Tennessee Pedestrians, Bicycles, and Sharing the Road Practice Questions

Pedestrians, Bicycles, and Sharing the Road questions

1. 1. When must a driver yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk?

   1. A. Whenever they are lawfully in it
   2. B. Only at marked crosswalks
   3. C. Only when a signal shows walk

   Answer: A — Whenever they are lawfully in it

   Unmarked crosswalks exist at intersections and carry the same duty as marked ones.

2. 2. Why should you never pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk?

   1. A. It is only discourteous
   2. B. Passing is legal but slow
   3. C. It may be stopped for someone

   Answer: C — It may be stopped for someone

   The stopped vehicle screens the crossing pedestrian from your view and from you.

3. 3. Where should you expect pedestrians even without a marked crossing?

   1. A. Only on residential streets
   2. B. Near schools, parks, and shops
   3. C. Only at signalised intersections

   Answer: B — Near schools, parks, and shops

   Pedestrian activity follows destinations, not markings, so scanning matters most where people gather.

4. 4. A pedestrian has started crossing on a walk signal that changes while they are in the road. What must you do?

   1. A. Let them finish crossing
   2. B. Proceed once your signal turns green
   3. C. Sound your horn to hurry them

   Answer: A — Let them finish crossing

   A pedestrian who lawfully entered the crossing keeps the right of way until they reach the far side.

5. 5. What should you do when turning at an intersection with a marked crosswalk?

   1. A. Watch only the road you are leaving
   2. B. Rely on pedestrians to yield
   3. C. Check the crosswalk you are turning into

   Answer: C — Check the crosswalk you are turning into

   Turning drivers cross a crosswalk they were not looking at while judging the gap in traffic.

6. 6. Why should you check for cyclists before opening a car door at the kerb?

   1. A. It is required before every stop
   2. B. One may be passing close by
   3. C. It prevents door damage only

   Answer: B — One may be passing close by

   An opening door in a cyclist's path leaves them no time or room to avoid it.

7. 7. How should you treat a cyclist at an intersection?

   1. A. As a vehicle with the same right-of-way rules
   2. B. As a pedestrian who must always be given way
   3. C. As an obstacle to be passed without delay

   Answer: A — As a vehicle with the same right-of-way rules

   A bicycle on the roadway is a vehicle and takes its turn under the ordinary right-of-way rules.

8. 8. Why do motorcycles seem farther away and slower than they are?

   1. A. They are usually travelling slower than cars
   2. B. Their headlights are dimmer
   3. C. Their small size misleads the eye

   Answer: C — Their small size misleads the eye

   A narrow profile fools the eye, which is why left-turning drivers so often misjudge an approaching rider.

9. 9. Where do collisions between cars and motorcycles most often occur?

   1. A. In car parks
   2. B. At intersections, on left turns
   3. C. On open highways at high speed

   Answer: B — At intersections, on left turns

   The left-turn-across-path conflict at intersections is the classic car-versus-motorcycle crash.

10. 10. Why might a motorcyclist move within their lane?

    1. A. To be seen and to avoid road hazards
    2. B. To signal an intention to turn
    3. C. To indicate they want to be passed

    Answer: A — To be seen and to avoid road hazards

    Lane position is a rider's main safety tool and should not be read as an invitation to share the lane.

11. 11. Where are a large truck's blind spots?

    1. A. Only directly behind the trailer
    2. B. Only in front of the cab
    3. C. Behind, in front, and both sides

    Answer: C — Behind, in front, and both sides

    Trucks have large no-zones on all four sides, with the right side the largest.

12. 12. What is a reliable sign that a truck driver can see you?

    1. A. You are within two car lengths
    2. B. You can see their face in the mirror
    3. C. The truck is signalling

    Answer: B — You can see their face in the mirror

    Mirror visibility is mutual: if you cannot see the driver in the mirror, they cannot see you.

13. 13. Why should you avoid cutting in front of a large truck after passing?

    1. A. A truck needs far more distance to stop than a car
    2. B. Trucks accelerate quickly and will close the gap
    3. C. It is only discourteous

    Answer: A — A truck needs far more distance to stop than a car

    Removing a truck's stopping distance leaves the driver no way to avoid a collision.

14. 14. A truck ahead swings left before making a right turn. What should you do?

    1. A. Pass on the right in the gap it created
    2. B. Sound your horn to correct the driver
    3. C. Stay back; the truck needs the extra room

    Answer: C — Stay back; the truck needs the extra room

    Long vehicles must swing wide, and the gap on the right closes as the trailer follows through.

15. 15. Who has the right of way when a pedestrian is crossing against a red signal?

    1. A. Neither party has any duty
    2. B. The driver must still avoid them
    3. C. The driver, who may proceed normally

    Answer: B — The driver must still avoid them

    A pedestrian in the wrong does not license a driver to hit them; the duty to avoid a collision remains.

16. 16. What should you do when children are playing near the roadway?

