You park facing uphill on a street with a curb. Which way should you turn your front wheels?

Away from the curb, letting the back of the front tire rest against it

It does not matter if the parking brake is set

On a two-lane road, when is it NOT legal or safe to pass the vehicle ahead on the left?

When you are approaching the top of a hill or a curve where you cannot see oncoming traffic

When the broken yellow line is on your side

When the road ahead is straight and clear

When the vehicle ahead is going well below the speed limit

Before changing lanes, after checking your mirrors and signaling, you should also:

Look over your shoulder to check your blind spot

Slow down to well below the speed of traffic

A motorcycle is riding in the lane ahead of you. How much of the lane does it have the right to use?

The full width of the lane, just like a car

Only the right half of the lane

Only the left third of the lane

You are driving behind a large truck and cannot see the truck driver's face in the truck's side mirror. This means:

You are in a blind spot where the truck driver probably cannot see you

You are at a safe following distance

The truck driver is about to turn

You should honk to get the driver's attention

You run into thick fog while driving. Which lights should you use?

Low beams, and fog lights if you have them

High beams so you can see farther

Hazard lights while you keep driving at normal speed

Your car starts to hydroplane on a wet road. What should you do?

Ease off the gas and keep the steering wheel straight until the tires grip again

Turn the steering wheel sharply toward the shoulder

Speed up to get through the water

A front tire blows out while you are driving at highway speed. What is the correct first reaction?

Hold the steering wheel firmly, keep the car straight and ease off the gas

Steer quickly onto the shoulder

According to NHTSA, taking your eyes off the road for 5 seconds at 55 mph is like:

Driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed

Driving about one car length blind

Nothing, because 5 seconds is too short to matter

You feel very sleepy on a long drive. What is the best thing to do?

Pull off the road at a safe place and rest or sleep

Open the window and turn up the radio

Drive faster to get home sooner

On a residential street lined with parked cars, a ball rolls into the road ahead of you. You should:

Slow down and be ready to stop, because a child may run after it

Swerve into the opposite lane to go around it

Speed up to pass the spot quickly

Safe Driving Questions for the Permit Test, Answered and Explained

Safe driving questions make up a large part of every DMV permit test. They ask how to park and pass, how to share the road with motorcycles, bicycles, trucks and pedestrians, how to drive at night and in bad weather, what to do in an emergency such as a skid or a blowout, and why phones and fatigue are so dangerous behind the wheel.

Updated on 2026-11-06 · Ver en español

DMVPermitUSA is an independent study tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by any state DMV, BMV, MVD, DPS or other government agency. Always check your state's official driver handbook and DMV website for current requirements.

