Louisiana Driver License: Interstates, Rural Roads, Animals and Trip Planning

27 questions with the correct answer and an explanation for each. Topic: Interstates, Rural Roads, Animals and Trip Planning. Free, no account needed.

1. Before starting a long interstate trip through remote stretches with few service stations, what should a driver check on the vehicle?

Tire pressure only
Only the fuel level, since service stations are common
Gas, water, oil and tires, including the spare
The radio and navigation system

Answer: C — Gas, water, oil and tires, including the spare

The guide calls for checking gas, water, oil and tires with the spare included before a trip on remote interstate stretches.

2. Unless posted otherwise, what is the maximum interstate speed?

55 mph
65 mph
75 mph
70 mph

Answer: D — 70 mph

The maximum interstate speed is 70 mph unless a different limit is posted.

3. A driver approaching an interstate on-ramp slows to a crawl and stops at the end of the ramp before merging. What is wrong with this approach?

Interstate traffic has the right-of-way and may not see or move over for a stopped vehicle, so drivers should match speed and merge without stopping
Nothing; stopping at the end of the ramp is the safest way to merge
It is illegal to use an acceleration lane at all
Stopping is fine as long as the driver signals first

Answer: A — Interstate traffic has the right-of-way and may not see or move over for a stopped vehicle, so drivers should match speed and merge without stopping

Drivers should match traffic speed and merge without stopping, since interstate traffic has the right-of-way and other drivers may not see or move over.

4. When merging onto an interstate, how large a gap is needed so that both the merging driver and the driver being merged in front of keep adequate space?

A six-second gap
A four-second gap
Any gap, as long as a turn signal is used
A two-second gap

Answer: B — A four-second gap

A merge needs a four-second gap so each driver keeps two seconds of space.

5. On an interstate with three or more lanes in each direction, what is the far left lane used for?

Slow-moving farm equipment
Entering and exiting
Passing
General travel

Answer: C — Passing

On a three-or-more-lane interstate, the right lane is for entering and exiting, the middle for travel, and the far left for passing.

6. A driver notices a vehicle following far too closely in the mirror. What should the driver do to avoid a rear-end hit pushing them into the car ahead?

Speed up to open distance from the car ahead
Brake suddenly to warn the tailgater
Close up the gap to the car ahead so there is less room to be pushed into
Keep their own following distance from the car ahead so a hit from behind is less likely to push them forward

Answer: D — Keep their own following distance from the car ahead so a hit from behind is less likely to push them forward

Keeping your own distance from the car ahead means a rear-end hit is less likely to push you into it.

7. A driver is tailgated on the interstate and slowing down does not get the tailgater to pass. What should the driver do next?

Speed up to lose the tailgater
Straddle the lane line so the tailgater cannot pass
Brake hard to force a reaction
Pull over, stop and let the tailgater pass with doors locked

Answer: D — Pull over, stop and let the tailgater pass with doors locked

If slowing down fails, the driver should pull over, stop and let the tailgater by with doors locked.

8. About how far ahead of an interstate exit should a driver be in the correct lane?

Immediately before the exit ramp
About five miles
About a quarter mile
About a mile

Answer: D — About a mile

Drivers should be in the correct exit lane about a mile ahead of the exit.

9. A driver realizes they just missed their interstate exit. What should they do?

Stop and carefully back up to the exit
Take the next exit and return
Cross the median to reach the exit
Pull onto the shoulder and reverse to the ramp

Answer: B — Take the next exit and return

Stopping or backing up on the interstate is illegal and dangerous; the driver should take the next exit and return.

10. Where should a driver slow down when exiting an interstate that has a deceleration lane?

Only after passing the ramp speed sign
After fully entering the deceleration lane
On the interstate itself, before entering the exit lane
It does not matter as long as speed drops before the ramp

Answer: B — After fully entering the deceleration lane

Drivers should never slow on the interstate itself; wait until fully in the deceleration lane, then slow to the posted ramp speed.

11. Driving on a gravel or dirt rural road, what should a driver expect and do?

Traction increases, so normal following distance is fine
Traction drops, so slow down and lengthen following distance
Speed up to reduce time spent on loose surface
Use high beams at all times regardless of dust

Answer: B — Traction drops, so slow down and lengthen following distance

On gravel or dirt, traction drops, so drivers should slow down, lengthen following distance, and expect skids and washboard ripples.

12. Driving through dust kicked up on dry gravel roads, what should a driver do to be seen and stay safe?

Pass other vehicles quickly to clear the dust cloud
Turn off headlights to avoid glare in the dust
Use low beams, slow down and add distance
Use high beams and maintain speed

Answer: C — Use low beams, slow down and add distance

Dust cuts vision, so drivers should use low beams to be seen, slow down, and add following distance.

13. Crossing an open steel grating or steel bridge, what should a driver do because braking and steering traction are reduced?

Slow down, grip the wheel firmly and add distance
Brake hard in the middle of the grating
Accelerate to cross quickly
Release the wheel slightly to let the car track naturally

Answer: A — Slow down, grip the wheel firmly and add distance

Open gratings or steel bridges reduce traction, so drivers should slow, grip the wheel firmly and add distance.

