West Virginia DMV Permit: Emergencies Practice Test

Not quite. The answer is Yes, you must signal for at least 100 feet before you turn.

Whenever you intend to turn or change lanes, communicate your intention well in advance. Under West Virginia law, if you intend to turn or change lanes, you must start to signal at least 100 feet in advance. You must signal even if you don't see any other vehicles around. The vehicle you don't see could end up being the most dangerous. Also, pedestrians or other drivers could be caught off guard by a sudden turn or lane change.

Source: Driving Signals, Chapter VI: Traffic Laws and Rules of the Road, State of West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook

Not quite. The answer is stop by colliding head-on with a solid object.

If your brakes fail, pump the brake pedal unless your vehicle has antilock brakes (ABS). Pumping might temporarily restore enough brake fluid pressure to slow or stop your vehicle. If your vehicle has ABS, just depress the brake pedal firmly and see if you start to slow down. Downshift into a lower gear. This will use the braking power of the engine to slow your vehicle. Apply the parking or emergency brake gradually, but be ready to release it if you start to skid. As a last resort, rub against something to slow you down. Try to sideswipe the guard rail, rub your wheels against a curb, or drive onto a grassy area. Never allow a head-on collision. Head-on collisions are often fatal.

Not quite. The answer is stop.

A pedestrian walking with a white cane or a white cane tipped with red is blind or visually impaired. You must stop and yield to the pedestrian. Don't use your horn; it might startle the blind pedestrian.

Not quite. The answer is pull over to the side of the road and park your vehicle before dealing with the situation.

Do not take your eyes off the road to turn around to deal with the needs of passengers, children or pets. If you must give attention to passengers or animals, pull over to the side of the road and park your vehicle.

Not quite. The answer is Yield to the pedestrian.

Before you may turn right at a red signal, you must stop and then yield the right-of-way to cross traffic and lawfully crossing pedestrians. [Steady Circular Red / STOP, Traffic Lights, Chapter V: Traffic Control Devices, State of West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook],

Source: WV Code § 17C-3-5

Not quite. The answer is Pre-loosening the lid of your coffee cup

Before starting your trip, you should set up your cab just as you like it, but eating and drinking should be done at rest stops.

Not quite. The answer is Hydroplaning

On a wet road, at speeds of up to 35 mph, modern tires will usually channel water away to maintain contact with the road. However, in deep water at higher speeds, the channeling action of the tires becomes less effective and the tires start to ride on a layer of water like water skis. This is called “hydroplaning.” It may result in a loss of braking and steering control. To prevent the onset of hydroplaning, slow down.

Not quite. The answer is Do all of the above.

Before you change lanes, you must signal and check your mirrors. However, your car has blind spots that are large enough to hide another car in the lane next to yours. The only way to check those blind spots is to look over your shoulder before you change lanes. Otherwise, you might not notice the car next to you until it's too late.

Source: Changing Lanes, Chapter VI: Traffic Laws and Rules of the Road, State of West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook

Not quite. The answer is low-beam headlights

Under West Virginia law, you must dim your headlights to low beam whenever you are within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle or within 200 feet of a vehicle you are following. Bright lights can blind the driver of the vehicle ahead of you because they can reflect off the vehicle's mirrors.

Not quite. The answer is give a left-turn signal before passing and a right-turn signal after passing.

On a two-lane road with traffic moving in both directions, you may pass a vehicle on the left if it is not prohibited and the pass can be completed safely without exceeding the speed limit. To do this, first signal a left turn. Then when it is safe, move into the left lane to start the pass. After passing the vehicle, signal a right turn. When you have completely cleared the vehicle you passed, return to the right lane.

Not quite. The answer is Pull over to the right and stop.

