TCOLE Traffic Law and Enforcement 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under Texas law, a non-commercial driver's license is automatically suspended if the holder is convicted of certain drug offenses even if no vehicle was involved. The suspension period for a first offense is:
- 90 days
- 180 days (Correct answer)
- 1 year
- 2 years
Correct answer: 180 days
Texas Transportation Code §521.372 mandates a 180-day suspension for a first drug conviction, even if unrelated to driving.
Question 2: A Texas officer stops a vehicle and discovers the driver's license is suspended. The officer should be aware that driving while license invalid (DWLI) is classified as:
- A Class A misdemeanor
- A Class B misdemeanor (Correct answer)
- A Class C misdemeanor
- A state jail felony
Correct answer: A Class B misdemeanor
Texas Transportation Code §521.457 classifies driving while license is invalid as a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.
Question 3: Under Texas Transportation Code, how close to a fire hydrant may a vehicle legally park?
- 5 feet
- 10 feet
- 15 feet (Correct answer)
- 20 feet
Correct answer: 15 feet
Texas Transportation Code §545.302 prohibits parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
Question 4: A Texas officer encounters a driver who appears intoxicated but refuses field sobriety tests. The officer's BEST next step under Texas law is to:
- Release the driver with a warning since no FSTs were completed
- Conduct a standardized walk-and-turn test over the driver's objection
- Establish probable cause through other observations and request a statutory blood draw (Correct answer)
- Cite the driver for refusal and release
Correct answer: Establish probable cause through other observations and request a statutory blood draw
FSTs are voluntary; however, an officer may rely on other observations (odor, speech, eyes, driving behavior) to establish probable cause and invoke implied consent for chemical testing.
Question 5: Under Texas Transportation Code §545.351, the 'reasonable and prudent speed' standard means a driver must:
- Never exceed the posted speed limit under any circumstances
- Drive at a speed that accounts for conditions including weather, visibility, and traffic (Correct answer)
- Maintain the minimum posted speed at all times
- Follow the speed of surrounding traffic regardless of conditions
Correct answer: Drive at a speed that accounts for conditions including weather, visibility, and traffic
Texas applies an absolute speed limit AND a basic rule requiring drivers to operate at a speed reasonable for existing conditions, even below the posted limit.
Question 6: Which of the following correctly describes the legal duty of a driver involved in a crash that results only in property damage in Texas?
- Stop, render aid, and report to the nearest police station within 48 hours
- Stop, give name and address, and show proof of insurance to the other party or police (Correct answer)
- Notify the TxDOT directly within 24 hours and remain at the scene
- Only stop if the damage exceeds $1,000
Correct answer: Stop, give name and address, and show proof of insurance to the other party or police
Texas Transportation Code §550.023 requires a driver in a property-damage crash to stop, provide identifying information, and show proof of financial responsibility.
Question 7: Under Texas law, a TCOLE-licensed officer who observes a vehicle with an expired registration that is more than how many months past due may authorize the vehicle to be towed?
- 1 month
- 3 months
- 6 months (Correct answer)
- 12 months
Correct answer: 6 months
Texas Transportation Code §502.409 authorizes an officer to have a vehicle towed if its registration is expired by more than six months.
TCOLE Traffic Law and Enforcement 5
Under Texas law, a non-commercial driver's license is automatically suspended if the holder is convicted of certain drug offenses even if no vehicle was involved.
The suspension period for a first offense is: