If You Don't Get 100% On This Quiz, You Shouldn't Be Allowed To Drive

Aspiring to that shiny new driver’s license? Or maybe basking in the glorious rectangular piece of plastic already, ready to drive that new van or that shiny convertible or that hand-me-down truck? Well, it really is one of the most anticipated moments in a teenager or young adult’s life- finally getting that driver’s license to show to the family, friends, and the rest of the world that you are taking another step to independence. It is also one more thing to show off, of course; “Hey, guess who can drive to the mall on her own?” “Who wants to ride with me to the movies?” Getting a license and a car are plus brownie points for you to your crush!

But while driving is cool and handy, it is also equally important in the sense that any wrong move or negligence on the part of the driver can lead to the worst of scenarios- accidents, injury, property damage, and even death! So basics, or the parts of the car and what to do when the engine breaks down or whatnot- while they may seem boring to learn about- they will need to be mastered because instincts will have to kick in while in times of trouble! So take this quiz and try to ace it, because otherwise, you should not be driving; instead, go back to driving school or head for the books!

Question 1

How many pedals are there on the car floor (of an automatic)?

One of the most important parts of the car is the pedals on the car floor; they dictate what the car is going to do: stop or go (faster), and of course, make sure that power is transmitted to the right places. One must not confuse which pedal to step on, for a simple mix-up can lead to the most horrible of accidents! So coordination is the key; right foot is for which pedal, and left foot for which pedal? But just how many pedals should the driver look out for?

Question 2

What does the P in PRNDL stand for?

Remember when Mr. Moseby was teaching London in The Suite Life how to drive? This item is probably the one thing we all remember from that hilarious exchange. The PRNDL or “prindle” as it is sometimes known, is the lever that lets the driver choose the gears on a car with an automatic transmission. Besides the letters, it has numbers as well. Each letter stands for a different thing (obviously), and a different gear. What does the P stand for in the ‘prindle’?

Question 3

What does the right pedal (on a manual car) do?

In driving a car, the right leg and left leg hold different purposes. That’s why one must pay close attention to what each of the pedals is for, and so not to confuse the pedals and cause accidents! The pedals determine whether the car will go faster or come to a stop. Moreover, the driver should not be doing the stopping and accelerating at the same time- only one or the other! So keep keen note of the pedals and really master them.

Question 4

What is it called when a driver does not stop all the way for a stop sign?

So, you know about your car and that is fantastic. However, there is a whole lot more to driving than knowing what is going on under the hood. This particular moving violation can actually be fairly dangerous since it doesn't allow the driver enough time to react to oncoming traffic or pedestrians. Stop signs exist for a reason and you can be sure that if there's one on a corner or even at a 3 way stop, it's worth paying attention to.

Question 5

What does the R stand for in PRNDL?

The PRNDL is very important as it is what is used to change gears, and changing gears, though may be challenging at first, will come with ease when one practices on it a lot, especially when the engine’s off (possibly cause it’s much safer). A driver teacher will especially help too! And anyway, practicing is important because one needs to keep the eyes on the road and not on the PRNDL stick when driving. Besides, a car doesn’t only go forwards, it has to stop and go a different direction too!

Question 6

What is the left-most pedal called (in a manual car)?

When driving a car, it is important for the engine power to be transmitted to the gearbox. This is what the left pedal is for; in simple terms “it basically transmits power from the engine to the wheels”. But it is also there to say, stop the car by stopping the wheels but not killing the engine at the same time. Cars use this and are usually operated by a fluid called hydraulic or operated by cable. When it is engaged, the driving is smooth as a baby’s butt!

Question 7

What do you call the mirror above the driver’s seat?

We see rosaries or flower strings or key chains affixed on that mirror, allowing mementos and trinkets to dangle from a certain height as they are hooked around this mirror, giving the car a more personal vibe. This mirror actually allows the driver to see what is near their car, allowing them to see the one behind them. Basically, since the driver has no eye at the back of his head, this mirror enables him to see not only what’s going on in the back seat, it can help see what’s happening around it.

