Sharing the Road

Pedestrians, cyclists, motorcycles, large trucks, buses and emergency vehicles each need different space and attention. Questions focus on blind spots, passing distance and when you must stop.

56 practice questions with answers. These rules are the same in every state.

Sharing the Road quiz

Answer at your own pace. After each question you see the correct answer and why, and at the end a review of what you missed.

Quick quiz: 10 random questions on sharing the road; pass with 8 correct.

Sharing the Road questions with answers

You are traveling beside a tractor-trailer and cannot see the truck driver's face in any of the truck's mirrors. What does that tell you?
1. The truck driver probably cannot see your vehicle
2. The truck driver has already checked that lane
3. The truck's mirrors are out of adjustment
4. You are far enough back to be seen easily
Show answer

Answer A: The truck driver probably cannot see your vehicle

Large trucks have deep blind spots on all four sides, so if the driver's face is not visible in a mirror the driver has no view of you. Move ahead or drop back until you are out of that area.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
A large truck ahead of you swings toward the left just before turning right at an intersection. What should you do?
1. Pass on the left side while the truck is still part-way through the turn
2. Stay back and never try to move into the gap between the truck and the curb
3. Move into the space that opens on the right so that you are not delayed behind it
4. Sound your horn so that the driver completes the turn from a different lane
Show answer

Answer B: Stay back and never try to move into the gap between the truck and the curb

Long vehicles need extra room and often swing wide to complete a right turn, so the space that opens on their right closes again as the trailer sweeps through it.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
A school bus ahead of you has its red lights flashing and its stop arm extended. What are you required to do?
1. Stop and stay stopped until the lights stop flashing and the bus starts moving
2. Slow to a walking pace and pass on the left, watching for children as you go by
3. Pass carefully if no children are visible anywhere near the bus or the roadside
4. Stop only if you are directly behind the bus, since oncoming traffic may keep going
Show answer

Answer A: Stop and stay stopped until the lights stop flashing and the bus starts moving

Flashing red lights and an extended stop arm mean children are getting on or off, so traffic must stop and wait until the bus withdraws the signals and moves again.
What do flashing yellow lights on a school bus mean?
1. The bus is about to stop to load or unload, so prepare to stop
2. The bus is being towed
3. The bus has finished loading and traffic may proceed
4. The bus is allowed to exceed the posted speed limit
Show answer

Answer A: The bus is about to stop to load or unload, so prepare to stop

The amber lights are the warning phase that comes before the red lights and the stop arm, so drivers should slow down and get ready to stop.
A bicyclist is riding in the middle of a narrow travel lane ahead of you. What is the correct response?
1. Sound the horn continuously until the rider moves over toward the curb
2. Pass immediately within the same lane, since a bicycle takes up very little of its width
3. Follow closely behind so that the rider understands to speed up or move aside
4. Slow down and wait until you can pass with wide clearance, changing lanes if needed
Show answer

Answer D: Slow down and wait until you can pass with wide clearance, changing lanes if needed

A bicyclist has the same right to use the lane as a driver, and a narrow lane may not leave safe passing room, so wait for a gap that lets you move over and pass with a wide margin.
A pedestrian using a white cane or walking with a guide dog starts to cross the street ahead of you. What must you do?
1. Yield and stay stopped until the person has finished crossing
2. Sound the horn so the person knows you are waiting
3. Drive slowly around the person
4. Proceed if you entered the intersection first
Show answer

Answer A: Yield and stay stopped until the person has finished crossing

A white cane or guide dog identifies a pedestrian who may not be able to see your vehicle, so you must yield and wait rather than maneuver around the person. The horn can confuse the pedestrian or the dog.
An emergency vehicle with flashing lights and a siren is approaching from behind on a two-way street. What should you do?
1. Speed up so that you stay ahead of it and out of its way
2. Stop right where you are in the travel lane and wait for it to go around you
3. Pull over to the right edge of the road and stop until it passes
4. Move into the left lane and keep driving at the same speed
Show answer

