Florida DMV Permit Test Concept Review

Overview

This chapter teaches you to read the road before anyone says a word. Signs, traffic lights, and lines painted on the pavement all send messages through shape and color. If you learn what each shape and color means, you can answer many test questions even when you cannot read the words on a sign.

The shape of a sign tells you a lot. An eight-sided red sign always means stop, and a red and white triangle pointing down means yield. Yellow diamonds warn you about a hazard ahead, orange signs mark a work zone, and a five-sided sign warns of a school zone. White rectangles show rules you must obey, such as speed limits, and blue signs point to services like gas, food, or a hospital.

Traffic lights have steady and flashing versions. A steady yellow light means the light is about to turn red, so stop if you can do it safely. A flashing red light works like a stop sign, and a flashing yellow light means slow down and go with care. If the lights are dark because of a power failure, treat the intersection as a four-way stop.

Pavement lines follow a simple color rule. Yellow lines separate traffic going in opposite directions, and white lines separate lanes going the same way. A solid line on your side means you may not cross it to pass, while a broken line means you may pass when it is safe.

Overview

This chapter covers who goes first when paths cross, and how to make turns the right way. Right of way is never something you take; the law only says who must yield. The goal is always to avoid a crash, so even when the other driver should yield, be ready to let them go.

At a four-way stop, the vehicle that stopped first goes first. If two vehicles stop at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. When you turn left on a green light with no arrow, you must yield to oncoming traffic and to pedestrians in the crosswalk. Drivers coming out of a private driveway yield to traffic on the road, and drivers merging from an entrance ramp yield to highway traffic.

Some road users always come first. Stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk, and always stop for a person using a white cane or a guide dog. When an emergency vehicle comes with its siren and lights on, pull to the right edge of the road and stop until it passes. Let a funeral procession led by an escort finish going through, even if your light is green.

Turns follow simple lane rules. Make a right turn from the right lane into the right lane, and watch for bicycles in a bike lane on your right. In Florida you may turn right on a steady red light after a full stop, unless a sign says no. You may also turn left on red from a one-way street onto another one-way street going left, after a full stop. In a roundabout, traffic moves counterclockwise, and drivers entering yield to traffic already in the circle.

Overview

This chapter is full of numbers: speed limits, signaling distance, and how far you must park from things like fire hydrants and crosswalks. These numbers are easy to mix up, so it helps to learn them as one short list and review it often.

Florida sets default speed limits that apply when no sign says otherwise: 30 mph in business or residential areas and 55 mph on other roads. Limited access highways, such as interstates, may be posted up to 70 mph. On interstates with four or more lanes, the minimum speed is 40 mph, or 50 mph where the posted limit is 70 mph. Above all, the basic speed rule says you must drive slower than the limit when rain, fog, or traffic makes the posted speed unsafe.

Before any turn, signal for at least the last 100 feet. Normally pass on the left, and never pass within 100 feet of a railroad crossing. When you pass a bicycle, leave at least 3 feet of space. When someone passes you, do not speed up.

Parking rules keep safety equipment and views clear. Do not park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, within 30 feet of a stop sign or traffic light on your approach, or within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing. You may never stop or park inside an intersection, on a crosswalk, or on a sidewalk.

Overview

This chapter is about driving safely when things are not perfect: at night, in rain, during a blowout, and around vehicles that need extra room. Many questions in this area ask about school buses and the Move Over law, where one small detail changes the answer.

Turn on your headlights from sunset to sunrise and any time rain, smoke, or fog makes it hard to see, even in daytime. Switch from high beams to low beams when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet, or when you are within 300 feet of a vehicle you are following. If a front tire blows out, hold the wheel firmly, keep the car straight, and ease off the gas before braking gently.

When a school bus stops with its stop signal out, traffic in both directions must stop and stay stopped until the signal is pulled back. The only exception is for drivers on the other side of a divided highway with a raised median, a physical barrier, or an unpaved median at least 5 feet wide. A painted center turn lane does not count as a divider.

Florida's Move Over law protects people working on the roadside. When you see a stopped emergency vehicle, tow truck, service vehicle, or disabled vehicle with flashing lights or hazards, move out of the lane next to it if it is safe. If you cannot move over, slow to 20 mph below the posted limit, or to 5 mph when the limit is 20 mph or less. At railroad crossings, stop between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail when a train is coming, and never drive around lowered gates.

Overview

This chapter covers the rules for getting and keeping a Florida license, plus the laws on seat belts, phones, alcohol, and crashes. Teen license steps and alcohol limits come with exact numbers, so learn them carefully.

You can get a learner license at age 15. A learner must always drive with a licensed driver age 21 or older in the front passenger seat. For the first three months, a learner may drive only in daylight, and after that until 10 p.m. To get a Class E license, a teen must hold the learner license for 12 months (or until turning 18) and log 50 practice hours, 10 of them at night. A 16-year-old with a license may not drive alone from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., and a 17-year-old from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., unless with a licensed driver 21 or older or driving to or from work.

It is illegal to drive with a blood or breath alcohol level of 0.08% or more, and for drivers under 21 the limit is 0.02%. By driving in Florida you agree to a lawful breath, blood, or urine test. Refusing for the first time brings a one-year license suspension, and refusing again brings 18 months.

The driver, the front seat passenger, and every passenger under 18 must wear a seat belt. Children 5 and younger must ride in a federally approved child restraint. Texting while driving is a primary offense, so an officer can stop you for it alone, and in school zones and active work zones you may use a phone only hands-free. After a minor crash with only property damage, move your car out of traffic if it is safe, then stay and exchange information.