Texas Practice Test

Texas Practice Test (25 questions). Correct answers and explanations are noted under each question.

1. 1. What does this warning sign tell a driver to expect on the road ahead?

   

   1. A shared crossing used by pedestrians and bicyclists (correct)
   2. A school crosswalk where children cross the road
   3. A bike lane beginning along the roadway
   4. A pedestrian-only crosswalk with no bikes

   Why: The W11-15 warns of a shared crossing where pedestrians and bicyclists may enter the roadway, usually where a sidepath or multi-use trail meets the road at one point. The school-crosswalk reading is the trap because the S1-1 school crossing sign carries the same fluorescent yellow-green background, so the color reads to some drivers as 'children crossing' when it actually flags any non-motorist crossing.

   Source: Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, sign W11-15 (Pedestrian and Bicycle Crossing).

2. 2. A 17-year-old Texas driver wants to take a phone call through a hands-free Bluetooth headset while driving. What does the GDL rule say?

   1. Hands-free devices are allowed only during daylight hours
   2. Hands-free devices are allowed once the six-month learner stage ends
   3. Hands-free devices are allowed for any driver under 18
   4. Hands-free devices are prohibited except in an emergency (correct)

   Why: Under 18, wireless devices (including hands-free ones) are off the table unless there is an emergency. Answer C is the trap because most adult Texas drivers may lawfully use a hands-free headset, and a 17-year-old who assumes the adult allowance also covers them misses that the GDL rule reaches further.

   Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Graduated Driver License (GDL) (Phase Two)," p.3.

3. 3. You have no white cloth to tie to your broken-down car. What does the manual tell you to do instead?

   1. Prop the driver's door open
   2. Turn on the interior dome light
   3. Open the trunk lid wide
   4. Raise the car's hood (correct)

   Why: The Texas manual lists raising the hood as the direct fallback when you don't have a white cloth. The dome-light answer traps readers who blur two nearby lines in the breakdown passage: the interior lights that go on at night on top of taillights and warning lights, and the separate step for when no white cloth is available.

   Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Vehicle Breakdown," p.48.

4. 4. You are driving with high beams on and see an oncoming vehicle in the distance. At what distance from that vehicle does the manual require you to switch to low beams?

   1. When the approaching vehicle first becomes visible on the horizon.
   2. Within 300 feet, the same as the close-following rule.
   3. Only if the other driver flashes their lights at you first.
   4. Within 500 feet of the approaching vehicle. (correct)

   Why: The manual sets the switch to low beams within 500 feet of an approaching vehicle. Option B is the trap; it swaps in the 300-foot figure from the close-following bullet printed immediately below in the same list.

   Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Chapter 9: Some Special Driving Situations - Headlights," p.47.

5. 5. What does this Cross Road sign warn a driver about the road ahead?

   

   1. A four-way intersection ahead where cross-traffic may enter from either side. (correct)
   2. A side road ahead that joins the main road from one side only.
   3. A T-intersection ahead where the road you are on ends.
   4. A divided road ends ahead and two-way traffic will resume.

   Why: Cross Road warns that another roadway crosses straight through the road ahead, so watch for vehicles entering or crossing from either side. The pull toward the side-road option comes from mixing this diamond up with the W2-2 Side Road warning, which flags a road that meets the highway from one side only rather than a full four-way crossing.

   Source: Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, sign W2-1 (Cross Road).

6. 6. A rectangular guide sign is mounted overhead directly above one lane of a Texas highway. According to the manual, what does the sign tell you about that lane?

   1. The lane exits ahead (correct)
   2. The lane is closed to trucks and RVs
   3. The lane merges with the next lane
   4. The lane is reserved for slower traffic

   Why: An overhead guide sign posted directly above a lane means that lane exits ahead. Option D is the trap: many drivers picture the far-right lane as the slow lane, and a driver who has been passed by faster traffic on the left reads any right-side lane marker as a slower-traffic instruction.

   Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Guide Signs," p.32.

