Roadwise States Wyoming Driving lessons Vehicle equipment and tire safety Wyoming driving lesson · Sharing the Road
Vehicle equipment and tire safety A 3-minute lesson from the Wyoming course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Read time 3 minutes
Course unit Sharing the Road
Checkpoint questions 6
Source pages 68, 69 You can't share the road safely in an unsafe vehicle. The law lists equipment that must work, and an officer can check it. Your tires are your only contact with the road, so check their pressure and tread.
Know the rule
A police officer has the right to stop you and inspect your vehicle's equipment. Defective equipment must be repaired immediately, and an unsafe vehicle can bring a fine.
Handbook p. 68 ↗ Required equipment that must be in good working order: Windshield and wipers Muffler and exhaust system Headlights and parking lights Good tires Brakes and parking brakes Mirror Horn Safety belts Brake and tail lights Turn signals Handbook p. 68 ↗ Required equipment Know the rule
Find the recommended tire pressure (psi) in the owner's manual or on the driver's side door jamb, and check it with a tire pressure gauge.
Handbook p. 68 ↗ Know the rule
If pressure is above the listed number, let air out until it matches. If it's below, add air (or have a tire professional help) until it matches.
Handbook p. 68 ↗ Once a month Check your tires for wear and damage, and before any long road trip
Handbook p. 68 ↗ The penny test for tread wear: Hold a penny by Abraham Lincoln's body between your thumb and forefinger Put Lincoln's head into a groove where the tread looks lowest If any part of Lincoln's head is covered by tread, you have a safe amount Handbook p. 68 ↗ Know the rule
If the tread gets below that, your car's grip on the road in bad conditions is greatly reduced.
Handbook p. 69 ↗ Put it into practice
You put a penny head-first into the shallowest groove of your tire and can see all of Lincoln's head. The tread is too low for a safe grip in bad weather. Replace the tire before your next winter trip.
A useful reminder Penny test: if the tread covers part of Lincoln's head, you're OK.
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.
A police officer has the right to stop you and inspect your vehicle's equipment. True False Answer: True
A police officer has the right to stop you and inspect the equipment on your vehicle.
Handbook p. 68 ↗ If a police equipment inspection finds your vehicle unsafe, you could be fined. True False Answer: True
If any equipment is defective you will be directed to repair it immediately, and if your vehicle is found to be unsafe you could be fined.
Handbook p. 68 ↗ In the penny test for tire tread, what shows you still have a safe amount of tread? All of Lincoln's head is visible The tread covers part of Lincoln's head The tread covers the date on the penny The penny stands up in the groove Answer: The tread covers part of Lincoln's head
If any part of Lincoln's head is covered by the tread, you're driving with a safe amount of tread remaining.
Handbook p. 68 ↗ Where can you find the recommended tire pressure (psi) for your vehicle? The owner's manual or the door jamb Printed on the tire's sidewall only The vehicle's dashboard display only A sticker inside the trunk Answer: The owner's manual or the door jamb
Check tire pressure using the recommended psi found in the owner's manual or the driver's side door jamb.
Handbook p. 68 ↗ Which of these must be in good working order on your vehicle, according to the handbook's equipment list? Turn signals A GPS navigation system Satellite radio A backup camera Answer: Turn signals
Required items in good working order include turn signals, along with brakes, mirrors, horn, and lights.
Handbook p. 68 ↗ What tool is used to check whether your tire pressure matches the recommended psi? A tire pressure gauge A tread depth gauge A penny held by Lincoln's body A tread wear indicator bar Answer: A tire pressure gauge
Use a tire pressure gauge to check your psi against the number listed in the manual or door jamb.
Handbook p. 68 ↗ Previous lesson Breakdowns and carbon monoxide Next lesson Sharing the road with motorcycles About the source Roadwise’s Wyoming course uses the driver handbook edition supplied with this study pack. This lesson cites source pages 68, 69. The linked PDF is a third-party mirror of the handbook, rather than a government-hosted page.
Open the handbook source PDF · View the source edition
For current application requirements, fees, appointments, and the format that applies to your age or license type, check Wyoming’s WYDOT. Roadwise provides study material and does not issue permits or licenses.
