Weather and Hazardous Conditions Flashcards
7 cards from real NC DMV practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Weather and Hazardous Conditions flashcards as text
During a hurricane evacuation in North Carolina, some interstate lanes may be reversed. What does this 'contraflow' mean for drivers?
Answer: All lanes, including normal oncoming lanes, carry traffic away from the coast
During contraflow, both directions of the highway are used to move evacuation traffic inland, so follow signs and officers carefully.
You encounter a traffic signal that is completely dark because a storm knocked out power. How should you treat the intersection?
Answer: Treat it as a four-way stop
A dark traffic signal must be treated as a four-way stop, with drivers yielding by the usual right-of-way rules.
Why is it dangerous to use cruise control on wet, snowy, or icy roads?
Answer: It may keep applying power when the tires lose traction, making a skid worse
Cruise control can continue accelerating during a loss of traction, so it should never be used on slippery surfaces.
You see a snowplow ahead spreading salt on the highway. What is the safest way to deal with it?
Answer: Stay well back and pass only when you can see clearly that it is safe
Plows throw up snow clouds and spread material, and the road ahead of them is untreated, so keep back and pass with extreme care.
Heavy rain begins and traffic around you slows. A driver behind you is tailgating. What should you do?
Answer: Increase your own following distance and let the tailgater pass when possible
Extra space ahead gives you room to slow gradually, protecting both you and the tailgater from a chain collision.
In hot weather, what hazard can develop on asphalt roads during a long heat wave?
Answer: The surface can soften and bleed tar, reducing traction especially when rain follows
Extreme heat can soften asphalt and draw tar to the surface, creating slick spots that get worse with the first rain.
You must drive down a long, steep mountain grade on US-441 in wet conditions. What is the correct technique?
Answer: Shift to a lower gear and use engine braking instead of riding the brakes
A lower gear lets the engine control your speed and prevents the brakes from overheating and fading on a long descent.