Answer C: Pull over to the right edge of the road and stop until it passes

Clearing a path by pulling to the right and stopping gives the emergency vehicle a predictable route, while stopping in mid-lane or inside an intersection blocks that path.
A vehicle ahead of you displays a reflective orange triangle on its rear. What does that emblem tell you?
1. The vehicle is carrying hazardous material
2. The vehicle is built to travel at 25 mph or less
3. The driver holds a learner permit
4. The vehicle is disabled and under tow
Show answer

Answer B: The vehicle is built to travel at 25 mph or less

The orange triangle is the slow moving vehicle emblem used on farm and construction equipment designed for 25 mph or less, warning you that you are closing on it much faster than it appears.
How much of a traffic lane is a motorcycle entitled to use?
1. Only the right half of the lane
2. Only the width covered by its tires
3. Half a lane, so a car may share the other half
4. The full width of the lane
Show answer

Answer D: The full width of the lane

A motorcycle is entitled to the full lane, and riders move within it to stay visible and to avoid surface hazards, so drivers should never try to share a lane with one.
You are slowing to turn right at an intersection and a bicyclist is riding beside your right side in a bike lane. What should you do?
1. Speed up so that you finish the turn before the bicyclist reaches the corner
2. Sound the horn and turn, because vehicles have priority over bicycles at corners
3. Straddle the bike lane line so the bicyclist is forced to pass you on the left
4. Let the bicyclist go through the intersection before you begin the turn
Show answer

Answer D: Let the bicyclist go through the intersection before you begin the turn

Turning across the path of a bicyclist who is going straight causes the classic right-hook crash. The rider continuing straight has the right-of-way over your turn.

Source: nhtsa.gov
You have just passed a large truck on the freeway. Why is it dangerous to pull back in front of it and then brake for your exit?
1. The truck driver is required to keep the left lane clear for you
2. A loaded truck needs much more distance to stop than a car
3. Truck brakes lock more quickly than car brakes on dry pavement
4. The truck's speed limiter prevents the driver from slowing down
Show answer

Answer B: A loaded truck needs much more distance to stop than a car

A fully loaded tractor-trailer can need the length of a football field or more to stop from highway speed. Cutting in and braking leaves the driver no room to avoid hitting you.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
You are following a tractor-trailer so closely that its rear doors fill your windshield. What is the main problem?
1. The truck's exhaust will damage your engine air intake
2. The trailer's brake lights are too high for you to notice them
3. You will be pulled forward by the low pressure behind the trailer
4. You cannot see the road ahead and the truck driver cannot see you
Show answer

Answer D: You cannot see the road ahead and the truck driver cannot see you

A truck has a deep blind spot directly behind it, and tailgating also hides everything in front of the truck from you. Drop back so you can see and be seen.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
You are about to pass a large truck on a two-lane highway. Which practice is correct?
1. Finish the pass without delay and expect wind turbulence beside the truck
2. Match the truck's speed for a while so its driver can see you in the mirror
3. Pass on the right shoulder so you avoid the truck's left blind spot
4. Flash your high beams repeatedly until the truck driver slows down for you
Show answer

Answer A: Finish the pass without delay and expect wind turbulence beside the truck

Lingering beside a truck keeps you in its blind spot and exposes you to air turbulence. Pass on the left, keep moving, and move back only when you can see the whole truck in your mirror.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
A motorcycle ahead of you has its turn signal blinking but continues straight through several intersections. What is the likely explanation?
1. The rider is warning you that the road surface ahead is slippery
2. The rider is asking you to pass because the motorcycle is slowing down
3. The motorcycle's hazard lights are on because it has a mechanical fault
4. Motorcycle signals often do not cancel themselves after a turn
Show answer

Answer D: Motorcycle signals often do not cancel themselves after a turn

Many motorcycle turn signals are not self-cancelling, so a rider may leave one on by mistake. Wait until the rider actually starts to turn before you act on the signal.

