Washington Driver License: Health, Impairment, Distraction and Attitude

28 questions with the correct answer and an explanation for each. Topic: Health, Impairment, Distraction and Attitude. Free, no account needed.

1. A driver has a bad headache and is feeling stressed before a trip. What is the recommended thing to do?

Open the windows for fresh air and proceed
Drive extra cautiously and slowly the whole way
Take a pain reliever and continue as planned
Let someone else drive if you are unwell

Answer: D — Let someone else drive if you are unwell

Physical and mental fitness affect driving ability, so an unwell driver should let someone else take the wheel.

2. A driver needs corrective lenses to see clearly and is about to drive after dark. What should they do?

Wear dark or tinted lenses to reduce glare
Wear the lenses only when driving on highways
Skip the lenses since night driving relies on headlights only
Wear their corrective lenses, avoiding dark or tinted ones

Answer: D — Wear their corrective lenses, avoiding dark or tinted ones

Corrective lenses must always be worn, but dark or tinted lenses should be avoided at night.

3. Oncoming headlights are glaring into a driver's eyes at night. What should they do to avoid being blinded?

Watch the right edge of the road
Look directly at the oncoming headlights
Close one eye until the car passes
Turn on their own high beams

Answer: A — Watch the right edge of the road

Watching the right edge of the road lets a driver escape oncoming glare while still tracking their lane.

4. Which listening device is allowed while driving?

Headphones covering both ears at low volume
A noise-canceling headset
Earbuds in both ears playing music
A hands-free device in one ear that complies with WAC 204-10-045

Answer: D — A hands-free device in one ear that complies with WAC 204-10-045

The law bans earbuds, headphones or headsets that broadcast sound or cancel noise, but allows a one-ear hands-free device meeting WAC 204-10-045.

5. A driver holding an intermediate license wants to make a phone call using a hands-free device while driving. Is this allowed?

Yes, as long as the car is moving under 25 mph
Yes, hands-free devices are always allowed
No, intermediate-license holders may not use a phone at all, even hands-free
Yes, but only for calls under one minute

Answer: C — No, intermediate-license holders may not use a phone at all, even hands-free

Instruction-permit and intermediate-license holders may not use a phone or mobile device at all, even hands-free.

6. A driver who has been drinking alcohol tries to hold their lane while also watching for merging traffic. Why is this especially dangerous?

Alcohol improves confidence without changing any driving skill
Alcohol sharpens reaction time but weakens grip strength
Alcohol makes it hard to do two things at once, such as holding a lane while avoiding traffic
Alcohol only affects night vision

Answer: C — Alcohol makes it hard to do two things at once, such as holding a lane while avoiding traffic

Alcohol causes trouble doing two things at once, such as holding a lane while avoiding traffic.

7. A 22-year-old eats a cannabis edible and then drives. What is true about this?

It is legal, since cannabis is legal recreationally at 21
It is legal as long as the edible was a small dose
It is illegal, since driving after consuming any cannabis product is illegal at every age
It is illegal only if done within two hours of eating the edible

Answer: C — It is illegal, since driving after consuming any cannabis product is illegal at every age

Driving after consuming any cannabis product is illegal at every age, and there is no safe amount for driving.

8. A driver just started taking a new prescription medication. What should they do before getting behind the wheel?

Drive normally, since the medication is legally prescribed
Only avoid driving at night
Wait until they know how the medication affects them
Drive as usual unless the label warns against operating heavy machinery

Answer: C — Wait until they know how the medication affects them

Drivers should not drive after starting a new prescription or a higher dose until they know its effect.

9. What is described as the most common impairment factor in fatal crashes?

Mixing more than one impairing substance
Cannabis alone
Alcohol alone
Fatigue alone

Answer: A — Mixing more than one impairing substance

Polydrug use produces effects greater than any single substance and is the most common impairment in fatal crashes.

10. A driver traveling alone feels their eyelids getting heavy and cannot remember the last few miles. What should they do?

Pull off and take a 20-minute nap
Roll down the window and push through to the destination
Turn up the radio and keep driving
Drink coffee and continue at a slower speed

Answer: A — Pull off and take a 20-minute nap

A tired driver alone should pull off and take a 20-minute nap.

11. Before a long road trip, how much sleep is recommended, and how often should a driver plan to stop?

Any amount of sleep, stopping only when needed
4-6 hours of sleep, stopping every 300 miles
7-9 hours of sleep, stopping about every 100 miles or 2 hours
10-12 hours of sleep, stopping every 50 miles

Answer: C — 7-9 hours of sleep, stopping about every 100 miles or 2 hours

Drivers should sleep 7 to 9 hours before a trip and plan a stop about every 100 miles or 2 hours.

12. Which of the following counts as aggressive driving?

Using a hands-free device in one ear
Driving at night without the corrective lenses you need
Following another vehicle too closely
Driving while too tired to remember the last few miles

Answer: C — Following another vehicle too closely

Following too close is listed as a marker of aggressive driving; fatigue, hands-free use and missing lenses are covered elsewhere in the guide and are not on that list.

13. An angry driver deliberately rams another vehicle after a dispute on the road. How does the guide classify this?

Road rage, a criminal offense
Aggressive driving, a traffic offense
Aggressive driving, a criminal offense
Road rage, but only a traffic offense

Answer: A — Road rage, a criminal offense

An angry response that leads to violence with a vehicle is road rage, and road rage is a criminal offense; aggressive driving is a traffic offense.

