You need to enter a complicated destination into your navigation system. What is the safest plan?
Correct answer: Enter it while safely parked before driving.
Programming or reading navigation can take attention away from traffic. Finish the task while safely parked, rather than combining it with driving.
Source: North Carolina Driver Handbook, Revised May 2025 (printing 09/25), printed p. 41: Chapter 4 - Your Driving, Distracted Driving - Distractions ↗
You are installing a child restraint that is suitable for the child's size. What should you use to check the installation?
Correct answer: The restraint instructions and the vehicle owner's manual.
A suitable child restraint must also be installed correctly. Follow both the restraint manufacturer's instructions and the vehicle owner's manual, rather than assuming one installation method fits every vehicle.
Source: North Carolina Driver Handbook, Revised May 2025 (printing 09/25), printed p. 44: Chapter 4 - Your Driving, Child Safety (continued); NHTSA Car Seats and Booster Seats - Car Seat Overview ↗
If your reaction time stays the same but you drive faster, what happens before you even begin braking?
Correct answer: The car travels farther during that reaction time.
At a higher speed, the car covers more road during the same time spent recognizing and responding to a hazard. Braking distance also matters, but it does not replace reaction distance.
Source: North Carolina Driver Handbook, Revised May 2025 (printing 09/25), printed p. 52: Chapter 4 - Your Driving, Basic Driving Skills and Rules - Adjusting Your Speed to Driving Conditions ↗
You have nearly overtaken another car on a two-way road. What must your planned return gap allow?
Correct answer: A return without forcing the passed driver to brake to avoid you.
Plan the whole pass, including a safe return to your lane. Do not cut in so closely that the vehicle you passed must brake to avoid a collision.
Source: North Carolina Driver Handbook, Revised May 2025 (printing 09/25), printed p. 55: Chapter 4 - Your Driving, Passing ↗
At a multilane roundabout, when should you choose the lane that the signs and markings indicate for your destination?
Correct answer: Before entering, then follow that lane through the roundabout.
Choose the appropriate lane before entering and follow the signs and markings. Current NCDOT guidance says not to change lanes within the roundabout; a generic outside-lane rule does not replace the actual lane layout.
Source: North Carolina Driver Handbook, Revised May 2025 (printing 09/25), printed p. 59: Chapter 4 - Your Driving, Roundabouts - Multi-Lane Roundabout; current NCDOT Roundabouts - Multilane Roundabout ↗
You are preparing to turn right across a bicycle lane. Which conflict must you check for?
Correct answer: A bicyclist continuing straight beside you.
A bicyclist may be continuing straight on your right as you turn across that path. Check carefully and do not cut across the rider's movement.
Source: North Carolina Driver Handbook, Revised May 2025 (printing 09/25), printed p. 63: Chapter 4 - Your Driving, Bicycle Lanes (continued); printed p.90 collision diagrams ↗
Why does an exhaust-system leak need attention even if the car still runs normally?
Correct answer: It can allow poisonous exhaust gas into the passenger compartment.
An exhaust leak can allow carbon monoxide into the vehicle. The car continuing to run, or occupants noticing no strong odor, does not prove that the passenger compartment is safe; have the fault corrected.
Source: North Carolina Driver Handbook, Revised May 2025 (printing 09/25), printed p. 67: Chapter 4 - Your Driving, Vehicle Equipment - Muffler and Exhaust System ↗
On a dark road, what should limit your speed even when no other traffic is visible?
Correct answer: The distance in which you can see and stop for a hazard.
Choose a speed that lets you stop within the roadway you can actually see. Darkness can conceal wildlife, debris or stopped vehicles even on a familiar, apparently empty road.
Source: North Carolina Driver Handbook, Revised May 2025 (printing 09/25), printed p. 71: Chapter 4 - Your Driving, Night Driving ↗
If fog is light enough to continue driving safely at a reduced speed, which lights should you use?
Correct answer: Low-beam headlights.
Use low-beam headlights in fog and reduce speed for the limited view. If you cannot see well enough to continue safely, stop at a safe location off the roadway rather than relying on a different lamp setting.
Source: North Carolina Driver Handbook, Revised May 2025 (printing 09/25), printed p. 73: Chapter 4 - Your Driving, Fog ↗
While following a tractor-trailer, you cannot see the driver in its side mirror. What should you assume?
Correct answer: You may be in an area the truck driver cannot see.
A truck has substantial blind areas despite its driver's height. If you cannot see the driver in the side mirror, do not assume you have been seen; avoid lingering in that blind area.
Source: North Carolina Driver Handbook, Revised May 2025 (printing 09/25), printed p. 92: Chapter 6 - Sharing the Road, Trucks and Other Vehicles - No-Zones (continued) ↗
A circular green changes to yellow while you are still far enough from the intersection to stop safely. What should you do?
Correct answer: Stop safely rather than accelerate into the intersection
The handbook directs a safe stop when possible. If too close to stop safely, proceed cautiously instead; never speed up to beat the red. The stated scenario supplies enough stopping room.
Source: NCDMV Driver Handbook, revised May 2025, printing 09/25, current-linked 108-page PDF metadata modified September 10, 2026; Chapter 5 Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings; printed 80 / physical PDF 82; Traffic Signals - circular yellow. Current corroboration read September 13, 2026: G.S. 20-158(b)(2a): yellow warns of terminating green or immediately forthcoming red; handbook supplies safe-stop guidance. ↗
All signal heads at an intersection are dark after a power failure. No officer, authorized person or other traffic-control device is directing traffic. How should you treat it?
Correct answer: As an intersection controlled by stop signs on every approach
North Carolina requires the all-approach stop-sign treatment for an unilluminated malfunctioning intersection signal unless an authorized person or other device controls traffic. Those exceptions are expressly absent here.
Source: NCDMV Driver Handbook, revised May 2025, printing 09/25, current-linked 108-page PDF metadata modified September 10, 2026; Chapter 5 Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings; printed 81 / physical PDF 83; Malfunctioned traffic signal. Current corroboration read September 13, 2026: G.S. 20-158(b)(6), full exception sentence read. ↗
A destination is just beyond an opening, but this sign faces you at that opening. Which choice respects its meaning?
Correct answer: Find another lawful approach instead of entering there
The sign prohibits entry from the direction facing it. Distance to a destination, a gap or low speed does not remove that restriction.
Source: NCDMV Driver Handbook, revised May 2025, printing 09/25, current-linked 108-page PDF metadata modified September 10, 2026; Chapter 5 Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings; printed 86 / physical PDF 88; Regulatory Signs panel - DO NOT ENTER. ↗
You are following the main roadway when this sign appears. Which change ahead is it warning you to anticipate?
Correct answer: Traffic joining the roadway from the side
The joining branch warns of merging traffic. It does not grant an entering driver automatic priority or require main-road traffic to turn.
Source: NCDMV Driver Handbook, revised May 2025, printing 09/25, current-linked 108-page PDF metadata modified September 10, 2026; Chapter 5 Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings; printed 87 / physical PDF 89; Warning Signs panel - Merging Traffic. ↗
An orange diamond-shaped sign warns of road work ahead. What type of condition should you associate with its color and shape?
Correct answer: Construction or maintenance conditions
Black-on-orange diamond warnings concern construction or maintenance areas. Read the specific message; the orange color does not establish a particular speed limit or say that every lane is closed.
Source: NCDMV Driver Handbook, revised May 2025, printing 09/25, current-linked 108-page PDF metadata modified September 10, 2026; Chapter 5 Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings; printed 84 / physical PDF 86; Warning Signs - black-on-orange. ↗
