Alaska DMV Practice Test 16

When backing up, place your right arm on the back of the passenger seat and look directly through the rear window. Do not depend on your rearview or side mirrors as mirrors do not show directly behind your vehicle. Only drive in reverse at a low speed.

To prevent skidding on slippery surfaces, you should shift to a low gear before going down a steep hill. You should also follow farther behind the vehicle in front of you than you normally would. Quick stops should be avoided. Unless you have antilock brakes, pump the brakes to slow or stop.

You may drive more slowly than the posted speed limit, based on road conditions, but it is illegal to drive any faster than the posted speed limit. Some conditions which require reduced speed for safety include approaching curves or hills where visibility is limited, driving on slippery roads, and driving on roads where animals and pedestrians are present.

Any time that you merge into city or highway traffic, you should wait for a gap in traffic large enough for your vehicle to get up to the speed of other traffic.

On rainy, snowy, or foggy days, it may be difficult for other drivers to see your vehicle. Under these conditions, headlights make your vehicle easier to see. If the weather requires you to turn on your windshield wipers, you must also turn on your low beam headlights.

While airbags provide supplemental protection for adults in the event of a crash, they pose a severe safety risk for children. Anyone age 12 or under should sit in the back seat of a vehicle with airbags.

To do your part to prevent road rage, you should follow laws, signs, signals, and pavement markings. Always signal your intention when changing lanes.

You should avoid looking toward the bright lights of an oncoming vehicle by glancing toward the right side of the road. After looking briefly toward the side of the road, continue looking ahead to check on the position of the other vehicle.

Remember that all medications, prescription or over-the-counter, are potentially dangerous and could impair your driving. Over-the-counter medicines that you take for colds and allergies can make you drowsy and affect your driving ability. It is your responsibility to know how your medication affects your ability to drive.

When driving, do not develop a fixed stare. Frequently check your rearview mirrors so you know the positions of vehicles near you.

Use high beam headlights only when driving in rural areas and when other cars are not nearby. Lower your headlights to their low beam setting when you are following closely behind another driver.

Driving above the speed limit, driving too far below the speed limit, and driving too fast for conditions are all actions that commonly contribute to traffic accidents. Always drive with the general flow of traffic, within legal speed limits.

If you come across a “No passing zone” sign, it is not legal to pass in the indicated area. You are likely driving in an area with restricted visibility where it would be unsafe to pass another vehicle.

When encountering a flashing yellow light at an intersection, you should slow down and proceed with caution. You do not need to come to a complete stop when approaching a flashing yellow light.

Regulatory signs provide notice to road users of traffic laws that must be obeyed. Where this sign is present, drivers must drive in the direction indicated by the arrow.

A driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle may be impaired at any BAC level, even a level lower than the legal limit. Any amount of alcohol can affect one’s judgment and physical coordination. Driving under the influence of even a small amount of alcohol can lead to criminal charges.

You should always change lanes gradually and carefully. Only change lanes when necessary. Every lane change increases the possibility of a traffic accident.

Before changing lanes, you should check your side mirrors and look over your shoulder to make sure it is safe to proceed.

It is important to remember that driving is a privilege and that all drivers play a role in ensuring that everyone remains safe on the roadways. If you prove to be abusive of that privilege, the privilege may be revoked.

This sign warns of a reverse curve in which the road curves to the right, then to the left.

As driving speeds increase, the chance of a fatality in the case of a collision increases. If you are going faster than 80 miles per hour, you have almost no chance of living through a crash. The speed you drive affects your stopping distance, so you should increase your following distance as you increase your speed.

When passing, you should not return to your original lane until you can see both headlights of the passed vehicle in your rearview mirror. Always check your blind spots before moving back into your original lane.

On cold, wet days, shaded spots on a roadway can become icy. Shaded areas often freeze before, and thaw out after, the rest of a road.

If your vehicle leaves the roadway, hold the steering wheel firmly, release the gas pedal, and gently apply the brakes. Wait until your speed has reduced, check the traffic, and look for a place to safely return to the roadway by merging back into traffic. Overcompensating by jerking the wheel to return to the roadway can cause you to lose control of your vehicle or may cause your car to go into other lanes of traffic.

