Which nighttime period does Missouri specify for required vehicle lighting?
Correct answer: Half an hour after sunset until half an hour before sunrise.
That is the statutory nighttime period. Poor visibility, weather requiring wipers and fog can require lights at other times too.
Source: Missouri Revised Statutes, section 307.020, subdivision (9), nighttime lighting. ↗
Daytime rain requires your windshield wipers for safe driving in Missouri. What else must you use?
Correct answer: Your vehicle lights, including headlights.
Missouri requires lighted lamps when weather makes wipers necessary for careful driving. Do not wait for darkness.
Source: Missouri Revised Statutes, section 307.020, subdivision (9), weather requiring windshield wipers. ↗
You enter daytime fog but do not need the wipers. Does Missouri still require vehicle lights?
Correct answer: Yes; fog also requires lighted lamps.
The fog provision applies even without wiper use. For seeing through fog, the guide recommends low beams.
Source: Missouri Revised Statutes, section 307.020, subdivision (9), fog provision. ↗
When approaching an oncoming vehicle at night in Missouri, within what distance must you dim your high beams?
Correct answer: 500 feet.
The oncoming-vehicle threshold is 500 feet. Reduce glare for the approaching driver.
Source: Missouri Revised Statutes, section 307.070, subsection 1, approaching an oncoming vehicle. ↗
You are following another vehicle at night in Missouri. Within what distance must your beams be dimmed?
Correct answer: 300 feet.
Use a beam that does not glare into the driver ahead when following within 300 feet; the oncoming threshold is different.
Source: Missouri Revised Statutes, section 307.070, subsection 1, following traffic. ↗
Your speed requires more stopping distance than the road your headlights reveal. What should change?
Correct answer: Reduce speed so you can stop within the visible distance.
Do not overdrive the useful range of your headlights. Nighttime visibility can require a speed well below the posted maximum; a fixed headlight distance is not a guarantee.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 64, printed page 62; Night Driving; do not overdrive your headlights. ↗
Before a short winter trip, you have cleared only a small hole in the windshield. What should you do?
Correct answer: Clear all windows and the vehicle lights before moving.
Clear snow and ice from the windows, headlights and taillights, and check the wipers and defroster. A short journey still requires a clear view.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 64, printed page 62; Winter Driving; snow and ice removal. ↗
Your car has suitable winter tires, but the road is icy. How should that affect your speed?
Correct answer: Slow down; winter tires do not restore dry-road traction.
Snow tires or chains can help, but they do not make normal speeds safe on snow or ice. Reduce speed and make smooth control changes.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 64, printed page 62; Winter Driving; snow tires and chains. ↗
Snow and ice are covering parts of your route. What should you do with conventional cruise control?
Correct answer: Leave it off and control speed for the changing traction.
The guide advises against cruise control on snow or ice. Maintaining a selected speed is not the same as maintaining traction.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 64, printed page 62; Winter Driving; cruise control. ↗
The road looks mostly clear on a cold morning as you approach an overpass. What should you anticipate?
Correct answer: The bridge surface may be icy before the adjoining road.
Bridges and overpasses can freeze before nearby road sections. Do not treat a clear approach as proof that the bridge is free of ice.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 65, printed page 63; Winter Driving; bridges and overpasses. ↗
Rain begins after the road has been dry. Why should you be particularly cautious?
Correct answer: Water can combine with accumulated oil and dust into a slick film.
The initial mixture of water, oil and dust can be slippery; wet fallen leaves add another hazard. Slow down and leave more room to stop.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 65, printed page 63; Wet Pavement; water mixed with dust and oil. ↗
In heavy rain, your tires begin riding on water rather than gripping the pavement. What is happening?
Correct answer: Hydroplaning, which reduces traction and control.
Water can separate the tire from the road surface. Ease off the accelerator without abrupt braking; reduce wet-road speed beforehand. Do not assume a particular low speed makes hydroplaning impossible.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 65, printed page 63; Hydroplaning. ↗
Which following interval does the Missouri guide suggest as a starting point on snow or ice?
Correct answer: About eight to ten seconds, with more space if conditions require.
The guide suggests about eight to ten seconds because stopping takes longer. This is guidance, not a legal minimum or a promise that the gap is sufficient in every situation.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 65, printed page 63; Winter Driving; following distance. ↗
During hard braking in a car with four-wheel ABS, you feel the pedal pulse. What should you do?
Correct answer: Maintain firm brake pressure and continue steering as needed.
