Iowa Driver License: Maintenance, Driver Assistance, Belts, Distractions, Alcohol and Drowsiness

29 questions with the correct answer and an explanation for each. Topic: Maintenance, Driver Assistance, Belts, Distractions, Alcohol and Drowsiness. Free, no account needed.

1. A car's parking brake fails, but the foot brake still works. What does this mean for the vehicle's braking system requirement?

The vehicle no longer meets the requirement of two separate braking systems, a foot brake and a parking brake
The two-system requirement applies only to vehicles wider than 40 inches
The vehicle is still legal since only one working brake is required
Only motorcycles and mopeds need two systems, so a car is fine with one

Answer: A — The vehicle no longer meets the requirement of two separate braking systems, a foot brake and a parking brake

Cars, trucks and ATVs/UTVs need two separate braking systems, a foot brake and a parking brake, so a failed parking brake leaves the vehicle short of the requirement.

2. A car must have at least one red light at the rear. How far away must that light be visible?

1,000 feet
500 feet
300 feet
200 feet

Answer: B — 500 feet

A car, truck or ATV/UTV needs at least one red rear light visible 500 feet.

3. A pickup truck is 44 inches wide at its widest point. What does this mean for its turn signals?

Turn signals are required because the vehicle is wider than 40 inches
Turn signals are only required if the vehicle is a motorcycle
Turn signals are required only at night
Turn signals are optional since only trailers need them

Answer: A — Turn signals are required because the vehicle is wider than 40 inches

Turn signals are required on cars, trucks and trailers wider than 40 inches.

4. Dirt has built up on a vehicle's headlight lenses. What effect does this have on the light's effectiveness?

It cuts effectiveness by about 50 percent
It has no measurable effect if the bulb is new
It increases glare but does not reduce visibility
It only affects fog lights, not headlights

Answer: A — It cuts effectiveness by about 50 percent

Dirt on lenses cuts a light's effectiveness by 50 percent.

5. A driver wants to tint the windshield and the front side windows as darkly as possible. What is the minimum percentage of light those windows must still pass?

35 percent for the windshield only
70 percent, with no medical exemption
There is no minimum as long as mirrors are clear
50 percent, with a medical exemption available

Answer: B — 70 percent, with no medical exemption

The windshield and front side windows must pass at least 70 percent of light, with no medical exemption in Iowa.

6. A driver checks tire tread by inserting a penny head first into the groove. What does it mean if the tread reaches the top of Lincoln's head?

The tire has adequate tread and is not considered unsafe by this test
The tire is unsafe and must be replaced immediately
The test only applies to rear tires
The tire pressure is too low

Answer: A — The tire has adequate tread and is not considered unsafe by this test

Tread that does NOT reach the top of Lincoln's head makes the tire unsafe, so reaching it means the tire passes.

7. A driver parks in an enclosed garage and wants to let the engine run briefly while loading the car. What is the safety concern?

Overheating of the parking brake
Battery drain from idling
Wasted fuel only, with no health risk
Exhaust fumes able to kill in a very short time, so the engine should not be run in a garage

Answer: D — Exhaust fumes able to kill in a very short time, so the engine should not be run in a garage

Exhaust fumes can kill in a very short time, so an engine should never run in a garage.

8. A driver sits down and adjusts the seat before driving. How much space should be between the steering wheel and the driver's chest?

At least 10 inches
At least 15 inches
At least 5 inches
Exactly 20 inches

Answer: A — At least 10 inches

At least 10 inches should separate the steering wheel and chest, with the air bag aimed at the chest.

9. A driver leans toward the left window to set the outside left mirror. How should the mirror be adjusted?

So it duplicates the inside rearview mirror's view
So it points straight down at the rear tire
So the car's side barely shows and disappears once the driver sits up straight
So the entire lane next to the car is visible while sitting normally

Answer: C — So the car's side barely shows and disappears once the driver sits up straight

The left mirror is set so the car's side barely shows while leaning, disappearing when sitting up.

10. A car equipped with adaptive cruise control and automatic parallel parking is used for a driving test. What is the status of these two systems on the test?

