Traffic rules, parking and seat belts — Ohio BMV practice test questions

19 free practice questions on traffic rules, parking and seat belts for the Ohio BMV written knowledge test, each with the correct answer and a short explanation. Study them here, then check yourself in the interactive quiz or the exam simulator.

1. Children under 2 years of age should generally be:

In a child booster seat
In the front seat with a lap belt
✓ In a rear-facing car seat in the back seat
Facing any direction—at the driver's discretion

Why: Children under 2 years of age must ride in a rear-facing car seat, unless they already weigh 40+ pounds or are taller than 40 inches.

2. Under Ohio law, which children must be secured in a child safety seat?

Only infants under 1 year old
✓ Children under age 4 and under 40 pounds
All children under age 12 regardless of size
Only children riding in the front seat

Why: Ohio law requires children under age 4 and weighing less than 40 pounds to be secured in a child safety seat; children ages 4 to 7 who don't yet meet height requirements must use a booster seat.

3. Who is required to wear a seat belt under Ohio law, and how is it enforced for adults?

Only the driver must wear a seat belt
✓ The driver and all front-seat passengers, plus all passengers under 15 regardless of seating position; for adults it is a secondary offense
Only passengers under 8 years old must wear a seat belt
Seat belts are optional for all vehicle occupants

Why: Ohio law requires the driver and front-seat passengers to buckle up, and every passenger under age 15 no matter where they sit. For adult violations it is a secondary offense, meaning an officer must stop the vehicle for another reason first.

4. The recommended following distance from the vehicle ahead under good conditions is:

1 second
✓ 3 seconds
10 seconds
One car length, regardless of speed

Why: The 3-second rule scales with speed, unlike a fixed distance in "car lengths," and allows time to react.

5. Drivers 18 years of age or older may hold a phone in their hand while driving only to:

Talk freely while holding the phone in your hand
✓ With a single tap or swipe, turn on speakerphone or navigation when the phone is mounted in the holder
Texting at a traffic light
Using the Internet while stuck in traffic

Why: The phone must be secured in the holder; you may tap it once to activate speakerphone, but you may not hold or use it in your hand.

6. What is the law in Ohio regarding cell phone and wireless device use by drivers under 18?

Drivers under 18 may use a handheld phone only for calls, not texting
✓ Drivers under 18 are banned from using any handheld electronic wireless device while driving, enforced as a primary offense
There is no cell phone restriction for drivers under 18
Drivers under 18 may use a phone only in hands-free mode after 9 PM

Why: Ohio bans drivers under 18 from using any handheld electronic wireless device—including phones—while driving, and it's a primary offense, meaning an officer can stop them for this violation alone.

7. When are drivers in Ohio required to turn on their headlights?

Only when it is completely dark outside
✓ From 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, and anytime windshield wipers are in use due to rain, fog, or other weather
Only on highways, never on local roads
Only between November and March

Why: Ohio law requires headlights to be on from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise, and any time weather conditions require continuous use of windshield wipers.

8. At a railroad crossing with flashing signals, you must stop no closer than:

5 feet from the nearest rail
✓ 15 feet from the nearest rail
50 feet from the nearest rail
All you have to do is slow down

Why: Stop at least 15 feet away from the nearest rail and wait until the signals stop flashing and the crossing is safe.

9. When are U-turns generally prohibited for drivers in Ohio?

U-turns are always legal anywhere in Ohio
✓ In business districts and anywhere a sign prohibits them, or where the turn cannot be made safely
Only on Sundays
Only if there are no other vehicles nearby

Why: Ohio law prohibits U-turns in business districts and anywhere posted signs forbid them, as well as any location where the turn cannot be completed safely and in view of approaching traffic.

10. How many penalty points does a typical traffic violation—such as speeding—add to a driver's record?

0 points
✓ 1 point
3 points
5 points

Why: Most violations are worth 1 point; more serious ones (reckless driving, DUI, fleeing the scene of an accident) are worth 2 points.

11. After accumulating how many points over a 12-month period can a driver be deemed a “negligent driver” and have their license suspended?

2 points
✓ 4 points
8 points
12 points

Why: The thresholds are as follows: 4 points for 12 months, 6 points for 24 months, or 8 points for 36 months.

12. When another driver honks to signal that they want to pass you, you should:

Speed up so you don't miss it
✓ Maintain your speed (or slow down slightly) and stay in your lane
Pull over to the side of the road
Flash your high beams at him

Why: Allow the driver who is passing you to complete the maneuver safely—do not accelerate or get in their way.

13. What does Ohio's Move Over law require when approaching a stopped emergency, utility, or maintenance vehicle with flashing lights?

Ignore it and maintain your speed
✓ Move into a lane not adjacent to the vehicle when possible, or slow down significantly if you cannot change lanes
Stop completely on the highway
Flash your headlights and honk

Why: Ohio's Move Over law requires drivers to move over one lane away from a stopped emergency, utility, or maintenance vehicle displaying flashing lights when it's safe to do so, or to slow down significantly if changing lanes isn't possible.

14. A red curb means:

Short-term parking is permitted
✓ Stopping, standing, and parking are prohibited at all times
This is the loading zone for trucks
Parking for people with disabilities only

Why: Red always indicates a complete ban on stopping, standing, and parking—with no exceptions.

15. A blue curb is intended for:

Commercial loading
✓ Vehicles with a valid disability placard or license plate
For taxis only
For buses only

Why: Blue curbs are for vehicles with a disability placard or license plates; parking there without one is a serious violation.

16. When parking uphill on a street with a curb, you should turn the front wheels:

✓ Away from the curb
Toward the curb
Straight
It doesn't matter

Why: Turn the wheels away from the curb so that if the car rolls backward, it will come to rest against the curb.

17. When parking downhill, you should turn the front wheels:

Away from the curb
✓ Toward the curb
Straight
It doesn't matter

Why: Turn the wheels toward the curb so that the car, as it rolls backward, comes to a stop against the curb rather than rolling out onto the roadway.

18. A school bus ahead has stopped with its red lights flashing and stop-arm extended, on a two-lane road with no physical median. You should:

Pass carefully at reduced speed
✓ Stop, regardless of which direction you're traveling, until the lights stop flashing
Stop only if you're behind the bus, not if you're approaching it
Proceed if no children are visible

Why: On undivided roads, traffic in both directions must stop for a school bus with flashing red lights and an extended stop arm, and may only proceed once the lights stop flashing.

19. An emergency vehicle with sirens and flashing lights is approaching from behind. You should:

Speed up to clear the intersection first
✓ Pull over to the right edge of the road and stop until it passes
Stop immediately, wherever you are, even mid-intersection
Ignore it unless it's directly behind you

Why: Move as far right as safely possible and come to a stop (unless a police officer directs otherwise), clearing the way for the emergency vehicle.

Traffic rules, parking and seat belts: Ohio BMV written test practice