the traffic lanes
With no curb to stop the vehicle, the wheels are turned toward the edge of the road so that a runaway vehicle leaves the roadway instead of entering it.
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8. How does alcohol typically affect a driver's vision?
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Answer D: It blurs vision, weakens night vision and narrows attention to the sides
Alcohol slows the eye muscles and the brain's processing of what is seen, degrading focus, night vision, depth perception and awareness of movement at the edges of the field of view.
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9. You are traveling at the same speed as a vehicle in the next lane, just behind its rear door. What should you do?
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Answer B: Change your speed so that you leave that driver's blind spot
That position is the classic blind spot. Slow slightly or move ahead so the other driver can see you before deciding to change lanes.
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10. Red pavement markings are used on a roadway to show that
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Answer A: it must not be entered from that direction
Red markings identify a roadway that is not to be entered or used, and they also mark the pavement of truck escape ramps.
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11. The traffic signal is green, but the crossing lights on the tracks inside the intersection begin to flash. What must you do?
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Answer C: Stop clear of the tracks and wait, even though the signal is green
Active crossing warning devices outrank the green indication, so you stop short of the rails and wait until the warning stops.
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12. Why should the shoulder belt never be worn under the arm or behind the back?
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Answer C: In a crash it could not hold your upper body and could cause severe injury
The shoulder belt restrains your chest and head. Placed under the arm it concentrates crash force on the ribs and organs; behind the back it does nothing at all.
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13. You are entering a marked work zone. What should you expect?
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Answer B: A reduced posted speed, narrowed or shifted lanes, and traffic that may stop suddenly
Work zones change the geometry of the road and can bring traffic to a halt without warning, so the posted work zone speed and increased following distance both apply.
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14. 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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15. 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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16. In plain words, what is understeer?
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Answer B: The vehicle keeps going straight even though the wheels are turned
Understeer means the front tires have run out of grip, so the vehicle takes a wider line than the one you steered.
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17. You are parking facing uphill on a street with a curb. What is the correct wheel position?
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Answer B: Turn the front wheels away from the curb and let the vehicle roll back until a tire touches it
Facing uphill the vehicle would roll backward, so the wheels point away from the curb and the tire is rested against it to act as a block.
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18. How does Washington calculate the fine for violating the move-over law?
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Answer C: It equals twice the standard infraction penalty
Washington sets the fine for a move-over law violation at twice the penalty assessed under the standard traffic infraction schedule.
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19. Is it acceptable to leave your vehicle across the entrance of an alley for a short time?
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Answer A: No, the entrance must stay clear at all times
Blocking an alley entrance traps the vehicles inside and can keep emergency services out, so it is prohibited however brief the stop.
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20. 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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21. At many crossings the walk indication appears only after a button is pressed. What happens if a pedestrian does not press it?
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Answer B: The signal may cycle without showing a walk indication
An actuated pedestrian phase is called in by the pushbutton, so without it the controller may serve the vehicle movements alone.
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22. The lane you are in has a right-turn-only arrow painted on the pavement. What must you do?
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Answer C: Turn right, because a lane-use arrow is a legal requirement
Lane-use arrows painted on the pavement are regulatory markings, so a driver in that lane must travel in the direction shown.
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23. A NO LEFT TURN sign carries a plaque reading 7 AM TO 9 AM MON TO FRI. What does the assembly mean?
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Answer A: The turn is banned only during those hours on those days
A time plaque limits the restriction to the periods shown, so outside those hours and days the left turn may be made normally.
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24. How does Washington law classify a violation of the ban on holding a personal electronic device while driving?
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Answer D: A traffic infraction
Washington classifies a violation of the personal electronic device ban as a traffic infraction, not a criminal offense.
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25. The word SCHOOL is painted in large letters across the roadway. What is it doing?
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Answer D: Backing up the signs marking a school zone
Word markings on the pavement reinforce a message that is already signed, and a driver looking at the road ahead cannot miss them.
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26. Under Washington's habitual offender law, how are multiple traffic offenses committed within six hours of each other counted on a first occurrence?
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Answer B: They are treated as a single offense on that first occasion
Washington's habitual offender statute treats multiple offenses committed within a six-hour period as one offense the first time this happens.
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27. How far should the driver chest be from the steering wheel?
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Answer B: At least about ten inches
The airbag deploys with great force in the first instants of a crash, so about ten inches between your chest and the wheel is the recommended minimum.
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28. A large electronic advertising sign beside the road catches your eye. What should you do?
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Answer A: Glance briefly and return your eyes to the road
Bright changing displays are designed to hold attention, so treat them like any roadside object and give them no more than a brief glance.
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29. Your light turns green, but a vehicle from the cross street is still finishing a turn inside the intersection. What should you do?
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Answer B: Wait until that vehicle has cleared the intersection
A green indication lets you proceed only after yielding to pedestrians in the crosswalk and to vehicles already lawfully within the intersection.
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30. A turn restriction sign at the corner shows a range of times below the symbol. What does that mean?
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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.
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31. A small plaque mounted under this sign shows a numeral such as 2 or 3. What does that numeral report?
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Answer A: How many sets of tracks the crossing carries
The plaque states the number of tracks at that location, which is a warning that a second train may be running on another track behind the first.
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32. Under Washington's implied consent law, how long can a driver lose the driving privilege for refusing a test?
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Answer B: 90 to 730 days, or until age 21, whichever is longer
Washington's implied consent law can cost a refusing driver the driving privilege for 90 to 730 days, or until reaching age 21, whichever is longer.
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33. May a Washington driver show proof of insurance to a law enforcement officer using a smartphone app?
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Answer B: Yes, the officer may view only the insurance data; the driver assumes risk to the device
Washington allows electronic proof of insurance, limits the officer to viewing only the insurance information, and places the risk of any device damage on the driver.
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34. In Washington you see a roadside response vehicle with flashing lights ahead. What must you do?
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Answer D: Move over into a farther lane, or slow to at least 10 miles per hour below the posted limit and never exceed 50 miles per hour in the zone
Washington requires drivers either to move over into a farther lane or to slow to at least 10 miles per hour below the posted limit, and never to drive faster than 50 miles per hour in an emergency zone.
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35. Where is this sign installed in relation to the hazard it announces?
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Answer A: Far enough before the hazard that a driver can slow down and stop short of it
This is an advance warning sign, placed on the approach so a driver has time to react before reaching a crossing that a curve or a crest may be hiding.
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36. For a first Washington DUI conviction, how long can the resulting driver's license suspension last?
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Answer A: 90 days to one year
A first Washington DUI conviction carries a license suspension ranging from 90 days to one year depending on the alcohol concentration involved.
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37. Besides a liability insurance policy, which of these can satisfy Washington's proof of financial responsibility requirement?
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Answer A: A certificate of deposit or liability bond
Washington accepts self-insurance, a certificate of deposit, or a liability bond as alternatives to a standard insurance policy for proof of financial responsibility.
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38. You have a green light and an ambulance with lights and siren enters the intersection against its red. What should you do?
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Answer B: Stop and let the ambulance go through
An emergency vehicle answering a call may cross against a red, and every other driver yields to it whatever their own signal shows.
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39. You see smoke coming from under the hood while driving. What should you do?
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Answer D: Signal, pull well off the road, shut off the engine and move everyone away from the vehicle
Stopping and shutting off the engine cuts the fuel supply to a possible fire, and distance protects you if it spreads. Raising the hood can feed the fire a rush of air.
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40. 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.