7. 7. A yellow advisory speed sign is posted below a curve warning sign. According to the Texas manual, what does the speed number tell you?

   1. The minimum speed required for vehicles on the curve
   2. The highest speed you can safely travel around the curve (correct)
   3. The average speed of traffic recorded at the curve
   4. The maximum speed legally permitted on the curve

   Why: An advisory speed sign gives the highest speed at which you can safely travel around the curve ahead. Choice D is the trap because the yellow panel is easy to read as a legal limit; drivers do that when they overlook that Texas posts legal speed maximums on white regulatory signs, not yellow advisory ones.

   Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Chapter 5: Signals, Signs, and Markers - Regulatory and Warning Signs, Table 19," p.30.

8. 8. You see a pentagon-shaped sign along a Texas road. According to the manual, what does this shape indicate?

   1. No-passing zone advance
   2. General road hazard
   3. Railroad advance warning
   4. School advance or school crossing (correct)

   Why: The manual assigns the pentagon shape to school advance and school crossing signs. A driver seeing the pentagon knows to slow and look for children before reading a word. The trap is railroad advance warning: both the round railroad sign and the pentagon are 'advance' warnings that alert you to something coming, and a learner who remembers only 'advance warning' pulls the wrong target off the shape list.

   Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Chapter 5, Table 17: Signs by Shape," p.26.

9. 9. A broken white line runs along the right edge of the roadway between the through lane and an exit ramp. What does it permit a driver to do?

   

   1. Change lanes across it, into or out of the auxiliary lane, when safe. (correct)
   2. Stay in the through lane; the edge line marks a hard boundary.
   3. Pass slower through traffic on the right using the auxiliary lane.
   4. Drive on the paved shoulder outside the marked lanes.

   Why: A broken white edge line marks the boundary between a through lane and an auxiliary lane like an exit ramp, and the broken pattern means you may cross it when it is safe, in either direction. A solid white edge line, by contrast, marks a crossing as discouraged, and double solid white lines mark it as prohibited. Drivers who first learned the shoulder edge line, a solid white marking the road's outer edge, often carry that 'do not cross' habit over to every white edge line and never stop to check whether this line's pattern is broken.

   Source: Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, marking 3B.06 (Broken White Edge Line).

10. 10. According to the seven steps for a safe turn in the Texas manual, when should you decide to make the turn?

    1. Once you reach the crosswalk
    2. Before you get to the turning point (correct)
    3. When you can see the cross street clearly
    4. At the last available moment to allow adjustments

    Why: The manual's first safe-turn step is to decide before you get to the turning point. Choice D restates the exact behavior the manual bans by name (a last-minute turn) and it looks tempting to a driver who values flexibility over commitment.

    Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Turning (Seven Steps)," p.39.

11. 11. The manual gives a rule of thumb for sharing the road with a tractor-trailer. It says if you cannot see the truck driver in the side mirror, what does that mean?

    1. You should flash your headlights
    2. You are in the driver's central vision
    3. You are following at a safe distance
    4. The driver cannot see you (correct)

    Why: The rule of thumb is: if you cannot see the truck driver in the side mirror, the driver cannot see you either. Move forward or drop back until the mirror shows the driver's face. Choice C confuses following distance with mirror visibility: a car can be well behind a rig and still sit in the trailer's rear blind spot the mirror never reaches.

    Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Following a Truck," p.51.

12. 12. When does the passing restriction created by this Do Not Pass sign end?

    

    1. When a Pass With Care sign or permissive pavement markings appear ahead. (correct)
    2. After you have driven 500 feet past the sign.
    3. When you reach the next intersection or cross street.
    4. When oncoming traffic clears and the road ahead looks empty.

    Why: The restriction runs from the sign forward and is lifted only by a Pass With Care sign or by permissive pavement markings. The tempting wrong choice is the one that lets a clear stretch of road end the restriction; a driver used to judging passing by sight distance reads Do Not Pass as advice to weigh against conditions, when it is a rule that stays in force until a later sign or marking cancels it.

    Source: Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, sign R4-1 (Do Not Pass).

