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The Utah Traffic Safety and Trends Exam is an extra online knowledge test for first-time drivers in Utah. You must pass it, scoring 100% on every section, before the Driver License Division (DLD) issues your permanent license. This guide covers who has to take it, how it works and how to get through it quickly.
Key facts: Utah Traffic Safety and Trends Exam
- Who: applicants for an original or provisional Class D license who have never been licensed in any US state or country.
- When: after you apply for your learner permit and before your permanent license is issued.
- Where: online, through the state’s Driver License Exam Center.
- Format: four sections of 10 questions (40 in total), each with a short training video first.
- Pass mark: 100% on every section. You can retake each section as many times as you need.
- Content: driving safety and the top five causes of traffic deaths, as identified by the Utah Highway Safety Office.
How the Trends Exam is different from the permit test
| Permit knowledge test | Traffic Safety and Trends Exam | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | DLD office or school | Online |
| Questions | 50 (never licensed) | 40, in four sections of 10 |
| Pass mark | 80% | 100% per section |
| Retakes | Up to two a day at the DLD; three attempts per fee | Retake a section as many times as needed |
| Needed for | Learner permit | Permanent license |
Permit test details: Utah knowledge test and learner permit.
How to take the Utah Trends Exam, step by step
- Apply for your learner permit first. The exam won’t open until the DLD has your permit record.
- Open the Driver License Exam Center on the official utah.gov site. Sign in with your name, permit number and date of birth. These must match your DLD record exactly.
- Watch the training video for section one, then answer its 10 questions.
- Retake the section if you miss any question. Rewatch the video first.
- Repeat for all four sections. Once every section shows 100%, your result is sent to the DLD automatically.
No internet at home? A public library computer works.
What the Trends Exam covers
The questions focus on the behaviors behind Utah’s deadliest crashes, based on Utah Highway Safety Office data, plus general safe-driving topics. The Exam Center page doesn’t list the five causes, but the Highway Safety Office runs major programs on these two areas, so know them well:
- impaired driving and the 0.05 limit: Utah 0.05 and Not a Drop
- distracted driving and phone laws: Utah teen phone and passenger rules
Tips to finish in one sitting
- Watch each video fully. The questions follow it closely.
- Take notes on any number mentioned in a video, such as a limit or a distance.
- If you fail a section, go back over the video before you retry, rather than guessing.
- Finish well before your road test, so the exam doesn’t hold up your license.
Common questions
Do I have to take the Traffic Safety and Trends Exam if I’m moving to Utah with a license?
No. It is for people who have never been licensed in any US state or country.
How many questions are on the Utah Trends Exam?
40, split into four sections of 10.
What score do you need on the Utah Trends Exam?
100% on every section. You can retake sections until you get there.
Is the Trends Exam the same as the permit test?
No. The permit test is the 50-question knowledge test at the DLD or school. The Trends Exam is a separate online test needed before your permanent license.
Do adults have to take it?
Yes, if they have never been licensed anywhere. It applies to every first-time original Class D applicant, whatever their age.
Who do I contact if the exam won’t accept my details?
The DLD, through the contact details on the Exam Center page. Check that your name and permit number match your permit exactly.
Back to the Utah learning-to-drive guide. Next step: Utah road test explained.
Sources
- State of Utah, “Welcome to the Driver License Exam Center” (secure.utah.gov)
- Utah Highway Safety Office, “Impaired Driving” (highwaysafety.utah.gov)
- Utah Highway Safety Office, “Distracted Driving” (highwaysafety.utah.gov)