Virginia Crashes, Emergencies, and Traffic Stops Practice Questions

Crashes, Emergencies, and Traffic Stops questions

1. 1. What should you do first at the scene of a crash you are involved in?

   1. A. Stop and check for injuries
   2. B. Move the vehicles before recording anything
   3. C. Leave to find a telephone

   Answer: A — Stop and check for injuries

   Preventing a secondary collision and attending to injuries come before anything else.

2. 2. What is the most common cause of rear-end collisions?

   1. A. Sudden mechanical failure
   2. B. Poor road surfaces
   3. C. Following too closely

   Answer: C — Following too closely

   Insufficient following distance leaves no room to absorb the reaction time a sudden stop demands.

3. 3. When is steering around an obstacle better than braking?

   1. A. Only on wet roads
   2. B. At higher speeds
   3. C. At all speeds without exception

   Answer: B — At higher speeds

   Above about 25 mph a vehicle can usually change direction in less distance than it can stop.

4. 4. If a collision is unavoidable, what should you try to hit?

   1. A. Something that gives way
   2. B. The largest available object
   3. C. Whatever is directly ahead

   Answer: A — Something that gives way

   Glancing off a yielding object spreads the impact over more time than a square hit on something solid.

5. 5. What should you do when a police vehicle signals you to pull over?

   1. A. Stop immediately in the travel lane
   2. B. Continue to the nearest car park several miles away
   3. C. Signal, pull right when safe, and stay inside

   Answer: C — Signal, pull right when safe, and stay inside

   Pulling right promptly and safely, then remaining in the vehicle, is what the officer expects.

6. 6. What information must drivers exchange after a crash?

   1. A. Only insurance company names
   2. B. Name, address, registration, insurer
   3. C. Only names

   Answer: B — Name, address, registration, insurer

   Complete identification and insurance details are what allow a claim to be settled.

7. 7. What should you do if you are involved in a crash with an unattended parked vehicle?

   1. A. Leave a note or report it
   2. B. Continue if the damage is minor
   3. C. Wait indefinitely for the owner

   Answer: A — Leave a note or report it

   Leaving without providing details is treated as leaving the scene, regardless of how minor the damage is.

8. 8. Why should you move a vehicle out of the travel lane after a minor crash if it is drivable?

   1. A. To avoid a citation for obstruction
   2. B. To preserve the road surface
   3. C. To prevent a secondary collision

   Answer: C — To prevent a secondary collision

   Secondary crashes at a scene are a major source of injury, so clearing the lane comes first when it is safe.

9. 9. What should you avoid doing at the scene of a crash?

   1. A. Taking photographs of the damage
   2. B. Admitting fault or arguing
   3. C. Exchanging insurance details

   Answer: B — Admitting fault or arguing

   Fault is determined by the evidence and the insurers, not by statements at the roadside.

10. 10. What is the first duty of a driver involved in a crash?

    1. A. Stop at the scene
    2. B. Notify their insurer
    3. C. Photograph the vehicles

    Answer: A — Stop at the scene

    Stopping is the fundamental legal duty; everything else follows from being present at the scene.

11. 11. What is the safest way to avoid a head-on collision with an oncoming vehicle in your lane?

    1. A. Brake hard and steer left across the line
    2. B. Accelerate and pass them on the left side
    3. C. Brake, sound the horn, and steer to the right

    Answer: C — Brake, sound the horn, and steer to the right

    Steering right moves you away from the other driver's likely correction back into their own lane.

12. 12. How can you reduce the risk of being struck from behind?

    1. A. Drive faster than following traffic
    2. B. Brake gradually and early
    3. C. Brake late and firmly

    Answer: B — Brake gradually and early

    Early, gentle braking gives the driver behind the warning and the distance they need.

13. 13. What should you do if a vehicle is about to strike you from the rear and you cannot move?

    1. A. Brace and hold the brake down
    2. B. Turn your head to look back
    3. C. Release the brake and relax

    Answer: A — Brace and hold the brake down

    A correctly positioned headrest and a held brake reduce whiplash and prevent being pushed into traffic ahead.

14. 14. What is the value of an escape route when driving in traffic?

    1. A. It shortens the journey
    2. B. It is only relevant on freeways
    3. C. A place to go if braking is not enough

    Answer: C — A place to go if braking is not enough

    Keeping one side open converts an unavoidable impact into an avoidable one.

