Washington DC road signs practice test

The knowledge test includes several local and highway signs; there is no separate signs test. Practise the 19 sign questions we wrote from the Washington DC handbook, then drill every common sign.

Washington DC handbook sign questions

19 questions

Question 1In which direction do you travel in a DC roundabout?

Show answer
A: Counterclockwise. After entering a roundabout, drivers must travel in a counterclockwise direction. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Roundabouts, page 31.
Question 2Which sign shape warns of school crossings?

Show answer
C: Five-sided (pentagon). A five-sided sign warns of school crossings; diamond-shaped signs warn of pedestrian crossings. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Right-of-Way: Individuals With Disabilities, page 36.
Question 3What do DC speed limit signs look like?

Show answer
B: Black letters and numerals on a white rectangle. Speed limit signs have black letters and numerals on a white rectangular background and are legal limits. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Traffic Rules: Speed Signs, page 46.
Question 4What does a yellow sign generally indicate?

Show answer
D: A general warning of what's ahead, such as school or pedestrian crossings. Yellow signs give general warnings of what to expect ahead. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Identifying Signs by Colors and Shapes, page 52.
Question 5What does a white regulatory sign typically show?

Show answer
C: Speed limits or parking instructions. White signs are regulatory, such as speed limit or parking instructions. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Identifying Signs by Colors and Shapes, page 52.
Question 6What does a brown sign indicate?

Show answer
B: Recreational and cultural interest areas. Brown signs indicate recreational and cultural interest areas. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Identifying Signs by Colors and Shapes, page 52.
Question 7In heavy fog, what may be the only thing you can make out on a sign?

Show answer
A: Its shape. In poor visibility such as heavy fog, you may only be able to make out a sign's shape. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Identifying Signs by Colors and Shapes: Sign Shapes, page 52.
Question 8At a stop sign with no stop line and no crosswalk, where must you stop?

Show answer
C: Before the posted stop sign. Stop at the stop line; if none, before the crosswalk; if no crosswalk, before the stop sign. Then yield to pedestrians and bicyclists. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Regulatory Signs: Stop, page 53.
Question 9At a yield sign, how should you look before proceeding?

Show answer
B: Left, right, then left again. Slow down and look left, right, then left again, yielding to any pedestrian, bicyclist or vehicle. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Regulatory Signs: Yield, page 53.
Question 10At a 4-way stop, who goes first?

Show answer
A: The first driver to stop. At a 4-way stop, traffic from all directions stops, and the first driver to stop is the first to go. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Regulatory Signs: 4-Way Stop, page 53.
Question 11Where is the pennant-shaped No Passing sign located?

Show answer
C: On the left side of the road, pointing to the start of the no-passing zone. The pennant supplements the DO NOT PASS sign; it's on the left side and points to the beginning of the no-passing zone. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Warning Signs: No Passing Pennant, page 54.
Question 12What does an Intersection Merge (lanes merge) sign mean?

Show answer
C: Two lanes in the same direction become one, and drivers in both lanes are responsible for merging safely. Two lanes moving the same direction are about to become one; drivers in both lanes share responsibility for merging safely. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Warning Signs: Intersection Merge, page 54.
Question 13A 'Right Lane Ends Ahead' sign is posted. What should drivers in the left lane do?

Show answer
A: Allow vehicles in the right lane to merge smoothly. Right-lane drivers must merge left when space opens; left-lane drivers should allow them to merge smoothly. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Warning Signs: The Right Lane Ends Ahead, page 54.
Question 14What speed do slow-moving vehicles displaying the orange triangle emblem travel?

Show answer
C: 25 mph or less. Vehicles traveling 25 mph or less, such as farm equipment or horse-drawn vehicles, must display the slow-moving vehicle sign. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Warning Signs: Slow Moving Vehicle, page 55.
Question 15Is it legal to use your turn signal to tell the driver behind you to pass?

Show answer
B: No, it is against the law. It is against the law to use your directional signals to tell drivers behind you that they can pass. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Turn Signals, Emergency Signals and Hand Signals, page 55.
Question 16What is DC 295?

Show answer
A: The Anacostia Freeway, DC's only numbered route that is not an Interstate or U.S. highway. DC 295, the Anacostia Freeway, is currently the only numbered route in DC that is not an Interstate or U.S. highway. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: DC Route Marker, page 56.
Question 17What does the Interstate route marker look like?

Show answer
C: A shield, red on top with INTERSTATE and blue on the bottom with the number. Interstate markers are shields with INTERSTATE in white on red at the top and the route number in white on blue below. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Interstate Route Marker, page 56.
Question 18What does a 'Divided Highway Ends' sign mean?

Show answer
A: The median ends and traffic goes both directions; keep right. The highway ahead no longer has a median; traffic goes in both directions, so keep right. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Warning Signs: Divided Highway Ends, page 54.
Question 19What should you do when you see a Steep Hill Ahead sign?

Show answer
C: Check your brakes. A steep grade is ahead; check your brakes. DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual: Warning Signs: Steep Hill Ahead, page 55.