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Legal Matters & Rules of the Road: theory test questions

238 questions from the Irish Driver Theory Test, each with the correct answer and an explanation.

  1. If a driver wishes to drive another vehicle which is not currently taxed, would they be allowed to transfer the current tax disc from their own vehicle onto it?Answer: Under no circumstances should a tax disc be transferred to another vehicle.
  2. How should an L-plate be composed?Answer: A red L on a white background.
  3. At roadworks, what does this sign mean?Answer: Stop before or at the sign.Red circular sign with a thin white border and large white STOP text.
  4. If driving from A to B, what do these road markings mean?Answer: A driver may not cross the lines to overtake.Road diagram labelled A and B, with a continuous white line nearer A and a parallel broken line nearer B.
  5. If driving from A to B, what do these road markings mean?Answer: A driver may overtake if it is safe to do so.Road diagram labelled A and B, with a broken white line nearer A and a parallel continuous line nearer B.
  6. At roadworks, what does this sign mean?Answer: Proceed with caution.Green circular sign with a thin white border and white GO text.
  7. Is it permitted to use a vehicle in a public place without a current tax disc displayed?Answer: No, all motor vehicles must display a current tax disc.
  8. If a driver wishes to drive a vehicle but the tax disc is expired, what should they do?Answer: They should tax it immediately.
  9. Unless otherwise indicated, what is the maximum speed allowed for a car towing a caravan on a motorway?Answer: 80 km/h.
  10. Is a driver allowed to use rebated (green) diesel fuel in a car on a public road?Answer: Green diesel may never be used in a car.
  11. What distance before a zebra crossing is parking prohibited?Answer: 15 metres.
  12. Unless otherwise indicated, what is the maximum speed allowed for cars or motorcycles on national roads?Answer: 100 km/h.
  13. What colour traffic light comes on after a non-flashing amber light?Answer: Red only.
  14. What does this Garda signal mean?Answer: Stop if approaching from either the front or behind.Garda facing the viewer with one hand raised, palm outward, and the other arm extended sideways.
  15. Unless otherwise indicated, what is the maximum speed allowed for a car towing a trailer on national roads?Answer: 80 km/h.
  16. What do these signs together mean?Answer: End of detour.Orange rectangular sign reading END DETOUR with a right arrow and Irish wording; smaller plate reads END.
  17. What does a flashing amber arrow pointing left at a traffic light mean?Answer: A driver may turn left but yield to traffic on the other road.Traffic light with an illuminated amber lamp and a separate amber left-pointing arrow surrounded by radiating marks.
  18. What does this Garda signal mean?Answer: The Garda is beckoning on traffic approaching from either side.Side view of a Garda in a yellow jacket with one arm raised vertically, palm visible.
  19. What does this Garda signal mean?Answer: Stop if approaching from behind.Garda viewed from behind, wearing a yellow jacket and extending one arm horizontally to the left.
  20. What do these signs together mean?Answer: Pedestrianised street ahead - traffic not allowed except during times shown.Plain red-bordered white circle above a plate reading PEDESTRIAN ZONE, NO ENTRY EXCEPT 0700–0930, 7 DAYS.
  21. What does a continuous white line in the centre of the road mean?Answer: Vehicles may not cross or drive over the line.Empty rural road with no center markings, bordered by grass and trees, with hills ahead.
  22. What colour traffic light comes on after the green?Answer: Amber only.
  23. What do temporary traffic lights at road works mean?Answer: A driver must comply with the lights at all times.
  24. What does this hand signal mean?Answer: The driver intends to turn left.Front view of a red car; the driver holds an arm across the body toward the passenger side.
  25. What does this hand signal mean?Answer: The driver intends to turn right.Front view of a red car with the driver's arm extended out of the window toward the left of the image.
  26. What does this hand signal mean?Answer: The driver intends to slow down or stop.Rear view of a red car; the driver's arm extends from the right window with white up and down arrows beside the hand.
  27. What does this road marking mean?Answer: A driver must not cross the broken white line unless it is safe to do so.Road surface with a row of broken white line markings.
  28. What does this road marking mean?Answer: Parking prohibited at all times.Two parallel yellow lines beside a kerb.
  29. What does this road marking and information plate together mean?Answer: Parking not allowed at the times and days shown.Single yellow line beside a kerb; plate below reads MON.–FRI., 0700–0930 with Irish wording.
  30. What does this road marking indicate?Answer: Zebra crossing.Alternating white and black stripes across a road, beside a black-and-white post topped with a yellow globe.
  31. What does this Garda signal mean?Answer: Stop if approaching from the front.Garda facing the viewer in a yellow jacket, with one hand raised beside the head, palm outward.
  32. What does this hand signal mean?Answer: The cyclist intends to go straight on.Cyclist facing the viewer with one forearm raised beside the head.
  33. What does this hand signal mean?Answer: The driver intends to proceed straight ahead.Front view of a red car with the driver holding one hand upright near the center of the windscreen.
  34. What does this road marking indicate?Answer: Zebra crossing.Alternating white and black stripes across a road, beside a black-and-white post topped with a yellow globe.
  35. What does this hand signal mean?Answer: The cyclist intends to turn right.Cyclist facing the viewer with one arm extended horizontally toward the left of the image.
  36. What does this sign mean?Answer: Temporary traffic signals ahead.Orange diamond containing a traffic-light symbol with red, amber and green circles.
  37. What does this sign mean?Answer: Slippery road.Orange diamond with a black car above two curved tracks.
  38. What does this sign mean?Answer: End of motorway.Blue square with a white divided-road and bridge symbol crossed by a red diagonal bar.
  39. What does this sign mean?Answer: Traffic should cross out to the right-hand lane ahead.Orange diamond with a black upward arrow bending right between two small black tapered shapes.
  40. What does this sign mean?Answer: Road narrows from right.Orange diamond with two black vertical lines; the right line bends inward and the left remains straight.
  41. What does this sign mean?Answer: Dual carriageway ends.Yellow diamond containing a black vertical shape with a narrow opening dividing its lower end.
  42. What does this sign mean?Answer: Motorway ends 500 metres ahead.Blue sign with a white divided-road and bridge symbol crossed by a red diagonal bar; lower panel reads 500m.
  43. What does this sign mean?Answer: Road narrows from left.Orange diamond with two black vertical lines; the left line bends inward and the right remains straight.
  44. What does this sign mean?Answer: Two-way traffic.Orange diamond with two black arrows, left pointing up and right pointing down.
  45. What does this sign mean?Answer: Flagman ahead.Orange diamond with a black person holding both arms out sideways.
  46. What does this road marking mean?Answer: No entry.Road entrance with a continuous white line alongside a row of rectangular white marks.
  47. What does this sign mean?Answer: Offside lane closed ahead.Orange diamond with two upward arrows and a short capped vertical bar on the right.
  48. What does this sign mean?Answer: Traffic should cross back to the left-hand lane ahead.Orange diamond with a black upward arrow bending left between two small black tapered shapes.
  49. What does this sign mean?Answer: Uneven surface ahead.Orange diamond containing a black horizontal shape with three rounded humps.
  50. What does this sign mean?Answer: Sharp rise in the road ahead - for example, a humpback bridge.Yellow diamond containing a horizontal black shape with one rounded hump.

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