Colorado Driver License: Night, Weather, Mountains, Work Zones and Safe Driving

30 questions with the correct answer and an explanation for each. Topic: Night, Weather, Mountains, Work Zones and Safe Driving. Free, no account needed.

1. Approaching a curve, when should you slow down?

While in the middle of the curve
After passing the midpoint of the curve
Only if another vehicle is oncoming
Before entering the curve

Answer: D — Before entering the curve

Slowing must happen before the curve; taking a curve too fast makes the tires lose grip and the car skid.

2. A driver wants to accelerate out of a curve. At what point should that begin?

As soon as the curve begins
Only after the middle of the curve
Acceleration should never increase through a curve
Before entering the curve

Answer: B — Only after the middle of the curve

Accelerating should be delayed until past the curve's midpoint, after the slowing needed to maintain grip.

3. You cannot see over the top of a hill crest ahead. What should you do?

Slow down until you can see the road again
Move to the center of the road for a better view
Maintain speed since the road is familiar
Speed up briefly to clear the blind spot faster

Answer: A — Slow down until you can see the road again

Limited sightlines over a crest call for slowing down until visibility of the road returns.

4. A vehicle is parked on the shoulder at night. What must it show?

Hazard lights only
High beams
Parking lights
Nothing, if the driver remains inside

Answer: C — Parking lights

A parked vehicle, attended or not, must show parking lights under the same low-visibility conditions that require headlights.

5. An oncoming vehicle is approaching at night and you have your high beams on. At what distance must you dim them?

800 feet
500 feet
200 feet
1,000 feet

Answer: B — 500 feet

High beams must be dimmed before coming within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle.

6. When should headlights be turned on, aside from low-visibility conditions?

From sunset to sunrise
From sunrise to sunset
Only in fog or heavy rain
Only on highways outside city limits

Answer: A — From sunset to sunrise

Headlights are legally required from sunset to sunrise, as well as whenever visibility drops below 1,000 feet.

7. You feel your car begin to hydroplane on a wet road. What should you do first?

Apply the parking brake to regain traction
Brake firmly to slow down immediately
Turn the wheel sharply away from the skid
Take your foot off the gas and steer slowly in the direction you are hydroplaning

Answer: D — Take your foot off the gas and steer slowly in the direction you are hydroplaning

Easing off the gas and steering gently in the direction of the slide realigns the tires without risking an overcorrection.

8. A road ahead is covered in standing water from flooding. What is the correct response?

Use cruise control to maintain a steady speed through it
Cross quickly to minimize exposure
Drive through slowly in a low gear
Find another route around the flooded road

Answer: D — Find another route around the flooded road

Standing water on a flooded road should never be driven through; a driver should find another route instead.

9. In rain, fog, high wind or dust, what are the two most important adjustments a driver should make?

Shift to a lower gear and honk periodically
Slow down and lengthen following distance
Increase speed slightly and use high beams
Turn on hazard lights and use cruise control

Answer: B — Slow down and lengthen following distance

Regardless of the type of adverse weather, slowing down and increasing following distance are the two essentials.

10. Snow and ice on the road are most dangerous under which condition?

When freshly fallen and powdery
When it begins to melt
When mixed with sand or salt
When the temperature is well below freezing

Answer: B — When it begins to melt

Snow, snowpack, and ice become extremely hazardous most of all as they start to melt.

11. Your car loses traction on an icy patch. What is the correct action?

Turn the wheels opposite the direction of the skid
Press the brake firmly while turning toward the desired direction
Take your foot off both the brake and accelerator and turn the wheels toward the direction you want to go
Accelerate gently to power through the slide

Answer: C — Take your foot off both the brake and accelerator and turn the wheels toward the direction you want to go

Releasing both pedals and steering toward the intended direction is the recommended response to a loss of traction.

12. Two snowplows are working together with yellow lights flashing. What is illegal?

Following behind them at a safe distance
Passing them while they work in tandem
Stopping to let them merge
Using headlights while near them

Answer: B — Passing them while they work in tandem

It is illegal to pass a plow that is working in tandem with other plows while its yellow lights are flashing.

13. Your car begins to skid on a winter road and it is not equipped with ABS. What braking technique should you use?

Threshold braking — pressure just short of lock-up
Pump the brakes rapidly
Push the brake firmly until the wheels lock
The same technique used in an ABS-equipped car

Answer: A — Threshold braking — pressure just short of lock-up

Without ABS, a driver should use threshold braking, since ABS technique does not work on a car lacking ABS.

14. A car equipped with ABS begins to skid. What should the driver do?

Ease off the accelerator, push the brake, and steer where you want to go
Hold the brake down hard enough to lock the wheels
Shift into neutral and set the parking brake
Pump the brake pedal rapidly

Answer: A — Ease off the accelerator, push the brake, and steer where you want to go

With ABS, easing off the accelerator while pressing the brake and steering toward the intended path is correct.

15. Before even a short winter trip, what should a driver do to the vehicle?

Wait for the defroster to clear the windows while driving
Only start the engine to warm it up
Clear only the windshield, leaving other windows
Scrape all ice, snow and frost from the vehicle

Answer: D — Scrape all ice, snow and frost from the vehicle

All ice, snow, and frost should be scraped off even for a short trip.

