NC DMV Permit Test cheat sheet

Sign shape tells meaning before you read words: octagon = STOP, inverted triangle = YIELD, pennant = no-passing zone, diamond = warning, vertical rectangle = regulatory, horizontal rectangle = guide.

Color code: red = stop/prohibit, yellow = warning, orange = construction/work zone, fluorescent yellow-green = school and pedestrian crossings, white = regulatory, brown = recreation, blue = motorist services.

Solid yellow line on your side of the center line = no passing and no crossing except to turn into or out of a driveway or side road; broken yellow on your side = passing permitted when clear.

Double solid yellow = no passing in either direction; a broken yellow paired with solid yellow lets only the traffic on the broken side pass.

Flashing red = stop, then proceed when safe; flashing yellow = slow down and proceed with caution; a dark or non-working signal = treat the intersection as a four-way stop.

Right turn on red is legal in North Carolina after a complete stop unless a sign prohibits it; left on red is legal only when both streets are one-way and you turn from a one-way onto a one-way.

Railroad advance warning is a round yellow sign with an RXR symbol; the white crossbuck X at the tracks means yield to trains, and a stop sign or gate there requires a stop.

Pavement edge lines: solid white marks the right edge of the roadway, broken white separates lanes traveling the same direction, and yellow lines separate traffic moving in opposite directions.

Four-way stop order: the first vehicle to arrive goes first; if two arrive at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.

Uncontrolled intersection: slow down and yield to the vehicle approaching from your right; a driver turning left must yield to oncoming traffic and to pedestrians in the crosswalk.

You must yield to any vehicle already within the intersection, to pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks, and to emergency vehicles using lights and siren - pull to the right edge and stop until they pass.

North Carolina statutory speed limits unless posted otherwise: 35 mph in cities and towns, 55 mph on rural roads, and 70 mph on interstate highways.

School bus with flashing red lights: on an undivided road, traffic in both directions must stop until the lights stop; on a divided highway with a median, only traffic behind the bus must stop.

Railroad crossing: stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail when lights flash, a gate is lowered, or a train is approaching.

Move Over law: when an emergency, law enforcement, or utility vehicle is stopped with lights activated, move one lane away, or slow down if a lane change is not possible.

Passing restrictions: no passing on hills, curves, at railroad crossings, or anywhere a solid yellow line is on your side; a no-passing zone ends only where the pennant or marking indicates.

Minimum following distance is the two-second rule: when the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object, count at least two seconds before your front bumper reaches it.

Add a third second for rain, darkness, or speeds above 40 mph and four or more seconds in fog, heavy rain, or when following a motorcycle or large truck.

Total stopping distance = perception distance + reaction distance + braking distance; at 55 mph a vehicle travels about 80 feet per second, so one second of delay equals roughly 80 feet.

Space cushion rule of thumb: keep about one car length of gap for each 10 mph of speed, and always keep an escape route on at least one side.

Look 12 to 15 seconds ahead (about one city block) so hazards are identified while there is still time to brake or change lanes smoothly.

Never drive faster than you can stop within the distance your headlights illuminate; low beams show about 160 feet, high beams about 350 feet.

If someone tailgates you, do not brake-check; increase the gap ahead of you so you can slow gradually and let the tailgater pass.

Hands should be at 9 and 3 or 8 and 4 o'clock, and your chest should be at least 10 inches from the steering wheel so an airbag can deploy safely.

Before changing lanes, check mirrors and then turn your head to clear the blind spot that mirrors do not cover.

North Carolina legal impairment limits: 0.08 BAC for drivers 21 and older, 0.04 for commercial drivers, and 0.00 for drivers under 21.

Zero-tolerance law: a driver under 21 with an alcohol concentration of 0.02 or higher commits a DWI offense and faces license suspension.

Implied consent: driving in North Carolina is consent to chemical testing; refusing a breath or blood test results in at least a one-year license revocation even if never convicted of DWI.

A person is impaired before reaching 0.08 BAC - judgment, coordination, and reaction time decline with the first drink, and alcohol also reduces night vision and depth perception.

The body eliminates about one standard drink per hour; coffee, food, cold showers, and exercise change alertness but do not lower blood alcohol concentration.