Adaptive cruise control is permitted, automatic parallel parking is not
Both are permitted safety technologies
Neither is permitted, since both are convenience technologies
Automatic parallel parking is permitted, adaptive cruise control is not

Answer: C — Neither is permitted, since both are convenience technologies

Adaptive cruise control and automatic parallel parking are convenience technologies not allowed on the driving test.

11. A pedestrian detection system is active as a car approaches a crosswalk at low speed. How does its warning behave as the risk of a crash increases?

The beeps slow down to avoid startling the driver
The system stays silent until impact is unavoidable
The beeps stay constant in rate the entire time
The beeps quicken and become continuous as the crash nears

Answer: D — The beeps quicken and become continuous as the crash nears

Detection systems warn with beeps that quicken and become continuous as a crash nears.

12. A vehicle traveling at 45 mph is approaching a stopped car ahead and the driver is not reacting. How many seconds before the collision would a forward collision warning typically sound?

About 3 seconds
About 5 seconds
About 8 seconds
About 4 seconds

Answer: D — About 4 seconds

At 18 to 50 mph, forward collision warning sounds about 4 seconds before a collision.

13. A driver is being alerted that they are exceeding the posted speed limit by a high speed alert system. What is the recommended response?

Ease off the accelerator or brake lightly rather than braking hard
Steer toward the shoulder immediately
Slam the brakes immediately
Ignore it since the system is only advisory with no map data

Answer: A — Ease off the accelerator or brake lightly rather than braking hard

The recommended response to a high speed alert is to ease off or brake lightly rather than slamming the brakes.

14. Snow has covered the lane markings on a highway. How is lane keeping assist likely to perform?

It performs normally since it uses GPS instead of markings
It disengages the accelerator instead of steering
It automatically switches to radar-based lane tracking
It is likely to fail, since it relies on visible lane lines

Answer: D — It is likely to fail, since it relies on visible lane lines

Lane keeping assist fails on faint or snow-covered lines.

15. A driver wants to pass a large truck on the highway. What should they do regarding the truck's blind spot?

Blind spots do not apply to trucks and buses
Get through the blind spot quickly rather than lingering alongside
Slow down and remain in the blind spot until the truck driver waves
Stay alongside the truck as long as needed to signal clearly

Answer: B — Get through the blind spot quickly rather than lingering alongside

Drivers should get through a truck's blind spot quickly and never stay alongside it.

16. A driver notices glare through the windshield is worsening their blind spots on a sunny afternoon. What is the most common source of this glare, and what can reduce it?

The side windows; tinting them further helps
The rearview mirror; cleaning it helps
The dashboard; a dashboard cover reduces it
The windshield; sunglasses and visors reduce it

Answer: D — The windshield; sunglasses and visors reduce it

The windshield is the most common source of glare, and sunglasses and visors reduce it.

17. A 16-year-old passenger in the back seat refuses to buckle up. What is true about this situation under Iowa law?

Back-seat belt use is optional until age 21
Back-seat belts are only required for front-seat occupants, so this is legal
It is only an offense if the driver is also under 18
Back-seat passengers under 18 must wear a belt, and this is a primary offense

Answer: D — Back-seat passengers under 18 must wear a belt, and this is a primary offense

Back-seat passengers under 18 must wear belts, and failing to do so is a primary offense.

18. A driver is stopped solely because a passenger under 18 is not wearing a seat belt. What fine could apply for that passenger?

Up to $200
No fine, only a warning for minors
Up to $50
Up to $100

Answer: D — Up to $100

Fines run up to $50 per passenger and $100 per passenger under 18.

19. Parents are choosing a restraint for their 8-month-old, 15-pound infant. What type of restraint is required?

A forward-facing booster seat
A rear-facing restraint
No restraint is required until the child reaches 20 pounds
A lap belt only

Answer: B — A rear-facing restraint

A child under one year and under 20 pounds rides in a rear-facing restraint.

20. A family is driving with their 4-year-old child. Which restraint option is acceptable?

Any seating position without a restraint if riding under 10 miles
A belt alone, adjusted snugly
A rear-facing restraint only, regardless of size
A child restraint system, safety seat or booster, but never a belt alone

Answer: D — A child restraint system, safety seat or booster, but never a belt alone

A child under six rides in a child restraint system, safety seat or booster, never a belt alone.

