Texas DPS Driver's License Knowledge Test — Questions and Answers

Question 1: A Texas driver involved in an at-fault crash that causes $30,000 in property damage but only carries the minimum $25,000 coverage — who pays the $5,000 difference?

No one; the victim absorbs the loss
The state of Texas covers the gap
The at-fault driver is personally liable (Correct answer)
The victim's own insurance always covers the rest

Correct answer: The at-fault driver is personally liable

When damages exceed your liability limits, you are personally responsible for the remaining amount.

Question 2: Texas law requires headlights to be turned on from sunset to sunrise and also when:

Visibility is less than 1,000 feet due to weather conditions (Correct answer)
Only in complete darkness on rural roads
Driving on any highway regardless of time
Only when it is actively raining

Correct answer: Visibility is less than 1,000 feet due to weather conditions

Texas requires headlights whenever visibility is reduced to less than 1,000 feet due to weather such as fog, rain, dust, or smoke.

Question 3: When your battery warning light illuminates while driving, it typically means:

The battery is fully charged and working normally
The battery is too cold to function
The battery needs distilled water added to its cells
The charging system is not properly charging the battery (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The charging system is not properly charging the battery

The battery warning light usually signals a charging system failure — often a faulty alternator — meaning the battery is draining while you drive.

Question 4: In Texas, a green curb generally indicates:

Free all-day parking
Limited-time parking (Correct answer)
No parking at any time
Parking for the disabled only

Correct answer: Limited-time parking

Green curbs designate areas with limited-time parking, with the allowed duration usually posted on a sign nearby.

Question 5: When driving through a flooded road, you should:

Keep your windows up and doors locked
Follow a large truck through so it parts the water
Turn around — 'Turn Around, Don't Drown' (Correct answer)
Drive fast to minimize time in the water

Correct answer: Turn around — 'Turn Around, Don't Drown'

Just 6 inches of moving water can knock a person down, and 12 inches can carry away a small vehicle; the safest choice is always to turn around.

Question 6: Which of the following is TRUE about parking on a one-way street in Texas?

You may park on either side unless signs prohibit it (Correct answer)
You must always park facing traffic
You may only park on the right side
Parking on one-way streets is always prohibited

Correct answer: You may park on either side unless signs prohibit it

On one-way streets, Texas law generally permits parking on either side unless signs or curb markings indicate otherwise.

Question 7: When is it legal to park in a handicapped space?

When all other spaces are full
Only when displaying a valid handicapped placard or plate (Correct answer)
When making a quick stop of less than 5 minutes
When the handicapped space is unmarked

Correct answer: Only when displaying a valid handicapped placard or plate

Parking in a handicapped space is only legal with a valid disabled person placard or license plate. Violations result in significant fines.

Question 8: You are driving at night and an oncoming vehicle's high beams blind you. You should:

Flash your high beams repeatedly
Stare at the center line to stay in your lane
Look toward the right edge of the road (Correct answer)
Slow down and stop until your vision clears

Correct answer: Look toward the right edge of the road

Looking toward the right edge of the roadway prevents temporary blindness from oncoming lights while keeping you on course.

Question 9: A solid white line on the road means:

Oncoming traffic is nearby
You should not change lanes (Correct answer)
Pedestrian crossing ahead
You may pass when safe

Correct answer: You should not change lanes

A solid white line separates lanes of traffic moving in the same direction and discourages or prohibits lane changes.

Question 10: You are driving on a two-lane highway and want to pass a slow-moving farm vehicle. You should:

Use your horn to signal the farm vehicle to pull over
Pass on the right shoulder
Wait until you have a clear view and a passing zone, then yield to oncoming traffic (Correct answer)
Pass immediately if the farm vehicle is moving under 25 mph

Correct answer: Wait until you have a clear view and a passing zone, then yield to oncoming traffic

You should only pass when in a legal passing zone with a clear view ahead, and you must not cut off oncoming vehicles.

Question 11: What should you check regularly to ensure your vehicle is in good working condition?

Radio settings
Seat covers
Oil level (Correct answer)
Air conditioning

Correct answer: Oil level

Regularly checking your vehicle's oil level is essential for maintaining engine health. Engine oil lubricates moving parts, reduces friction, and helps dissipate heat, preventing costly damage and ensuring optimal performance. Low oil levels can lead to severe engine wear, overheating, or even complete engine failure.

Question 12: What is the posted speed limit in Texas residential areas when no other limit is shown?

20 mph
25 mph
30 mph (Correct answer)
35 mph

Correct answer: 30 mph

Texas sets the default speed limit in residential areas at 30 mph unless a local authority has posted a different limit.

Question 13: How does alcohol affect driving ability?

It only affects vision
It impairs judgment, reduces reaction time, and decreases coordination (Correct answer)
It improves confidence and therefore driving ability
It has no effect at low levels

Correct answer: It impairs judgment, reduces reaction time, and decreases coordination

Alcohol impairs multiple driving-related functions including judgment, reaction time, coordination, and perception, even at levels below the legal limit.

Question 14: How long do new Texas residents have to exchange their out-of-state driver's license for a Texas license after establishing residency?

90 days (Correct answer)
60 days
180 days
30 days

Correct answer: 90 days

New Texas residents must obtain a Texas driver's license within 90 days of establishing residency in the state.

Question 15: What is the recommended following distance behind another vehicle in ideal conditions?

1 second
3 seconds (Correct answer)
2 seconds
4 seconds

Correct answer: 3 seconds

The recommended following distance behind another vehicle in ideal conditions is the '3-second rule.' This means you should maintain enough space so that it takes at least three seconds to reach a fixed object after the vehicle in front of you passes it. This provides adequate time to react, brake, and stop safely if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows down or stops.

