MV-278 New York 5-Hour Pre-Licensing
Course Practice Questions and answers
2026|2027 |Accurate | Verified
1. What is the primary purpose of defensive driving?
A. To drive faster than surrounding traffic
B. To prevent crashes by anticipating hazards and adjusting driving behavior
C. To avoid using mirrors
D. To always have the right-of-way
ANSWER: B
2. What does the three-second rule help a driver maintain?
A. A safe following distance
B. A legal passing distance
C. A minimum turning radius
D. A stopping distance at a red light
ANSWER: A
3. A defensive driver should primarily:
A. Assume other drivers will obey every rule
B. Anticipate possible errors by other road users
C. Drive only in the left lane
D. Follow vehicles closely
ANSWER: B
4. What should you do before changing lanes?
A. Check mirrors and blind spots and signal
B. Accelerate without signaling
C. Look only in the rearview mirror
D. Sound the horn continuously
ANSWER: A
5. Why should a driver scan well ahead on the roadway?
A. To avoid checking mirrors
B. To identify developing hazards early
C. To determine another driver's age
D. To increase speed
ANSWER: B
6. Which action is an example of defensive driving?
A. Assuming another driver will stop
B. Maintaining a safe space around your vehicle
C. Driving aggressively when delayed
D. Refusing to yield
, ANSWER: B
7. What is a major characteristic of a safe driver?
A. Impatience
B. Aggression
C. Good judgment
D. Risk-taking
ANSWER: C
8. Why should you keep your eyes moving while driving?
A. To continuously monitor changing traffic conditions
B. To avoid looking at traffic signals
C. To make passengers comfortable
D. To reduce the need for mirrors
ANSWER: A
9. What should you do if another driver appears likely to make a mistake?
A. Challenge the driver
B. Increase your speed
C. Adjust your driving to reduce the danger
D. Follow closely
ANSWER: C
10. What does “space cushion” refer to?
A. Extra room around your vehicle for safety
B. The space inside the trunk
C. A parking-space measurement
D. The distance between traffic lights
ANSWER: A
11. Why is following too closely dangerous?
A. It increases fuel economy
B. It reduces the time available to react
C. It improves visibility
D. It prevents lane changes
ANSWER: B
12. When road conditions become poor, you should generally:
A. Increase speed
B. Reduce following distance
C. Reduce speed and increase following distance
D. Turn off headlights
ANSWER: C
13. What is the safest response to an unexpected roadway hazard?
A. Panic
B. Maintain awareness and respond smoothly
, C. Close your eyes
D. Accelerate toward it
ANSWER: B
14. Why is excessive speed dangerous?
A. It reduces stopping distance
B. It gives the driver more reaction time
C. It increases stopping distance and crash severity
D. It eliminates blind spots
ANSWER: C
15. What should you do when approaching an intersection where visibility is
limited?
A. Accelerate
B. Slow down and prepare for unexpected traffic
C. Ignore cross traffic
D. Drive against the traffic flow
ANSWER: B
16. What is the best seating position for safe vehicle control?
A. Slouched far back
B. Comfortable and upright
C. Lying nearly flat
D. Standing slightly
ANSWER: B
17. Why should both hands generally be positioned appropriately on the steering
wheel?
A. For better vehicle control
B. To increase speed
C. To reduce mirror use
D. To prevent signaling
ANSWER: A
18. A driver should check mirrors:
A. Only before parking
B. Regularly while driving
C. Only after a collision
D. Only when stopped
ANSWER: B
19. What is a blind spot?
A. An area around the vehicle that cannot be adequately seen using mirrors alone
B. An area directly in front of the hood
C. A dirty windshield
D. A broken traffic signal
ANSWER: A
Course Practice Questions and answers
2026|2027 |Accurate | Verified
1. What is the primary purpose of defensive driving?
A. To drive faster than surrounding traffic
B. To prevent crashes by anticipating hazards and adjusting driving behavior
C. To avoid using mirrors
D. To always have the right-of-way
ANSWER: B
2. What does the three-second rule help a driver maintain?
A. A safe following distance
B. A legal passing distance
C. A minimum turning radius
D. A stopping distance at a red light
ANSWER: A
3. A defensive driver should primarily:
A. Assume other drivers will obey every rule
B. Anticipate possible errors by other road users
C. Drive only in the left lane
D. Follow vehicles closely
ANSWER: B
4. What should you do before changing lanes?
A. Check mirrors and blind spots and signal
B. Accelerate without signaling
C. Look only in the rearview mirror
D. Sound the horn continuously
ANSWER: A
5. Why should a driver scan well ahead on the roadway?
A. To avoid checking mirrors
B. To identify developing hazards early
C. To determine another driver's age
D. To increase speed
ANSWER: B
6. Which action is an example of defensive driving?
A. Assuming another driver will stop
B. Maintaining a safe space around your vehicle
C. Driving aggressively when delayed
D. Refusing to yield
, ANSWER: B
7. What is a major characteristic of a safe driver?
A. Impatience
B. Aggression
C. Good judgment
D. Risk-taking
ANSWER: C
8. Why should you keep your eyes moving while driving?
A. To continuously monitor changing traffic conditions
B. To avoid looking at traffic signals
C. To make passengers comfortable
D. To reduce the need for mirrors
ANSWER: A
9. What should you do if another driver appears likely to make a mistake?
A. Challenge the driver
B. Increase your speed
C. Adjust your driving to reduce the danger
D. Follow closely
ANSWER: C
10. What does “space cushion” refer to?
A. Extra room around your vehicle for safety
B. The space inside the trunk
C. A parking-space measurement
D. The distance between traffic lights
ANSWER: A
11. Why is following too closely dangerous?
A. It increases fuel economy
B. It reduces the time available to react
C. It improves visibility
D. It prevents lane changes
ANSWER: B
12. When road conditions become poor, you should generally:
A. Increase speed
B. Reduce following distance
C. Reduce speed and increase following distance
D. Turn off headlights
ANSWER: C
13. What is the safest response to an unexpected roadway hazard?
A. Panic
B. Maintain awareness and respond smoothly
, C. Close your eyes
D. Accelerate toward it
ANSWER: B
14. Why is excessive speed dangerous?
A. It reduces stopping distance
B. It gives the driver more reaction time
C. It increases stopping distance and crash severity
D. It eliminates blind spots
ANSWER: C
15. What should you do when approaching an intersection where visibility is
limited?
A. Accelerate
B. Slow down and prepare for unexpected traffic
C. Ignore cross traffic
D. Drive against the traffic flow
ANSWER: B
16. What is the best seating position for safe vehicle control?
A. Slouched far back
B. Comfortable and upright
C. Lying nearly flat
D. Standing slightly
ANSWER: B
17. Why should both hands generally be positioned appropriately on the steering
wheel?
A. For better vehicle control
B. To increase speed
C. To reduce mirror use
D. To prevent signaling
ANSWER: A
18. A driver should check mirrors:
A. Only before parking
B. Regularly while driving
C. Only after a collision
D. Only when stopped
ANSWER: B
19. What is a blind spot?
A. An area around the vehicle that cannot be adequately seen using mirrors alone
B. An area directly in front of the hood
C. A dirty windshield
D. A broken traffic signal
ANSWER: A
