Iowa CAR DMV Practice Test 20

Airbags are important safety devices that provide protection in crashes. For best protection, a vehicle's lap and shoulder belts should be used in combination with airbags.

The amount of space you need to cross traffic depends on the road conditions, weather conditions, and oncoming traffic.

You must approach all railroad crossings with extreme caution and cross only when you know that no train is coming from either direction. Be aware of vehicles that must stop at all railroad crossings, such as school buses and trucks carrying hazardous materials.

To prevent skidding on slippery surfaces, avoid especially slippery areas, such as ice patches, wet leaves, oil, or deep puddles. The safest surface for driving is a dry, solid surface.

Warning signs prepare drivers for upcoming road conditions and hazards and are usually yellow with black markings. This sign alerts drivers to potential bicycle cross traffic.

If you are in a lane corresponding to a signal displaying a green arrow, you may proceed in the direction of the arrow when the way is clear. This is true whether the arrow is displayed alone or together with another signal.

This sign indicates that the road ahead may be slippery when wet.

When driving in a work zone, adjust your speed for the traffic conditions and don't follow other vehicles too closely. Be attentive to workers and machines in the work zone.

You should not use cruise control when driving on snowy or icy roads. Your tires may lose contact with the road and you will no longer have control of your vehicle.

This sign warns of the presence of a hill ahead.

When parking on a hill, you should always leave your vehicle in gear or in the "park" position. If there is no curb, you should turn your front wheels so that the vehicle will roll away from the center of the road if the brakes fail. If there is a curb, the front wheels should be turned toward it (if headed downhill) or away from and gently touching it (if headed uphill).

This sign means drivers cannot make a left turn. It is unsafe and unlawful to make a left turn at an intersection where this sign is posted.

At night, visibility is reduced. Take steps to make driving in the dark more safe for you and the other drivers on the road.

It is against the law to pass any vehicle within 100 feet of a railroad crossing or intersection. Only pass where it is safe and legal to do so.

When turning left from a one-way street onto another one-way street, you should begin the turn from the far left lane.

While driving, you should remain aware of the actions of surrounding drivers. If you notice an aggressive driver nearby making erratic or improper lane changes, you should not challenge them. The safest way to handle an aggressive driver is to get out of their way.

When approaching a stationary police car, tow truck, maintenance vehicle, or any other vehicle that is parked along the road and is displaying flashing lights, you are required to change lanes to give the stopped vehicle space, if possible. If you are unable to change lanes, slow to a safe speed as you pass.

This is a low clearance warning sign. It indicates the distance from the road surface to the bottom of a bridge or overpass (in this case, 12 feet, 6 inches).

When you are turning left from a two-way street, begin in the lane closest to the centerline and start your turn just before the front of your car reaches the center of the intersection. Do not cut the corner. Steering hand-over-hand, turn into the first available legal lane.

Because your tires will not grip the road under wet, snowy, or icy conditions as well as they will under dry conditions, you should slow down if the roadway is wet or icy.

If a vehicle skids while hydroplaning, the driver should try to regain control of the vehicle. If that is not possible, the driver should release the accelerator and ride out the skid. The driver should not immediately apply the brakes.

As you drive on a wet road, your tires may start to ride up on the surface of water, causing you to lose control of your vehicle. This is called hydroplaning. The best way to avoid hydroplaning is to lower your speed when driving under wet conditions.

The stop sign is the only eight-sided sign you will see on any roadway. When you encounter a stop sign, you must come to a complete stop. You may not proceed until the way is clear for you to completely and safely pass through the intersection.

Even the most experienced drivers can be distracted while driving. A defensive driver looks out for the actions of other drivers and anticipates potential problems.

Use the entrance ramp to accelerate to the speed of freeway traffic and yield to traffic already using the freeway. Before entering traffic, use your mirrors and check your blind spots to verify that you have room to safely merge.

Warning signs prepare drivers for upcoming road conditions and hazards and are usually yellow with black markings. This sign warns drivers about an upcoming steep hill. They should adjust their speed accordingly to avoid brake damage or collision.

Any defect that may affect the safe operation of a vehicle should be corrected as soon as possible. Defects should be corrected before the vehicle is driven.

Some warning signs have a fluorescent yellow-green background. These signs warn of upcoming conditions, including roads with curves and sharp turns.

Curve and turn warning signs often have attached advisory speed signs that show a recommended driving speed for drivers in the curves and turns. Although a driver may feel comfortable driving at a higher speed in fair weather, they should never do so under rainy, snowy, or icy conditions.

Treat a flashing red traffic signal the same as you would treat a stop sign. Come to a complete stop, yield to oncoming traffic or pedestrians, and proceed when the way is clear.

Drivers must obey any instructions given by a police officer, even if the instructions contradict laws, signs, signals, or markings that would otherwise apply.

When a school bus is flashing its red lights and has its stop arm extended, motorists must come to a full stop until the lights are turned off, the stop arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving again.

To prevent hydroplaning, you should ensure that the tires on your vehicle have good tread depth and are inflated to the proper pressure. Reduce the speed of your vehicle when driving in the rain. Hydroplaning occurs most frequently at higher speeds.

You drive defensively when you identify dangerous driving situations and take action before an accident occurs. Defensive driving helps prevent conflicts with aggressive, offensive, discourteous, careless, inattentive, impulsive, ignorant, or intoxicated drivers or pedestrians.

A traffic signal displaying a flashing yellow light indicates that you should be alert and proceed with caution. Slow down when approaching a flashing yellow traffic signal.