Source: nhtsa.gov
You are waiting to turn left and a motorcycle is approaching from the opposite direction. Why should you take extra care judging its speed and distance?
1. Its small size makes it look farther away and slower than it really is
2. Motorcycles accelerate faster than cars once they enter an intersection
3. The rider is likely to turn left as well and block your path
4. Its single headlight cannot be seen until it is very close to you
Show answer

Answer A: Its small size makes it look farther away and slower than it really is

A motorcycle's narrow profile fools the eye, so drivers often misjudge how soon it will arrive. Left turns across an oncoming motorcycle are a leading cause of rider deaths.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Study tip. Rule out the options you know are wrong first. Two plausible answers are easier to choose between than four.
The motorcyclist ahead of you keeps moving from one side of the lane to the other. What should you understand?
1. The rider is signaling that you may share the lane and pass alongside
2. The rider is avoiding surface hazards and staying where drivers can see the bike
3. The rider is losing control and you should pass immediately
4. The rider is required to stay on the right third of the lane at all times
Show answer

Answer B: The rider is avoiding surface hazards and staying where drivers can see the bike

Riders shift their lane position to avoid debris, grease strips and potholes and to be seen. That movement is normal and never an invitation to share the lane.

Source: nhtsa.gov
On a rural road, the driver of a slow farm tractor ahead of you signals a left turn even though there is no road or driveway in sight. What should you do?
1. Pass on the left right away, because the signal is probably a mistake
2. Stay behind the tractor, because it may be turning into a field entrance
3. Pass on the right, since the tractor will move left out of your way
4. Sound your horn so the driver cancels the turn and lets you pass
Show answer

Answer B: Stay behind the tractor, because it may be turning into a field entrance

Farm equipment often turns into fields through gaps you cannot see, and it may swing wide to do so. Passing a vehicle that is signaling a left turn is a common cause of crashes.
You come upon a person riding a horse on the roadway ahead of you. What is the correct way to pass?
1. Slow down, give plenty of room and do not use the horn
2. Tap the horn lightly so the rider knows you are coming
3. Pass quickly and close so the horse is exposed to you for less time
4. Stop completely and wait for the rider to leave the road
Show answer

Answer A: Slow down, give plenty of room and do not use the horn

Horses startle easily, and a frightened horse can throw its rider into your path. Pass slowly and wide, and avoid any sudden noise.
A tractor-trailer is backing slowly across the roadway to enter a loading dock. What should you do?
1. Drive around the front of the truck while the trailer is still moving
2. Pass behind the trailer, where the driver can see you in the mirror
3. Stop and wait until the truck has finished the maneuver
4. Flash your headlights so the driver stops and lets you through
Show answer

Answer C: Stop and wait until the truck has finished the maneuver

A backing truck driver has a very limited view and the trailer can swing unexpectedly. Trying to squeeze past in either direction risks being crushed.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
A bicyclist ahead of you extends the left arm out with the forearm bent upward. What does that signal mean?
1. The bicyclist intends to turn right
2. The bicyclist intends to turn left
3. The bicyclist is about to stop or slow down
4. The bicyclist is asking you to pass
Show answer

Answer A: The bicyclist intends to turn right

Bicyclists use the same hand signals as drivers: left arm straight out means left, left arm bent up means right, and left arm bent down means stop or slow.

Source: nhtsa.gov
You have stopped on an uphill grade close behind a large truck at a traffic signal. What is the risk?
1. The truck's brake lights may dazzle you when it moves
2. The truck may roll back into you when it starts to move
3. The truck will need you to move back so it can turn right
4. The truck's exhaust may set off your vehicle's alarm
Show answer

Answer B: The truck may roll back into you when it starts to move

Heavy vehicles can roll backward a short distance when the driver moves from the brake to the accelerator on a hill. Leave extra room when stopped behind a truck on a grade.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
A ball rolls into the street from between parked cars ahead of you. What should you expect and do?
1. Expect a child to follow it and be ready to stop
2. Sound the horn twice so the child stays on the sidewalk
3. Swerve toward the center line to avoid the ball and keep going
4. Speed up slightly so you are past the ball before anyone runs out
Show answer

