Vermont DMV Practice Test 2026

1. Yes, a vehicle with airbags does not need seat belts
2. Yes, but only for front-seat passengers
3. No, airbags and seat belts should never be used at the same time
4. No, airbags are meant to work together with seat belts, not replace them

Correct answer: No, airbags are meant to work together with seat belts, not replace them. Airbags are designed to work together with seat belts, not to replace them. A seat belt keeps an occupant properly positioned so the airbag can protect them correctly, and together they offer far more protection than either one alone.

Source: New York Driver Handbook, Ch8 Seat Belts, Child Safety Seats, and Air Bags, p.49

1. Speed up to get out of its way quickly
2. Stop immediately wherever you are, even in an intersection
3. Continue at the same speed and let it pass around you
4. Move to the right side and stop, unless told otherwise

Correct answer: Move to the right side and stop, unless told otherwise. You must yield the right-of-way to an emergency vehicle using a siren and flashing lights by pulling to the right edge of the road and stopping until it has passed.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Sharing the Road-Emergency Vehicles, p.86 (2020 handbook PDF)

1. $100 to $200
2. $25 to $50
3. $500 to $750
4. $10 to $25

Correct answer: $100 to $200. A first violation of Vermont's portable electronic device law carries a fine between $100 and $200.

Source: Vermont Driver Handbook, p.56, Cell Phones and other Electronic Devices

1. 1 second
2. 7 seconds
3. 2 seconds
4. 4 seconds

Correct answer: 4 seconds. Vermont's handbook recommends at least 4 seconds of gap under normal, favorable conditions.

1. 15 feet
2. 100 feet
3. 150 feet
4. 5 feet

Correct answer: 15 feet. Even at a passive crossing marked only with a crossbuck sign, you must stop at least 15 feet from the nearest rail in Vermont when a train is approaching.

1. Because right turns on red were made illegal nationwide last year
2. Because the rule changes every night at midnight
3. Because signs at red lights are purely decorative
4. Because local signs at specific intersections (or, in some cities, area-wide) can override the default rule and prohibit that turn

Correct answer: Because local signs at specific intersections (or, in some cities, area-wide) can override the default rule and prohibit that turn. Local signs can override the general state rule at specific intersections, and in some places (like New York City) an entire area bans the turn by default - so a posted sign always takes priority over the default rule.

1. 15 years old
2. 14 years old
3. 16 years old
4. 17 years old

Correct answer: 15 years old. Vermont allows residents to take the learner's permit knowledge test starting at age 15.

Source: Vermont Driver Handbook, p.12, Who needs a Learner's Permit

1. Making the vehicle stop faster than it normally would
2. Keeping them from being ejected and keeping them behind the wheel in control
3. Preventing the airbag from deploying at all
4. Reducing the vehicle's speed before impact

Correct answer: Keeping them from being ejected and keeping them behind the wheel in control. A seat belt keeps an occupant from being thrown from the vehicle, from being thrown against the interior or other passengers, and keeps the driver positioned to maintain control of the vehicle.

Source: Texas Driver Handbook, Ch14 Safety Belts, p.70

1. Traffic from a lane or ramp on the side is merging into your lane ahead
2. Vehicles entering from a side road ahead will merge directly into your lane
3. Traffic entering from a side road ahead will use its own added lane instead of merging into yours
4. A multi-lane road ahead narrows down to a single lane, so drivers must merge

Correct answer: A multi-lane road ahead narrows down to a single lane, so drivers must merge. Seeing this sign means a multi-lane road ahead narrows down to a single lane, so drivers must merge. Drivers should reduce speed and stay alert for this condition.

Source: MUTCD 2009 Sec. 2C (Warning Signs)

1. Visual distraction
2. Cognitive distraction - the mind is off the driving task
3. Manual distraction
4. This is not considered a distraction since the eyes are on the road

Correct answer: Cognitive distraction - the mind is off the driving task. Cognitive distraction is mental, not physical - a driver can be looking straight ahead and still be dangerously distracted if their mind isn't on driving.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Occupant Protection-Distracted Driving p.28 - 'Cognitive-Mind off the road.'

1. $10,000
2. $25,000
3. $5,000
4. $50,000

Correct answer: $10,000. Vermont requires liability coverage of at least $10,000 for property damage.

Source: Vermont Driver Handbook, p.67, Insurance

1. The driver, because the green light applies to the turn
2. Whoever entered the crosswalk or intersection first
3. The pedestrian only if turning right, not left
4. The pedestrian, even though the driver has a green light

Correct answer: The pedestrian, even though the driver has a green light. A green light lets a driver proceed, but before completing a turn in any direction, the driver must yield to pedestrians already crossing in the crosswalk.

Source: New York Driver Handbook, Ch11 Sharing the Road-Pedestrians, p.68

1. 0.15%
2. 0.20%
3. 0.08%
4. 0.10%

Correct answer: 0.08%. Vermont sets the standard legal intoxication threshold at 0.08% for drivers 21 and older.

