Question 1

At what point does speeding become the criminal offence of reckless driving in Virginia?

Accepted Answer

20 mph or more over the limit, or over 85 mph whatever the limit. Either trigger will do it: 20 mph or more above the posted limit, or any speed above 85 mph regardless of what the limit is. Official wording: "According to Virginia law, if you are driving 20 or more miles per hour (MPH) above the speed limit, or over 85 MPH, a law enforcement officer may charge you with reckless driving, regardless of the speed limit." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 2

A No Left Turn sign is posted at an intersection. What does that mean for U-turns?

Accepted Answer

U-turns are illegal too, because Virginia counts them as two left turns. Virginia treats a U-turn as two left turns. A posted No Left Turn therefore takes the U-turn with it, even though the sign never mentions one. Official wording: "In Virginia, U-turns are considered as two left turns and are illegal if this sign is posted." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 3

You turn onto an unpaved rural road in Virginia with no speed limit signs. What is the limit?

Accepted Answer

35 mph. Unpaved roads carry their own statutory default of 35 mph - lower than the 55 mph that applies to other unsigned roads. Official wording: "Unless there is a speed limit sign stating otherwise, the maximum speed limit for passenger vehicles and motorcycles is 25 MPH for school, business and residential areas; 35 MPH for unpaved roads and 55 MPH for all other roads." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 4

A driver under 21 can be convicted of illegal consumption at what blood alcohol content?

Accepted Answer

.02 and above. At .02, well below the adult threshold. Virginia calls this driving after illegally consuming alcohol, and it is a separate offence from DUI. Official wording: "If under age 21, you can be convicted of illegal consumption of alcohol if your BAC is at least .02 but less than .08." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 5

A three-lane road has a centre lane bounded on both sides by a solid yellow line paired with a broken yellow line. How may you use it?

Accepted Answer

For left turns only, and no more than 150 feet of travel in it. That marking makes it a shared left-turn lane. Virginia puts a distance on how long you may stay in it: 150 feet, not the length of the block. Official wording: "If both sides of the center lane are marked by a solid yellow line and a broken yellow line, drivers traveling in either direction may use the lane for making left turns. However, they may not travel further than 150 feet in this lane." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 6

You reach an intersection where a power cut has left the traffic signals completely dark. What is required?

Accepted Answer

Stop, then proceed as though it were an all-way stop. A dead signal converts the intersection into an all-way stop. Every approach stops, and the usual arrival-order and left-yields-to-right rules take over. Official wording: "When traffic signals are not working because of a power outage or other problem and not displaying any lights, you are required to stop, proceeding through the intersection as though it were an all-way stop." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 7

Your car stalls on a railroad crossing and a train is coming. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Get out at once and run diagonally away from the tracks, toward the oncoming train. Toward the train, at an angle. A struck car is thrown forward along the track, so running the way the train is going puts you in the debris path. Official wording: "If your car stalls on the tracks, don't hesitate. Get out of the car right away and run diagonally away from the tracks in the direction of the oncoming train." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 8

You are driving between the school crossing signs while they are in position. What is the maximum speed?

Accepted Answer

25 mph. Twenty-five miles per hour between the signs. Virginia's school figure is the same as its default limit for school, business and residential areas. Official wording: "The maximum speed limit shall be 25 miles per hour between portable signs, tilt-over signs, or fixed blinking signs placed in or along any highway and bearing the word "school" or "school crossing."" (Code of Virginia, Title 46.2).

Question 9

The manual gives 55 mph as the ceiling for roads that are not school, business, residential or unpaved. What is the highest limit Virginia law allows to be posted on an interstate?

Accepted Answer

70 mph, where signs have been posted after a traffic engineering study. Seventy. The statute allows 70 mph where signs are lawfully placed on interstates, on multilane divided limited-access highways, and on physically separated HOV lanes. Official wording: "the maximum speed limit shall be 70 miles per hour where indicated by lawfully placed signs, erected subsequent to a traffic engineering study and analysis of available and appropriate accident and law-enforcement data, on (i) interstate highways; (ii) multilane, divided, limited access highways" (Code of Virginia, Title 46.2).

Question 10

You face a steady red arrow pointing right. What may you do?

Accepted Answer

Not turn that way at all, unless a sign specifically permits it after a stop. A red arrow means no. The manual states flatly that Virginia law prohibits right and left turns at red arrow lights, with the only opening being a posted sign reading Right on Red Arrow After Stop or the left-turn equivalent. Official wording: "Virginia law prohibits right and left turns at red arrow lights." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 11

You are behind a cyclist on a road with double solid yellow lines and the oncoming lane is empty. May you cross to pass?

Accepted Answer

Yes - Virginia permits crossing to pass pedestrians, bicyclists and riders of scooters or skateboards when the opposite lane is clear. Virginia carves out a specific exception for vulnerable road users. You may cross to pass a pedestrian, bicyclist, or scooter or skateboard rider when the opposite lane is clear and you can do it safely. Official wording: "You may not cross the lines unless you are making a left turn or passing pedestrians, bicyclists, and riders of scooters or skateboards, when the opposite lane is clear and you can pass safely." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 12

You are behind a cyclist in a lane too narrow to leave three feet of clearance. What does Virginia law require?