If an emergency vehicle with flashing lights and sounding a siren is approaching from either direction, you must clear the intersection if you're in one, yield the right-of-way, pull over to the right, and let the emergency vehicle pass safely. Keep your foot on the brake so the driver of the emergency vehicle can see that you have stopped. Before you proceed, check if any more emergency vehicles are approaching. [Right-of-Way, Chapter VI: Traffic Laws and Rules of the Road, State of West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook],

Source: Operation of Vehicles and Streetcars on Approach of Authorized Emergency Vehicles, Section 17C-9-5, West Virginia Code

Not quite. The answer is In all of the above situations

You should use your headlights whenever you cannot see well or other drivers cannot see you well. Under West Virginia law, you must use your headlights from sunset to sunrise and whenever visibility is poor at 500 feet. You must also use your headlights during fog, rain, smoke or other unfavorable atmospheric conditions. Your parking lights are for parking, not driving. If you need more light while you're driving, use your headlights, not your parking lights. [Headlights and Their Use, Chapter VI: Traffic Laws and Rules of the Road, State of West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook],

Source: WV Code § 17C-15-2

Not quite. The answer is Ease your foot off the gas and carefully steer in the direction in which you want your vehicle to go.

If you start to skid, stay calm, ease your foot off the gas, let your vehicle slow down gradually, and carefully steer in the direction in which you want the front of your vehicle to go. In other words, if the rear of your vehicle skids left, steer left; if the rear of your vehicle skids right, steer right. Avoid braking, especially if your vehicle is not equipped with an antilock braking system (ABS). The vehicle may possibly overshoot and start to skid in the opposite direction. To prevent this, steer in the opposite direction as soon as your vehicle starts to straighten out. This procedure, known as “steering into the skid,” will bring the rear of your vehicle into line with the front.

Not quite. The answer is Operating visual screen devices and texting while driving

It is illegal to drive while operating a visual screen device or texting. Performing such actions while driving are prohibited by the law.

Not quite. The answer is yield to the pedestrian, stopping if necessary.

Blind pedestrians always have the right-of-way. Under West Virginia law, you must do whatever is necessary to avoid injuring a blind pedestrian. In practice, this means that if a blind pedestrian is about to cross the road in front of you, you must yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian, stopping if necessary. Don't sound your horn or rev your engine because it might startle the pedestrian or the guide dog.

Source: WV Code § 5-15-5

Not quite. The answer is in the direction of the skid.

If you start to skid, stay calm, ease your foot off the gas, let your vehicle slow down gradually, and carefully steer in the direction in which you want the front of your vehicle to go. In other words, if the rear of your vehicle skids left, steer left; if the rear of your vehicle skids right, steer right. Avoid braking, especially if your vehicle is not equipped with an antilock braking system (ABS). The vehicle may possibly overshoot and start to skid in the opposite direction. To prevent this, steer in the opposite direction as soon as your vehicle starts to straighten out. Then straighten your wheels as you regain control. This procedure, known as “steering into the skid,” will bring the rear of your vehicle into line with the front.

Not quite. The answer is emergency flashers

If you're having vehicle trouble at night and need to stop, use extreme caution; you risk being hit from the rear. To communicate your presence to other motorists, turn on your emergency flashers. If you have emergency flares or warning triangles, place them behind your vehicle as an additional warning to other motorists.

Not quite. The answer is Do all of the above.

If you see a vehicle coming toward you in your lane, brake hard, sound your horn, flash your headlights, and veer as far to the right as you safely can. Don't try to veer to your left. The other driver may suddenly recover and pull back into that lane, leading to a head-on collision. Head-on collisions are often fatal.

Not quite. The answer is increase your following distance.

Bad weather calls for lower speeds. You should follow other vehicles at a greater distance. Rain, snow, and ice impair your ability to see ahead and increase the braking distance required to stop your vehicle. Under such conditions, increase your following distance and apply your brakes sooner and more gently than usual.

Not quite. The answer is your left hand at 8 o'clock and your right hand at 4 o'clock.

Imagine your steering wheel as the face of a clock. For maximum control of your vehicle, the West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook recommends that you place your left hand at the 8 o’clock position and your right hand at the 4 o’clock position. (Note: Years ago, the recommended positions were 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock. But those positions can be dangerous in modern cars that are equipped with airbags. The driver's airbag deploys out of the steering wheel at very high speed. If your hands are high on the steering wheel, the deploying airbag might drive your hands into your face or even injure your hands.)