Answer A: Expect a child to follow it and be ready to stop

A ball is usually followed by a child who is watching the ball and not the traffic. Slow down and be prepared to stop immediately.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Which of the four blind spots around a tractor-trailer is the largest?
1. The one on the right side of the truck
2. The one on the left side, which the mirrors never cover at all
3. The one in front of the cab, about one vehicle length long
4. The one behind the trailer, which ends a few feet from the doors
Show answer

Answer A: The one on the right side of the truck

A truck has no-zones on all four sides, and the right-side blind spot is the largest because it runs back along the trailer and reaches across more than one lane.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
About how far behind a tractor-trailer does the driver's rear blind spot reach?
1. Around 5 feet, roughly the width of the trailer doors
2. Around 100 feet, which is why headlights must be used
3. Around 30 feet
4. There is no rear blind spot because of the trailer mirrors
Show answer

Answer C: Around 30 feet

The area behind a large truck is hidden for roughly 30 feet, so a driver tucked in there cannot be seen at all.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
You have passed a large truck and want to move back into its lane. What should you see first?
1. The truck driver waving you across from the window of the cab
2. Both of its headlights in your rear-view mirror
3. One headlight and the front bumper in your right side mirror
4. The whole front of the trailer filling your passenger side mirror
Show answer

Answer B: Both of its headlights in your rear-view mirror

Seeing both headlights in your mirror means you are far enough ahead to be out of the truck's front no-zone before you move over.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
You are passing a tractor-trailer on a wet freeway and its wheels throw heavy spray. What is the best technique?
1. Slow down alongside the trailer until the spray clears away
2. Increase your wipers and pass steadily without hesitating
3. Move as close to the trailer as you can so less spray reaches you
4. Switch to high beams so the truck driver can see you in the spray
Show answer

Answer B: Increase your wipers and pass steadily without hesitating

Spray blinds you for as long as you stay beside the truck, so prepare the wipers first and then spend as little time in the spray as possible.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
A large truck is passing you on a two-lane road. What is the safest thing to do?
1. Speed up briefly so the truck spends less time beside you
2. Move onto the shoulder so the truck can have the whole lane
3. Keep right in your lane and ease off the gas a little
4. Flash your headlights over and over until it has gone by
Show answer

Answer C: Keep right in your lane and ease off the gas a little

Staying in your own lane and easing off shortens the pass without forcing you onto a soft shoulder or into the truck's path.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
You are descending a long steep grade with a loaded truck close behind you. What should you do?
1. Hold a steady speed and let it pass when it can
2. Tap the brakes several times to warn the driver to fall back
3. Move to the left lane and match its speed until the grade ends
4. Stop on the shoulder and wait until the truck has gone past
Show answer

Answer A: Hold a steady speed and let it pass when it can

Gravity pushes a loaded truck downhill and it cannot slow quickly, so give it a predictable speed and room to get by rather than braking in front of it.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
A sign on a long downgrade points to a runaway vehicle ramp. What is that ramp for?
1. Trucks that are required to stop and check brakes at the top
2. Slow vehicles of any kind that want to let faster traffic by
3. Trucks that have lost braking ability on the grade
4. Vehicles waiting to enter a weigh station further down the hill
Show answer

Answer C: Trucks that have lost braking ability on the grade

A runaway ramp is an escape lane of loose material that stops a heavy vehicle whose brakes have overheated or failed, so it must always be left clear.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
A loaded truck is coming up an entrance ramp as you approach in the right lane of the freeway. What is the most helpful action?
1. Adjust your speed to open a gap for it
2. Hold your exact speed, because the merging driver must fit in behind
3. Pull onto the shoulder for a moment so the ramp lane stays clear
4. Accelerate hard and get past the ramp before the truck reaches it
Show answer

Answer A: Adjust your speed to open a gap for it

A heavy vehicle accelerates slowly, so opening a gap or moving over costs you seconds and saves the truck driver from being forced to stop on the ramp.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
A city transit bus at a stop ahead of you switches on its left signal. What should you do?
1. Keep your speed, because the bus must wait for the lane to clear
2. Pass it quickly on the right before it can move away from the curb
3. Stop level with the bus and wave the driver out into your lane
4. Slow and let the bus pull back into traffic
Show answer

Answer D: Slow and let the bus pull back into traffic

A bus needs a long gap to rejoin traffic, and yielding to a signaling transit bus keeps the whole line of traffic moving safely.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Where are children in the greatest danger around a school bus?
1. Inside the bus while the door is open and the engine is running
2. In the roadway right around the bus, especially in front
3. In the lane beside the bus, where traffic has already stopped
4. Directly behind the bus, which the driver's mirrors cannot cover
Show answer

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.

