Missouri Driver License: Belts, Child Seats, Defensive Driving, Distraction and Traffic Stops

30 questions with the correct answer and an explanation for each. Topic: Belts, Child Seats, Defensive Driving, Distraction and Traffic Stops. Free, no account needed.

1. How much clearance is recommended between the center of your breastbone and the center of the steering wheel?

8 inches
12 inches
6 inches
10 inches

Answer: D — 10 inches

The recommended minimum distance from breastbone to steering wheel center is ten inches, to reduce injury risk from a deploying air bag.

2. A car is struck hard from the side. What protection does its frontal air bag provide in this crash?

The same protection as in a head-on crash
It automatically deploys a side curtain instead
Full protection against side impacts
None; a seat belt is still needed for protection

Answer: D — None; a seat belt is still needed for protection

Frontal air bags protect against the steering wheel, dashboard and windshield but not in side or rear impacts or rollovers.

3. A parent is installing a rear-facing infant seat. Where should it never be placed?

The center of the rear seat
The front passenger seat with an active air bag
Either side of the rear seat
The rear seat behind the driver

Answer: B — The front passenger seat with an active air bag

A rear-facing infant seat must never be placed in front of a passenger air bag, which could strike the seat on deployment.

4. A driver holding an intermediate license is giving several friends a ride. Which of those friends must be wearing a seat belt?

Only passengers under 18
All of the passengers in the vehicle
None; only the driver is required to buckle up
Only the front-seat passengers

Answer: B — All of the passengers in the vehicle

Everyone riding with an intermediate license holder must be restrained, not just those in front.

5. A 5-year-old weighing 55 pounds and standing about 4 feet tall is riding in a car. What restraint is required?

No restraint is required at this age
A rear-facing infant seat only
An adult seat belt alone is sufficient
A child restraint or booster seat

Answer: D — A child restraint or booster seat

A child aged four to seven weighing 40-79 pounds and under 4'9" must use a child restraint or booster seat.

6. A 3-year-old weighs 45 pounds. What restraint does this child need?

No restraint, since the child is close to the weight cutoff
A booster seat only
An appropriate child restraint, regardless of the weight
A seat belt alone, since the child is over 40 pounds

Answer: C — An appropriate child restraint, regardless of the weight

Any child under four must use an appropriate child restraint no matter how much the child weighs.

7. You have a green light, and cross traffic is facing a red light or stop sign. What should you do before entering the intersection?

Come to a complete stop regardless of the green light
Proceed without checking, since you have the right of way
Look left and right anyway, since signals cannot guarantee others will stop
Yield to the cross traffic before proceeding

Answer: C — Look left and right anyway, since signals cannot guarantee others will stop

You cannot rely on signs and signals to hold other drivers back, so you should look left and right at every intersection even with a green light.

8. You see a vehicle approaching a stop sign as you near an intersection. What should you assume?

It is required to flash its headlights if stopping
It has the right of way over you
It will definitely stop, so you can proceed at normal speed
It may not stop, so you should be ready to react

Answer: D — It may not stop, so you should be ready to react

Defensive driving means not assuming a vehicle approaching a stop sign will actually stop.

9. Where should your left hand be positioned on the steering wheel?

Between 12 and 2 o'clock
Between 7 and 9 o'clock
Between 5 and 7 o'clock
Between 9 and 11 o'clock

Answer: B — Between 7 and 9 o'clock

Proper hand position places the left hand between seven and nine o'clock and the right hand between three and five o'clock.

10. What is the correct technique for turning a corner?

Turn using only the right hand
Slide the wheel through one palm
Release the wheel briefly to let it self-center
Hand-over-hand steering

Answer: D — Hand-over-hand steering

Corners should be turned hand over hand rather than sliding the wheel through one palm.

11. What happens if you turn the ignition key to the lock position while the vehicle is still moving?

The steering wheel locks and you lose control
The brakes engage automatically to stop the car
Only the engine shuts off, with no other effect
Nothing unusual happens

Answer: A — The steering wheel locks and you lose control

Turning the key to lock while moving locks the steering wheel and causes loss of control.

12. Using a fixed object ahead as a marker, how long after the vehicle in front of you passes it should you wait before you reach the same spot, to keep a safe following distance?

Two seconds
One second
Three seconds
Five seconds

Answer: C — Three seconds

The three-second rule is used to judge whether you are following too closely.

13. A vehicle is following you very closely on a two-lane road with no passing lane in sight. What should you do?

Speed up to increase the gap
Tap the brakes to warn the tailgater off
Stop immediately on the shoulder
Slow down gradually and wait for a clear stretch so the tailgater can pass

Answer: D — Slow down gradually and wait for a clear stretch so the tailgater can pass

When tailgated with no lane to move into, slow gradually and wait for a clear road so the tailgater can pass; braking suddenly increases the risk of being hit.

14. You are passing a bicyclist and notice an oncoming vehicle approaching at the same time. What is the safest action?

Honk at the bicyclist to move over
Continue the pass while the vehicle approaches
Slow down and let the oncoming vehicle pass first
Speed up to finish the pass before the vehicle arrives

Answer: C — Slow down and let the oncoming vehicle pass first

Hazards should be handled one at a time: slow and let the oncoming vehicle pass before completing the pass of the bicycle.

15. What does reaction distance refer to when calculating total stopping distance?

The distance traveled between seeing a danger and applying the brakes
The distance traveled from applying the brakes to a complete stop
The full distance needed to stop, combining perception and braking
The distance needed to swerve around an obstacle

Answer: A — The distance traveled between seeing a danger and applying the brakes

Reaction distance is the distance covered from spotting a hazard to actually applying the brakes, separate from braking distance.