Accepted Answer

Change lanes to pass. The statute says it directly: if the lane is not wide enough to give three feet while staying in it, you must change lanes to pass. Official wording: "If the lane of travel is not wide enough to allow the overtaking motor vehicle to pass in the manner required in this section while in the same lane as the overtaken vehicle, the overtaking vehicle shall change lanes." (Code of Virginia, Title 46.2).

Question 13

You are parking facing downhill on a road with no curb. Which way do the front wheels go?

Accepted Answer

Right, so that if the car rolls its rear moves away from traffic. Right. Without a curb the principle is that a rolling car should take its rear away from traffic, and on a shoulder that means turning the wheels toward the edge. Official wording: "Without a curb: Turn the front wheels so that if the vehicle rolls, the rear of the vehicle will roll away from traffic." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 14

Virginia adds a specific extra $100 fine for what?

Accepted Answer

Driving between 81 and 85 mph in a 65 mph zone. An extra $100 on top of everything else, for 81 to 85 mph in a posted 65 mph zone. Official wording: "You are subject to an additional $100 fine if convicted of driving between 81 and 85 MPH in a 65-MPH zone." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 15

The car in the lane beside you has stopped for a pedestrian at a crosswalk. What may you do?

Accepted Answer

Not overtake and pass the stopped vehicle at all. The statute forbids it outright: when a vehicle has stopped for a pedestrian, a driver in an adjacent lane or behind may not overtake and pass it. Official wording: "When a vehicle is stopped pursuant to subsection A, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from an adjacent lane or from behind the stopped vehicle shall not overtake and pass such stopped vehicle." (Code of Virginia, Title 46.2).

Question 16

You clip a parked car in a lot and the owner is nowhere to be found. What does Virginia require?

Accepted Answer

Make a reasonable effort to find the owner; failing that, leave a note and report it to police within 24 hours. Both steps, not one or the other. The note has to be easy to find and carry your name, phone number, the date and time, and a description of the damage - and you still report to police within 24 hours. Official wording: "You must make a reasonable effort to find the owner of an unattended vehicle or other property damaged in a crash. If you cannot locate anyone, leave a note that can be found easily at the scene of the crash." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 17

You see pink and black signs beside the road. What do they mark?

Accepted Answer

An incident area. Pink with black marks an incident area - a crash scene or similar disruption. Orange with black is the construction colour. Official wording: "Orange and black and pink and black signs are used to advise and warn in construction (orange) and incident (pink) areas." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 18

A pedestrian hybrid beacon over a crosswalk switches from solid red to two red lights alternately flashing. What may you do?

Accepted Answer

Proceed with caution once the crosswalk is clear. The alternating flash is the last phase, running while the pedestrian countdown finishes. If the crosswalk in front of you is clear, you may go, carefully. Official wording: "Lastly, while the walk signal counts down for the pedestrians, the PHB's two red lights alternate flashing, telling the driver that if the crosswalk is now clear, they may proceed with caution." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 19

What is Virginia's position on radar detectors?

Accepted Answer

Operating a vehicle equipped with one, using one, and selling one are all unlawful. All three: it is unlawful to operate a vehicle equipped with a detector, unlawful to use one, and unlawful to sell one in Virginia. Official wording: "It shall be unlawful to sell any such device or mechanism in the Commonwealth." (Code of Virginia, Title 46.2).

Question 20

You are passing a stationary trash collection vehicle on a two-lane road and cannot change lanes. What does Virginia require?

Accepted Answer

Slow to 10 mph below the posted limit and pass at least two feet to the left of it. Ten below the limit and at least two feet of clearance. On a highway with four or more lanes the primary instruction is to change to a lane not next to it, if you can do so safely. Official wording: "When passing stationary vehicles in the process of trash collection on a highway of at least four lanes, change to a lane not next to the vehicle, if you can change lanes safely. If on a highway of fewer than four lanes or if you are unable to change lanes, slow down to 10 miles per hour below the posted speed limit and pass at least two feet to the left of the vehicle." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 21

You began a pass legally, but you are still in the left lane as the No Passing zone starts. Where do you stand?

Accepted Answer

Illegal - the pass has to be completed before the zone begins. The manual puts it plainly: if you are still in the left lane when you reach the zone, you are breaking the law. Official wording: "complete the pass before you reach a No Passing zone. If you're still in the left lane when you reach the zone, you're breaking the law." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 22

You are second in line at a stop sign. The car ahead of you stops, then pulls away. What do you do?

Accepted Answer

Stop at the sign yourself, then go when the way is clear. Each vehicle stops at the sign in its own right. The manual states it directly for exactly this situation. Official wording: "When approaching a stop sign and the car in front of you proceeds, stop at the sign and proceed when the way is clear." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 23

A driver picks up a third demerit-point conviction for offences committed while under 18. What happens?

Accepted Answer

Revocation for one year or until they turn 18, whichever is longer. Revocation, for a year or until the eighteenth birthday - whichever period is longer. Official wording: "After your second conviction for a demerit point traffic violation (or safety belt/child restraint violation) committed when you were under age 18, DMV will suspend your driving privilege for 90 days. Your third conviction will result in a revocation of your driving privilege for one year or until you reach age 18, whichever is longer." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

Question 24

Under what circumstances does Virginia permit a left turn on a red light?

Accepted Answer

From a one-way street onto another one-way street, after a complete stop. One-way to one-way, after stopping completely and yielding to pedestrians and traffic. Both streets have to be one-way. Official wording: "You may turn left at a red light if you are on a one-way street and turning left onto another one-way street while the traffic signal displays a red light." (Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39)).

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