Iowa DOT Permit Practice Test 5: 50 Questions
Practice Test 5 has 50 multiple-choice questions on Iowa driving rules, including green X lane signal, headlights fail at night, railroad track stall and wet brakes after water. Each answer is explained as soon as you pick it, and every question is listed with its answer in the study guide below.
More Iowa Practice Tests
What Practice Test 5 Covers
The questions in this test ask about:
- Green X Lane Signal
- Headlights Fail at Night
- Railroad Track Stall
- Wet Brakes After Water
- Left Turn onto One-Way Street
- Driving While Angry
- Vehicle Overheats
- Flashing Red Beacon at Intersection
- School Bus on Divided Roadway
- Skid on Ice Recovery
- Uphill Parking Without Curb
- Sharp Curve Approach
- Passing Return to Lane
- Broken Yellow Next to Solid
- Night Driving near Pedestrians
Try 5 Questions from This Test
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What does a lane control signal showing a green arrow above your lane mean?
Show answer
B. Lane is open for travel
A green arrow above a lane means the lane may be used.
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What should you do if your headlights suddenly go out at night?
Show answer
B. Turn on hazard lights and slow
Hazard lights warn other drivers while you slow safely.
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What should you do if your vehicle stalls on railroad tracks?
Show answer
B. Exit immediately and move away
Leaving the vehicle quickly reduces injury risk.
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What should you do if your brakes become wet after driving through water?
Show answer
C. Test brakes lightly
Light braking helps dry the brakes.
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When turning left onto a one-way street, you should enter:
Show answer
B. The nearest lane
Left turns should enter the nearest legal lane.
Complete Study Guide: All 50 Questions with Answers
Every question in Practice Test 5, with the correct answer and an explanation for each.
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Q1. What does a lane control signal showing a green arrow above your lane mean?
Correct answer: Lane is open for travel
Why: A green arrow above a lane means the lane may be used.
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Q2. When driving downhill, you should:
Correct answer: Shift to a lower gear
Why: Lower gears help control speed on downhill grades.
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Q3. What does a solid white stop line at an intersection indicate?
Correct answer: Where to stop
Why: The stop line marks where vehicles must stop.
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Q4. When approaching a railroad crossing with flashing lights but no gate, you must:
Correct answer: Stop until the lights stop
Why: Flashing lights require a complete stop.
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Q5. What should you do if your headlights suddenly go out at night?
Correct answer: Turn on hazard lights and slow
Why: Hazard lights warn other drivers while you slow safely.
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Q6. What does a yellow diamond sign with a merging arrow warn of?
Correct answer: Traffic merging ahead
Why: Merge signs warn of traffic entering your lane.
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Q7. When entering a roadway from a gravel road, you must:
Correct answer: Yield to traffic on the roadway
Why: Traffic already on the roadway has the right-of-way.
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Q8. What is the safest action when approaching a sharp curve?
Correct answer: Slow before entering the curve
Why: Slowing beforehand improves control.
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Q9. What does a white solid line between lanes mean?
Correct answer: Lane changes discouraged
Why: Solid white lines discourage lane changes.
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Q10. When driving near pedestrians at night, you should:
Correct answer: Reduce speed and watch carefully
Why: Lower speeds help you react to pedestrians.
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Q11. What does a yellow warning sign with a side road symbol indicate?
Correct answer: Side road ahead
Why: This sign warns of a side road entering ahead.
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Q12. If your vehicle begins to skid on ice, you should:
Correct answer: Steer in the direction you want to go
Why: Steering toward your intended path helps regain control.
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Q13. When parking uphill without a curb, your front wheels should be turned:
Correct answer: Toward the edge of the road
Why: With no curb, turn your front wheels toward the edge of the road whether you face uphill or downhill, so the vehicle rolls away from traffic if it moves. Always set the parking brake.
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Q14. What does a regulatory sign with black lettering on a white background indicate?
Correct answer: Traffic law
Why: These signs show traffic laws you must obey.
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Q15. When driving behind a large truck, you should:
Correct answer: Stay far enough back to see mirrors
Why: Seeing the truck’s mirrors means the driver can see you.
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Q16. What should you do if your vehicle stalls on railroad tracks?
Correct answer: Exit immediately and move away
Why: Leaving the vehicle quickly reduces injury risk.
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Q17. What does an orange diamond-shaped sign indicate?
Correct answer: Construction or maintenance
Why: Orange signs warn of work zones.
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Q18. When turning left onto a one-way street, you should enter:
Correct answer: The nearest lane
Why: Left turns should enter the nearest legal lane.
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Q19. What does a flashing yellow beacon at an intersection warn of?