16. At minimum, how far ahead of a turn should you signal?

50 feet
200 feet
100 feet
300 feet

Answer: C — 100 feet

Turns, lane changes and parking moves should be signaled at least 100 feet ahead.

17. There is a driveway between your car and the turn you plan to make, with a vehicle about to pull out of it. When should you signal your turn?

Immediately, as far ahead of the turn as possible
Only after passing the driveway, so the entering driver isn't misled
You should not signal in this situation at all
It makes no difference when you signal

Answer: B — Only after passing the driveway, so the entering driver isn't misled

When a vehicle is about to enter the road between you and your turn, wait until you've passed it before signaling so you don't mislead that driver.

18. When is it appropriate to use your car horn?

As a friendly greeting to someone you know
To express frustration at another driver
To warn another driver of a hazard
To urge a slow driver to move over

Answer: C — To warn another driver of a hazard

The horn should be used only when necessary to warn another driver, never as a show of anger.

19. A road has no posted minimum speed, but you are driving so slowly that a line of cars is backing up behind you in normal conditions. Is this legal?

It is illegal only on interstate highways
No, blocking the normal flow of traffic is illegal even without a posted minimum
Yes, as long as your hazard lights are on
Yes, since no minimum speed is posted

Answer: B — No, blocking the normal flow of traffic is illegal even without a posted minimum

Even without a posted minimum, driving so slowly that you block traffic is illegal; you should pull over and let others pass.

20. Which of these does the guide warn can expose you to deadly carbon monoxide?

Running the engine with the heater on while parked with the vehicle closed up
Having a faulty muffler or exhaust repaired before you drive
Shutting the engine off before you sit in a parked vehicle with the windows up
Closing your vents while following closely behind another vehicle

Answer: A — Running the engine with the heater on while parked with the vehicle closed up

Engine exhaust carries deadly carbon monoxide, so the engine must never be run in a garage, in a parked vehicle with the windows closed, or with the heater or air conditioner on while parked and shut up. The other three options are precautions the guide prescribes, not hazards.

21. During which period is the risk of hitting a deer highest?

Midnight to four in the morning
Noon to 3 p.m.
Only during full daylight hours
Sunset to midnight and around sunrise

Answer: D — Sunset to midnight and around sunrise

Deer crash risk is highest from sunset to midnight and around sunrise.

22. A collision with a deer becomes unavoidable. What should you do?

Brake as hard as possible immediately
Accelerate to pass over it quickly
Swerve sharply to avoid the animal
Do not swerve, and check behind you before braking hard

Answer: D — Do not swerve, and check behind you before braking hard

You should avoid swerving and check behind you before braking hard, since heavy braking can drop the front end and send the deer into the passenger compartment.

23. During which months do most deer-related crashes occur?

Deer crashes are spread evenly across the year
June through August
March and April only
January, May, and October through December

Answer: D — January, May, and October through December

Most deer crashes happen in January, May, and October through December.

24. You press a penny into the shallowest groove of a tire to check its tread. What result means the tread is still safe?

Half of the penny disappears into the groove
The penny cannot fit into the groove at all
Lincoln's entire head is covered
Any part of Lincoln's head is covered

Answer: D — Any part of Lincoln's head is covered

In the penny test, tread is considered safe if any part of Lincoln's head is covered when the penny is inserted into the shallowest groove.

25. Where should you look to find the correct tire pressure for your vehicle?

The owner's manual or the driver's door jamb
Printed on the tire's sidewall
A standard 35 PSI applies to all vehicles
Estimated from the tire's size

Answer: A — The owner's manual or the driver's door jamb

Correct tire pressure should be checked against the PSI listed in the owner's manual or on the driver's door jamb.

26. You have a weapon in your vehicle when an officer stops you. When should you inform the officer?

Only if directly asked about it
After the ticket has been written
At first contact
You should not mention it unless a search occurs

Answer: C — At first contact

If you have a weapon in the vehicle, you should tell the officer at first contact.

27. An officer has stopped you and asks for your license, insurance and registration. What should you do first?

Refuse to reach for any documents at all
Hand everything out the window without comment
Immediately reach for the documents before saying anything
Tell the officer where the documents are before reaching for them

Answer: D — Tell the officer where the documents are before reaching for them

You should tell the officer where your license, insurance and registration are before you reach for them.

28. What does signing a traffic ticket mean?

Not an admission of guilt
Agreement to pay the fine immediately
An admission of guilt
A waiver of the right to a court hearing

Answer: A — Not an admission of guilt

Signing a ticket is not an admission of guilt, though refusing to sign can lead to arrest.

29. Why is texting considered the highest-risk driving distraction?

It affects reaction time less than talking to a passenger
It distracts only your vision
It is illegal only for newly licensed drivers
It takes your eyes, hands and mind all at once

Answer: D — It takes your eyes, hands and mind all at once

Texting is the highest-risk distraction because it demands your eyes, hands and mind simultaneously.

30. While your vehicle is moving, which of the following is permitted under the electronic communication device law?

Recording video of the road
Watching a video on a phone mounted to the dashboard
Manually typing out a text message
Making a hands-free call activated by a single touch or swipe

Answer: D — Making a hands-free call activated by a single touch or swipe

Voice calls placed hands-free with a single touch or swipe are allowed, while holding a phone, typing, or recording or watching video is prohibited while driving.