Question 8

What do you call the mirror attached to the external part of the car?

It is not enough for the vehicle to have one mirror inside the car, it has to have some too attached to the outside of it, for better coverage and another purpose. While the mirror above the driver’s head is for seeing what’s behind the car, this mirror also does that yes, but also gives coverage as to the sides of the vehicle, especially the ones ‘outside of the driver’s peripheral vision’. This is also sometimes called wing mirror.

Question 9

What do you call the front window of the car?

Unlike in motorcycles or tricycles, cars are usually enclosed, though the windows to the sides can usually be rolled down, and convertibles’ roofs can be retracted. But the front window is usually there to stay! It helps protect the driver from unwanted nasties like maybe dust, dirt, and debris zooming into their visions as they drive fast, or from the wind that will surely whip their hair into their face as they drive along the highway- definitely a dangerous predicament!

Question 10

What does ‘Ped Xing’ mean?

You’ve seen it on road signs before, propped up from corners or dangling off long metal poles. Sometimes it’s even painted onto the asphalt of the road. It is often accompanied by a figure of a human in the midst of motion- but what is it exactly? Is it a sign for a restaurant stop? Is it a name of an Asian individual, who happens to be the namesake of the street or avenue? What does it mean to tell us about the road ahead?

Question 11

What do you call the area in the driver’s peripheral which he can’t see?

A human has limitations, after all, and being in an enclosed space such as a car or a truck, he really would not be able to see everything. Though in bicycles and, say, horses, this is not entirely present (except maybe when I bicycling lad or lass is expected to know what’s directly behind him or her). Basically, this area is what the driver can’t directly observe while at the controls, hence the need for the help of mirrors in and out of the car.

Question 12

What does the ‘curved arrow enclosed in a circle with diagonal line’ sign mean?

We see this sign on long open roads, where there will be a long brick or cement barrier lined with trees between the roads going in one direction, while the ones on the opposite side are going another. We sometimes see this in narrower roads too, but still, again, with that physical barrier in between cars going in opposite directions. I guess this is trying to tell us something; and in all fairness, if drivers suddenly wanted to go the opposite direction on the other side, it won’t always be that easy!

Question 13

What do you call the ‘frame’ of over the wheel?

Drivers of a car and other surrounding cars (and people) need protection from…the car’s own wheels. That’s what the framing over the wheels are for! They are installed there so that mud, rocks, dirt, water, and all that jazz that people drive over roads do not spray everywhere and annoy the hell out of everyone. Just imagine how dangerous and inconvenient driving would be if every time a vehicle comes up, it throws all the road dirt on your face with it?

Question 14

What do you call the protection on the front and rear ends of a car?

This structure is attached and installed on the front and back ends of a car for its own protection and to minimize costs; ideally, it was invented so as to minimize the impact of accidents on the car, hence minimizing the costs for repair. They were at first made of metal, though after some time they have been increasingly made of plastic (though with the metal bar inside). They have also painted the same color as the rest of the car now.

Question 15

What does the N on the PRNDL mean?

Yes, we are absolutely going to have to go through each and every gear setting there is on the PRDNL/ “prindle”! It’s important not only to know how the word is pronounced (‘gif’ vs ‘jif’, anyone?), but to know what everything actually stands for, and not just how they are used as well. This setting is actually used when stopped at a red light or stuck in traffic and waiting for time to idle by. Leaving it another setting would cost more fuel.

Question 16

Generally what is the minimum age-group limit of having an unrestricted/full driver’s license in the US?

Since the United States works under a government of federalism, minimum age limits for getting a full driver’s license varies state to state. They even have the whole concept of learner’s permit and a restricted license before the individual can get a ‘full’ driver’s license! Even the years of validity of the licenses varies from state to state. For example, in Alabama, it is 4 years valid, but in Georgia, it is 8 years! It is then understandable that age differences would occur between states.

Question 17

Besides manual transmission, what is the other type of transmission in vehicles?