Correct answer: Hazard or caution
Why: Flashing yellow beacons signal caution.
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Q20. When driving in heavy rain, you should:
Correct answer: Increase following distance
Why: Extra distance allows more stopping time.
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Q21. What does a white arrow painted in a lane pointing left mean?
Correct answer: Left turn permitted
Why: Lane arrows show allowed movements.
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Q22. When approaching an intersection with no signs or signals, you must yield to:
Correct answer: Traffic on the right
Why: Drivers on the right have the right-of-way.
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Q23. What does a yellow sign with two arrows pointing in opposite directions warn of?
Correct answer: Two-way traffic
Why: This sign warns traffic flows both ways.
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Q24. What should you do if an animal suddenly appears in your lane?
Correct answer: Brake firmly and stay in lane
Why: Staying in your lane reduces collision risk.
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Q25. What does a red and white triangular sign mean?
Correct answer: Yield
Why: Red and white triangles indicate yield.
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Q26. When driving at night on unlit roads, you should:
Correct answer: Use high beams when safe
Why: High beams improve visibility when no traffic is affected.
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Q27. What does a broken yellow line next to a solid yellow line mean?
Correct answer: Passing allowed on broken-line side
Why: Only the broken-line side may pass.
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Q28. When approaching a work zone with flaggers, you must:
Correct answer: Follow the flagger’s directions
Why: Flaggers control traffic in work zones.
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Q29. What should you do if your brakes become wet after driving through water?
Correct answer: Test brakes lightly
Why: Light braking helps dry the brakes.
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Q30. What does a green rectangular highway sign usually provide?
Correct answer: Directions and distances
Why: Green signs guide drivers to destinations.
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Q31. When approaching a bicyclist, you should:
Correct answer: Allow extra space
Why: Extra space improves safety for bicyclists.
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Q32. What does a yellow sign with a curved arrow indicate?
Correct answer: Curve ahead
Why: Curved arrows warn of roadway curves.
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Q33. When visibility is reduced to less than 500 feet, you must:
Correct answer: Turn on headlights
Why: Headlights are required in low visibility.
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Q34. What does a white solid line along the right edge of the road mark?
Correct answer: Edge of roadway
Why: Edge lines show the roadway boundary.
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Q35. When passing another vehicle, you should return to your lane when:
Correct answer: You see the vehicle in your mirror
Why: Seeing the vehicle in your mirror ensures clearance.
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Q36. What does a yellow warning sign with a hill symbol indicate?
Correct answer: Steep grade ahead
Why: Hill symbols warn of steep grades.
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Q37. When approaching a school bus stopped with flashing red lights on a divided roadway, you must:
Correct answer: Stop if on the same roadway
Why: Drivers on the same roadway must stop.
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Q38. What should you do if you begin to feel angry while driving?
Correct answer: Calm down and focus
Why: Staying calm improves driving safety.
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Q39. What does a no passing zone sign indicate?
Correct answer: Passing prohibited
Why: No passing zones prohibit overtaking.
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Q40. When approaching a yield sign at a roundabout, you must:
Correct answer: Yield to circulating traffic
Why: Traffic already in the roundabout has the right-of-way.
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Q41. What should you do if your vehicle starts to overheat?
Correct answer: Turn off engine when safe
Why: Stopping safely prevents engine damage.
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Q42. What does a round yellow sign with an X and two R’s indicate?
Correct answer: Railroad crossing
Why: Circular signs warn of railroad crossings.
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Q43. When parking at night on a roadway, you should:
Correct answer: Use parking lights
Why: Parking lights make the vehicle visible.
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Q44. What does a yellow sign with a pedestrian symbol warn of?
Correct answer: Pedestrian crossing
Why: Pedestrian symbols warn of crossings.
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Q45. When approaching an intersection with a steady green light, you must:
Correct answer: Proceed if clear
Why: Green means go when the intersection is clear.
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Q46. What does a white rectangular speed limit sign indicate?
Correct answer: Maximum lawful speed
Why: Speed limit signs show the maximum allowed speed.
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Q47. When driving in snow, stopping distances are:
Correct answer: Longer
Why: Snow reduces traction, increasing stopping distance.
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Q48. What should you do when approaching a flashing red beacon at an intersection?
Correct answer: Stop completely
Why: Flashing red beacons require a full stop.
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Q49. What does a center lane marked with arrows pointing left in both directions indicate?
Correct answer: Two-way left turn lane
Why: This lane is used for left turns from both directions.
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Q50. When entering a roadway from a private road, you must:
Correct answer: Yield to traffic
Why: Traffic on the roadway has the right-of-way.