    1. A. Slow down and be ready for one to run into the street
    2. B. Sound the horn and continue at speed
    3. C. Move to the centre of the road and maintain speed

    Answer: A — Slow down and be ready for one to run into the street

    Children act unpredictably and may not judge traffic speed, so reduced speed is the only reliable margin.

17. 17. Why is reversing out of a driveway particularly dangerous for pedestrians?

    1. A. Reverse gear engages slowly
    2. B. Mirrors give a wider view in reverse
    3. C. Small children can be hidden entirely

    Answer: C — Small children can be hidden entirely

    The area directly behind a vehicle is the largest blind zone, and a small child fits entirely inside it.

18. 18. What should you do if a pedestrian steps out from between parked cars?

    1. A. Swerve into the oncoming lane
    2. B. Brake and be ready to stop
    3. C. Sound the horn and maintain speed

    Answer: B — Brake and be ready to stop

    Parked cars hide pedestrians until the last moment, which is why speed must be low where cars line the kerb.

19. 19. How should you approach a pedestrian pushing a pram into a crosswalk?

    1. A. Stop well back from the crossing
    2. B. Edge forward to encourage them across
    3. C. Pass behind them quickly

    Answer: A — Stop well back from the crossing

    A pram enters the crossing well ahead of the adult pushing it, so the stopping point must allow for that.

20. 20. When are pedestrians hardest to see?

    1. A. In bright midday sun on a clear dry day
    2. B. On well-lit roads in dry weather
    3. C. At night, in rain, and when the sun is low

    Answer: C — At night, in rain, and when the sun is low

    Darkness, rain, and glare all reduce contrast, which is what makes a pedestrian visible.

21. 21. What should you do when approaching a person who appears confused or unsteady near the road?

    1. A. Speed up to clear the area
    2. B. Slow and give extra room
    3. C. Sound the horn to alert them

    Answer: B — Slow and give extra room

    Someone who may be impaired, elderly, or unwell may step into the road without checking.

22. 22. What does a pedestrian signal showing a flashing upraised hand mean to a driver?

    1. A. The signal is about to change
    2. B. Pedestrians may still start to cross
    3. C. The crossing is closed

    Answer: A — The signal is about to change

    The flashing phase clears the crossing, so a driver should expect people still in the road.

23. 23. What must a driver do at a crosswalk when the view of the crossing is blocked by a stopped vehicle?

    1. A. Pass slowly in the adjacent lane
    2. B. Sound the horn before passing
    3. C. Stop, then verify the crossing is clear

    Answer: C — Stop, then verify the crossing is clear

    The stopped vehicle may be yielding to a pedestrian you cannot yet see.

24. 24. Where do unmarked crosswalks exist?

    1. A. Only in school zones
    2. B. At intersections, painted or not
    3. C. Only where signs are posted

    Answer: B — At intersections, painted or not

    Every intersection has a crosswalk in law, marked or not, and the duty to yield applies to both.

25. 25. May you stop your vehicle inside a marked crosswalk while waiting at a red light?

    1. A. No, you must stop before the crosswalk
    2. B. Yes, if no pedestrians are present
    3. C. Yes, if the crosswalk is unmarked

    Answer: A — No, you must stop before the crosswalk

    Stopping in the crossing forces pedestrians into the traffic lane to get around you.

26. 26. What should you do if a pedestrian makes eye contact and waves you through a crosswalk?

    1. A. Go immediately since they have yielded
    2. B. Wait until they leave the area entirely
    3. C. Only after checking for other pedestrians

    Answer: C — Only after checking for other pedestrians

    One pedestrian's gesture does not account for another crossing from the opposite kerb.

27. 27. Why should you avoid passing a cyclist just before making a right turn?

    1. A. It is only a matter of courtesy
    2. B. They may reach the junction as you turn
    3. C. Cyclists always stop at intersections

    Answer: B — They may reach the junction as you turn

    Passing and then immediately turning across a cyclist's line is the classic right-hook collision.

28. 28. What should you expect from a cyclist approaching a drain grate or pothole?

    1. A. They may move left without warning
    2. B. They will stop and wait
    3. C. They will ride over it without changing line

    Answer: A — They may move left without warning

    Riders swerve around surface hazards that a car would not notice, so leave room.

29. 29. Why do cyclists sometimes ride away from the kerb rather than close to it?

    1. A. To slow traffic deliberately
    2. B. Because it is required by law
    3. C. To stay out of the door zone

    Answer: C — To stay out of the door zone

    Riding a little out from parked cars protects against opening doors and makes the rider easier to see.

30. 30. How should you pass a cyclist when the lane is too narrow for three feet of clearance?

    1. A. Sound the horn and pass close
    2. B. Wait behind until you can pass fully
    3. C. Pass slowly within the same lane

    Answer: B — Wait behind until you can pass fully

    When the clearance cannot be met inside the lane, the pass must wait for a lane change.