District of Columbia DC DMV Permit Practice Test 5
Test 5 of 10. Pick an answer for each question to see if it is right and why; your score appears at the end. You need 20 correct answers to pass, the same ratio as the real District of Columbia test.
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. What makes up the total distance needed to bring a vehicle to a stop?
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Answer A: The distance covered while you perceive the hazard, the distance covered while you react, and the braking distance
Total stopping distance combines the ground covered while you notice the hazard, the ground covered while you move your foot to the brake, and the ground covered while the brakes slow the vehicle.
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2. You have just merged onto a freeway from an entrance ramp. What should you do next?
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Answer C: Settle into the right lane and build up speed before changing lanes
Crossing lanes while you are still below the speed of the traffic forces other drivers to brake, so the speed comes first and the lane change second.
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3. What does DC law say about driving over a fire hose laid in the street?
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Answer D: It is prohibited and carries its own fine
DC regulations make driving over a fire hose a separate infraction.
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4. What does DC require of a driver approaching the scene of an incident?
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Answer D: Proceeding with caution and at reduced speed
DC creates separate 100 dollar infractions for failing to proceed with caution and reduced speed when approaching an incident and for failing to proceed with caution through it.
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5. For how long must a DC license holder enrol in the Ignition Interlock System Program after a third or subsequent covered offense?
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Answer A: 2 years
The DC interlock period runs 6 months for a first offense, one year for a second, and 2 years for a third or subsequent offense.
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6. How long must a DC applicant wait before retaking a failed road skills test?
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Answer D: 72 hours
DC DMV requires a 72-hour wait before the road skills test can be retaken.
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7. What mandatory minimum jail term applies to a first DC impaired driving conviction when the alcohol concentration was 0.20 or higher?
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Answer B: 10 days
A first DC conviction with an alcohol concentration of 0.20 or more carries a mandatory minimum of 10 days, and the minimum rises further at 0.25 and 0.30.
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8. The blue signs mounted before a freeway interchange that carry the logos of individual businesses are
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Answer C: specific service signs, which show the brands available at that exit
Specific service signs, often called logo signs, list eligible businesses for categories such as gas, food, lodging, camping, attractions and 24-hour pharmacies at the upcoming interchange.
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9. The engine dies at speed and the dashboard lights go out on a dark road. What should you do?
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Answer C: Hold the wheel firmly, steer over to the shoulder and use the hazard lights
Never switch the ignition to lock, because the steering can lock; steer to the shoulder and warn traffic with the hazard lights.
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10. What is the usual result of driving well above the flow of traffic on a typical trip?
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Answer B: Very little time saved, with much greater risk
Signals, traffic and short distances swallow the theoretical gain, while crash risk and crash severity both climb sharply with speed.
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11. After a crash, what information should you exchange with the other driver?
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Answer B: Name, address, driver license, vehicle registration and insurance details
Identification, registration and insurance information are what the other party and the insurers need. Sensitive financial details are never required.
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12. At what speed above the limit does DC law treat driving as reckless on that ground alone?
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Answer D: 20 mph or more above the limit
DC law makes driving 20 mph or more over the speed limit reckless driving, quite apart from the general conscious-disregard test.
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13. What does DC law say about headphones or earbuds while driving?
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Answer D: Headphones covering both ears or earbuds in both ears are prohibited unless they assist a hearing-impaired driver
DC prohibits headphones covering both ears and earbuds in both ears, with an exception for hearing-impaired drivers.
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14. You are about to leave a roundabout when a pedestrian steps into the crosswalk on your exit. What should you do?
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Answer B: Yield to the pedestrian and wait for the crosswalk to clear
Roundabout crosswalks sit on the entries and exits, and drivers must yield to pedestrians using them.
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15. You leave your car so that its rear overhangs a marked crosswalk. What is wrong with that?
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Answer B: Pedestrians must step around it into the traffic lane
A crosswalk has to stay completely clear; anything sticking into it pushes people on foot out into the path of moving vehicles.
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16. You reach a one-lane bridge and a vehicle is already partway across it coming toward you. What should you do?
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Answer D: Stop before the bridge and let it come through
A vehicle already on a one-lane bridge has the right of way, and the driver who has not yet entered waits at the approach.
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17. Where in the District is riding a bicycle on the sidewalk prohibited?
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Answer B: In the central business district
Sidewalk cycling is allowed across the District except within the central business district, and riders must always yield to pedestrians.
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18. You are driving on the through road of a T-intersection and want to turn left into the side road. Oncoming traffic is approaching on the through road. What must you do?
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Answer C: Yield to the oncoming traffic before you turn
The vehicle waiting in the stem of the T yields to both of you, but you still owe the right of way to oncoming through traffic before turning across it.
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19. What does DC DMV require of a driver whose license has been expired for more than 365 days?
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Answer B: Passing the knowledge test or completing an approved online traffic school course
Once a DC license has been expired for more than 365 days, renewal requires either passing the knowledge test or completing an approved online traffic school course.
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20. How do worn tires and worn brakes affect your ability to stop?
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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.
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21. You receive a phone call that you feel you must answer while driving. What is the safest way to take it?
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Answer D: Pull off the road, stop in a safe place and then answer
No call is worth a crash. Stopping in a safe location removes the distraction completely, while every other option divides your attention.
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22. What is the first thing to do once your disabled vehicle is stopped on the shoulder?
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Answer A: Switch on the hazard warning lights so other drivers can see the vehicle
Hazard lights are the fastest way to make a stopped vehicle visible, and everything else can follow once traffic has been warned.
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23. You must cross a stretch of water lying across the road that you know is shallow. What is the right technique?
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Answer A: Slow down before you reach it and cross steadily in a low gear
Slow before the water, then keep a steady low speed so you do not throw water over the engine or lose steering. Test the brakes gently once you are through.
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24. Who may act as the tutor certifying a DC learner permit holder's practice hours?
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Answer B: A driver aged 21 or older holding a valid full driver license
The tutor must be at least 21, hold a valid full driver license, sit beside the learner and wear a seat belt while the practice is logged.
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25. What fine does DC set for failing to yield the right of way to an emergency vehicle?
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Answer A: 150 dollars
Failing to yield the right of way to an emergency vehicle carries a 150 dollar fine in DC.