21. A 20-pound cooler sits unsecured on the back seat during a drive at 60 mph. If the driver brakes suddenly, roughly how much force can that object exert?

About 500 pounds
About 100 pounds
Well over 1,000 pounds
About 20 pounds, the same as the object's own weight

Answer: C — Well over 1,000 pounds

At 60 mph a 20-pound object can exert well over 1,000 pounds of force in a sudden stop.

22. A driver believes crashes near home are less dangerous than long highway trips, so seat belts only matter far from home. What is true about this belief?

It is a myth, since over half of crash deaths happen within 25 miles of home
It is correct, since most fatal crashes happen far from home
It is correct only for drivers under 21
Distance from home has no bearing on crash statistics

Answer: A — It is a myth, since over half of crash deaths happen within 25 miles of home

Over half of belt-related deaths happen within 25 miles of home, debunking the myth.

23. A driver wants to read a text message while driving. What must be true before doing so legally?

The vehicle must be moving slower than 15 mph
The vehicle must be completely stopped off the traveled part of the road
The driver may read it at a stoplight while still in the lane
It is never legal under any circumstances, even when parked

Answer: B — The vehicle must be completely stopped off the traveled part of the road

The vehicle must be completely stopped off the traveled part of the road before reading a text.

24. A 17-year-old with an intermediate license wants to make a phone call while driving on the highway, using a hands-free earpiece. Is this allowed?

No, but text messages are allowed if hands-free
No, drivers under 18 with these license types may not make or receive calls unless completely stopped off the road
Yes, since hands-free calls are always allowed regardless of age
Yes, but only for calls under two minutes

Answer: B — No, drivers under 18 with these license types may not make or receive calls unless completely stopped off the road

Drivers under 18 with an instruction permit, intermediate license or special minor's restricted license may not call unless completely stopped off the road.

25. A driver is convicted of distracted driving after causing a fatal crash while texting. What penalty range does this potentially bring?

A fine capped at $200 with no license action
Only a warning for a first offense
Automatic permanent revocation with no fine
More than $1,000 in fines, a suspension and possibly a vehicular homicide charge

Answer: D — More than $1,000 in fines, a suspension and possibly a vehicular homicide charge

Causing a death while distracted can bring more than $1,000 in fines, a suspension and possibly a vehicular homicide charge.

26. A driver's breath test shows a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08. What classification does this meet?

Legal, since the threshold is 0.10
A minor infraction with no license consequence
Operating while intoxicated (OWI)
Only a violation if the driver is under 21

Answer: C — Operating while intoxicated (OWI)

Operating while intoxicated means a BAC of 0.08 or higher.

27. A driver refuses a breath test when a police officer requests one during a traffic stop. What happens as a result?

An automatic one-year revocation and a minimum $1,250 fine, worse than failing the test
A 30-day suspension only, lighter than failing the test
The OWI charge is automatically dismissed
No consequence, since implied consent only applies to blood tests

Answer: A — An automatic one-year revocation and a minimum $1,250 fine, worse than failing the test

Refusing a breath test brings consequences worse than failing: an automatic one-year revocation and a minimum $1,250 fine.

28. A 19-year-old driver is tested at a BAC of 0.03. What does this mean under Iowa's under-21 rules?

They are intoxicated only if also using a controlled substance
They are considered intoxicated, since under-21 drivers are intoxicated at 0.02 or more
They face no revocation since the level is below 0.08
They are not intoxicated, since the adult threshold of 0.08 applies to everyone

Answer: B — They are considered intoxicated, since under-21 drivers are intoxicated at 0.02 or more

Under 21, a driver is intoxicated at 0.02 or more.

29. A driver has been awake for 18 hours straight before getting behind the wheel. How does this level of sleep deprivation compare to alcohol impairment?

It has no measurable effect on driving ability
It is equivalent to a BAC of 0.15
It is roughly equivalent to a BAC of 0.08
It is only comparable to being under 21 with a BAC of 0.02

Answer: C — It is roughly equivalent to a BAC of 0.08

18 hours awake impairs a driver like a BAC of 0.08.