AL Permit Practice Test 10

All 20 questions in test 10

Every question below comes from the Alabama question bank on this page. Open a question to see the correct answer and the explanation. Nothing here is hidden behind a signup.

1. 1. What must you do at this sign?

   
   1. Slow down; proceed if clear
   2. Turn around before reaching the intersection
   3. Stop only if other cars are present
   4. Come to a COMPLETE stop at the line, yield, then go
   Show answer

   Come to a COMPLETE stop at the line, yield, then go. A STOP sign requires a complete stop before entering the intersection. Alabama's stopping rule places the stop at the marked stop line; if none exists, stop before the near crosswalk, or before entering the crossing street where the driver has a clear view. Slowing and proceeding without stopping misses the sign's command, and waiting for another car is unnecessary. After stopping, proceed cautiously and yield as needed. Use the line or crosswalk as the visual cue, then check for traffic before moving.

2. 2. A red and white sign says DO NOT ENTER. What roadway condition does it identify?

   
   1. A road that ends after the next intersection
   2. A parking space reserved for emergency vehicles
   3. A two-way road where passing is prohibited
   4. A one-way highway or ramp approached from the wrong direction
   Show answer

   A one-way highway or ramp approached from the wrong direction. This sign protects drivers from entering against traffic on a one-way highway or ramp. It is a prohibition on entry, not a warning about pavement, parking, or a dead end. If the sign faces you, stop before entering and find a lawful route. The practical cue is the red lettering on a white field: treat the entrance itself as closed from your direction, even if the pavement looks open.

3. 3. What is the manual's first responsibility when a driver uses a cellular phone?

   1. Driving
   2. Finding the fastest route
   3. Keeping the phone conversation going
   4. Reading every incoming message
   Show answer

   Driving. The manual places driving first when a person uses a cellular phone. The other choices make the device or conversation the priority, which can divert attention from traffic, pedestrians, and changing road conditions. If a call is necessary, assess conditions first, use hands-free equipment when possible, and place the call while stopped or have a passenger handle it. Pull off the road to dial or finish a conversation. The practical cue is to treat phone use as secondary to vehicle control, not as a task that can compete with watching the roadway.

4. 4. On an Alabama two-lane road, when may a driver pass traffic on the left?

   1. Whenever the driver signals first
   2. Only when the vehicle ahead is stopped
   3. When the pass can be completed safely without exceeding the speed limit
   4. Whenever the centerline is white
   Show answer

   When the pass can be completed safely without exceeding the speed limit. Passing on the left is allowed on a two-lane road when the driver can complete the maneuver safely and remain within the speed limit. Signaling communicates intent, but it cannot make an unsafe pass legal. The stopped-vehicle option ignores the need to check traffic and distance, and a yellow centerline is normal for opposing traffic. Before moving out, inspect the road ahead and behind, then return only after seeing the entire front of the passed vehicle in the inside mirror.

5. 5. How long is Alabama's grace period after a driver license expires?

   1. 60 days, during which the license remains valid for renewal
   2. One year
   3. There is no grace period
   4. 10 days
   Show answer

   60 days, during which the license remains valid for renewal. Alabama law provides a grace period of 60 days after the expiration date of a driver license for the purpose of renewal, and the license remains valid during that period. Renewal can also be done up to 180 days before expiration. A license may be renewed without examination within a three year period after expiration; beyond that, testing is required.

6. 6. Which statement is correct about following an emergency vehicle on an emergency run?

   1. Ordinary vehicles may follow within 500 feet if headlights are on
   2. Only vehicles on necessary official business may follow within 500 feet
   3. Ordinary vehicles may follow within 250 feet
   4. Any vehicle may follow closely if it does not pass
   Show answer

   Only vehicles on necessary official business may follow within 500 feet. The manual permits following within 500 feet only when the vehicle is on necessary official business. An ordinary vehicle remains outside that protected distance even if its headlights are on, it stays behind rather than passing, or it chooses a shorter distance such as 250 feet. The restriction is tied to the emergency run and the vehicle’s official purpose. Give a responding vehicle a broad buffer, avoid using it to move through traffic, and let it create the space needed to reach the emergency safely.

7. 7. Where does Alabama rank nationally for highway railroad crossing fatalities, according to the manual?

   1. Number 1
   2. Number 13
   3. Number 50
   4. Number 30
   Show answer

   Number 13. Alabama ranks number 13 in the nation for highway railroad crossing fatalities, a motorist is 40 times more likely to die in a crash involving a train, and more people die each year in crossing crashes than in all aviation crashes. Be prepared to stop behind buses and trucks that must stop at crossings, and always expect a train, since trains run at any hour and cannot swerve or stop in time.

