AL Permit Practice Test 4

All 20 questions in test 4

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. After receiving notice of an Alabama license suspension, what hearing may the driver request?

   1. A vehicle inspection hearing at the nearest repair shop
   2. A criminal jury trial in any state county
   3. A pre-suspension or administrative hearing in the county of residence
   4. A permit renewal hearing only after the suspension ends
   Show answer

   A pre-suspension or administrative hearing in the county of residence. After notice that a driver license will be suspended, Alabama allows the driver to request a pre-suspension or administrative hearing in the county of residence before an Alabama Law Enforcement Agency agent. The process gives the driver an opportunity to address the suspension before it takes effect. A criminal jury trial is not the hearing described in this passage, and a repair shop has no role in the licensing review. Waiting until the suspension ends would miss the timing identified by the manual. Keep the notice and act within the available administrative process.

2. 2. At what location must an Alabama driver stop and yield for a blind person using a red-tipped cane or guide dog?

   1. Only at a signalized intersection
   2. At any intersection
   3. Only in a marked crosswalk
   4. Only when another vehicle has already stopped
   Show answer

   At any intersection. The manual places the duty at any intersection when a blind person is carrying a white cane tipped with red and holding it extended, or is using a guide dog. A marked crosswalk is not stated as a prerequisite, so limiting the duty to marked crossings is too narrow. A traffic signal and another vehicle’s decision to stop are also not conditions in the passage. The safest cue is the person’s recognized cane or guide dog, followed by a complete stop and yield at the intersection. Give the pedestrian the right of way before continuing.

3. 3. Which Alabama driver is exempt from the graduated license restrictions?

   1. A 17 year old who has held a valid license for 6 months or longer
   2. A 16 year old with a new license
   3. A 17 year old licensed last month
   4. A 15 year old with a learner license
   Show answer

   A 17 year old who has held a valid license for 6 months or longer. Alabama's GDL restrictions do not apply to drivers 18 or older, to 17 year olds who have held a valid license for 6 months or longer, to 16 year olds who are married or head of a household, or to minors legally relieved of minority status. A 16 year old with a new license and a 17 year old licensed only a month ago are still restricted. A 15 year old learner must drive with a qualified adult.

4. 4. Under Alabama's basic speed law, what must a driver consider when deciding whether a speed is reasonable?

   1. Whether the driver has traveled the road before
   2. Only the posted speed limit and the vehicle's age
   3. The number of passengers, regardless of road conditions
   4. Road, weather, vehicle, and personal physical conditions
   Show answer

   Road, weather, vehicle, and personal physical conditions. Alabama's basic speed law requires a driver to judge speed against existing conditions. That judgment includes the road, weather, condition of the vehicle, and the driver's physical condition. A posted limit is important, but it does not make every speed safe in rain, poor pavement, a mechanical problem, or fatigue. The choice about passengers leaves out the manual's listed factors, while familiarity with a route does not cancel changing hazards. Use the practical cue that a speed acceptable on a clear, dry road may be unreasonable when visibility, traction, vehicle condition, or alertness changes.

5. 5. For a second DUI conviction within 10 years in Alabama, what license consequence is required?

   1. A 30-day warning with no license action
   2. A one-year revocation
   3. A six-month suspension only
   4. A five-year revocation
   Show answer

   A one-year revocation. A second DUI conviction within ten years requires a one-year revocation of the driver's license, along with the other penalties described in the manual. The six-month suspension choice uses the wrong type and duration of license action. A warning does not reflect the mandatory consequence, while five years belongs to a later conviction category rather than the second conviction. When reviewing this item, pair the trigger, second conviction within ten years, with the exact result, one-year revocation, instead of borrowing a period from another offense level.

6. 6. If you miss your exit in an Alabama roundabout, what should you do?

   1. Stop in the circle and reverse to the exit
   2. Drive around again to reach the exit
   3. Turn left across the center island
   4. Leave through the nearest entry point
   Show answer

   Drive around again to reach the exit. Missing an exit in a roundabout is handled by continuing around the circle and taking that exit on the next pass. The design allows a driver to correct the missed choice without backing into circulating traffic or crossing the center island. Stopping inside the roundabout creates a conflict, and reversing is specifically unsafe. The nearest-entry choice may send the vehicle against the one-way circulation pattern. Keep moving at a low speed, maintain the proper lane, and complete another circuit until the intended exit is reached.