A diamond-shaped yellow sign warns of possible danger ahead. Orange signs, which are mostly diamond-shaped, are used to warn of possible dangers in or near work areas.

If you approach a stopped school bus that has its lights flashing and arm extended, you must come to a full stop and remain stopped until the signal arm is pulled back and the bus resumes motion. This law applies whether you are traveling in the same direction as the bus or if you are approaching from the opposite side of the street.

This sign indicates that the road ahead may be slippery when wet.

When passing another vehicle on its left, you may move back into the right lane when the headlights of the passed vehicle can be seen in your rearview mirror. Always signal before changing lanes.

Pavement on bridges and overpasses can become icy even when other surrounding pavement is dry. Bridges often freeze before, and thaw out after, the rest of a road.

When changing lanes, glance over your shoulder to check for traffic in your blind spot. You may need to look several times before changing lanes. You must keep track of what traffic is doing in front of you as well as what traffic is doing in the lane next to you.

You should always signal when moving your vehicle to the right or left. On an interstate, you should stay in the right lane if you are moving more slowly than the surrounding traffic. It is illegal to back up or make a U-turn on interstate highways, so if you miss your exit, you should proceed to the next exit.

When a protected turn arrow changes from green to yellow, drivers must prepare to yield to oncoming traffic. A yellow arrow indicates that the protected left turn is ending.

A five-sided sign indicates that you are near a school. Be aware and stop if children are in the crosswalk.

This sign indicates that U-turns are prohibited.

When making any turn, turn from the lane closest to the direction you wish to travel into the first available legal lane. On a turn from a two-way to a one-way street, this means you should turn into the first lane.

To avoid the dangers of fatigued driving, take breaks every hour or so during a long trip. If possible, share driving responsibilities with another person so you can each sleep while the other person drives.

When approaching this sign, you must yield the right-of-way. Slow down and let vehicles and pedestrians crossing your path pass before you proceed. If necessary, stop before going ahead.

Large trucks take longer to stop than other vehicles traveling at the same speed. The average passenger vehicle traveling at 55 mph can stop within 400 feet. However, a large truck traveling at the same speed can take almost 800 feet to stop.

Downward-facing triangular signs mean drivers must yield. When approaching a yield sign, slow down to a speed that is reasonable for existing conditions and stop if necessary. If you must stop, do so at a marked stop line, if it exists.

Drivers making left turns must yield to oncoming traffic that is traveling straight. Drivers must always yield to pedestrians.

When turning left at an intersection, yield the right-of-way to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. Once the intersection is clear and applicable signals allow, you may complete the turn.

Diamond-shaped signs are used to warn of actual or possible hazards. The color orange is used for warning signs usually found in construction or maintenance areas.

Use your low beams when driving in fog, snow, rain, or mist. Light from high beams will reflect off of precipitation, causing a glare and making it even more difficult to see. Some vehicles are equipped with fog lights that should be used in addition to low beam headlights.

Use your right foot for both braking and accelerating. You should apply the brakes gently with increasing pressure so that your vehicle stops gradually and smoothly.

If you are entering interstate traffic from an entrance or acceleration ramp, yield to drivers already on the interstate. Merge safely into traffic when you are able to do so.

When making a left turn, you should always begin signaling about 100 feet before the turn. You should keep your front wheels aiming straight ahead until it is safe to start your turn. This ensures that you will not be pushed into oncoming traffic if another vehicle hits you from behind.

If your vehicle is hit from the rear while you are in forward motion, your body will be thrown backward. Brace yourself by pressing against the back of your seat and putting your head against the head restraint to prevent whiplash. Maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel and be ready to apply your brakes to avoid being pushed into another vehicle.

Drivers should not park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. Drivers should only park where it is legal to do so and where other drivers can clearly see their stopped vehicle.

A round sign means you are approaching a railroad crossing. This sign is posted a few hundred feet in front of the tracks and tells drivers to slow down, look, listen, and prepare to stop.

Pedestrians have the right-of-way at street crossings but must obey traffic control signals. Where a traffic signal is not present, vehicles must stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk, whether it is marked or unmarked.