Utah CAR DMV Practice Test 4

The most common mistake that drivers make when backing up is failing to look both ways behind them. Mirrors do not give you a full view. To see as much as possible, turn your body and head to the right and look through the rear window.

Alcohol negatively affects many skills needed for safe driving, including your reaction time and ability to see clearly. It can also harm your judgment of speed and distance, lower your inhibitions, and make you more prone to taking chances.

Before changing lanes, you should activate your turn signal in the appropriate direction and check your rearview and side mirrors. Look over your shoulder in the direction you plan to move in order to check your blind spot and check the far lane to be sure no one else is trying to enter the same lane as you. Change lanes when you are sure it is safe to do so.

Before changing lanes, check your side and rearview mirrors for traffic approaching you from behind. Just before you begin moving into the other lane, quickly glance over your shoulder and check for any vehicles that may be in your blind spot.

Motorcycles are smaller and harder to see than cars. Because of their size, they are easily hidden in a car’s blind spot. It may be difficult to judge your distance to a motorcycle and difficult to tell how fast a motorcycle is moving, so always be alert and extra cautious when near a motorcyclist.

You are responsible for driving with extreme caution where children are present. Slow down near schools and playgrounds and in residential areas.

Alcohol reduces your reaction time, reduces your ability to see clearly, changes your judgment of speed and distances, reduces your ability to recover from the glare of headlights, and often reduces your inhibitions and makes you more likely to take risks.

Driving without being properly insured, or driving without proof of insurance, is against the law. If you are convicted of either, you will be required to pay a $45 reinstatement fee and hold SR-22 insurance for three years.

If a yellow panel with the message "Exit only" is on a highway sign, the lane below the sign will not continue through the interchange. Instead, the lane will go off of the roadway to form a ramp. If you are in a lane directly under an "Exit only" sign, you may change lanes to move through the interchange or you must exit the highway.

Other cars and motorcycles are often hidden in a vehicle’s blind spot, so be sure to glance over your shoulder before you begin a lane change. Begin signaling 100 feet before changing lanes or turning in a residential area. Signal five seconds in advance when changing lanes on a freeway.

Traffic signals are placed at intersections to keep traffic moving and to help prevent crashes. Drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists must obey these signals, except in instances when an officer is directing traffic.

This sign indicates that U-turns are prohibited.

Activate your headlights when driving under any conditions that prevent you from seeing at least 1,000 feet in front of your vehicle.

When heavy rain reduces visibility, reduce your speed. Turn on your headlights so other drivers can see your vehicle. If the rain is so heavy that you are unable to see clearly, drive onto the shoulder and stop until the rain lets up.

Upon striking an unattended vehicle, stop and try to locate the owner. If you cannot find the owner, leave a written notice containing your name, your address, and the circumstances of the accident.

Traffic lanes moving in the same direction are separated by broken white lines. You may cross over dashed lines to pass, if it is safe to do so.

Warning signs, which tell you about conditions on or near the road ahead, are usually diamond-shaped with black symbols or words on a yellow background.

You must stop when approaching a school bus that is displaying flashing red lights while stopped to pick up or drop off children. On a two-lane road, traffic moving in both directions must stop and remain stopped as long as the red lights near the top of the bus are flashing and/or the stop arm on the left side of the bus is extended.

At a stop sign, you must come to a complete stop at the stop line, if there is one. If there is no stop line, you must make a complete stop before entering the crosswalk. If there is no crosswalk, you must stop before entering the intersection.

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 should look and listen for trains before crossing any railroad tracks. If an approaching train is near enough or going fast enough to be a danger, you cannot go across the tracks. This is true even if they have no signals or the signals are not working.

Traffic flow is controlled by pavement markings, traffic islands, signals, and signs. These devices inform drivers of conditions on the roadway and help guide drivers safely to their destinations. You must always obey traffic signs, signals, and pavement markings.

Unless posted otherwise, the speed limit in a business or residential area is 25 miles per hour. If another speed is posted, follow that speed limit.

Highway work zones are established according to the type of work underway along the roadway. Signs in work areas are typically diamond-shaped, orange, have black letters or symbols, and serve as a warning that people are working on or near the highway.

On narrow roads, you must allow vehicles traveling in the opposite direction at least one-half of the main-traveled portion of the road. Both vehicles must have adequate space in order for the drivers to safely pass one another.