Question 16: A driver approaching an intersection where traffic signals are not working must:

Yield only to vehicles on the larger road
Treat the intersection as a four-way stop (Correct answer)
Proceed through at normal speed
Treat the intersection as having a green light

Correct answer: Treat the intersection as a four-way stop

When traffic signals are inoperative (dark), drivers must treat the intersection as a four-way stop.

Question 17: What does a solid yellow center line on a two-lane road mean for the lane beside it?

The lane is reserved for turning vehicles
Passing is permitted when safe
Passing is prohibited from that side (Correct answer)
Bicycles may use the lane

Correct answer: Passing is prohibited from that side

A solid yellow line beside your lane means you may not cross it to pass; only the dashed-side lane may pass when clear.

Question 18: In Texas, illegally passing a stopped school bus can result in a fine of up to how much for a first offense?

$2,500
$500
$200
$1,250 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: $1,250

A first offense for illegally passing a stopped school bus in Texas carries a fine of up to $1,250.

Question 19: When approaching a school bus with flashing red lights on a two-lane road, Texas law requires drivers in both directions to:

Change lanes away from the bus
Stop completely until lights stop flashing (Correct answer)
Honk to warn pedestrians
Slow to 20 mph

Correct answer: Stop completely until lights stop flashing

On a two-lane road, all traffic in both directions must stop until the school bus's red lights stop flashing.

Question 20: A slow-moving vehicle traveling less than 25 mph on a public road must display which marking?

A rotating amber beacon on the roof
Yellow flashing lights visible from 1,000 feet
A red flag on the highest point of the vehicle
An orange triangular slow-moving vehicle emblem on the rear (Correct answer)

Correct answer: An orange triangular slow-moving vehicle emblem on the rear

Vehicles that travel slower than 25 mph, like farm equipment, must display a fluorescent orange triangular SMV emblem on the rear.

Question 21: When should a defensive driver use their horn?

Whenever a light turns green
To signal they are passing on the right
To express frustration with slow drivers
To alert other drivers to a potential collision hazard (Correct answer)

Correct answer: To alert other drivers to a potential collision hazard

The horn is a safety device for alerting others to an imminent hazard, not for expressing frustration.

Question 22: Parking is prohibited on a bridge or elevated highway because:

Bridges cannot support parked weight
It is hard to see at night
It blocks emergency access and creates hazards for traffic (Correct answer)
Insurance does not cover bridge accidents

Correct answer: It blocks emergency access and creates hazards for traffic

Parking on bridges or overpasses blocks emergency vehicle access and creates dangerous obstructions for moving traffic.

Question 23: What is the danger of 'target fixation' when driving defensively?

Staring at mirrors and missing forward hazards
Looking at a hazard causes you to steer toward it (Correct answer)
Focusing on the speedometer too long
Looking at GPS while driving

Correct answer: Looking at a hazard causes you to steer toward it

Target fixation occurs when a driver stares at a hazard and unconsciously steers toward it instead of away from it.

Question 24: An advisory speed sign (yellow sign with a speed number) on a curve indicates:

A minimum speed required to maintain safe traffic flow
A school speed zone limit that applies during school hours
The recommended safe speed for the curve under normal conditions (Correct answer)
The maximum legal speed for all vehicles on that curve

Correct answer: The recommended safe speed for the curve under normal conditions

Yellow advisory speed signs on curves indicate the recommended safe speed under normal conditions; they are not legal maximum speed limits but are important safety guidance.

Question 25: What is the safest lane position on a multi-lane Texas highway under normal driving conditions?

Alternating lanes to avoid congestion
The far left passing lane
The right lane near the shoulder
The center lane to balance access and avoidance options (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The center lane to balance access and avoidance options

The center lane provides the most options for evasive maneuvers and reduces exposure to both merge conflicts and shoulder hazards.

Question 26: At what minimum age may a Texas resident apply for a learner's license?

15 years old (Correct answer)
14 years old
16 years old
17 years old

Correct answer: 15 years old

Texas teens may apply for a learner's license at age 15 as the first step in the state's graduated driver licensing (GDL) program.

Question 27: What is the annual Driver Responsibility Program surcharge for a first DWI conviction in Texas?

$1,500 for 3 years
$1,000 for 3 years (Correct answer)
$2,000 for 3 years
$500 for 1 year

Correct answer: $1,000 for 3 years

A first DWI conviction triggers a $1,000 annual surcharge for three years under Texas's Driver Responsibility Program.

Question 28: Under Texas law, a driver must use headlights when visibility is reduced to less than how many feet?

750 feet
500 feet
300 feet
1,000 feet (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 1,000 feet

Texas law requires headlights when you cannot clearly see persons or vehicles for at least 1,000 feet.

Question 29: In Texas, which of the following vehicles is NOT covered under the 'Move Over' law?

Ambulances with red lights
Tow trucks with amber lights
Police vehicles with blue lights
Delivery trucks parked at loading zones (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Delivery trucks parked at loading zones

The Move Over law applies to vehicles with flashing warning lights stopped on roadways, not to ordinary delivery trucks at loading zones.

Question 30: Which condition causes most weather-related traffic deaths in Texas each year?

Rain and wet roads (Correct answer)
Dust storms
High winds
Ice and snow

Correct answer: Rain and wet roads

Rain and wet roads account for more traffic fatalities in Texas than any other weather hazard because of how frequently they occur and the reduced traction they cause.

Texas DPS Driver's License Knowledge Test

The Texas Department of Public Safety written knowledge test evaluates applicants on Texas traffic laws, road signs, safe driving practices, and vehicle operation rules required to obtain a Texas driver's license.

Questions

60 min

Time Limit

70%

To Pass

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