Texas Driver License: Safety Belts, Police Stops and Other Rules

20 questions with the correct answer and an explanation for each. Topic: Safety Belts, Police Stops and Other Rules. Free, no account needed.

1. You have the right-of-way at an intersection, but another driver is not yielding and proceeding would risk a collision. What should you do?

Speed up to clear the intersection before the other driver reaches it
Tap the horn and proceed, since you have warned the other driver
Proceed, since the other driver is legally responsible for any collision
Give up the right-of-way and let the other driver go

Answer: D — Give up the right-of-way and let the other driver go

Courtesy puts safety ahead of the right-of-way, and the law expects drivers to protect each other from their own mistakes.

2. While driving on a crowded freeway, a driver continuously scans the mirrors, the road ahead, and the sides of the road instead of staring only at the car in front. Which defensive driving habit is this?

Fitness to drive, letting someone else drive when you are not alert
Proper care of the vehicle, not just the yearly inspection
Keeping the eyes moving to look for trouble developing all around
Proper signaling

Answer: C — Keeping the eyes moving to look for trouble developing all around

A defensive driver keeps the eyes moving to track everything happening and looks for trouble developing all around. The other three are also keys to safe driving, but none describes scanning.

3. A 7-year-old child who is 4 feet 10 inches tall is riding in a car. Does the law require the child to ride in a child safety seat?

Yes, all children under 8 must use a child safety seat regardless of height
No, because the child is taller than 4 feet 9 inches
No, because the child is older than 5
Yes, unless the child weighs less than 40 pounds

Answer: B — No, because the child is taller than 4 feet 9 inches

Children under 8 need a child safety seat unless they are taller than 4 feet 9 inches.

4. A driver is pulled over with a 10-year-old passenger in the car who was not wearing a seat belt. What fine range does the driver face for this violation?

$100 to $200
$25 to $200
$25 to $50
$25 to $250

Answer: A — $100 to $200

An unbelted passenger under 17 is charged to the driver, with a fine of $100 to $200.

5. An adult passenger riding in the back seat of a pickup truck refuses to buckle up, claiming only front-seat occupants are required to wear seat belts. Is this correct?

Incorrect, but only passengers under 17 must buckle up
Correct, only front-seat occupants must wear a seat belt
Incorrect, every passenger must wear a belt in any seat that has one, regardless of age
Correct, back-seat passengers are exempt from the belt law

Answer: C — Incorrect, every passenger must wear a belt in any seat that has one, regardless of age

Every passenger, of any age, must wear a belt in any seat equipped with one.

6. A family wants their 16-year-old to ride in the open bed of their pickup truck during a town parade. Is this allowed?

No, it is never allowed for anyone under 18 to ride in an open bed
No, the exception only applies to farm workers
Yes, riding in a parade is a recognized defense to this offense
Yes, but only if the truck is the family's only vehicle

Answer: C — Yes, riding in a parade is a recognized defense to this offense

A parade is explicitly listed as a defense to the open-bed offense for a child under 18.

7. An officer stops a driver at night. After putting the car in park, setting the emergency brake, turning off the engine and switching on the hazard lights, what else should the driver do?

Get out and walk back to the officer's car so the officer does not have to approach
Turn on the interior dome light
Keep both hands in the lap, out of sight, until the officer speaks
Turn off the hazard lights so they do not distract the officer

Answer: B — Turn on the interior dome light

At night the driver should also switch on the interior dome light. Getting out is discouraged, and the hands belong in sight on top of the steering wheel.

8. A driver is being followed by a vehicle with flashing lights on a dark, isolated road and is unsure whether it is a real police car. What should the driver do?

Speed up until reaching a town, ignoring the vehicle behind
Pull over and lock the doors without contacting anyone
Turn on hazard lights, drive slowly below the speed limit, and call 9-1-1 while heading to a well-lit, populated place
Stop immediately wherever they are, since failing to stop is always an offense

Answer: C — Turn on hazard lights, drive slowly below the speed limit, and call 9-1-1 while heading to a well-lit, populated place

Doubt about a vehicle's legitimacy calls for hazards, slow driving below the limit, and calling 911 while heading somewhere safe.

9. An officer hands a driver a citation, and the driver believes signing it is an admission of guilt to the charge. Is this correct?

Incorrect, but the driver must still argue the case with the officer at the roadside
Correct, signing waives the right to contest the charge
Incorrect, signing is only a promise to pay or appear in court, not an admission of guilt
Correct, and refusing to sign avoids the fine entirely

Answer: C — Incorrect, signing is only a promise to pay or appear in court, not an admission of guilt

Signing a citation is only a promise to pay or contact the court, not an admission of guilt, and the charge is contested before a judge or jury rather than at the roadside.

10. During a traffic stop, an officer without a warrant states there is probable cause to believe there is contraband in the car, then searches it despite the driver's refusal to consent. Is this search lawful?

No, only a pat-down for weapons is allowed without consent
No, a search always requires either consent or a warrant
Yes, but only if a passenger consents instead
Yes, an officer with probable cause may search the vehicle without consent

Answer: D — Yes, an officer with probable cause may search the vehicle without consent

An officer with probable cause may search a vehicle even without the driver's consent.