14. A driver believes another vehicle is following them aggressively after a dispute. What should they do?

Drive to a quiet, secluded side street
Drive to where there are people and open businesses
Stop and confront the other driver
Speed up and weave through traffic to lose them

Answer: B — Drive to where there are people and open businesses

A victim of road rage who is being followed should drive to where there are people and open businesses.

15. What number should a driver call to report a road rage incident that is happening right now?

A non-emergency police line
911
511
411

Answer: B — 911

In-progress road rage should be reported by calling 911.

16. Which technique is suggested for calming down in a parked car before starting a stressful drive?

Breathing in through the nose and exhaling as if cooling soup
Counting quickly to five
Gripping the steering wheel tightly
Turning up loud music

Answer: A — Breathing in through the nose and exhaling as if cooling soup

Calming down in a parked car can involve breathing in through the nose and exhaling as if cooling soup.

17. Why are teen drivers described as more prone to risk-taking and miscalculation on the road?

They are unfamiliar with traffic signs
Their judgment centers are still developing
They react more slowly than older drivers
They have weaker eyesight than adults

Answer: B — Their judgment centers are still developing

A teen's judgment centers are still developing, making them more prone to risk and miscalculation.

18. A driver suddenly sees a ball roll into the street ahead. After observing the hazard and orienting to what it means, what should they do next?

Stop the car and wait for instructions
Decide the safest action, then act smoothly and decisively
Brake hard and reverse
Signal and immediately merge lanes

Answer: B — Decide the safest action, then act smoothly and decisively

The OODA loop's final two steps after Observe and Orient are Decide the safest action and Act smoothly and decisively.

19. Before changing lanes, what is the first step in the recommended decision-making routine?

Inform other drivers of your intentions
Inform yourself with mirror checks
Prepare the vehicle's position and speed
Do a final check before maneuvering

Answer: B — Inform yourself with mirror checks

The routine begins by informing yourself with mirror checks before informing others, preparing the vehicle, and doing a final check.

20. A driver is quietly worrying about a personal problem while driving, without looking at anything unusual. What kind of distraction is this?

A mental distraction
A physical distraction
An outside-the-vehicle distraction
An inside-the-vehicle distraction

Answer: A — A mental distraction

Worry and daydreaming are classified as mental distractions.

21. Under Washington's distracted driving law, may a driver hold a phone in their hand while driving?

Yes, for drivers over 18
No, holding any electronic device is prohibited while driving, regardless of age or experience
Yes, if it is only being used for navigation
Yes, if stopped at a red light

Answer: B — No, holding any electronic device is prohibited while driving, regardless of age or experience

Drivers may not hold any electronic device while driving, whatever their age or experience.

22. A driver is ticketed for a distracted driving violation for a second time. What happens to the fine?

It can be doubled
It stays the same as the first ticket
It is reduced for repeat offenders
It is waived if no crash occurred

Answer: A — It can be doubled

The fine can be doubled after the first distracted driving violation.

23. Which four kinds of attention are involved in being a smart, aware driver?

Active, passive, direct and indirect
Visual, auditory, physical and mental
Alert, calm, quick and slow
Switching, divided, focused and sustained

Answer: D — Switching, divided, focused and sustained

Attention comes in four kinds: switching, divided, focused and sustained.

24. What is the difference between visual searching and scanning while driving?

They mean the same thing
Scanning only matters on the highway
Visual searching uses the eyes, while scanning moves the head, neck and body
Visual searching is only useful at night

Answer: C — Visual searching uses the eyes, while scanning moves the head, neck and body

Visual searching uses the eyes, while scanning moves head, neck and body to see as much as possible.

25. A driver notices another vehicle tailgating them closely. What is an appropriate response?

Speeding up to increase the distance
Changing lanes, tapping the brakes, or adjusting speed
Braking hard and suddenly to send a warning
Ignoring it and maintaining the exact same speed

Answer: B — Changing lanes, tapping the brakes, or adjusting speed

Scanning behind lets a driver respond to a tailgater by changing lanes, tapping the brakes or adjusting speed.

26. Besides causing crashes, what danger does litter thrown from a vehicle create?

It corrodes the road surface and creates potholes
It attracts wildlife that damages passing vehicles
It can spark wildfires
It releases carbon monoxide as it breaks down

Answer: C — It can spark wildfires

Litter causes crashes and can spark wildfires.

27. Why is it dangerous to let a vehicle idle inside a closed garage?

It damages the vehicle's transmission
It violates the Clean Car Law
Idling releases carbon monoxide, which is lethal in a garage
It wastes fuel but is otherwise harmless

Answer: C — Idling releases carbon monoxide, which is lethal in a garage

Idling releases carbon monoxide, which is lethal in a garage.

28. A vehicle with a model year of 2010 is being registered in Washington. What must it meet first?

No special emissions requirements
Strict clean-air standards under the Clean Car Law
A noise-level test
A road-worthiness inspection only

Answer: B — Strict clean-air standards under the Clean Car Law

The Clean Car Law requires vehicles from model year 2009 and later to meet strict clean-air standards before registration, licensing or sale.