Prescription and over-the-counter drugs that warn of drowsiness or impaired driving can support a DWI charge, and combining them with alcohol multiplies the effect.

Open container law: an open container of alcohol in the passenger area of a vehicle on a public road is illegal, even if the driver has not been drinking.

A DWI arrest triggers immediate license revocation for 30 days; conviction adds fines, possible jail, and up to a five-year license suspension for aggravated Level 1 offenses.

Headlights must be on from sunset to sunrise and any time visibility is reduced; North Carolina also requires headlights whenever windshield wipers are in use.

Taillights and brake lights must be visible from 500 feet to the rear, and turn signals must work from front and rear.

Minimum legal tire tread depth is 2/32 inch; worn tread increases hydroplaning risk and lengthens stopping distance on wet pavement.

Every vehicle must have a working horn audible from at least 200 feet and a properly functioning muffler to control exhaust noise.

Child restraint rule: a child younger than 8 years old and under 80 pounds must be secured in a federally approved child safety seat or booster seat.

Seat belts are required for all front-seat occupants and for back-seat passengers under 16; the driver is responsible for restraining passengers under 16.

Windshields must be free of cracks or obstructions that block the driver's view, and both wipers must keep the windshield clear.

North Carolina requires an annual safety inspection covering brakes, lights, tires, steering, and horn before registration can be renewed; some counties also require an emissions check.

A motorcycle is entitled to the full width of a lane; no vehicle may share a lane with a motorcycle or ride two abreast in that lane.

When passing a bicycle in North Carolina, give at least two feet of clearance and stay to the left; bicycles are vehicles with the same road rights and duties as cars.

Large trucks and buses have blind spots in front, behind, and along both sides - if you cannot see the driver's face in the mirror, the driver cannot see you.

Never pass a large vehicle on the right when it is turning or signaling, because trucks swing wide left before making a right turn.

Pedestrians in a marked or unmarked crosswalk have the right-of-way; you may not pass another vehicle that has stopped at a crosswalk.

When a school bus displays flashing red lights, stop far enough back to leave the children a safe buffer and remain stopped until the lights are off.

Following a motorcycle requires extra distance because a rider may need to stop suddenly or swerve for poor pavement, gravel, or potholes.

Motorcyclists and bicyclists are harder to see at intersections; look twice specifically for them before turning or pulling out.

Fog: use low beams, not high beams, because high beams bounce light off the fog and reduce visibility; reduce speed and increase following distance.

Roads are most slippery during the first 10 to 15 minutes of rain, because water mixes with accumulated oil and dust before washing away.

Hydroplaning occurs when tires ride on a layer of water and lose contact with the pavement; ease off the accelerator and avoid hard braking or steering until traction returns.

Black ice forms first on bridges, overpasses, and shaded areas, and at temperatures near or just above freezing.

In work zones, obey flaggers and reduced posted speeds; fines for moving violations are doubled when workers are present.

On snow or ice, steer and brake gently and avoid cruise control, which can cause loss of control when tires slip.

If your vehicle breaks down, pull off the road as far as possible, turn on hazard lights, stay buckled inside if it is unsafe to exit, and call for help.

At night, reduce speed and increase following distance, because headlights limit how far ahead you can see and react.

Strong wind gusts can push a vehicle out of its lane; keep both hands on the wheel and slow down, especially when passing large trucks or leaving sheltered areas.

Octagon = stop; inverted triangle = yield; pennant = no-passing zone; diamond = warning; vertical rectangle = regulatory; horizontal rectangle = guide.

Red means stop or prohibit, yellow warns, orange marks work zones, fluorescent yellow-green marks school and pedestrian crossings, brown marks recreation areas, blue marks services.

Solid yellow on your side = no passing; broken yellow on your side = passing allowed when clear; double solid yellow = no passing either direction.

Flashing red means stop then go when safe; flashing yellow means slow and proceed with caution; a dark signal means treat it as a four-way stop.

Right turn on red is permitted in North Carolina after a complete stop unless a sign forbids it; left on red only from a one-way onto a one-way.

White crossbuck X marks a railroad crossing; a round yellow sign with RXR is the advance warning placed before the tracks.

Solid white lines mark the right edge of the road; broken white lines separate lanes going the same direction.