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Getting Familiar With Your Vehicle — Tennessee Driver's License Practice Test

Getting Familiar With Your VehicleQuestion 1 of 30

51 questions in this topic · 30 drawn at random this round

How should you adjust your seat for proper driving posture?

Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual

All questions are based on the official Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual (TN Dept. of Safety & Homeland Security). Study the relevant chapter to reinforce your knowledge.

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This Tennessee Driver's License Getting Familiar With Your Vehicle practice set has 51 practice questions based on the official exam materials, each with an instant explanation. You need 80% on the real Tennessee Driver's License knowledge test to pass.

Topic overview

Before you can drive well, you have to be comfortable and in control of your car. This section is about the basics you set up every single time you get in: where the controls are, how to sit, how to adjust your seat and mirrors, and how to start, steer, back up, and stop smoothly. None of it is hard, but doing it the same way each time builds the safe habits the road test looks for.

Set yourself up first. Sit upright with your body about 10 to 12 inches back from the steering wheel, keep the top of the wheel no higher than your shoulders, and adjust the head restraint level with the back of your head. Then adjust your mirrors — inside mirror to frame the rear window, outside mirrors to cut down blind spots — but remember that even good mirrors leave blind spots, so always turn your head to check before turning or changing lanes. Buckle up, and make sure your passengers do too.

Once you're moving, smooth control is everything. Keep both hands on the wheel — around the 9 and 3 o'clock positions — and steer with your eyes by looking where you want to go. When backing, go slowly, look over your shoulder through the rear window, and steer toward the direction you want the rear to go. Brake with steady pressure rather than stomping. And stay phone-free: Tennessee's Hands Free law makes it illegal to hold a phone while driving, and even a quick text pulls your eyes off the road long enough to travel the length of a football field.

How far should I sit from the steering wheel?

About 10 to 12 inches back, whether or not your car has an air bag. Sitting closer than that can cause serious head or neck injuries if an air bag deploys. Keep the top of the wheel no higher than your shoulders.

Which way do I turn the wheel when backing up?

Turn the wheel toward the direction you want the back of the car to go — right to back right, left to back left. Grip the wheel at the top with your left hand, put your right arm over the seat back, and look over your shoulder through the rear window until you've come to a complete stop. Common mistakes are backing too fast and steering the wrong way.

Can I hold my phone to use GPS while driving in Tennessee?

No. Under Tennessee's Hands Free law it is illegal to hold a phone with any part of your body while driving, including to operate GPS. If you need to use it, pull over to a safe place and come to a complete stop first.

Written from the official Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual — Getting Familiar With Your Vehicle ↗· Last checked: 2026-07-10· Reviewed by the PassPrep editorial team· How we verify →

Sample questions

Three questions from the Getting Familiar With Your Vehicle bank with the correct answer and an explanation. The practice quiz above draws 30 questions at random from the same bank.

  1. What should you do before getting into your vehicle to drive?

    • Check around the outside of the vehicle for small children, pets, and obstructions — Correct answer
    • Honk the horn three times to warn others
    • Rev the engine to warm it up
    • Turn on the radio to a comfortable volume

    Explanation: Before driving, check around the outside of the vehicle for small children, pets, and any other sort of obstruction.

    Handbook: Getting Familiar With Your Vehicle — Getting Ready to Drive

  2. What vehicle condition items should you inspect before driving?

    • Windows, lights, body damage, tires, and potential fluid leaks — Correct answer
    • Only the fuel level
    • Only whether the radio works
    • Nothing; modern cars never need a check

    Explanation: Check the condition of the vehicle — windows, lights, body damage, condition of the tires, and potential fluid leaks — before driving.

    Handbook: Getting Familiar With Your Vehicle — Vehicle Condition

  3. Why should you know the location of controls like the horn, turn signals, and wipers even when you are not using them?

    • So you can operate them when needed without taking your eyes off the road — Correct answer
    • So you can show passengers how the car works
    • So you can pass the vision screening
    • It is not important to know where they are

    Explanation: Know the location of controls — horn, turn signals, four-way flashers, headlights/dimmer, wipers/washers, parking brake, A/C-heater-defroster, and gearshift — even if there is no need to use them at the moment, so you can operate them without looking.

    Handbook: Getting Familiar With Your Vehicle — Vehicle Controls