MO DMV Weather and Hazardous Conditions 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When driving on a wet road in Missouri, at approximately what speed can hydroplaning begin to occur?
- 35 mph (Correct answer)
- 50 mph
- 65 mph
- 70 mph
Correct answer: 35 mph
Hydroplaning can begin at speeds as low as 35 mph when tires ride on a film of water instead of the road surface.
Question 2: If your vehicle begins to hydroplane, what should you do first?
- Ease off the accelerator and avoid braking hard (Correct answer)
- Brake firmly to slow down quickly
- Steer sharply toward the shoulder
- Shift into neutral and coast
Correct answer: Ease off the accelerator and avoid braking hard
Easing off the gas lets the tires regain contact with the road, while hard braking or sharp steering can cause a skid.
Question 3: In fog, why should you use low-beam headlights instead of high beams?
- High beams reflect off the fog and reduce your visibility (Correct answer)
- Low beams use less battery power
- High beams are illegal at all times in Missouri
- Low beams warm the windshield faster
Correct answer: High beams reflect off the fog and reduce your visibility
High-beam light bounces off water droplets in fog and glares back at the driver, making it harder to see.
Question 4: Which road surfaces freeze first when temperatures drop?
- Bridges and overpasses (Correct answer)
- Gravel shoulders
- Asphalt in shaded parking lots
- Concrete intersections
Correct answer: Bridges and overpasses
Bridges and overpasses freeze first because cold air circulates both above and below the road surface.
Question 5: How much should you increase your following distance when driving on snow-covered or icy roads?
- To at least 8-10 seconds (Correct answer)
- Keep the normal 2-second gap
- To about 3 seconds
- Following distance does not matter on ice
Correct answer: To at least 8-10 seconds
Stopping distances on ice can be up to ten times longer than on dry pavement, so a much larger gap is needed.
Question 6: What is 'black ice' and where is it most likely to form?
- A thin, nearly invisible ice layer that often forms on shaded areas and bridges (Correct answer)
- Dark-colored ice made from oil and water mixing
- Thick ice that only forms on gravel roads
- Ice that appears only during daylight hours
Correct answer: A thin, nearly invisible ice layer that often forms on shaded areas and bridges
Black ice is a thin, transparent layer of ice that takes on the pavement's color, commonly forming in shade and on bridges.
Question 7: If heavy rain suddenly makes it impossible to see the road ahead, the safest action is to:
- Pull completely off the road, stop, and turn on your emergency flashers (Correct answer)
- Stop in your travel lane with headlights on
- Speed up to get through the storm faster
- Follow the taillights ahead of you closely
Correct answer: Pull completely off the road, stop, and turn on your emergency flashers
When visibility drops to near zero, pulling safely off the roadway and using hazard lights prevents collisions.
MO DMV Weather and Hazardous Conditions 2
When driving on a wet road in Missouri, at approximately what speed can hydroplaning begin to occur?