14. Approaching a rural railroad crossing marked only by a warning sign and crossbuck, with no lights or gates, what should a driver do?

Honk continuously while crossing
Stop only if a train whistle is heard
Slow, look both ways and be ready to stop
Proceed at normal speed since no gate means no train is near

Answer: C — Slow, look both ways and be ready to stop

Many rural railroad crossings lack lights or gates, so drivers should slow, look both ways and be ready to stop.

15. Roughly how many deer-vehicle collisions occur per year?

1.5 million
5 million
500,000
150,000

Answer: A — 1.5 million

About 1.5 million deer-vehicle collisions occur annually, causing over 200 deaths and $4 billion in damage.

16. A deer suddenly runs into the road directly ahead and there is not enough time or space to avoid a collision safely. What should the driver do?

Swerve off the road onto the shoulder
Avoid swerving, keep the car under control and on the road, and try to skim rather than hit it squarely
Swerve sharply into the oncoming lane to avoid it
Steer toward the side the animal is heading so it passes behind the car

Answer: B — Avoid swerving, keep the car under control and on the road, and try to skim rather than hit it squarely

If a collision is inevitable, the driver should not swerve, keep the car under control and on the road, and try to skim rather than hit the animal squarely.

17. During which months should drivers exercise extra caution for deer due to increased activity?

July through September
October through December
January through March
April through June

Answer: B — October through December

Deer activity increases from October through December, requiring extra caution.

18. A horse is standing in the roadway ahead. What is the recommended way to get it to move without causing a worse situation?

Sound the horn and brake in a controlled way without spooking it into another vehicle
Drive slowly past without any warning sound
Flash the high beams repeatedly at close range
Honk the horn loudly and rev the engine

Answer: A — Sound the horn and brake in a controlled way without spooking it into another vehicle

For a horse or cow on the road, sound the horn and brake in a controlled way without spooking it into another vehicle.

19. A fluorescent orange and red triangle displayed on the back of a piece of equipment indicates what about that vehicle?

It is a wide-load vehicle requiring an escort
It travels under 25 mph
It is exempt from traffic laws
It is disabled and should not be approached

Answer: B — It travels under 25 mph

The slow-moving vehicle emblem, a fluorescent or reflective orange and red triangle, means the vehicle travels under 25 mph.

20. Approaching farm machinery from behind on a rural road, what should a driver keep in mind?

It usually has turn signals so following its signals is safe
It always travels faster than 25 mph
The operator can always hear the driver's horn
It may swing wide left before turning right, and its operator cannot hear the driver

Answer: D — It may swing wide left before turning right, and its operator cannot hear the driver

Farm machinery usually lacks turn signals, may swing wide left before turning right, and its operator cannot hear approaching vehicles.

21. About how fast do animal-drawn vehicles normally travel?

15 to 20 mph
5 to 8 mph
30 to 35 mph
25 mph

Answer: B — 5 to 8 mph

Animal-drawn vehicles normally move at 5 to 8 mph or slower with big loads.

22. A driver is going slower than the flow of traffic on a two-way single-lane rural road and several vehicles are backing up behind. What should the driver do?

Straddle the center line to prevent unsafe passing
Speed up to match traffic regardless of safety
Continue at the same pace since slower vehicles have the right-of-way
Pull over at a turnout when safe to let traffic pass

Answer: D — Pull over at a turnout when safe to let traffic pass

A driver who significantly slows traffic behind should pull over when safe, using a turnout if the road has one.

23. At night, when should a driver dim their high beams for an oncoming vehicle?

About one block before meeting the oncoming vehicle
Only after the oncoming driver flashes first
As soon as any headlights appear on the horizon
Immediately after passing the oncoming vehicle

Answer: A — About one block before meeting the oncoming vehicle

Drivers should dim their high beams within about one block of an oncoming vehicle.

24. An oncoming driver at night fails to dim their high beams. What should the other driver do?

Look toward the right edge of the road and never retaliate with brights
Flash high beams repeatedly in retaliation
Speed up to get past the oncoming vehicle sooner
Stop the car until the other vehicle passes

Answer: A — Look toward the right edge of the road and never retaliate with brights

If the other driver does not dim, look toward the right edge and never retaliate with your brights.

25. On major highways, roughly how far can a driver expect to travel every two hours?

75 to 90 miles
100 to 110 miles
50 to 60 miles
150 miles

Answer: B — 100 to 110 miles

On major highways, a driver can expect about 100 to 110 miles every two hours, with breaks every two to three hours.

26. A single driver on a long trip wants to know how many hours of driving per day is recommended as a limit. What is the guideline?

Twelve hours
Six to eight hours
Three to four hours
Ten to eleven hours

Answer: B — Six to eight hours

One driver should limit driving to six to eight hours a day; two or more sharing driving should not exceed 10 to 11 hours.

27. Trip planning advice cautions against driving after dark and especially after what time?

Midnight
10 p.m.
9 p.m.
11 p.m.

Answer: D — 11 p.m.

The guide advises avoiding driving after dark and especially after 11 p.m.