8. 8. Which 16 year olds are exempt from Alabama's graduated driver license restrictions?

   1. Those who are married or the head of a household, or legally relieved of minority status
   2. Those who completed driver education
   3. Those with a job
   4. Those with a parent's written note
   Show answer

   Those who are married or the head of a household, or legally relieved of minority status. The graduated driver license restrictions do not apply to individuals 16 or older who are married or the head of household, to those legally relieved of minority status, or to drivers 17 or older who have held a valid license for six months or longer. Everyone else who is 16, or 17 with a license under six months, faces the passenger, hours and phone restrictions.

9. 9. On a two-lane road posted at 25 mph or more, what must a driver do if moving away from a stopped emergency vehicle is unsafe?

   1. Stop directly beside the emergency vehicle
   2. Maintain the posted speed and sound the horn continuously
   3. Move as far away as possible within the lane and slow to 15 mph below the posted speed limit
   4. Slow only 5 mph below the posted speed limit
   Show answer

   Move as far away as possible within the lane and slow to 15 mph below the posted speed limit. When a lane change is unsafe or impossible on a two lane road, the driver must move as far from the emergency vehicle or wrecker as possible within the lane. If the posted speed is 25 mph or greater, the driver must also travel 15 mph below that posted limit. Maintaining the limit ignores the reduced speed requirement, while stopping beside the emergency vehicle creates another hazard. A five mph reduction is not enough. Look for the two linked actions: maximize lateral space within the lane and make the required speed reduction.

10. 10. How should a driver enter a roundabout when there is no safe gap in traffic?

    
    1. Enter immediately and force circulating traffic to brake
    2. Stop inside the roundabout to create a gap
    3. Wait until a safe gap appears
    4. Drive the wrong way around the circle
    Show answer

    Wait until a safe gap appears. A driver should wait for a safe gap before entering a roundabout. Circulating traffic has priority, so entering immediately would force other drivers to brake or swerve. Stopping inside the circle disrupts the flow and creates a new conflict, while driving the wrong way is inherently dangerous. Use the approach to reduce speed, yield to pedestrians and bicyclists, watch the traffic on the left, and choose an opening large enough to enter without making another road user react abruptly. If the gap disappears, remain outside and reassess rather than rushing the entry.

11. 11. What does Alabama prohibit on controlled access highways, except for emergency vehicles performing their duties?

    1. Backing
    2. Using a turn signal before changing lanes
    3. Driving in the right lane
    4. Looking over the right shoulder
    Show answer

    Backing. Backing is prohibited on Alabama controlled access highways, including freeways and expressways, except when an emergency vehicle is performing its duties. The other choices describe ordinary safe-driving actions or lane use and are not the maneuver singled out by this restriction. A shoulder does not create a general exception, and hazard lights would not make reversing lawful. If an exit is missed, continue to the next one rather than reverse. The key cue is the highway type: controlled access roads have no ordinary permission to back up.

12. 12. What subjects are included on Alabama’s driver license knowledge test?

    1. Only road signs
    2. Vehicle repair procedures and engine design
    3. Traffic laws, road signs, and rules of safe driving
    4. Only the applicant’s personal driving history
    Show answer

    Traffic laws, road signs, and rules of safe driving. The knowledge test covers three subject groups named in the manual: Alabama traffic laws, road signs, and rules of safe driving. Focusing on signs alone omits two substantial parts of the test. Vehicle repair and engine design are not identified as test subjects in this section, and an applicant’s personal history is not a listed study category. The practical study cue is to divide preparation into law, signs, and safe-driving rules. The manual also says the test is taken from material found in the booklet, so those three areas point back to the full manual rather than a single chapter.

13. 13. When is physically holding a phone a violation of Alabama's Hands-Free Law, as the manual describes it?

    1. Any time the car is parked
    2. When the driver is seen crossing lanes without signaling, swerving or otherwise driving improperly
    3. Only on interstates
    4. Only for drivers over 21
    Show answer

    When the driver is seen crossing lanes without signaling, swerving or otherwise driving improperly. The manual describes the Hands-Free Law this way: physically holding a wireless device is a violation when the driver is observed crossing in and out of a traffic lane without using a turn signal, swerving, or otherwise operating the vehicle in an improper manner. A parked car, an interstate-only rule, and an age limit are not part of this description. Penalties start at a $50 fine and 1 point.

14. 14. How long is an Alabama license suspended for 18 to 20 points in a 2-year period?

