West Virginia CAR DMV Practice Test 12

When preparing to drive, you should first adjust your seat to ensure that you are in a comfortable position and can see the road clearly. Adjust your mirrors and steering wheel to be effective when your seat is fully adjusted.

The only way to avoid the risks of drinking and driving is to decide before you start drinking that you are not going to drive. Because alcohol affects your judgement, it will be harder for you to make safe decisions after you have started drinking.

The exhaust system helps remove toxic gases, reduce the noise, and cool the hot gases coming from a running engine. Fumes from a leaky exhaust system can cause death in a very short time. They can also make you drowsy while driving.

An eight-sided sign always means "stop." You must come to a complete stop and wait for any vehicles or pedestrians to clear the way before proceeding.

For drivers age 21 or older, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher. Driving while under the influence of alcohol is not only illegal, but dangerous.

This sign warns that pavement is slippery when wet. In wet conditions, you should reduce your speed, avoid braking or changing direction suddenly, and increase the distance between your vehicle and the one ahead.

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.

Being fatigued while driving is similar in danger to driving under the influence of alcohol. If you begin to feel tired while driving, the best thing to do is to stop driving.

Warning signs prepare drivers for upcoming road conditions and hazards and are usually yellow with black markings. This sign alerts drivers to an upcoming curve in the road.

If you are stopped by the police, keep your hands on the wheel and ask any passengers to keep their hands in view as well. You should remain in the vehicle unless the police officer asks you to get out. Wait until the officer asks you to retrieve your driver license, registration, and insurance cards.

A sign with a red circle and slash over a symbol indicates that the action represented by the symbol (in this example, a right turn) is not allowed.

After stopping for a school bus that has its stop arm extended and its lights flashing, watch for children walking along the side of the road. You should always drive with caution when driving near children.

To check your blind spot before changing lanes, you should look over your shoulder in the direction that you plan to move.

Fatigue and being under the influence of alcohol have similar effects on your ability to drive safely. For example, being awake for 18 hours impairs your driving about as much as a blood alcohol level of 0.05 percent. Being awake for 24 hours in a row has the same effect on your driving as a blood alcohol level of 0.10 percent.

Reducing your speed should be your first response to decreased visibility and dangerous road conditions.

Any time you want to change lanes, you should properly signal your intentions well in advance, check your mirrors, and check your blind spot. You can check your blind spot by glancing over your shoulder in the direction that you plan to move.

You must yield the right-of-way to any emergency vehicle that is using its siren or flashing lights.

On slippery roads, you should increase your following distance. It may take more time to stop your vehicle than it would under normal conditions.

Work zones are often stationary, but they may also be present in the form of moving vehicles striping lines, mowing, or removing snow. Work zones are marked by orange signs with black lettering or symbols. Slow down and pay extra attention when approaching or driving through a work zone.

This sign indicates that there is a traffic signal at the intersection ahead.

If a green arrow is shown with a red light, you can only drive in the direction of the arrow and only if the intersection is clear.

If you experience a tire blowout, take your foot off the gas pedal and do not immediately apply the brakes. Gradually slow down before gently applying the brakes and pulling off the side of the road.

This is a speed limit sign. It indicates the maximum legal speed that you may drive on the road where it is posted. At times of rain, snow, ice, or other less-than-ideal conditions, you may have to drive more slowly than the posted limit.

When parked facing downhill, your front wheels should be turned toward the curb. This way, should your brakes fail, your car will roll away from traffic.

You should always reduce your speed and use extra caution when children are in the vicinity. They may fail to understand the danger and may run out in front of you without looking.