11. You are caught in slow, heavy traffic and are running late. What does the handbook recommend?

Report the slow drivers around you to the local authorities
Relax, since congestion is usually temporary, and allow extra time when planning trips
Follow the car ahead closely so that no one can cut in front of you
Take any gap that opens, signaling only when another driver is close enough to need the warning

Answer: B — Relax, since congestion is usually temporary, and allow extra time when planning trips

Plan the trip with extra time and relax in congestion, which is usually temporary. Tailgating is out, lane changes are always signaled without cutting in, and it is aggressive drivers, not slow ones, that get reported.

12. Someone wants to drive a neighborhood electric vehicle, which has a top speed of 35 mph, on a street posted at 50 mph. Is this allowed?

No, neighborhood electric vehicles may only be used on streets posted 45 mph or less
Yes, since its top speed is below the posted limit
Yes, as long as the vehicle can keep up with a portion of traffic
No, these vehicles may only be used on streets posted 30 mph or less

Answer: A — No, neighborhood electric vehicles may only be used on streets posted 45 mph or less

Neighborhood electric vehicles may only be used on streets posted 45 mph or less.

13. A scooter has two wheels, a brake, a deck to stand on, and a 50 cc gasoline engine. Does it qualify as a motor assisted scooter allowed on streets posted 35 mph or less?

Yes, it meets all the requirements
No, because it lacks an electric motor
Yes, as long as it can also be moved by human power
No, because the engine exceeds the 40 cc limit for a motor assisted scooter

Answer: D — No, because the engine exceeds the 40 cc limit for a motor assisted scooter

A motor assisted scooter's engine must be no more than 40 cc, and the motor may be gas or electric.

14. A person is riding a self-balancing, two-wheeled electric personal assistive mobility device along a residential street posted 25 mph where there is no sidewalk. Is this allowed?

No, they may only cross directly in a crosswalk, never travel along a street
Yes, since the street's posted limit is 30 mph or less and there is no sidewalk
Yes, but only if the rider wears a helmet
No, these devices may only be used on sidewalks

Answer: B — Yes, since the street's posted limit is 30 mph or less and there is no sidewalk

Such a device may be used on a residential street posted 30 mph or less when there is no sidewalk.

15. A driver is towing a disabled car using a chain that is 20 feet long with no flag attached. Does this comply with the towing rules?

No, the chain may be no longer than 15 feet and must carry a white flag at least 12 inches square
Yes, flags are only required for tows longer than 25 feet
Yes, as long as the chain is strong enough for the load
No, chains are never allowed; only a rigid drawbar may be used

Answer: A — No, the chain may be no longer than 15 feet and must carry a white flag at least 12 inches square

A towing chain may be no longer than 15 feet and must carry a white flag at least 12 inches square.

16. A driver wants to tow four ordinary vehicles in a line, each with its front wheels resting on the bed of the vehicle ahead of it. Is this permitted?

Yes, there is no limit to the number of vehicles that can be towed this way
No, no more than three vehicles may be towed this way
Yes, up to five vehicles are allowed
No, only one vehicle may ever be towed this way

Answer: B — No, no more than three vehicles may be towed this way

No more than three vehicles may be towed with their front wheels on the bed of the one ahead.

17. On a cold day, a driver parks in a closed garage and leaves the engine running with the windows shut to stay warm. What danger does this create?

Overheating of the engine from restricted airflow
Excess moisture buildup that fogs the windows
Battery drain that leaves the car unable to start later
Carbon monoxide poisoning from a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas

Answer: D — Carbon monoxide poisoning from a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas

Cars produce carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless, tasteless, deadly gas; never run the engine in a garage or a closed car.

18. A driver with a communication impediment wants a responding officer to know about it before the officer approaches the car during a future traffic stop. What does the handbook say will do that?

Disclose the impediment when registering the vehicle, on form VTR-216
Place a sticker stating the impediment on the rear window
Keep a physician's letter in the glove box to hand to the officer
Add the Communication Impediment with a Peace Officer code to the back of the driver license, on form DL-101

Answer: A — Disclose the impediment when registering the vehicle, on form VTR-216

It is the disclosure made when registering the vehicle that goes into the law enforcement telecommunication system, so the officer knows before approaching. The license code exists too, but the handbook does not credit it with warning the officer in advance.

19. The posted speed limit on a road is 60 mph, but dense fog cuts visibility drastically. How fast does the law allow a driver to go?

As fast as other traffic is moving
Up to 60 mph, since that is the posted limit
No faster than is safe for the conditions, regardless of the posted limit
Up to 45 mph, the standard reduced-visibility limit

Answer: C — No faster than is safe for the conditions, regardless of the posted limit

The basic speed law requires never driving faster than is safe for conditions, whatever the posted limit.

20. A driver using low-beam headlights at night is traveling faster than the beams' lit distance allows for stopping. About how fast can low beams safely support stopping?

About 65 mph
About 30 mph
About 45 mph
About 55 mph

Answer: C — About 45 mph

Low beams limit safe stopping to about 45 mph; high beams extend that to about 65 mph.