TEA Traffic Enforcement Agent Written Comprehension 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A TEA's written procedures state: 'If a motorist becomes verbally aggressive, disengage and contact your supervisor.' A driver begins shouting at the TEA. What is the correct first step?
- Raise your voice to assert authority
- Disengage from the confrontation and contact the supervisor (Correct answer)
- Arrest the driver for disorderly conduct
- Continue issuing the summons and ignore the driver
Correct answer: Disengage from the confrontation and contact the supervisor
Written procedure requires disengaging from verbal aggression and notifying a supervisor for safety and protocol compliance.
Question 2: A sign reads: 'TOW-AWAY ZONE — NO STOPPING ANY TIME.' An ambulance is parked there while crew attends to a nearby emergency. Should the TEA issue a summons?
- Yes, because no exceptions are stated on the sign
- No, because emergency vehicles responding to emergencies are generally exempt by law (Correct answer)
- Yes, but only if the ambulance has been there more than 15 minutes
- No, but the TEA should call for a tow truck
Correct answer: No, because emergency vehicles responding to emergencies are generally exempt by law
Emergency vehicles actively responding to an emergency are legally exempt from most parking and stopping restrictions.
Question 3: In a written comprehension exercise, the passage states: 'Agents should issue summonses based on observable facts, not assumptions.' An agent sees a car near a hydrant but cannot measure the distance. What should the agent do?
- Issue the summons based on visual estimation alone
- Use a measuring device or pacing method to confirm the distance before issuing (Correct answer)
- Assume a violation and issue the summons
- Ignore the situation since measurement tools are unavailable
Correct answer: Use a measuring device or pacing method to confirm the distance before issuing
Summonses must be based on confirmed observable facts, so the agent should verify the distance before issuing.
Question 4: A regulation states: 'Parking is prohibited within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.' An agent measures and finds the vehicle is parked 18 feet away. What is the correct action?
- Issue a summons because 18 feet is close to the limit
- Do not issue a summons; the vehicle is outside the prohibited zone (Correct answer)
- Issue a warning ticket only
- Have the vehicle moved to be safe
Correct answer: Do not issue a summons; the vehicle is outside the prohibited zone
Since the vehicle is 18 feet from the hydrant, it exceeds the 15-foot minimum clearance and is not in violation.
Question 5: A written policy reads: 'Agents may not void a summons once it has been affixed to a vehicle.' An agent realizes they noted the wrong license plate state on an already-affixed summons. What should the agent do?
- Remove the summons and write a new one
- Contact the supervisor and follow the correction procedure for summons errors (Correct answer)
- Leave it as is because states rarely matter
- Handwrite a correction directly on the summons
Correct answer: Contact the supervisor and follow the correction procedure for summons errors
Since agents cannot void affixed summonses on their own, they must follow the supervisor-directed correction procedure.
Question 6: A TEA reads a passage: 'Double parking is prohibited at all times on all city streets.' A driver claims they will return in two minutes. How should the TEA proceed?
- Allow it since the absence will be brief
- Issue a summons because double parking is prohibited at all times regardless of intent (Correct answer)
- Give a five-minute grace period
- Contact dispatch for guidance before acting
Correct answer: Issue a summons because double parking is prohibited at all times regardless of intent
The regulation contains no time-based exception, so a summons is appropriate regardless of the driver's stated intentions.
Question 7: According to a department memo, TEAs must record the time a summons is issued to the nearest minute. An agent records the time as an approximate range (e.g., '2:00-2:15 PM'). Is this compliant?
- Yes, a range is acceptable as long as it is close
- No, the memo requires recording the exact minute, not a range (Correct answer)
- Yes, if the range is under 30 minutes
- No, but only if the summons is contested
Correct answer: No, the memo requires recording the exact minute, not a range
The memo specifically requires time 'to the nearest minute,' which means a specific time, not a range, must be recorded.
TEA Traffic Enforcement Agent Written Comprehension 3
A TEA's written procedures state: 'If a motorist becomes verbally aggressive, disengage and contact your supervisor.' A driver begins shouting at the TEA.
What is the correct first step?