16. On a steep, long descent in the mountains, what should a driver do to control speed?

Shift to neutral and coast
Shift to a lower gear
Maintain the same gear used on flat roads
Ride the brakes continuously

Answer: B — Shift to a lower gear

Shifting to lower gears helps control speed on long mountain descents.

17. On a mountain road, which vehicles have the right-of-way: those going uphill or those going downhill?

Vehicles going downhill
Whichever vehicle arrives at the narrow point first
Vehicles going uphill
Whichever vehicle is larger

Answer: C — Vehicles going uphill

Vehicles going uphill have the right-of-way over those going downhill on mountain roads.

18. On a mountain road near a blind curve where oncoming traffic is hidden, what is illegal?

Pulling off to let faster traffic pass
Shifting to a lower gear
Using the oncoming lane to pass
Slowing down before the curve

Answer: C — Using the oncoming lane to pass

Passing in the oncoming lane near a crest, on a curve, or anywhere oncoming traffic is hidden is illegal.

19. Which type of US road has the highest fatality rate per mile?

City residential streets
Suburban arterial roads
Rural highways
Urban interstates

Answer: C — Rural highways

Rural highways have the highest fatality rate per mile of any US roads.

20. Driving on a loose gravel rural road, a driver notices the steering becoming difficult to control due to rippled surface texture. What is this phenomenon called?

Washboarding
Tandem drift
Hydroplaning
Threshold slip

Answer: A — Washboarding

Washboarding on gravel roads creates ripples that upset steering control.

21. When passing a bicyclist on a rural road, how should a driver behave compared to the minimum passing clearance elsewhere?

Pass with exactly three feet of clearance, no more
Pass faster to reduce time spent alongside the cyclist
Pass at normal speed with the standard required clearance
Pass slower and with more than the required three feet because of wind blast

Answer: D — Pass slower and with more than the required three feet because of wind blast

On rural roads, drivers should pass cyclists slower and with more than the required three feet due to wind blast at higher speeds.

22. Work zones and school zones share what feature regarding traffic fines?

Fines are reduced to encourage flow
Fines are doubled
Fines are waived for first offenses
Fines apply only during flagger presence

Answer: B — Fines are doubled

Work zones, like school zones, carry doubled fines.

23. What is the most common cause of crashes in work zones?

Equipment malfunctions
Rear-end collisions by inattentive drivers
Flaggers giving unclear signals
Vehicles exceeding the posted work zone speed limit

Answer: B — Rear-end collisions by inattentive drivers

Most work zone crashes are rear-end collisions caused by inattentive drivers.

24. Approaching a work zone, what behavior should a driver avoid?

Watching the vehicle ahead
Reducing speed to the posted limit
Tailgating
Watching for pedestrians and bicyclists

Answer: C — Tailgating

Drivers should stay alert and never tailgate in a work zone, since they must be ready to stop suddenly.

25. Under Colorado law, when may a driver use a hand-held mobile device while driving?

Only while driving below 25 mph
Only to contact law enforcement or the fire department, or in an emergency
Never, under any circumstance
Any time the vehicle is stopped at a red light

Answer: B — Only to contact law enforcement or the fire department, or in an emergency

The law bars mobile device use while driving except to contact law enforcement or fire department, in an emergency, or with a hands-free accessory.

26. Where should a driver's hands be positioned on the steering wheel?

10 and 2, or 11 and 1
8 and 4, or 9 and 3
One hand at 12, the other resting on the lap
12 and 6 only

Answer: B — 8 and 4, or 9 and 3

Recommended hand positions are 8 and 4 or 9 and 3.

27. How far ahead should a driver be looking while driving to avoid last-minute braking?

10 seconds ahead
5 seconds ahead
20 seconds ahead
3 seconds ahead

Answer: A — 10 seconds ahead

Drivers should look at least 10 seconds ahead to avoid last-minute braking.

28. At a lane closure ahead, a zipper merge is in effect. What is the correct technique?

Merge into the open lane as early as possible
Wait for a complete stop before merging
Drive in both lanes up to the closure and take turns merging just before the lane ends
Stay in the closing lane and force other drivers to yield

Answer: C — Drive in both lanes up to the closure and take turns merging just before the lane ends

In a zipper merge, drivers use both lanes up to the closure point and alternate into the open lane just before it ends.

29. An officer stops you and approaches your window. When should you mention a weapon in the vehicle?

At first contact with the officer
Only after stepping out of the vehicle
Only if directly asked
After providing license and registration

Answer: A — At first contact with the officer

A driver should mention any weapon in the vehicle at first contact, without reaching for it.

30. After being pulled over, if you believe the officer acted improperly, what should you do?

Refuse to sign the ticket
Argue your case with the officer on the spot
Drive away and file a complaint later
Ask for a supervisor as soon as possible after the stop

Answer: D — Ask for a supervisor as soon as possible after the stop

If an officer's conduct seems improper, the driver should ask for a supervisor as soon as possible after the stop, rather than arguing during it.