    1. 120 days
    2. 60 days
    3. 180 days
    4. 90 days
    Show answer

    120 days. The schedule lists 18 to 20 points in a 2-year period as a 120 day suspension. Sixty days is for 12 to 14 points, 90 days for 15 to 17, and 180 days for 21 to 23. Knowing the ladder matters because each step is only three points apart. The most serious point offenses, such as alcohol related convictions without mandatory revocation, count 6 points each.

15. 15. Where is backing prohibited except for emergency vehicles performing their duties?

    1. At a private business entrance
    2. In a marked parking space
    3. On a residential driveway
    4. On controlled access highways
    Show answer

    On controlled access highways. Backing is prohibited on controlled access highways, including freeways and expressways, except when an emergency vehicle is performing its duties. Those roads are designed for continuous, high-speed travel, so a reversing vehicle creates an especially severe conflict. The parking-space option describes a maneuver that can be permitted when backing into the space, and ordinary driveways or business entrances are not the named statewide prohibition. If an exit is missed on a freeway, continue to a lawful interchange or turnaround rather than reversing toward traffic.

16. 16. What does a steady circular red traffic signal require in Alabama?

    1. Accelerate to clear the intersection before cross traffic
    2. Slow down but continue through the intersection
    3. Stop and remain stopped until the signal turns green
    4. Turn left without stopping from any lane
    Show answer

    Stop and remain stopped until the signal turns green. A steady circular red signal requires a stop, and the vehicle must remain stopped until the signal changes to green. Alabama allows some turns after stopping when the turn is otherwise lawful, the path is clear, and no sign prohibits it. That limited exception does not turn red into permission to continue straight or to turn from any lane. The acceleration choice is especially unsafe because cross traffic may receive the right of way. Stop at the proper location, check for posted restrictions, and wait for a lawful movement.

17. 17. How far from a stopped school bus should Alabama drivers stop when its red lights and stop arm are displayed?

    
    1. At least 5 feet
    2. At least 20 feet
    3. At least 50 feet
    4. At least 100 feet
    Show answer

    At least 20 feet. When a school bus displays flashing red lights and its extended stop area, Alabama directs traffic coming from either direction to stop at least 20 feet from the bus. The 5-foot choice leaves too little space for children moving around the vehicle. Fifty and 100 feet are not the distance stated for this bus stop requirement. Remain stopped until the stop signal is retracted and the red lights are turned off. The practical cue is to stop well before the bus, preserve the children’s safety zone, and watch for the driver’s signal before moving.

18. 18. When a NO TURN ON RED sign is posted at a signal-controlled intersection, a driver:

    1. May turn either way when the signal first turns red
    2. May turn right after stopping, but not left
    3. May turn left if the intersection is empty
    4. May not turn right or left on red
    Show answer

    May not turn right or left on red. A posted NO TURN ON RED sign prohibits both right and left turns while the traffic signal shows red at a controlled intersection. The stopping rule for a right turn does not override this posted restriction, so the choice “May turn right after stopping, but not left” is too broad. An empty intersection does not authorize the left turn in the choice “May turn left if the intersection is empty”, and the timing described in the choice “May turn either way when the signal first turns red” creates no exception. The visual cue is the sign itself: when it is present, remain stopped until the signal permits movement or another signal indication allows the turn.

19. 19. A blue-and-white guide sign most likely identifies:

    1. Motorist directions
    2. Driver services
    3. A public recreational or cultural point
    4. A regulatory requirement
    Show answer

    Driver services. Blue and white guide signs identify services for drivers, such as a hospital, gas, food, or lodging. Green and white belongs to motorist directions, so that choice confuses the directional color with the service color. Brown and white marks public recreational or cultural points, making the option “A public recreational or cultural point” a destination category with a different color. A regulatory requirement is communicated by a regulatory sign, not by the blue service color. When reading a guide sign, use the color first, then the words or symbol to identify the kind of help or destination ahead.

20. 20. What license action and minimum jail term does Alabama list for a third DUI conviction?

    1. Suspension for 90 days and no jail
    2. Revocation for one year and 48 hours in jail
    3. Revocation for five years and one year and a day in prison
    4. Revocation for three years and a mandatory minimum of 60 days in jail
    Show answer

    Revocation for three years and a mandatory minimum of 60 days in jail. For a third conviction, the fine ranges from $2,100 to $10,100, the license is revoked for three years, and the sentence can be up to one year with a mandatory minimum of 60 days in jail that may not be probated or suspended. A 90 day suspension goes with a first conviction. A one year revocation goes with a second conviction, and 48 hours is not the third conviction minimum. Five years and a prison term of a year and a day or more are the fourth offense felony penalties.