Pennsylvania Driver License: Safety First and Driver Factors

22 questions with the correct answer and an explanation for each. Topic: Safety First and Driver Factors. Free, no account needed.

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1. A driver wants an accurate tire pressure reading before a long trip. When should the pressure be checked?

  1. Immediately after highway driving, while the tires are still warm
  2. Any time, since tire pressure doesn't change with temperature
  3. When the tires are cold, before driving or at least three hours after
  4. Right after refueling at a gas station

Answer: C — When the tires are cold, before driving or at least three hours after

The document says to check pressure cold: before driving, or at least three hours after.

2. A driver presses a penny into the shallowest groove of a tire's tread, Lincoln's head first, and the entire head is covered by the tread. What does this show?

  1. The tire pressure is too low
  2. The tire must be replaced immediately
  3. The tire is overinflated
  4. The tread depth is still safe

Answer: D — The tread depth is still safe

If any part of Lincoln's head is covered by the tread, the tread is deep enough to be considered safe.

3. What is the single most effective way to reduce the risk of death or injury in a crash?

  1. Relying on the vehicle's air bags
  2. Keeping both hands on the wheel at all times
  3. Wearing a lap and shoulder seat belt
  4. Braking early and driving below the speed limit

Answer: C — Wearing a lap and shoulder seat belt

The seat belt is identified as the single most effective way to cut the risk of death or injury.

4. A driver keeps a heavy toolbox loose on the rear window deck instead of in the trunk. Why is this dangerous?

  1. It blocks the view through the side mirrors
  2. In a crash it keeps moving at the vehicle's speed
  3. It adds too much weight over the front axle
  4. It interferes with the rear defroster

Answer: B — In a crash it keeps moving at the vehicle's speed

Loose items keep moving at the vehicle's speed in a crash, which is why heavy items belong in the trunk or belted in, never on the rear window deck.

5. How should a driver adjust a side mirror?

  1. So the side of the vehicle is just barely visible when leaning toward the mirror
  2. So it shows only the lane the vehicle is currently in
  3. So it duplicates the view already shown in the rearview mirror
  4. So the entire side of the vehicle is clearly visible without leaning

Answer: A — So the side of the vehicle is just barely visible when leaning toward the mirror

Side mirrors are set so the driver can just barely see the side of the vehicle when leaning toward the mirror.

6. How high should a head restraint be adjusted to reduce the risk of neck injury?

  1. At least as high as the top of the ears
  2. As low as possible for comfort
  3. Level with the shoulders
  4. Level with the base of the neck

Answer: A — At least as high as the top of the ears

The head restraint should reach at least the top of the ears to reduce neck injuries.

7. How does being thrown from a vehicle during a crash affect an occupant's chance of death?

  1. It raises the chance of death by about 75 percent
  2. It only raises risk for occupants over age 65
  3. It has no measurable effect on survival
  4. It lowers the chance of death because impact force is spread out

Answer: A — It raises the chance of death by about 75 percent

Locking the doors along with wearing the seat belt keeps occupants from being thrown out, since being thrown out raises the chance of death by about 75 percent.

8. About what share of police-reported crashes are caused by distraction and inattention?

  1. about 5 percent
  2. 25 to 30 percent
  3. about 20 percent
  4. about 40 percent

Answer: B — 25 to 30 percent

Distraction and inattention cause 25 to 30 percent of police-reported crashes, about 1.2 million a year.

9. A driver wants to use a headphone while driving to talk on the phone. What does the rule allow?

  1. Wearing headphones in both ears as long as the volume is low
  2. Wearing it in one ear only
  3. Headphones in both ears, but only for hands-free calls
  4. No headphone use of any kind while driving

Answer: B — Wearing it in one ear only

Headphones or earpieces may be worn in one ear only, for communication.

10. Does using a hands-free device make talking on the phone while driving free of distraction?

  1. Yes, hands-free calls remove the distraction entirely
  2. Yes, but only for calls shorter than two minutes
  3. No, talking on a phone is distracting whether it is hands-free or not
  4. It depends only on the driver's age

Answer: C — No, talking on a phone is distracting whether it is hands-free or not

Talking on a phone is listed as a distraction whether it is hands-free or not.