In manual transmission, the driver manually shifts the gears with a clutch, but in the other type, everything is done for the driver! Convenient, isn’t it? But what is transmission exactly? Well, to put it simply, the transmission allows speed and torque conversions to be provided to another device from the power source. So in the case of vehicles, power source equals gasoline engine and the ‘other device’ means the driving wheels. You need this to make the car move along!

Question 18

What does the RPM (RPM gauge) mean?

While on the one hand we have the speedometer informing us of the speed with which we are going on the road, either in kph or mph, the other gauge on the dashboard, called RPM gauge, measures just how hard the engine is working. Of course, the fuel gauge helps the driver know if the engine is running on empty or not. The RPM gauge basically measures the rotational speed of a component. Apparently, most gauges have red areas starting at around 6-7000 rpm.

Question 19

What do you call the area where the gauges and the controls of the car are?

A little bit of history for the history buffs- this item was defined (you can check this out on Merriam Webster) as a wood panel on horse carriages to ‘intercept water, mud, or snow’, essentially serving as a protection from the external elements. Since we don’t use carriages anymore, on automobiles, it is something of a control panel inside of the vehicle, containing the bobs and bits and gauges that are needed in maneuvering a car. Things like the RPM gauge, speedometer, fuel gauge and the like appear across this control panel.

Question 20

What do you call a rev counter?

This meter or instrument apparently measures ‘the rotation speed of a shaft or disk’, as in measuring those of a motor’s or possibly some other machine. It is sometimes used interchangeably with speedometer, as they both measure speed, but the speedometer is for vehicle speed, while the rev counter is used for the engine. It has been used to measure the speed of locomotives since the early 1800’s and was believed to be invented by the German inventor called Dietrich Uhlhorn.

Question 21

What does the D on PRNDL mean?

While the N setting is important to use when stuck in traffic with the vehicle not needing to move, or while held up at a rather long red stoplight, this other letter is not quite so. In fact quite the opposite: this gear in the PRNDL, which covers all the forward gears, is used by drivers who want to definitely move and progress very much forward. And when the car is in this setting, it will shift through gears when speed increases!

Question 22

What does the ‘person strapped down’ symbol on the dashboard mean?

Does it tell you there is a baby on board and he or she needs to be secured in their baby seat? Does it mean we are in for a bumpy ride? It is actually something you might come across after riding with a friend or carpooling in an Uber; once you slide into the passenger’s seat, the light blinks on and off and an annoying beeping sound doesn’t let up, as if a bomb threatening to explode. But really, just buckle up.

Question 23

What does the ‘man with a ball on his lap’ symbol mean?

Man, does the dashboard have a lot of strange and somewhat vague symbols, am I right? Well, there is another one that might catch our attention as it blinkers on and off, and here we are thinking ‘what the hell does it mean’?! Basically, this symbol looks like a person with a huge balloon or ball on their lap, as they are seemingly strapped down to their seat. Does this signal some sort of baggage overload they can’t carry while seated?

Question 24

What is the ‘fishbones’ symbol called?

Okay, it probably does not stand for fishbones, or that you must not drive into the water, because that surely is not a good idea despite the non-existence of a symbol anyway, but it still looks like fish bones nonetheless. What with the curved half-circle to the wavy line running down three straight ones, it could be as vague as anything. Does it have something to do with air? Does it have something to do with lights? Actually, it does- the fog lights are on.

Question 25

What is the handbrake also called?

Though we all know that there is a brake on the pedal on the car floor, there is also what we call the handbrake, which, as obvious as the name implies, is operated by the hand. This is used to keep the car stationary. It is connected via metallic cable to the rear wheels; it serves as a sort of back up brake when things with the hydraulic brake go awry. Therefore it is separate from the usual hydraulic brakes.

Question 26

What do you call the pedestrian lane with the traffic lights for the pedestrians?

It may surprise you, but as there are different types of road signs or car lights, there are also different types of pedestrian lanes! So while one may think that people just forgot to put traffic lights as a guide for some pedestrian crossings, it just turns out to be a different type. This type of pedestrian crossing features traffic lights facing the oncoming traffic and coloured pictograms for the pedestrians; it is more commonly used in the United Kingdom.