13. 13. You are driving 25 mph on a Texas street with good road conditions. According to the manual, what is the minimum following interval behind the vehicle ahead of you?

    1. 4 seconds
    2. 1 second
    3. 2 seconds (correct)
    4. 3 seconds

    Why: On good road conditions at 30 mph or below, the manual sets 2 seconds as the minimum following interval. The manual also names a 4-second gap as best practice for a beginning or less experienced driver, but that is a recommended cushion, not the minimum this question asks about. A driver reading that best-practice line in A as if it were the required floor at every speed reaches for four seconds instead of the 2-second minimum the manual prints.

    Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Chapter 8: Speed and Speed Limits, Speed," p.45.

14. 14. According to the Texas manual, what are solid white lines used for on the pavement?

    1. Pavement edge lines and shoulder markings (correct)
    2. Dividing traffic moving in opposite directions
    3. Marking the center of a divided highway
    4. Marking a no-passing zone on rural highways

    Why: The manual says solid white lines are used for pavement edge lines, shoulder markings, channelizing, transitions, and lane use control. Drivers who pick a no-passing use are copying the solid yellow rule and swapping its color in, since 'solid' has come to stand for 'no passing' in their memory of two-way roads.

    Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Pavement Markings - Solid Lines," p.34.

15. 15. What must every driver license applicant complete before taking the driving exam, regardless of age group?

    1. An eight-hour behind-the-wheel log
    2. The Impact Texas Drivers (ITD) course (correct)
    3. A defensive driving certificate
    4. A CPR and first-aid training class

    Why: Every applicant must complete the Impact Texas Drivers (ITD) course appropriate for their age group before taking the driving exam. Choice C is the trap because defensive driving is the more familiar course name from insurance discounts and ticket dismissals, and drivers who don't recognize ITD reach for it instead.

    Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Impact Texas Drivers (ITD)," p.7.

16. 16. The Texas manual sets a minimum distance for parking away from a railroad crossing. How far from the nearest rail?

    1. 30 feet
    2. 75 feet
    3. 50 feet (correct)
    4. 20 feet

    Why: The Texas manual bars parking within fifty feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing. Thirty feet is the trap: a driver who read the 'do not park or stand' list one paragraph above pulls the thirty-foot approach-to-stop-sign figure across into the railroad rule, missing that the crossing sits in a stricter list of its own.

    Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Do Not Park a Vehicle," p.42.

17. 17. As you enter a Texas construction and maintenance work zone, the manual tells you to be prepared for what?

    1. Reduced enforcement of traffic laws
    2. Unexpected movements of workers and equipment (correct)
    3. Regular vehicles becoming emergency vehicles
    4. Suspension of stopping requirements

    Why: The manual names slowing or stopping for workers, changing lanes, and unexpected movements of workers and equipment as the things drivers must be ready for. Drivers pick 'reduced enforcement' because they read the disruption of normal driving as a signal that ordinary rules loosen, though the opposite is true: fines can double when workers are present.

    Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Construction and Maintenance Devices," p.35.

18. 18. According to the Texas manual, a pennant-shaped road sign gives advance warning of what?

    1. A school crossing
    2. A no-passing zone (correct)
    3. A railroad grade crossing
    4. A T-intersection

    Why: The manual assigns the pennant shape to advance warning of no-passing zones, which is why you see it on the left side of a two-lane road before the stripe changes. The trap is a railroad grade crossing: pennant is a rare shape most drivers cannot picture, so a learner defaults to another 'advance warning' target from the shape table and picks the railroad option.

    Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Chapter 5, Table 17: Signs by Shape," p.26.

19. 19. What is the legal BAC limit for a driver under 21 operating a vehicle in Texas?

    1. 0.08
    2. Zero (correct)
    3. 0.02
    4. 0.05

    Why: Texas allows zero detectable alcohol in a driver under 21. Landing on C applies an under-21 trace allowance seen in another state and assumes Texas prints the same tolerance.

    Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "The Number One Killer is Alcohol," p.55.

