Virginia Driver’s License & Permit Practice Tests

The key to defensive driving is awareness. As you search the road, avoid staring at one thing. Keep your eyes moving and learn to read the road and your surroundings. Space around your vehicle gives you distance to react in emergencies and avoid a crash.

A speed limit is the maximum legal speed you can travel on a road under ideal conditions. You may drive slower than the posted speed, but it is illegal to drive any faster. By law, you must drive slower if conditions such as road construction or bad weather make the posted speed unsafe.

Never park within 20 feet of an intersection.

You should allow extra space when following a motorcycle. Motorcyclists can fall on wet or icy roads, on metal surfaces (i.e., bridge gratings, railroad tracks, etc.), and on gravel.

You must always give a proper signal when turning, changing lanes, stopping, or slowing down. Most vehicles have turn signals and you should always use them. If brake lights or turn signals do not work, the signals must be fixed as soon as possible. Meanwhile, you should use hand signals. Hand signals for stopping and turning are standard in all states.

At a flashing red light, come to a complete stop and yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. You may go when the way is clear. At a railroad crossing, you must come to a complete stop even if you do not see a train.

When approaching intersections without traffic signals or signs yield to any vehicle that reaches an intersection before you. If you get there at the same time, you must yield to the motorist on the right.

Wearing seat belts, also called safety belts, can double your chances of surviving a crash and more than double your chances of avoiding serious injury. Your shoulder and lap belts should be snug. Remember to wear your lap belt low on your lap and against your thighs. Wear your shoulder belt over your shoulder and across your chest. Never wear your shoulder belt behind your back or under your arm.

Driving while you are sleepy reduces your ability to drive effectively. Your reaction time is slower, awareness is decreased, and judgment is impaired.

To avoid falling asleep at the wheel:

• Get plenty of quality sleep before a trip.
• Limit long distance driving. Stop at least every two hours for rest.
• Keep the temperature cool in your vehicle.
• Talk with passengers but not to the point of distraction.
• Keep your eyes moving and check your mirrors often.
• If possible, drive with a companion and switch drivers

Always enter the left lane. U-turns are only allowed in the left lane.

You must signal at least three or four seconds, 100 feet, ahead of the turn.

Look for motorcyclists. In more than half of all crashes involving motorcycles and automobiles, the other driver didn’t see the motorcycle until it was too late. Drivers are conditioned to look for four-wheeled vehicles – but they don’t expect to see two-wheeled vehicles. A motorcycle’s small size also makes it difficult to see.

Check your blind spots. A motorcycle’s small size allows it to slip into your blind spot easily. Always check for motorcycles before you pull out, change lanes, turn, back up or proceed through an intersection.

Stay in your vehicle and keep your hands in plain view, preferably on the steering wheel. Do not get out unless the officer asks you to.

Trucks, buses, and RVs have blind spots that may stretch up to 20 feet in front of the cab and approximately 200 feet behind the vehicle.

Longer and taller vehicles tend to have significantly larger blind spots.

Rain and snow reduces visibility and makes the road dangerous. Slow down. Even in light rain or drizzle, turn on your windshield wipers before visibility is blocked. You must also use your headlights.

Yellow lines mark the center of a road used for traffic going in opposite directions. Broken yellow center lines mean that passing on the left is allowed in either direction when the way ahead is clear.

Lane use signals indicate lanes where you can and cannot drive during different hours of the day.

• Red X: Never drive in a lane marked with a red X signal.
• Yellow X: A yellow X signal means that you should move out of the lane as soon as safely possible.
• Green Arrow: You are permitted to drive in a lane marked with a green arrow signal.
• Left-turn Arrow: You are permitted to enter in a lane marked with a one-way or two-way arrow only to turn in the direction of the arrow.

This sign indicate a change in the route ahead.

The legal speed limit on public roads not part of the interstate system is 55 mph. On unpaved roads the speed limit is 35 mph. In school, business and residential areas, the speed limit is 25 mph.

A revocation may result for various reasons, but is typically related to convictions for very serious traffic violations or criminal offenses. Revocation reasons include, but are not limited to taking a driver’s license test for another person, or appearing as another person to renew his or her license.

If you provide or sell alcoholic beverages to a person under age 21 or someone who is intoxicated or ordered by a court to refrain from drinking alcohol, you are subject to a fine up to $2,500, mandatory suspension of your driver’s license for up to one year, and 12 months in jail.

The safest place to install a child safety seat is in the center of the back seat. Children should ride rear facing from birth to 2 years, or as long as the safety seat manufacturer allows. If the vehicle does not have a back seat, a rear facing child seat may be placed in the front passenger seat if the vehicle is not equipped with a passenger side airbag or if the passenger airbag is turned off. Children should ride facing forward in a child safety seat or booster seat until at least age 8, or until they can attain a proper seat belt fit. (Note that older versions of the manual have slightly different recommendations.)

Virginia law requires motorists to use headlights during inclement weather such as rain, fog, snow, or sleet when visibility is reduced to 500 feet. You must use your headlights whenever you use your windshield wipers as a result of bad weather.

When passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway, check the traffic ahead of you, behind you and in your blind spot before you attempt to pass. Signal and then accelerate to pass. Return to the right lane as soon as you can see the front of the passed vehicle in your rear-view mirror.

Remember, under special circumstances, an officer may be directing the flow of traffic. If so, obey the officer’s hand signals instead of the normal traffic signals or signs.