7. 7. What is the statutory speed limit in an Alabama urban district unless another zone is posted?

   1. 55 miles per hour
   2. 35 miles per hour
   3. 45 miles per hour
   4. 30 miles per hour
   Show answer

   30 miles per hour. The manual lists 30 miles per hour as the statutory limit in an urban district, unless an officially posted speed zone establishes another limit. The 35 mph figure applies to an unpaved road, 45 mph applies to a county paved road unless posted, and 55 mph covers other locations in the listed statutory limits. Treat the road classification and signs as part of the question. A driver should not borrow the county-road number simply because the street is paved, nor assume the general rural figure applies inside a municipality.

8. 8. What should an Alabama driver do when changing lanes?

   
   1. Rely only on the inside mirror
   2. Check clearance and the blind spot before moving
   3. Signal after entering the new lane
   4. Move first if the other lane looks faster
   Show answer

   Check clearance and the blind spot before moving. Before changing lanes, check safe clearance beside, ahead, and behind the vehicle, then glance over the shoulder to inspect the blind spot. Mirrors do not cover every area, so relying only on one is incomplete. A signal announces intent but does not grant permission to move, which makes signaling after entry especially unsafe. Wait for a real gap, keep the signal active through the maneuver, and move smoothly without forcing another road user to brake.

9. 9. Before entering an Alabama roundabout, whom must you yield to?

   1. No one if you signal a left turn
   2. Only vehicles approaching from the right
   3. Vehicles behind you but not people crossing
   4. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and traffic already in the roundabout
   Show answer

   Pedestrians, bicyclists, and traffic already in the roundabout. Before entering a roundabout, the driver must yield to pedestrians and bicyclists, then yield to traffic already circulating on the driver's left. Entry is allowed when a safe gap appears. The right-side choice imports a different intersection habit and overlooks the traffic already moving around the circle. A turn signal cannot create priority, so the signaling choice is also wrong. Slow down, read the yield signs, check the crosswalk, and watch the circulating lane before choosing an opening that does not force another road user to brake.

10. 10. How much following distance should a driver use when road or weather conditions are poor?

    1. One car length for every five miles per hour
    2. A two-second count in every condition without adjustment
    3. A four or five second count
    4. No following distance is needed below 35 mph
    Show answer

    A four or five second count. The manual says to increase following distance to a four or five second count when road or weather conditions are not good. The two-second rule is the basic reference for ordinary conditions, not a fixed ceiling for rain, snow, poor pavement, or other hazards. One car length per five miles per hour is not the stated adjustment, and low speed never removes the need for space to stop. Pick a fixed object, count after the vehicle ahead passes it, and enlarge the interval until your vehicle has enough room to respond smoothly.

11. 11. An Alabama driver fails to surrender a suspended license within the time allowed. What extra fee is added at reinstatement?

    1. $25
    2. $50
    3. $100
    4. $500
    Show answer

    $50. Failing to surrender the driver license within the time allowed after it is canceled, revoked or suspended results in an additional $50 fee. That is on top of the base reinstatement fee of not less than $100. Twenty-five dollars is too low for this charge. Five hundred dollars is the first offense maximum fine for a mandatory liability insurance violation.

12. 12. What danger is indicated when a WRONG WAY sign faces a driver?

    
    1. The driver is leaving a divided highway at its normal exit
    2. The driver is entering a zone where trucks must use the shoulder
    3. The driver is approaching a rough section of pavement
    4. The driver is approaching traffic in the opposing direction on a one-way roadway
    Show answer

    The driver is approaching traffic in the opposing direction on a one-way roadway. The sign means the vehicle is traveling against the intended flow on a one-way roadway. Continuing would put the driver in conflict with approaching traffic. A rough road, truck restriction, or ordinary exit does not explain this sign. The safest immediate response is to stop or pull over without crossing traffic recklessly, then turn around only when a safe legal opportunity is available.

13. 13. What colors identify warning signs in Alabama, except for signs used in construction areas?

    1. Black and yellow, while construction signs are black and orange
    2. White and red, while construction signs are blue and white
    3. Green and white, while construction signs are black and yellow
    4. Orange and blue, while construction signs are white and red
    Show answer

    Black and yellow, while construction signs are black and orange. Warning signs normally use a black symbol or message on a yellow background. Construction areas are the important color exception, using black and orange instead. A green and white sign generally guides drivers, while white and red combinations are associated with regulatory messages. Do not choose a color pairing simply because orange suggests danger. On a practice question, first decide whether the sign warns about an ordinary roadway hazard or a temporary work area, then apply the matching color scheme. That quick classification helps distinguish a construction warning from a standard curve, crossing, or lane warning.