Source: nhtsa.gov
How should you follow a school bus in traffic?
1. Far enough back to see its lights and stop in time
2. Close behind, so that no other driver can cut in between you
3. Beside it in the next lane, where you can watch its doors open
4. At the same distance you would keep behind a passenger car
Show answer

Answer A: Far enough back to see its lights and stop in time

A school bus stops often and with little warning, so a longer following distance gives you time to see the lights come on and stop clear of it.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Why are motorcycles so often missed by other drivers?
1. They are ridden without any lights during the daytime hours
2. They usually travel far below the speed of surrounding traffic
3. Their narrow shape is easily hidden in traffic
4. They are always positioned at the very center of their lane
Show answer

Answer C: Their narrow shape is easily hidden in traffic

A motorcycle presents a narrow outline that disappears behind pillars, mirrors and other vehicles, and it is harder to judge its speed and distance.

Source: nhtsa.gov
How much following distance should you keep behind a motorcycle?
1. The same two second gap you would keep behind a car
2. Close enough that no other driver can move in between you
3. At least three to four seconds
4. One car length for each ten miles per hour of your speed
Show answer

Answer C: At least three to four seconds

A motorcycle can slow or stop very quickly and is easily upset by a surprise, so allow three to four seconds instead of the usual car gap.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Why can a motorcycle ahead of you slow down without any warning light showing?
1. The brake light works only when the front brake is applied
2. The rider may slow by downshifting or rolling off
3. A motorcycle cannot slow at all without using its brakes
4. The tail light flashes on its own whenever the bike slows
Show answer

Answer B: The rider may slow by downshifting or rolling off

Riders often lose speed by closing the throttle or changing down, which does not switch on the brake light, so watch the machine itself and keep back.

Source: nhtsa.gov
A motorcycle ahead of you is weaving slightly as it crosses a stretch of grooved pavement. What should you do?
1. Close up so the rider knows that you are waiting to pass
2. Pass at once while the rider is busy with the road surface
3. Sound your horn so the rider returns to the center of the lane
4. Give the rider extra room until the surface improves
Show answer

Answer D: Give the rider extra room until the surface improves

Grooves, metal plates and loose material affect a motorcycle far more than a car, so back off and let the rider deal with the surface.

Source: nhtsa.gov
What is the safest way to pass a bicyclist on a road with two lanes going your way?
1. Stay in your lane and slip past close beside the rider
2. Straddle the lane line so half the car stays in your lane
3. Sound your horn on the approach so the rider moves right
4. Change lanes completely, as you would for a car
Show answer

Answer D: Change lanes completely, as you would for a car

A bicycle is entitled to the room a vehicle needs, and moving into the next lane gives the rider space to swerve around a drain or a pothole.

Source: nhtsa.gov
A bicyclist ahead of you puts the left arm straight out to the side. What is being signaled?
1. A stop at the intersection just ahead of the rider
2. A left turn or a move to the left
3. An invitation for you to come past on the left side
4. A warning about a hazard for riders following behind
Show answer

Answer B: A left turn or a move to the left

The left arm held straight out is the bicycle signal for a left turn, so hold back and give the rider room to cross toward the center.

Source: nhtsa.gov
You are driving through a neighborhood where several children are riding bicycles. What should you do?
1. Expect them to obey the same rules that adult riders follow
2. Sound the horn well ahead so they move onto the sidewalk
3. Slow down and expect sudden, unpredictable moves
4. Pass close and quickly so you spend less time beside them
Show answer

Answer C: Slow down and expect sudden, unpredictable moves

Young riders lack the judgment and the mirror habits of adults and may swerve or cross without looking, so lower speed is your only reliable margin.

