MN DVS MN DVS Special Driving Conditions 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In Minnesota winter conditions, how should a driver handle braking on icy roads?
- Brake hard and fast to stop quickly
- Apply steady, gentle pressure or use threshold braking on non-ABS vehicles (Correct answer)
- Pump the brakes continuously at all speeds
- Steer into the skid and accelerate
Correct answer: Apply steady, gentle pressure or use threshold braking on non-ABS vehicles
On icy roads, drivers should apply steady gentle pressure; on vehicles without ABS, threshold braking (just below lockup) provides the most control.
Question 2: What should a Minnesota driver do first if their vehicle begins to skid on ice?
- Apply the brakes firmly
- Steer in the direction the rear is sliding and ease off the gas (Correct answer)
- Accelerate to regain traction
- Shift to neutral immediately
Correct answer: Steer in the direction the rear is sliding and ease off the gas
To correct a skid, ease off the accelerator and steer gently in the direction the rear of the vehicle is sliding to regain control.
Question 3: In heavy fog in Minnesota, which lights should a driver use?
- High beams for maximum visibility
- Hazard lights only
- Low beams or fog lights (Correct answer)
- No lights — they reflect off the fog
Correct answer: Low beams or fog lights
Low beam headlights or fog lights should be used in heavy fog because high beams reflect off fog particles and reduce visibility further.
Question 4: When driving in heavy rain in Minnesota, what is hydroplaning and how should a driver respond?
- Tires grip extra hard — accelerate to maintain speed
- Tires lose contact with the road — ease off the gas and steer straight (Correct answer)
- The windshield fogs up — turn on the defroster
- The engine stalls — restart and continue
Correct answer: Tires lose contact with the road — ease off the gas and steer straight
Hydroplaning occurs when tires ride on a film of water and lose contact with the road — ease off the accelerator and steer straight until traction returns.
Question 5: What does Minnesota recommend drivers carry in their vehicle during winter months?
- A tire inflator and car polish
- An emergency kit with blankets, shovel, jumper cables, and sand or kitty litter (Correct answer)
- A portable heater and generator
- Only a cell phone for roadside assistance
Correct answer: An emergency kit with blankets, shovel, jumper cables, and sand or kitty litter
Minnesota recommends keeping a winter emergency kit including blankets, a small shovel, jumper cables, and sand or kitty litter for traction if stranded.
Question 6: In Minnesota, what does 'black ice' refer to, and why is it dangerous?
- Ice mixed with road tar that provides slight traction
- A thin, transparent ice layer that looks like wet pavement and provides almost no traction (Correct answer)
- Ice that forms only on black-paved surfaces
- Ice visible only under ultraviolet light
Correct answer: A thin, transparent ice layer that looks like wet pavement and provides almost no traction
Black ice is a thin, nearly transparent ice layer that makes the road appear merely wet, making it extremely dangerous because drivers don't recognize the hazard.
MN DVS MN DVS Special Driving Conditions 1
In Minnesota winter conditions, how should a driver handle braking on icy roads?