Pulsing and mechanical noises can be normal ABS operation. Keep firm, continuous pressure rather than pumping, and keep steering. Follow the vehicle manual for its braking system.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 66, printed page 64; Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), continued. ↗
The rear of your car begins sliding to the right. Which initial steering response does the Missouri guide illustrate?
Correct answer: Gently steer to the right while avoiding sudden braking.
For this rear-wheel skid, ease off the accelerator and gently steer in the direction the rear is sliding. Avoid overcorrection and adjust as the vehicle straightens. This is not a universal instruction for every kind of traction loss.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 66, printed page 64; Skidding; Steer Into The Skid diagram. ↗
You must travel through fog with limited visibility. Which headlight setting should you use?
Correct answer: Low beams while reducing speed.
High beams can make it harder to see in fog. Use low beams, slow down, stay alert and be prepared to stop.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 66, printed page 64; Fog; low beam headlights. ↗
Fog becomes so dense that you cannot continue safely. What is the safer course?
Correct answer: Reach a safe place fully off the roadway and stop with lights on.
If you cannot see enough to proceed safely, move carefully to a safe off-road stopping place, with lights and emergency flashers on. Do not make a sudden stop in a traffic lane or blindly steer off the pavement.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 66, printed page 64; Fog; when fog becomes too thick. ↗
After brake failure, you have managed to stop safely off the road. What should you do next?
Correct answer: Call for assistance instead of driving the car to a repair shop.
A car that has suffered brake failure needs help where it is safely stopped. Do not test it by driving to a garage or assume that a temporary change means the fault is repaired.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 66, printed page 64; Handling Vehicle Emergencies; Brake Failure. ↗
A tire suddenly blows out while you are driving. Which response helps you keep control?
Correct answer: Grip the wheel, avoid abrupt inputs and release the accelerator gradually.
NHTSA emphasizes keeping the vehicle stable. Hold the wheel, gradually ease the accelerator, stabilize the direction, then slow further and leave the road when safe.
Source: NHTSA TireWise; Tire Blowouts; What should I do if I have a tire blowout while driving? Reviewed September 15, 2026. ↗
Your right wheels drop off the paved edge. What should you do before returning to the lane?
Correct answer: Slow under control, then return only when the lane is clear.
Hold the wheel firmly and ease off the accelerator; avoid hard braking or a sudden steering correction. Once slower and controlled, check that the lane is free before returning.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 67, printed page 65; Running Off the Pavement. ↗
Your headlights go out at night and switching the headlight controls does not restore them. What should you do?
Correct answer: Use available warning lights and pull safely off the road.
Use available parking lights, signals or emergency flashers to make the vehicle visible while moving to safety. They do not provide adequate lighting to continue the trip without headlights.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 67, printed page 65; Headlight Failure. ↗
Your accelerator is stuck and the car keeps pulling forward. Which action does the guide recommend?
Correct answer: Shift to neutral, brake and steer toward a safe stopping place.
Neutral separates engine power from the drive wheels. Brake, watch the road and steer to safety. Do not risk locking the steering by turning the ignition off while you still need control.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 67, printed page 65; Stuck Accelerator. ↗
An oncoming car has entered your lane. Which escape direction does the Missouri guide recommend if it is safe?
Correct answer: Slow and move right rather than swerving into the oncoming lane.
Slow, sound the horn and seek a safe path to the right. Swerving left can put you in the other driver's path if they return to their proper lane.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 67, printed page 65; Vehicle Approaching Head-On In Your Lane. ↗
Your vehicle is stalled on the tracks and a train is approaching. What has priority?
Correct answer: Get everyone out and away from the tracks immediately.
Leave the vehicle and get clear of the tracks. Move away at an angle toward the approaching train's direction, not along its path, to reduce exposure to debris. Do not delay escape to save the vehicle.
Source: Missouri Driver Guide, August 2026; PDF page 68, printed page 66; Stalling On Railroad Tracks; if a train is approaching. ↗
Everyone is safely away from a car stuck at a railroad crossing. What information on the blue-and-white ENS sign helps you report the danger?
Correct answer: The railroad emergency phone number and the crossing identification number.
Call the railroad emergency number and give the crossing ID and the nature of the emergency. The ID lets the dispatcher locate the crossing; do not return to the tracks to make the call.
Source: Federal Railroad Administration; Emergency Notification Systems at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings; In Case of Emergency, Use ENS Signs To Get Help; updated April 4, 2025. ↗