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When you parallel park next to a curb, your wheels should be no farther from the curb than: A. 3 inches / B. 18 inches / C. 3 feet / D. 5 feet. Answer: B. 18 inches. Many state handbooks, including California's, say to park within 18 inches of the curb; a few states use 12 inches. Check your handbook, since the exact distance varies by state.
You park facing uphill on a street with a curb. Which way should you turn your front wheels? A. Toward the curb / B. Straight ahead / C. It does not matter if the parking brake is set / D. Away from the curb, letting the back of the front tire rest against it. Answer: D. Away from the curb, letting the back of the front tire rest against it. Uphill with a curb, turn the wheels away from the curb and let the car roll back until a tire touches it. Downhill, or uphill with no curb, turn the wheels toward the edge of the road. Always set the parking brake.
Unless signs say otherwise, in most states you may not park within how many feet of a fire hydrant? A. 15 feet / B. 5 feet / C. 50 feet / D. 100 feet. Answer: A. 15 feet. Most states prohibit parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant so fire crews can reach it. Distances for crosswalks, stop signs and railroad crossings also vary by state.
On a two-lane road, when is it NOT legal or safe to pass the vehicle ahead on the left? A. When the broken yellow line is on your side / B. When the road ahead is straight and clear / C. When you are approaching the top of a hill or a curve where you cannot see oncoming traffic / D. When the vehicle ahead is going well below the speed limit. Answer: C. When you are approaching the top of a hill or a curve where you cannot see oncoming traffic. Never pass where you cannot see far enough ahead to complete the pass safely, such as near a hilltop or curve. Most states also prohibit passing within 100 feet of an intersection, bridge, tunnel or railroad crossing.
Before changing lanes, after checking your mirrors and signaling, you should also: A. Look over your shoulder to check your blind spot / B. Sound your horn / C. Slow down to well below the speed of traffic / D. Flash your headlights. Answer: A. Look over your shoulder to check your blind spot. Mirrors do not show everything beside your car. A quick glance over your shoulder in the direction you are moving checks the blind spot, where a car, motorcycle or bicycle can hide.
A motorcycle is riding in the lane ahead of you. How much of the lane does it have the right to use? A. Only the right half of the lane / B. The full width of the lane, just like a car / C. Only the left third of the lane / D. Whatever space cars leave free. Answer: B. The full width of the lane, just like a car. A motorcycle is entitled to a full lane. Never drive beside a motorcycle in the same lane, and leave extra following distance, because motorcycles can stop faster than cars.
You are driving behind a large truck and cannot see the truck driver's face in the truck's side mirror. This means: A. You are at a safe following distance / B. The truck driver is about to turn / C. You should honk to get the driver's attention / D. You are in a blind spot where the truck driver probably cannot see you. Answer: D. You are in a blind spot where the truck driver probably cannot see you. Large trucks have big blind spots, called No-Zones, in front, behind and along both sides. If you cannot see the driver in their mirror, the driver cannot see you, so drop back or move ahead.
When you pass a bicyclist going the same direction, most states require you to leave at least: A. 1 foot / B. 18 inches / C. 3 feet / D. 10 feet. Answer: C. 3 feet. Most states set a minimum of 3 feet between your vehicle and a bicycle when passing, and some require more or a full lane change on multi-lane roads. When you cannot pass safely, wait behind the rider.
You are using your high beams on a dark highway. You must switch to low beams when an oncoming vehicle comes within: A. 100 feet / B. 500 feet / C. 1 mile / D. 2,000 feet. Answer: B. 500 feet. Most states require you to dim your high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet of a vehicle you are following, though a few states use 200 feet for following.
You run into thick fog while driving. Which lights should you use? A. Low beams, and fog lights if you have them / B. High beams so you can see farther / C. Parking lights only / D. Hazard lights while you keep driving at normal speed. Answer: A. Low beams, and fog lights if you have them. High beams reflect off fog and make it harder to see. Use low beams, slow down and increase following distance; if you cannot see, pull completely off the road and turn on your hazard lights.
Your car starts to hydroplane on a wet road. What should you do? A. Brake hard to stop quickly / B. Turn the steering wheel sharply toward the shoulder / C. Ease off the gas and keep the steering wheel straight until the tires grip again / D. Speed up to get through the water. Answer: C. Ease off the gas and keep the steering wheel straight until the tires grip again. Hydroplaning happens when the tires ride on a film of water and lose contact with the road. Sudden braking or steering can cause a skid; take your foot off the gas and let the car slow down. Worn tires and high speed make it more likely.
A front tire blows out while you are driving at highway speed. What is the correct first reaction? A. Slam on the brakes / B. Steer quickly onto the shoulder / C. Turn off the engine / D. Hold the steering wheel firmly, keep the car straight and ease off the gas. Answer: D. Hold the steering wheel firmly, keep the car straight and ease off the gas. A blowout pulls the car to one side. Grip the wheel, stay in your lane and let the car slow down; brake gently only once you have control, then pull off the road and turn on your hazard lights.
According to NHTSA, taking your eyes off the road for 5 seconds at 55 mph is like: A. Driving about one car length blind / B. Driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed / C. Driving about one block blind / D. Nothing, because 5 seconds is too short to matter. Answer: B. Driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. At 55 mph you travel about the length of a football field in 5 seconds. Texting is especially dangerous because it takes your eyes, hands and mind off driving; most states ban texting for all drivers, and many ban any phone use for new drivers.
You feel very sleepy on a long drive. What is the best thing to do? A. Open the window and turn up the radio / B. Drive faster to get home sooner / C. Pull off the road at a safe place and rest or sleep / D. Chew gum and keep going. Answer: C. Pull off the road at a safe place and rest or sleep. Drowsy driving slows reaction time much like alcohol does. Fresh air and loud music do not work; the only real cure is sleep. Caffeine helps for a short time only.
On a residential street lined with parked cars, a ball rolls into the road ahead of you. You should: A. Slow down and be ready to stop, because a child may run after it / B. Honk and keep your speed / C. Swerve into the opposite lane to go around it / D. Speed up to pass the spot quickly. Answer: A. Slow down and be ready to stop, because a child may run after it. A ball, a bicycle or a pet in the street is a warning that a child or other pedestrian may follow. Children are small and hard to see between parked cars, so slow down and cover the brake.

