MI DMV Vehicle Operation and Control 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does it mean when your vehicle's rear end swings out during a turn?
- Understeer
- Oversteer (fishtailing) (Correct answer)
- Tire blowout
- Brake fade
Correct answer: Oversteer (fishtailing)
Oversteer, also called fishtailing, occurs when the rear tires lose traction and the rear of the car swings outward.
Question 2: If you experience a front tire blowout while driving, you should:
- Brake hard immediately
- Grip the steering wheel firmly and let the vehicle slow gradually (Correct answer)
- Turn sharply to the nearest shoulder
- Shift into reverse to slow down
Correct answer: Grip the steering wheel firmly and let the vehicle slow gradually
Grip the wheel firmly to maintain directional control, ease off the gas, and let the car slow before carefully steering to the shoulder.
Question 3: In Michigan, when must you use your headlights?
- Only after midnight
- Whenever windshield wipers are in use and from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise (Correct answer)
- Only when visibility drops below 500 feet
- Only on interstate highways at night
Correct answer: Whenever windshield wipers are in use and from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise
Michigan law requires headlights from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise and whenever wipers are in use.
Question 4: When following a large truck or bus, where is the best position to drive?
- Directly behind so you are in their slipstream
- Far enough back so the driver can see you in their mirrors (Correct answer)
- Close behind and in the left lane
- Alongside the truck for better visibility
Correct answer: Far enough back so the driver can see you in their mirrors
Stay far enough back that the truck driver can see you in their mirrors — if you can't see their mirrors, they can't see you.
Question 5: What should you do if your brakes suddenly fail while driving?
- Turn the engine off immediately
- Pump the brake pedal, downshift, and use the parking brake gradually (Correct answer)
- Swerve into oncoming traffic to find an open lane
- Accelerate and try to outrun traffic
Correct answer: Pump the brake pedal, downshift, and use the parking brake gradually
Pump the brake pedal to build pressure, downshift to slow with the engine, and carefully apply the parking brake to stop.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes 'target fixation' and how it affects driving?
- Focusing on fuel economy instead of speed
- Steering toward the hazard you are staring at instead of away from it (Correct answer)
- Looking at your speedometer too often
- Setting cruise control to a fixed speed
Correct answer: Steering toward the hazard you are staring at instead of away from it
Target fixation causes drivers to unconsciously steer toward an object they stare at, so you should look where you want to go.
Question 7: When driving in fog, you should use:
- High-beam headlights for maximum visibility
- Low-beam headlights or fog lights (Correct answer)
- Hazard flashers as your only lights
- No lights so you can see better
Correct answer: Low-beam headlights or fog lights
Low beams or fog lights reduce glare reflection off fog particles; high beams scatter light and reduce visibility.
MI DMV Vehicle Operation and Control 3
What does it mean when your vehicle's rear end swings out during a turn?