North Carolina NCDMV Permit Practice Test 10

Test 10 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 North Carolina test.

A winding parkway through misty Blue Ridge Mountains, a typical landscape of North Carolina
  1. 1. What does North Carolina law require of the owner of a registered vehicle in the matter of insurance?

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    Answer C: Continuous liability coverage while the vehicle has a valid plate

    North Carolina requires continuous liability insurance for as long as the vehicle carries a valid license plate, and the state does not honor any grace period between policies.

  2. 2. You are following closely behind a vehicle you intend to pass on a two-lane road. What should you do first?

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    Answer D: Drop back to give yourself room to build speed before you pull out

    From close behind you cannot see far enough ahead and you have no room to gather speed, so the pass takes longer and starts blind.

  3. 3. In the code that governs pavement markings, what does a double line stand for?

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    Answer B: A maximum restriction

    The marking code is consistent: a double line means the strongest restriction, a solid line discourages or forbids crossing, and a broken line is permissive.

  4. 4. Once a driver has joined the route this sign begins, how is the rest of the way marked?

    An orange rectangle with black lettering and a black arrow
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    Answer B: By further markers of the same kind at each turn, until the original road is rejoined

    The alternate route is signed continuously, with a marker at every turn, so a driver with no local knowledge can follow it back to the original road.

  5. 5. Where are children in the greatest danger around a school bus?

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    Answer B: In the roadway right around the bus, especially in front

    The danger zone is the band of roadway around the bus where the driver's view is poorest, and children crossing in front of the bus are hardest to see.

  6. 6. A wheel comes off your car while you are driving. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Hold the wheel firmly, ease off the gas and steer gently to the shoulder

    A firm grip and a gradual slowing keep the vehicle straight, while hard or sudden braking makes a damaged corner pull the car out of line.

  7. 7. The lane you are in is marked with a straight arrow and a right-turn arrow together. What does that mean?

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    Answer D: Drivers in that lane may either go straight or turn right

    A lane marked with two arrows serves both movements, so a driver in it may take either one.

  8. 8. How long must a North Carolina Level Two Limited Provisional License be held before applying for a Full Provisional License?

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    Answer C: At least six months

    North Carolina requires the Level Two Limited Provisional License to be held for at least six months before an application for the Level Three Full Provisional License.

  9. 9. How many driver license points follow a North Carolina conviction for failing to restrain a child properly in a restraint or seat belt?

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    Answer C: 2 points

    North Carolina assigns two driver license points for failure to properly restrain a child in a child restraint or a seat belt.

  10. 10. You are involved in a collision, even a minor one. What is your first legal duty?

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    Answer A: Stop at or near the scene without blocking traffic more than necessary

    Every driver involved in a crash must stop at the scene, and leaving before meeting that duty is a serious offense. Move the vehicles only as far as needed to clear the traffic lanes.

  11. 11. What is a designated driver?

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    Answer A: Someone who agrees to drink nothing at all

    A designated driver drinks no alcohol whatsoever, because any amount begins to affect judgment and the whole point is a sober driver.

  12. 12. How should speed and following distance be adjusted beyond this sign?

    An orange diamond with black lettering
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    Answer D: Cut speed and leave a longer gap, because traffic can stop without warning

    Traffic in these areas stops and starts unexpectedly and there is little room to steer around a problem, so extra space is what prevents a rear-end collision.

  13. 13. Beyond the point this sign refers to, which movement becomes unlawful?

    A yellow diamond showing one black lane splitting into two around a central island
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    Answer D: Driving on the far side of the separation, against the flow

    Once the two directions are separated, each roadway carries one-way traffic, so crossing to the other side means driving into oncoming vehicles.

  14. 14. For an alert driver, about how long is the reaction time once a hazard has been recognized?

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    Answer A: About three quarters of a second

    Reaction alone takes roughly three quarters of a second for an alert driver, and perception takes about as long again, so a second and a half of travel is added before the brakes bite.

  15. 15. Why are tall vehicles such as SUVs and vans at extra risk in sudden steering maneuvers?

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    Answer B: Their higher center of gravity makes them more likely to roll over

    The higher a vehicle's mass sits, the more it leans in an abrupt turn, and a sharp swerve can tip it over. Smooth, gradual steering inputs are essential in tall vehicles.

  16. 16. You reach an uncontrolled intersection at the same moment as a vehicle approaching from your left. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Proceed, but only once you see that driver slowing

    You have the right of way over the vehicle on your left, but a right of way is something the other driver has to give, so confirm it before you commit.

  17. 17. What point value does North Carolina place on a conviction for speeding in excess of 55 mph in a private vehicle?

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    Answer B: 3 points

    North Carolina assigns three points for speeding in excess of 55 mph in a private vehicle and four points for the same offense in a commercial motor vehicle.

  18. 18. What does black ice usually look like from the driver seat?

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    Answer C: A patch of pavement that simply looks wet or slightly glossy

    Black ice is clear, so you see the dark road through it and read it as a wet patch. In freezing weather, treat any wet looking patch as ice.

  19. 19. How many passengers under 21 who are not household members may a North Carolina Level Two driver carry while unsupervised?

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    Answer D: One

    While driving unsupervised a Level Two holder may carry only one passenger under 21 who is not a member of the same household; the limit does not apply when every passenger lives in the driver's household.

  20. 20. You have turned onto a ramp at night and your headlights pick out large white arrows painted on the pavement pointing straight back at you. What do they mean?

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    Answer C: You are traveling against the flow and must turn back

    Wrong-way arrows are laid so that a driver going the correct way never sees them head on, so an arrow pointing at you means you are on the ramp backwards.

  21. 21. A strong wind is blowing across an open stretch of road. Besides the gusts, what else should you watch for?

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    Answer A: Branches, dust and loose objects blown into your path

    High wind strips branches, litter and dust onto the roadway and can push other vehicles out of their lane, so scan much further ahead than usual.

  22. 22. What does a NARROW BRIDGE warning sign tell a driver?

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    Answer A: The bridge is tighter than the road leading up to it

    A narrow bridge still carries both directions, but with much less clearance than the approaches, so drivers should slow and hold their lane position carefully.

  23. 23. A North Carolina road carries only one lane in the driver's direction and an emergency vehicle is stopped ahead with lights flashing. What must the driver do?

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    Answer B: Slow to a reduced, safe speed until completely past

    Where only one lane runs in the driver's direction, North Carolina requires the driver to slow to a reduced, safe speed and hold it until completely past the stopped emergency vehicle.

  24. 24. A hot drink tips over onto your lap while you are driving. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Keep hold of the wheel and stop when it is safe

    The spill is painful but the crash risk comes from letting go of the wheel or braking suddenly, so keep control and deal with it once you are stopped.

  25. 25. A yellow diamond shows an arrow bent into a series of reversing turns. What does it warn about?

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    Answer A: Three or more changes of direction close together

    The winding road sign replaces a string of separate curve signs where several bends follow one another with only short straights between them.