20. 20. What space does the manual recommend leaving between your car and a motorcycle when stopped at an intersection?

    1. Roughly ten feet at all times
    2. The same close spacing you leave behind a car
    3. About four feet of buffer space
    4. A full vehicle length (correct)

    Why: Manual page 53 tells drivers that a full vehicle length is recommended behind a motorcycle at intersections, signals, or crossings, because a rear-end hit from behind can otherwise push your car into the rider. Drivers who never think about the third-party push apply their normal car-to-car gap, which is the trap in choice B.

    Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Allow Plenty of Space When Following a Motorcycle," p.53.

21. 21. Another driver on a Texas road is passing you on the left. According to the manual, what should you do about your speed?

    1. Do not increase your speed. (correct)
    2. Match the passing car's new speed.
    3. Speed up so the pass ends sooner.
    4. Brake hard until the other car finishes.

    Why: The manual's first instruction when another vehicle is passing you is to hold your speed steady, stay in your lane, and if the lanes are unmarked, ease over to the right. The impatient reflex to close the gap is what makes C tempting, and it is the exact move the manual is telling you not to make.

    Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Chapter 6: Signaling, Passing, and Turning (When Another Vehicle is Passing)," p.39.

22. 22. A bicycle symbol topped by two white chevron arrows is painted in the middle of a travel lane. What does this marking tell a driver?

    

    1. Bicyclists share the lane with cars; expect bikes and pass with care. (correct)
    2. The lane is reserved for bicycles and closed to motor vehicles.
    3. Bicyclists must ride to the far right edge of the lane at all times.
    4. A bike route crosses the road ahead, so watch for cyclists from the side.

    Why: A sharrow tells drivers that bicyclists share the same travel lane. Pass only when you can give the rider a safe buffer, and change lanes if the lane is too narrow to share side by side. A bike lane is a separate bicycle space marked by lane lines; a sharrow sits in a general travel lane that bikes and cars share. The bike-only reading is the trap for drivers who spot the painted bike symbol and skip past the chevrons on top that mark the lane as shared.

    Source: Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, marking 3C.04 (Shared-Lane Marking (Sharrow)).

23. 23. You face a steady red light with a green arrow pointing right displayed at the same time. What does the Texas manual say you may do?

    1. Move in the arrow's direction after yielding to other traffic and pedestrians. (correct)
    2. Turn right without stopping since the arrow overrides the red signal.
    3. Stop and wait for the red light to change to green before turning.
    4. Proceed only if all cross traffic has already cleared the intersection.

    Why: A green arrow shown with a red allows a careful move in the arrow's direction after yielding the right-of-way to other vehicles and pedestrians. Option B is the trap for drivers who read any green arrow as absolute priority and drop the yielding step the manual writes into the rule.

    Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Traffic Signals (Green Arrow Displayed at the Same Time as a Red Light)," p.25.

24. 24. The Texas manual describes where to stop your vehicle before you begin backing into a parallel parking space. Where is that?

    1. Two car lengths past the space, with your hazard lights on
    2. Behind the car ahead with your rear bumper at the curb
    3. Even with the front of the car ahead, about two feet out from the space (correct)
    4. Straight in the space with your front wheels turned all the way right

    Why: The Texas manual tells you to signal, then stop even with the front of the car ahead, about two feet out from the space, before turning your wheels right and backing in. Two car lengths past the space is the trap: a driver applying a 'pull past then back in' habit from perpendicular parking is using the wrong maneuver's opening step for this one.

    Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Parallel Parking," p.43.

25. 25. Most construction and maintenance signs in a Texas work zone share what shape?

    1. Rectangle
    2. Diamond (correct)
    3. Circle
    4. Octagon

    Why: The manual states most construction and maintenance signs in work zones are diamond shaped, with only a few using rectangles. A driver who lands on A is reading the exception the manual notes ('a few are rectangular') as if it were the rule, treating those specific text-only work-zone signs as the norm.

    Source: Texas Driver Handbook, "Construction and Maintenance Signs," p.35.