Virginia Driver’s License & Permit Practice Tests

You must stop for stopped school buses with flashing red lights and an extended stop sign when you approach from any direction on a highway, private road, or school driveway. Stop and remain stopped until all persons are clear, and the bus moves again.

You must also stop if the bus is loading or unloading passengers and the signals are not on.

Do not develop a fixed stare. Use your rear-view mirror to frequently (about every 10 seconds) check the traffic behind you. This will alert you if someone is moving up too quickly or tailgating you. Check the traffic behind you when changing lanes, backing up, slowing down quickly, or driving down a long, steep hill.

You must title and register your vehicle and obtain Virginia license plates within 30 days of moving to Virginia.

You got 60 days to obtain a Virginia driver’s license.

The driver is responsible for making sure that children are properly secured. If you are convicted of violating the child restraint law, you will be fined $50. A second or subsequent offense could mean a $500 penalty. All children under age 8 must be properly secured in a child safety seat or booster seat when riding in vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1968.

Use your mirrors and turn signals. Turn your head to look quickly to the side before changing lanes.

When on the road, drivers should not use cell phones, computers, or other distracting devices except to report a crash or emergency. There is, however, no general prohibition on cell phone use while driving in Virginia.

Virginia law prohibits drivers under age 18 from using cell phones or any other wireless communication device while driving except in a driver emergency and the vehicle is lawfully parked or stopped.

Text messaging or reading of text messages while driving is illegal for all drivers

Watch for ice on bridges and in shady areas. Bridges freeze before other road surfaces.

Always approach bridges, shaded spots, overpasses and turns slowly.

The process of stopping your car has three main components: perception, reaction, and braking. This is usually referred to as stopping distance. The first two components can be affected by human factors such as tiredness, alcohol, fatigue, and concentration levels. The last component depends on factors such as: tires, brakes, road, and weather conditions.

Consuming caffeine, energy drinks or other stimulants do not prevent drowsy driving and are not reliable methods for staying awake.

You may not park on a crosswalk.

Pass only when safe. Instead of driving between the car and the child, take one danger at a time. First, slow down and let the car pass. Then, move to the left to allow plenty of room (at least three feet) before you pass the child.

Remember, slow down when you approach bicyclists. State law requires motorists to pass cyclists with at least three feet of clearance. Give them plenty of room when passing and be prepared to stop suddenly. Look for bicycles on all public roads.

If you are in an intersection, continue through the intersection and then drive to the right as soon as you can and stop. Never stop in an intersection.

Legal speed limit in school zones, business or residential districts is 25 mph. You are required to travel 25 mph in a school zone only when indicated by a sign or signal. Otherwise, maintain the posted speed.

If a traffic signal light is not working, proceed as if the intersection is controlled by a stop sign in all directions. Meaning, you must stop, and may only proceed when you can do so safely.

Yellow circular lights or arrows are caution warnings. The light is about to change. If you have not entered the intersection, stop if you can do so safely. If you are already in the intersection, go through it. Do not speed up to beat the light.

Some vehicles, such as school buses or vehicles carrying hazardous materials, must always stop at railroad crossings. When driving behind one of these vehicles, a motorist must be prepared to stop, even if signals do not indicate a train is coming.

Wearing seat belts, also called safety belts, can double your chances of surviving a crash and more than double your chances of avoiding serious injury. Never wear your shoulder belt behind your back or under your arm.

Fog reflects light and can reflect your own headlights back into your eyes. Use your low-beam lights when you encounter fog, dust, heavy rain, or snow.

Thousands of deer-vehicle crashes take place in Virginia each year, resulting in fatalities, injuries, and costly vehicle damage. To avoid hitting a deer, you should be alert at dusk and dawn, especially in the fall. Deer are most active in the dusk and dawn hours.

When entering a roadway from a private road or driveway, you must stop and yield to all traffic and pedestrians. Stop at the sidewalk, or if there is no sidewalk, at a point prior to entering the roadway.

A speed limit is the maximum legal speed you can travel on a road under ideal conditions. You may drive slower than the posted speed, but it is illegal to drive any faster. By law, you must drive slower if conditions such as road construction or bad weather make the posted speed unsafe.

Only time can decrease intoxication. Things like coffee, cold showers, vitamins, or exercise will not sober you up.

Broken white lines separate lanes of traffic going in the same direction. You may change lanes with caution.

If you run off the road, do not panic. Stay on the shoulder and gradually reduce your speed. Ease up on the gas pedal and use your brakes carefully. Regain control, look in the direction you want to go, then turn slowly back onto the road.

Too often motorists panic, over-correcting, and steer abruptly to return to the road.

Bicycles are considered vehicles and have the same right-of-way as motor vehicles. Bicyclists are allowed to ride in the center of the lane, when necessary, such as when they are about to turn left or when the lane is too narrow to share side-by-side with a car.