1. Make the U-turn quickly before anything shows up.
2. Wait for a spot with a clear view both ways.
3. Honk the horn first and then just proceed.
4. It's fine, since sight distance doesn't matter here.

Correct answer: Wait for a spot with a clear view both ways.. A U-turn requires seeing far enough in both directions to complete it safely; if something blocks your view, move to or wait for a spot where you can see clearly before turning.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Turns-Illegal U-Turns p.62-67 (sight distance)

1. No less than 50 feet
2. No less than 15 feet
3. No less than 5 feet
4. No less than 100 feet

Correct answer: No less than 15 feet. Vermont law requires drivers to stop no less than 15 feet from the nearest rail in these situations.

Source: Vermont Driver Handbook, p.37, Rules of the Road at Railroad Crossings

1. These tricks do not actually prevent drowsy driving; the real fix is to stop and rest
2. This is actually the recommended, safest way to keep going on a long night drive
3. It works fine as long as the radio volume is turned up loud enough to stay alert
4. Rolling down the window works quite well, but turning up the radio does not help at all

Correct answer: These tricks do not actually prevent drowsy driving; the real fix is to stop and rest. Fresh air and loud music can feel like they help, but they do not reverse the underlying fatigue - only sleep or a real break does.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Driver Readiness-Fatigued or Drowsy Driving p.99 - 'The following will not prevent drowsy driving: Rolling down the window...Turning on or turning up the radio.'

1. It is against the law to drive next to any vehicle
2. It noticeably increases your fuel consumption
3. They may not see you and could merge into you
4. It has no real effect on safety at all

Correct answer: They may not see you and could merge into you. If you stay in another driver's blind spot, they may not notice you and could merge into your lane without warning.

Source: New York Driver Handbook, Ch8 Defensive Driving p.45-51 (blind spot)

1. Toward the curb, until it touches
2. Away from the curb, toward traffic
3. Straight ahead, never angled
4. It makes no difference either way

Correct answer: Toward the curb, until it touches. Turning the wheels toward the curb when facing downhill lets the curb stop the car from rolling into traffic if it starts to move.

Source: New York Driver Handbook, Ch7 Parking on Hills p.39

1. Six months
2. Thirty days
3. One full year
4. Ninety days

Correct answer: Six months. Vermont requires a clean record, free of permit recalls, suspensions, or revocations, for the six months right before this application.

Source: Vermont Driver Handbook, p.14, Questions and Answers about Junior Driver's Licenses

1. For exactly thirty seconds
2. Until the lights go off and children are safe
3. Until another car passes first
4. Until the bus driver waves them on

Correct answer: Until the lights go off and children are safe. Drivers must stay stopped until the lights go off, the bus moves again, or the children have reached safety.

Source: Vermont Driver Handbook, p.40, School Bus Stops

1. Donkeys or wild burros may cross the road ahead
2. Elk may cross the road ahead
3. Sheep may cross the road ahead
4. Wild horses may cross the road ahead

Correct answer: Sheep may cross the road ahead. This yellow diamond sign warns that sheep may cross the road ahead. Slow down and adjust your driving to handle it safely.

Source: MUTCD 2009 Sec. 2C (Warning Signs)

1. Bicycle riding
2. Pedestrian walking
3. Motor vehicle traffic
4. Truck parking

Correct answer: Bicycle riding. This sign shows a bicycle inside a red circle with a slash, meaning bicycles are not permitted on that roadway or path.

Source: MUTCD 2009 Sec. 2B.39

1. $100 to $200
2. $50 to $100
3. $750 to $1,000
4. $250 to $500

Correct answer: $250 to $500. A second or subsequent violation raises the fine to between $250 and $500.

Source: Vermont Driver Handbook, p.56, Cell Phones and other Electronic Devices

1. Ease off the gas and slow down gradually before braking
2. Brake hard immediately to stop before losing control
3. Speed up slightly to keep the vehicle stable
4. Turn the wheel sharply toward the road shoulder right away

Correct answer: Ease off the gas and slow down gradually before braking. During a blowout, a driver should take their foot off the gas, hold the steering wheel firmly to keep the vehicle straight, and let it slow down gradually, applying the brakes gently only once the vehicle is under control.

Source: Texas Driver Handbook, Ch9 Flat Tire or Blowout, p.55

1. Speed up to make the truck's pass shorter
2. Keep to their side of the lane and not speed up
3. Move toward the center of the lane
4. Flash the high beams until the truck finishes passing

Correct answer: Keep to their side of the lane and not speed up. When a truck is passing, the driver being passed should keep to their own side of the lane and avoid speeding up, which would only extend how long the truck has to stay in the passing lane.

Source: Texas Driver Handbook, Ch9 Share the Road with Trucks-Passing, p.57