11. A teenage driver dials a phone number while driving. Compared to an undistracted driver, how does this affect the chance of missing an important event on the road?

  1. It rises to about 30 percent of the time
  2. It rises dramatically, to about 53 percent of the time
  3. It stays about the same, near 3 percent
  4. It rises to about 13 percent of the time

Answer: B — It rises dramatically, to about 53 percent of the time

A teenager dialing a phone misses an important road event about 53 percent of the time, far more than an adult dialing (13 percent) or an undistracted driver (3 percent).

12. A driver has been awake for 24 straight hours before getting behind the wheel. Their impairment is comparable to which blood alcohol concentration?

  1. .08
  2. .05
  3. .02
  4. .10

Answer: D — .10

Being awake 24 hours impairs a driver like a .10 BAC, compared to .05 at 18 hours awake.

13. What should a driver do if they start to feel tired behind the wheel?

  1. Drink coffee and continue the trip
  2. Roll down the window and continue at a reduced speed
  3. Stop driving
  4. Turn up the radio and keep driving

Answer: C — Stop driving

The recommended response to feeling tired while driving is to stop driving.

14. Drowsy-driving crashes disproportionately involve drivers in which age range?

  1. over 60
  2. 15 to 24
  3. 25 to 40
  4. 16 to 24

Answer: B — 15 to 24

Almost half of drowsy-driving crashes involve drivers aged 15 to 24.

15. How often should a driver have their vision checked to catch changes in peripheral vision, distance judgment and low-light sight?

  1. Every ten years
  2. Only after noticing a problem
  3. Every one or two years
  4. Every five years

Answer: C — Every one or two years

Vision should be checked every one or two years since these changes fade with age or disease without the person noticing.

16. Which health conditions are considered most dangerous for safe driving?

  1. The common cold and seasonal flu
  2. Seizure disorders, diabetes and heart conditions
  3. Asthma, allergies and migraines
  4. Arthritis, back pain and tinnitus

Answer: B — Seizure disorders, diabetes and heart conditions

Seizure disorders, diabetes and heart conditions are named as the most dangerous conditions affecting driving safety.

17. In Pennsylvania, at what blood alcohol concentration is a driver under 21 considered to be driving under the influence?

  1. .10 percent or more
  2. .04 percent or more
  3. .08 percent or more
  4. .02 percent or more

Answer: D — .02 percent or more

Under Pennsylvania's zero-tolerance law, a driver under 21 with a BAC of .02 percent or more is considered driving under the influence.

18. A driver has a BAC of .04, half the legal limit for adult drivers. How does this affect the chance of a crash?

  1. Two to seven times more likely
  2. Exactly double
  3. Increased only in bad weather
  4. No measurable increase

Answer: A — Two to seven times more likely

At .04 BAC, a driver is two to seven times more likely to crash.

19. What actually lowers blood alcohol concentration after drinking?

  1. Drinking black coffee
  2. Taking a cold shower
  3. Vigorous exercise
  4. Only time

Answer: D — Only time

Only time sobers a person up; coffee, caffeine and cold showers do not.

20. About how long does it take an average-weight person to process one standard drink?

  1. At least one hour
  2. About fifteen minutes
  3. About three hours
  4. About thirty minutes

Answer: A — At least one hour

An average-weight person needs at least one hour to process each drink, so more than one drink per hour is likely to exceed the legal limit.

21. A medication's warning label says not to operate heavy machinery while taking it. What does this mean for a driver?

  1. It does not apply to everyday passenger vehicles
  2. It includes driving their vehicle
  3. It applies only to commercial truck drivers
  4. It applies only to industrial or factory equipment

Answer: B — It includes driving their vehicle

A warning label against operating heavy machinery means the driver's own vehicle.

22. Which drugs are associated with making drivers more aggressive and reckless, rather than drowsy?

  1. Antihistamines
  2. Cocaine and methamphetamine
  3. Sedatives
  4. Opioids

Answer: B — Cocaine and methamphetamine

Cocaine and methamphetamine make drivers aggressive and reckless, unlike sedatives and opioids, which cause drowsiness.

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