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Virginia driving lesson · Other Important Information

Safety Inspections & Tire Checks

A 2-minute lesson from the Virginia course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
2 minutes
Course unit
Other Important Information
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
35, 36

Virginia requires a yearly safety inspection, and some areas also check emissions. Between inspections, you're expected to check your own tires, and a single penny is all you need to test tread depth.

Know the rule

Your vehicle must pass an annual safety inspection and display a valid safety inspection sticker.

Handbook p. 35 ↗

Know the rule

In certain localities, your vehicle must also pass an emissions inspection. See the Virginia State Police site, www.vsp.virginia.gov.

Handbook p. 35 ↗
Once a month

Check tires for wear and damage (also before a long road trip)

Handbook p. 35 ↗

The penny test:

  • 1. Hold a penny with Abraham Lincoln's body between your thumb and forefinger
  • 2. Find the spot where the tread looks lowest and put Lincoln's head into a groove
  • 3. If any part of Lincoln's head is covered by tread, you have a safe amount of tread
Handbook p. 36 ↗

Know the rule

If tread is below that, your car's ability to grip the road in adverse conditions is greatly reduced.

Handbook p. 36 ↗

Know the rule

Before getting in, check tire pressure with a gauge. The recommended PSI is in the owner's manual or on the driver's side door jamb.

Handbook p. 36 ↗

Put it into practice

You put a penny head-first into your tire's shallowest groove and can see the top of Lincoln's head. No part of it is covered, so your tread is too low and grip is greatly reduced in bad weather.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

What must your vehicle pass and display annually in Virginia?
  1. A DMV road skills retest
  2. An emissions inspection, statewide
  3. An in-person registration renewal
  4. A safety inspection and valid sticker

Answer: A safety inspection and valid sticker

Your vehicle must pass an annual safety inspection and display a valid inspection sticker.

Handbook p. 35 ↗
In addition to a safety inspection, what may certain Virginia localities also require?
  1. An emissions inspection
  2. A second safety inspection each year
  3. A tire tread depth certificate
  4. A noise level inspection

Answer: An emissions inspection

In certain localities, your vehicle must also pass an emissions inspection.

Handbook p. 35 ↗
How do you perform the penny test to check tire tread wear?
  1. Insert Lincoln's head into the deepest groove
  2. Insert Lincoln's head into the lowest groove
  3. Compare penny thickness to the sidewall
  4. Hold the penny against the tire's outer edge

Answer: Insert Lincoln's head into the lowest groove

Take a penny and place Lincoln's head into the tread groove where wear appears lowest.

Handbook p. 36 ↗
What does it mean if part of Lincoln's head is covered by tread during the penny test?
  1. Your tire needs immediate replacement
  2. Your tire pressure is too low
  3. Your tread depth is safe
  4. Your tire is over-inflated

Answer: Your tread depth is safe

If any part of Lincoln's head is covered by the tread, you're driving with a safe amount of tread.

Handbook p. 36 ↗
Where can you find the recommended tire pressure (PSI) for your vehicle?
  1. Printed on the tire's sidewall only
  2. The vehicle registration card
  3. The safety inspection sticker
  4. Owner's manual or driver door jamb

Answer: Owner's manual or driver door jamb

The recommended PSI is located in the owner's manual or on the driver's side door jamb.

Handbook p. 36 ↗
You only need to check your tires for wear once a year, at the annual safety inspection.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: False

Check your tires for wear and damage once every month, or before a long road trip, using the penny test.

Handbook p. 35 ↗
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