What safe driving questions cover on the DMV test

Safe driving is the broadest topic on the written test. Where sign and signal questions test recognition, these questions test judgment: what a careful driver does in a situation the handbook describes. They come from several chapters at once, so it helps to group them.

Parking: distance from the curb, wheel direction on hills and where parking is forbidden (hydrants, crosswalks, railroad tracks).
Passing and lane changes: when passing is illegal, checking mirrors and blind spots, and returning to your lane safely.
Sharing the road: motorcycles, bicycles, large trucks, buses, pedestrians and work zones.
Night and bad weather: high and low beams, fog, rain, hydroplaning, snow and ice.
Emergencies: skids, blowouts, brake failure, a stalled car on railroad tracks, and breakdowns on the highway.
Driver condition: distracted driving, phones and texting, drowsiness and emotions.

The rules behind the most-missed questions

Parking on a hill trips up more people than any other parking question. Remember one picture: the wheels should point so that, if the car rolled, the curb or the side of the road would stop it. Uphill with a curb is the only case where you turn away from the curb.

Trucks and buses need much more room than cars. They have large No-Zones on all four sides, make wide right turns by swinging left first, and take longer to stop. Do not cut in front of a truck after passing it; wait until you can see the whole cab in your rear-view mirror.

Emergency questions nearly always have the same correct pattern: stay calm, avoid sudden braking or steering, keep control first and stop second. In a skid, ease off the pedals and steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go. If the brakes fail, pump them, shift to a lower gear and use the parking brake gently.

Phone rules vary by state. Most states ban texting for all drivers, a growing number ban any handheld phone use, and many ban all phone use, even hands-free, for drivers with a permit or provisional license. The safe answer on the test is the one that keeps your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel.

How to study this topic

Because safe driving questions describe situations, study them as situations. As a passenger, ask yourself what the driver should do at each moment: where the truck's blind spots are, when it is safe to pass, how far ahead you can see at night. That habit turns handbook rules into answers you recognize instantly.

Memorize the few numbers that come up often (18 inches, 15 feet, 3 feet, 500 and 300 feet), then work through mixed questions on our topic practice tests. The how to pass the permit test guide explains how to plan the last week before your exam.

Safe driving test questions: FAQ

What safe driving topics are on the permit test?

Expect questions on parking, passing and lane changes, sharing the road with motorcycles, bicycles, trucks and pedestrians, night and bad-weather driving, emergencies such as skids and blowouts, and distracted or drowsy driving.

Which way do I turn my wheels when parking downhill?

Turn your front wheels toward the curb or the edge of the road, so the car would roll into the curb rather than into traffic. Set the parking brake every time.

When should I turn on my headlights?

Most states require headlights from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise and whenever you cannot see clearly about 1,000 feet ahead. Many states also require them when your wipers are on in rain. The exact rules vary by state.

Can I use my phone with a learner's permit?

In many states, no: drivers with a permit or provisional license may not use a phone at all while driving, even hands-free. Adult drivers face texting bans in most states and handheld bans in a growing number. Check your state handbook.

What should I do if my car stalls on railroad tracks?

Get everyone out immediately and move away from the tracks, toward the direction the train is coming from, so you are not hit by debris. Then call the emergency number posted on the blue sign at the crossing, or 911.