Minnesota Driver License: Skids, Vehicle Failures, Deer, Floods and Carbon Monoxide

28 questions with the correct answer and an explanation for each. Topic: Skids, Vehicle Failures, Deer, Floods and Carbon Monoxide. Free, no account needed.

1. How often should you stop on a long drive to fight drowsiness?

Every 100 miles or two hours
Every 50 miles or one hour
Every 200 miles or four hours
Every 300 miles or six hours

Answer: A — Every 100 miles or two hours

Stopping at least every 100 miles or two hours to walk, stretch, and refresh helps prevent drowsy driving.

2. Nothing is keeping a driver awake on a long night drive and they decide to stop and sleep in the car rather than push on. What is the safe way to do this?

Park far from the road with the doors locked and windows cracked
Park in a rest area with all windows fully sealed
Park on the shoulder and leave the engine running for warmth
Park on the shoulder with hazards flashing

Answer: A — Park far from the road with the doors locked and windows cracked

If nothing else works, stop for the day or park far from the road with the doors locked and windows cracked.

3. A car starts to skid on an icy road. What should the driver do first?

Take the foot off both the accelerator and the brake, then steer where they want to go
Slam on the brakes
Turn the wheel opposite the skid and accelerate
Pump the brakes rapidly

Answer: A — Take the foot off both the accelerator and the brake, then steer where they want to go

In a skid, stay calm, avoid slamming the brakes, and ease off the accelerator and brake while steering toward the intended path.

4. A driver needs to stop quickly in a car equipped with anti-lock brakes. What is the correct technique?

Release the brake completely and coast to a stop
Pump twice, then hold the pedal down
Pump the brake pedal rapidly
Press the pedal down firmly and keep steering

Answer: D — Press the pedal down firmly and keep steering

With anti-lock brakes, the driver should not pump the pedal but press it down and keep steering until control is regained.

5. Driving at night in fog, a driver cannot see 500 feet ahead. Which headlight setting should be used?

Low beams
Parking lights only
High beams
Hazard lights instead of headlights

Answer: A — Low beams

Low beams should be used when visibility drops below 500 feet or in fog, rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

6. Above roughly what speed can a car's tires begin to lift off wet pavement and hydroplane?

35 mph
55 mph
15 mph
25 mph

Answer: A — 35 mph

At 35 mph or less tires wipe water away, but above that speed water can lift the tires off the road.

7. A driver feels their car start to hydroplane on a wet highway. What should they do?

Brake firmly to regain traction
Turn the wheel sharply to test grip
Take their foot off the gas
Accelerate to power through the water

Answer: C — Take their foot off the gas

Hydroplaning tires cannot brake, accelerate, or steer, so the driver should take their foot off the gas.

8. Approaching a curve on a narrow road where brush hides the roadway ahead, what should a driver do to warn others?

Straddle the center line
Flash the headlights repeatedly
Speed up to clear the curve quickly
Sound the horn

Answer: D — Sound the horn

On narrow roads with blind curves or hidden view, drivers may sound the horn to warn others.

9. Why is coasting down a steep hill in neutral dangerous?

Speed builds even with the foot off the accelerator
It drains the battery
It disengages the anti-lock brakes
It overheats the engine

Answer: A — Speed builds even with the foot off the accelerator

Speed builds on a downhill even without pressing the accelerator, so a driver should never coast in neutral and should check the speedometer often.

10. A tire blows out while a car is moving at highway speed. What is the correct response?

Turn off the ignition and coast to a stop
Brake immediately, then steer straight
Steer toward the shoulder immediately while braking hard
Hold the wheel tightly, steer straight, ease off the accelerator, and brake only once back under control

Answer: D — Hold the wheel tightly, steer straight, ease off the accelerator, and brake only once back under control

After a blowout, the driver should hold the wheel, steer straight, ease off the accelerator slowly, and brake only once back under control.

11. A car's steering suddenly fails. What should the driver do?

Shift to neutral and coast
Brake hard immediately to stop the car
Pump the brakes to try to regain steering
Ease off the accelerator and avoid braking unless needed to avoid a crash

Answer: D — Ease off the accelerator and avoid braking unless needed to avoid a crash

With steering failure, the driver should ease off the accelerator and avoid braking unless necessary, since sudden braking can throw the vehicle off balance.

12. Over several stops, a driver notices the brake pedal sinking slowly closer to the floor each time. What does this warn of?

Engine overheating
A tire blowout
Steering failure
Brake failure

Answer: D — Brake failure

A brake pedal that sinks slowly is a warning sign of brake failure.

13. A driver's brake pedal suddenly drops all the way to the floor. What should they do first?

Pump the brake pedal
Turn off the ignition immediately
Pull the parking brake hard immediately
Shift into neutral

Answer: A — Pump the brake pedal

If the pedal suddenly hits the floor, the driver should pump it, then apply the parking brake slowly and downshift while decelerating.

14. A car's right wheels drift off the pavement onto the shoulder. What should the driver do?

Brake hard immediately
Swerve quickly back onto the pavement
Stay on the shoulder, ease off the gas, and return to the pavement only after slowing
Accelerate to pull back into the lane quickly

Answer: C — Stay on the shoulder, ease off the gas, and return to the pavement only after slowing

A driver whose wheels drift onto the shoulder should not swerve back but stay there, ease off the gas, and return to the road only after slowing.