Question 27

After the first driver goes at a 4-way stop, who goes next?

Four-way stops can be very confusing, especially for new drivers who might not be sure who has the right of way. In most places, pedestrians have the right of way, but they should still follow the order of traffic to be as safe as possible. So, how would you decide who goes next, especially if you were to get there at the same time as another person? Okay, well, two people isn't so complicated. But imaging all the bases are loaded, so to speak.

Question 28

What should you be doing by the end of an on ramp?

Plenty of people are absolutely terrified of highway driving even though it's been shown to be safer. Still, high speeds and raised roads in some places can bring on the anxiety. However, these things weren't just built willy nilly. There's a reason an on ramp is so long as well as a reason for the right-hand most lane and many people really don't use it properly, leading to accidents that could be avoided. So, what should you be using the on-ramp and that lane for?

Question 29

What does the ‘key floating on water’ symbol mean?

Is it a pirate ship? Is it the Titanic? Is it…a key floating on water? Whatever it means, it looks strange and gives you a sense of something about the fuel or the engine or the ignition right? Actually, it really means to say that the engine is too hot (are the wavy lines signaling that you need it to cool down with water?), so you need to attend to it ASAP. And a lot of engines get effed up because of overheating, so make sure to have the cooling system regularly checked.

Question 30

What does the L on the PRNDL mean?

Ah, yes, we’re finally coming to an end on the PRDNL acronym! This time let us try to recall just what that last letter L stands for; since one might find oneself even rarely using it. So what is it actually for? Well, unlike with the ‘D’ gear, when the car is going, the transmission won’t shift when it’s on L. Moreover, less fuel is then injected into the engine; the car is slower but it makes up for it in ‘engine torque’, which is useful if one is towing something or going up a particularly steep hill.

Question 31

What does the ‘P enclosed in a circle with diagonal line’ sign mean?

Driving does not only require knowledge and mastery of the insides of the car, or the cars around it, or the traffic lights and pedestrian crossings; it also requires intimate knowledge of street signs! Street signs are basically the guide of any driver when turning from one road to another, or simply going on a highway. They help keep the road in order and in safer conditions; like how it signals to cars to slow down in case they are in a school area, for example.

Question 32

What does the orange traffic light generally mean?

Often individuals know without a second thought just exactly what the red traffic light means: it means stop, or halt or whatever form the word takes. With its alarming red shade as we have grown used to over the years, we know it is not an ‘affirmative’ sign. The same way we know the green light means ‘go’; the color has been more associated with affirming rather than negating. But a lot of us are stumped when asked what the orange/yellow light stands for.

Question 33

What does the ‘white horizontal line on a red circle’ sign mean?

We have seen this numerous times: on roads, pinned on those long stick things on the entrance and exits to gated suburban houses or townhouses, put up on poles near really skimpy, narrow streets, or when a road repair or reconstruction is undergoing, as if we can’t clearly see the obstruction from meters away even if the sign did not exist. Still, this is an important sign to lear, especially when the meaning is not plastered on the sign itself.

Question 34

What does ‘horn enclosed in a circle with diagonal line’ mean?

This is another symbol that might seem vague or comical, but actually, makes sense if you knew what it meant! Though not often seen everywhere, since roads can be quite noisy and garbling already even without the horn sign, we see this often in certain places. Take for example, near hospitals or ‘silence zones’ in Mumbai for instance, where you can be fined for making noise in such silence zones. We all just want a little peace and quiet sometimes.

Question 35

What does the ‘shoe inside a circle’ symbol on the dashboard stand for?

Does it mean you need to put your shoes on? Does it mean stepping on the gas? Whatever it means, it must have confused you at some point, so here is a little bit of enlightening: the symbol of that button on the dashboard actually means the driver has to engage the break. This could mean either, getting the car out of neutral or to start the car’s ignition. When the button is released, the lever gets locked; when it is pressed, the driver can switch between transmission options.

See Your Result
Questions Left
Current Score