Source: nhtsa.gov
You come up behind a group of cyclists riding two abreast on a narrow rural road. What should you do?
1. Wait for a clear stretch and pass them as one group
2. Pass between them, because a bicycle is not a full vehicle
3. Move up close behind them and use the horn to signal a pass
4. Squeeze by inside the lane, since they have to ride single file
Show answer

Answer A: Wait for a clear stretch and pass them as one group

Passing a group as a single unit when the way ahead is clear is safer than several rushed passes, and cutting through the group leaves nobody any escape room.

Source: nhtsa.gov
You are backing out of a driveway that crosses a public sidewalk. What should you do?
1. Cross the sidewalk slowly and stop at the edge of the street
2. Rely on the backup camera, which shows the whole sidewalk area
3. Stop before the sidewalk and check both ways
4. Sound the horn once and then back out to the curb line
Show answer

Answer C: Stop before the sidewalk and check both ways

Walkers, runners and riders use the sidewalk at speeds that can bring them into your path in a second, so the stop and the look belong before the sidewalk, not after it.

Source: nhtsa.gov
You are driving on a rural road with no sidewalk. Where should you expect to meet pedestrians?
1. Walking toward you on your side of the road
2. Walking the same way as traffic on your side of the road
3. Only on the shoulder of the road on the opposite side
4. Nowhere, because walking on a rural road is not permitted
Show answer

Answer A: Walking toward you on your side of the road

Where there is no sidewalk, pedestrians are taught to walk facing traffic, so they appear on your side of the road coming toward you.

Source: nhtsa.gov
It is dusk and a jogger in dark clothing is running along the edge of the road. What should you do?
1. Keep the high beams on constantly so runners can see you
2. Assume the runner will hear you and step off the pavement
3. Sound the horn each time you come up behind a runner
4. Slow down and scan the edges of the road
Show answer

Answer D: Slow down and scan the edges of the road

Dusk is the hardest light for spotting people, and dark clothing removes most of your warning, so lower speed and a careful scan of the roadsides are the answer.

Source: nhtsa.gov
A person using a wheelchair is waiting to cross at a corner ahead. How should you treat that person?
1. As a slow vehicle that you may pass when the way is clear
2. As a pedestrian with the right of way at the crossing
3. As a pedestrian who must wait until all traffic has cleared
4. As a vehicle that has to yield to traffic already on the road
Show answer

Answer B: As a pedestrian with the right of way at the crossing

A wheelchair or a mobility scooter user has the rights of a pedestrian, so yield the whole crossing and wait until the crossing is finished.

Source: nhtsa.gov
Study tip. When two answers both seem legal, pick the one that is safer for everyone on the road. That is how most tests are written.
A person in a wheelchair is traveling in the roadway because the sidewalk is blocked by construction. What should you do?
1. Sound your horn so the person returns to the sidewalk
2. Pass slowly with plenty of room, or wait
3. Follow closely until the sidewalk becomes usable again
4. Pass at your normal speed, since the person is off to the side
Show answer

Answer B: Pass slowly with plenty of room, or wait

A blocked sidewalk leaves the person no choice but the road, and a chair cannot move aside quickly, so pass wide and slow or wait for room.

Source: nhtsa.gov
You are traveling at 55 mph on a rural road and come up behind a horse-drawn buggy. What is the main danger?
1. Its lamps are too bright to see past when it is getting dark
2. It will move onto the shoulder as soon as you appear behind it
3. Its wheels throw up gravel that can crack your windshield
4. You close on it very quickly because it moves at walking pace
Show answer

Answer D: You close on it very quickly because it moves at walking pace

A buggy travels only a few miles an hour, so the gap closes far faster than drivers expect and there is very little time to brake once you see it.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
A piece of farm machinery ahead of you is wider than its own lane. What should you do?
1. Pass on the shoulder while the machine keeps to the center
2. Follow closely so oncoming drivers see you waiting to pass
3. Hold back until you can see far enough to pass safely
4. Pass right away, since the machine has to yield the roadway
Show answer