15. A car's headlights fail at night. What should the driver try?

Flash the high beams repeatedly
Honk the horn continuously
Try parking lights, hazard lights, or turn signals to help guide off the road
Drive faster to reach a lit area sooner

Answer: C — Try parking lights, hazard lights, or turn signals to help guide off the road

If headlights fail, a driver should try the parking lights, hazard lights, or turn signals to guide off the road.

16. A driver's gas pedal sticks and cannot be freed with a toe hooked under it. What should they do?

Turn off the ignition immediately while at speed
Shift into park while still moving
Brake, shift to neutral, and steer to the shoulder
Pump the accelerator repeatedly

Answer: C — Brake, shift to neutral, and steer to the shoulder

If a stuck gas pedal cannot be freed, the driver should brake, shift to neutral, and steer to the shoulder.

17. Smoke begins rising from under the hood while driving. What should the driver do?

Pour water on the engine to cool it
Pull off, turn off the ignition, and get out immediately
Keep driving to reach a service station
Open the hood right away to inspect the engine

Answer: B — Pull off, turn off the ignition, and get out immediately

If smoke rises from under the hood, the driver should pull off, turn off the ignition, get out immediately, and never use water, which spreads the fire.

18. An engine overheats while towing a trailer in stop-and-go traffic. What is a recommended immediate step?

Turn on the air conditioning to cool the cabin
Turn off the heater and open the windows
Turn off the ignition while still moving
Turn off the air conditioning and turn on the heater

Answer: D — Turn off the air conditioning and turn on the heater

For overheating, the driver should turn off the air conditioning and turn on the heater to draw heat away from the engine.

19. During which hours are deer most active and most likely to be crossing roads?

Only during rainstorms
Midday
Dusk to dawn
Only during morning rush hour

Answer: C — Dusk to dawn

Deer are most active from dusk to dawn, so drivers should watch roadsides for eyeshine at night.

20. A vehicle suddenly comes toward you head-on in your lane. What should you do?

Flash your lights and hold your lane
Move right, steering off the road if needed
Brake hard and hold your lane
Swerve left into the oncoming lane

Answer: B — Move right, steering off the road if needed

A driver facing an oncoming vehicle in their lane should move right, never into the left lane, and steer off the road to the right if needed.

21. On a two-lane road, a driver passing you misjudges the gap and must drop back before finishing the pass. How can you help them?

Speed up to make room behind you
Flash your high beams and hold your speed
Move left toward the centerline
Slow down so the pass finishes quickly

Answer: A — Speed up to make room behind you

If the passer must drop back, the driver being passed should speed up to make room behind them.

22. A car stalls on railroad tracks and a train is approaching. What should the occupants do?

Stay inside and brace for impact
Get out and run parallel to the tracks
Get out and walk at a 45-degree angle toward the direction the train is coming from
Get out and run away from the tracks in the direction the train is heading

Answer: C — Get out and walk at a 45-degree angle toward the direction the train is coming from

Occupants should leave the vehicle immediately and walk at a 45-degree angle away from the tracks, toward the direction the train is coming from, so debris flies past them.

23. About how much standing water is enough to reach the bottom of most cars and risk loss of control?

One foot
Two feet
Six inches
Two inches

Answer: C — Six inches

Six inches of water reaches the bottom of most cars and can cause loss of control or stalling.

24. About how deep does moving water need to be to carry away most vehicles, including SUVs and pickups?

Two feet
One foot
Four feet
Six inches

Answer: A — Two feet

Two feet of moving water can carry away most vehicles, including SUVs and pickups.

25. A car plunges into deep water. Roughly how long does it float before sinking?

About 5 minutes
30 to 60 seconds
2 to 3 minutes
5 to 10 seconds

Answer: B — 30 to 60 seconds

A vehicle in deep water floats for about 30 to 60 seconds, so occupants should get out immediately, through open windows if possible.

26. A car strikes a utility pole and a downed wire lies across the vehicle. What should the driver do?

Get out right away to check for injuries
Get out only if uninjured
Drive the car off the wire first
Stay in the vehicle and call 911

Answer: D — Stay in the vehicle and call 911

After hitting a utility pole or wire, the driver should stay in the vehicle and call 911, leaving only if the vehicle catches fire.

27. While driving, a person feels sudden fatigue, headache, dizziness, and nausea. What should they do?

Open the windows, shut off the engine, and get out
Pull over and let the engine idle with windows cracked
Close all windows to conserve cabin air
Turn up the heater and keep driving

Answer: A — Open the windows, shut off the engine, and get out

These are early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning; at the first sign, open the windows, shut off the engine, and get out.

28. A vehicle is stuck in snow. Is it safe to let the engine idle for warmth while stuck?

Yes, it is only dangerous in an attached garage
Yes, as long as a window is cracked
Yes, as long as the exhaust pipe is above the snow
No, idling while stuck in snow or mud should be avoided

Answer: D — No, idling while stuck in snow or mud should be avoided

The document says not to idle while stuck in snow or mud, and to keep the exhaust system leak-free and unblocked.