15. 15. Where should you stop when signalled by a police vehicle on a busy road?

    1. A. On a bridge or in a tunnel
    2. B. As far right as is safely possible
    3. C. In the left lane

    Answer: B — As far right as is safely possible

    A safe stopping place keeps both you and the officer out of live traffic.

16. 16. What should you do with your hands during a traffic stop?

    1. A. Keep them visible on the steering wheel
    2. B. Reach immediately for the glovebox
    3. C. Keep them out of sight

    Answer: A — Keep them visible on the steering wheel

    Visible hands avoid ambiguity while the officer approaches.

17. 17. What should you do at night when stopped by police?

    1. A. Switch off all lights
    2. B. Get out and walk back to the police vehicle
    3. C. Turn on the interior light

    Answer: C — Turn on the interior light

    An illuminated interior and staying in the vehicle are both about making the stop predictable.

18. 18. What does Virginia's Move Over law require?

    1. A. Slow to 20 mph below the posted limit, whatever the lane you are in
    2. B. Change to a lane not next to the stopped vehicle where reasonable, or reduce speed and proceed with caution
    3. C. Stop completely and wait where you are until the scene has been fully cleared away by the responders

    Answer: B — Change to a lane not next to the stopped vehicle where reasonable, or reduce speed and proceed with caution

    Virginia names no speed figure at all.

19. 19. Which stopped vehicles does Virginia's Move Over law cover?

    1. A. Emergency vehicles and tow trucks with flashing lights
    2. B. Emergency vehicles only, and never tow trucks
    3. C. Police vehicles only, and no other kind at all

    Answer: A — Emergency vehicles and tow trucks with flashing lights

    The law covers blinking blue, red, amber, or white lights.

20. 20. What can a Virginia Move Over violation cost a driver?

    1. A. A written warning, with no other consequence
    2. B. A fixed $50 fine, with no demerit points
    3. C. Court suspension of the licence and demerit points

    Answer: C — Court suspension of the licence and demerit points

    The court has discretion to suspend the driving privilege.

21. 21. Which Virginia crashes must be reported to the police?

    1. A. Only those crashes in which someone is injured
    2. B. Any crash involving property damage, personal injury, or death
    3. C. Only those crashes causing more than $1,500 in damage

    Answer: B — Any crash involving property damage, personal injury, or death

    Virginia sets no dollar threshold at all.

22. 22. What must a Virginia driver do at the scene of a crash?

    1. A. Stop, help anyone injured, report it to the police, exchange information, and notify their insurer
    2. B. Exchange information with the other driver and then simply drive away from the scene again
    3. C. Wait at the scene for the other driver to telephone the police

    Answer: A — Stop, help anyone injured, report it to the police, exchange information, and notify their insurer

    The report should be made as quickly as possible.

23. 23. What details does Virginia say to collect after a crash?

    1. A. Only the number plate of the other vehicle involved, and nothing else at all besides that one thing
    2. B. Only a photograph of the damage to each of the vehicles involved
    3. C. Names, addresses, licence and plate numbers, witnesses, and the other owner's insurance policy number

    Answer: C — Names, addresses, licence and plate numbers, witnesses, and the other owner's insurance policy number

    The names and addresses of anyone injured should also be recorded.

24. 24. What does Virginia say to do first when stopped by a police officer?

    1. A. Telephone a lawyer before pulling over at all
    2. B. Remain calm, pull to a safe location, park, and stay in the vehicle
    3. C. Get out of the car at once and walk back to approach the officer

    Answer: B — Remain calm, pull to a safe location, park, and stay in the vehicle

    Do not get out unless the officer asks you to.

25. 25. What lights does Virginia say to turn on when stopped by an officer at night?

    1. A. The flashers and the vehicle's interior lights
    2. B. The high beams, aimed into the mirror
    3. C. No lights at all, to avoid dazzle

    Answer: A — The flashers and the vehicle's interior lights

    Turn off the engine, radio, and anything else that could block communication.

26. 26. Where does Virginia say a driver's hands should be during a traffic stop?

    1. A. In your lap, out of the officer's sight
    2. B. On the door handle, ready to get out
    3. C. In plain view, preferably on the steering wheel

    Answer: C — In plain view, preferably on the steering wheel

    Passengers should keep their hands visible too, and belts should stay fastened.