Answer C: Hold back until you can see far enough to pass safely

Wide equipment leaves no gap inside the lane and may use part of the other side, so a pass needs a long clear view of the road ahead.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
You are traveling at 55 mph and see a vehicle ahead moving at about 15 mph. What is the hazard?
1. You reach it far sooner than you expect
2. Your brakes are likely to fade before you get to it
3. The slow vehicle has to pull off the road immediately
4. You will be forced to pass inside a no-passing zone
Show answer

Answer A: You reach it far sooner than you expect

At a 40 mph difference you cover the gap in a few seconds, which is why drivers strike slow vehicles they saw in plenty of time.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
You are behind a snow plow working on a highway. What is the correct way to drive?
1. Pass on the right, where the plow has already cleared the road
2. Follow closely in the cleared track to get the best traction
3. Stay well back and do not try to pass it
4. Pass on the left, because the plow always works the right side
Show answer

Answer C: Stay well back and do not try to pass it

A plow throws snow, runs wider than its body and works on the poor surface ahead of it, so the cleared road behind it is the safest place to be.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
A truck ahead of you is spreading salt or grit on the road. What should you do?
1. Stay close so the treated surface is under your tires
2. Drop back so the material does not reach your car
3. Pass quickly before the spreader reaches your side of the lane
4. Move into the untreated lane beside it for better traction
Show answer

Answer B: Drop back so the material does not reach your car

Spreaders throw material backward and sideways, and following close means stone chips and a screen full of spray, so leave extra distance.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
You are approaching a refuse collection truck working along your street. What should you expect?
1. The truck to pull aside as soon as you come up behind it
2. The crew to wave you through when the way is clear ahead
3. A clear lane, because the crew works only from the sidewalk
4. Workers stepping into the road around the truck
Show answer

Answer D: Workers stepping into the road around the truck

Collection crews move constantly between the truck and the curb, often from where you cannot see them, so slow right down and pass only when the whole area is clear.

Source: fmcsa.dot.gov
An emergency vehicle is stopped on the shoulder ahead with its lights flashing. What does the move over principle require?
1. Keep your speed but move to the far edge of your own lane
2. Stop in the travel lane until a responder waves you through
3. Pull onto the shoulder behind it and wait for it to leave
4. Change lanes away from it, or slow down if you cannot
Show answer

Answer D: Change lanes away from it, or slow down if you cannot

Move over laws ask you to give responders an empty lane, and where traffic or a two-lane road makes that impossible, you slow down instead.

Source: ops.fhwa.dot.gov
A tow truck with flashing amber lights is loading a car on the shoulder ahead. How should you treat it?
1. Ignore the amber lights, which carry no meaning for traffic
2. Give it the same room as an emergency vehicle
3. Stop behind it and wait until the car has been loaded up
4. Sound your horn as you pass to warn the operator you are there
Show answer

Answer B: Give it the same room as an emergency vehicle

Tow operators, utility crews and highway workers face the same danger from passing traffic, so move over or slow down for their flashing amber lights too.

Source: ops.fhwa.dot.gov
In a work zone a flagger signals you to stop, but the sign beside the road says the lane is open. What should you do?
1. Obey the sign, because signs outrank a flagger's paddle
2. Obey the signal lights, which the flagger cannot override
3. Obey the flagger
4. Follow whichever instruction keeps the traffic line moving
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Answer C: Obey the flagger

A flagger controls the work zone in real time and the instruction outranks the signs and markings, which cannot reflect what is happening at that moment.

Source: ops.fhwa.dot.gov
You have entered a work zone where crews are working close to the open lane. What should you do?
1. Slow down and be ready for workers and machines
2. Keep the normal speed, since barriers protect the workers
3. Watch the workers closely so you can see what they will do
4. Change lanes at the last moment to keep the merge area clear
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Answer A: Slow down and be ready for workers and machines

Workers and equipment cross the open lane without warning in a work zone, so reduced speed and attention on the road ahead are what keep them safe.

Source: ops.fhwa.dot.gov