14. 14. When a school bus displays flashing red lights and its extended stop area, what does that signal mean?

    1. The bus is stopped to load or unload school children
    2. The bus is leaving the roadway permanently
    3. The bus is warning that a railroad crossing is ahead
    4. The bus is allowing traffic to pass without slowing
    Show answer

    The bus is stopped to load or unload school children. Flashing red lights and the extended stop area indicate that the school bus is stopped to load or unload school children. The warning is not permission to pass and does not describe a railroad hazard or a permanent roadside stop. Treat the bus as an active protected loading zone: reduce the chance of a child entering the roadway, obey the required stop, and wait until the bus signals no longer require traffic to remain stopped. The amber lights have a different role, warning in advance that the bus is preparing to stop.

15. 15. What traffic pattern is indicated by a MERGE sign?

    
    1. The roadway ends and every vehicle must turn around
    2. Opposing traffic will begin using the driver's lane
    3. The driver will join other traffic traveling in the same direction
    4. A divided highway is changing into a railroad crossing
    Show answer

    The driver will join other traffic traveling in the same direction. A merge warning means traffic will join the driver’s flow in the same direction. Drivers entering from the right must yield to traffic on the main route, while the speed-change lane helps everyone blend smoothly. This is not an opposing-lane warning or a dead-end instruction. Check mirrors, maintain space, and adjust speed predictably so entering vehicles can merge without abrupt braking.

16. 16. On an Alabama roadway with four or more lanes, what must you do when approaching a stopped emergency vehicle with flashing lights?

    
    1. Vacate the lane closest to the emergency vehicle
    2. Keep the same speed in the nearest lane
    3. Stop in the lane next to the emergency vehicle
    4. Move onto the shoulder and pass the emergency vehicle
    Show answer

    Vacate the lane closest to the emergency vehicle. Alabama's Move-Over Law requires motorists on roadways with four or more lanes to vacate the lane closest to a stopped emergency vehicle displaying flashing emergency lights, or a wrecker displaying flashing amber lights. If a lane change is unsafe or impossible, the driver must slow by at least 15 miles per hour below the posted limit. Maintaining speed beside the vehicle leaves workers exposed, while stopping next to it can obstruct the protected area. Check mirrors early, change lanes safely, or slow substantially when the adjacent lane cannot be used.

17. 17. What does a RIGHT LANE ENDS warning require a driver to anticipate?

    
    1. The roadway will become a one-way ramp with no merging traffic
    2. The left lane will disappear and traffic must stop on the shoulder
    3. A new lane will open for passing on the right
    4. The number of highway lanes changes, so the driver must merge into the adjacent lane
    Show answer

    The number of highway lanes changes, so the driver must merge into the adjacent lane. The right lane ends when the number of highway lanes changes, so a driver using it must merge into the adjacent lane. Waiting until the markings vanish can create a sudden conflict. The sign is not an instruction to stop on the shoulder or a promise that a passing lane will open. Check the next lane early, signal, yield to vehicles already there, and merge when a safe gap appears.

18. 18. What should a driver do when entering an intersection where a yield sign faces the driver?

    1. Slow down and stop if necessary to yield to legally crossing vehicles and pedestrians
    2. Accelerate so other traffic must yield to the entering vehicle
    3. Stop every time, even when no one is crossing
    4. Ignore the sign if the driver has already signaled a turn
    Show answer

    Slow down and stop if necessary to yield to legally crossing vehicles and pedestrians. A yield sign requires the driver to slow down and, if necessary, stop so vehicles and pedestrians legally crossing the roadway receive the right of way. It is not an automatic full-stop command in every empty intersection, so the always-stop option adds a condition the rule does not state. Acceleration cannot transfer priority to the entering vehicle, and a turn signal communicates intent without canceling the sign. Approach with reduced speed, check the crossing path, and be ready to stop whenever traffic or a pedestrian has priority.

19. 19. On a two-lane road with traffic moving in both directions, passing on the left is permitted when you can:

    1. Use the shoulder for the entire maneuver
    2. See only the rear of the vehicle you are passing
    3. Complete the pass safely without exceeding the speed limit
    4. Pass whenever the vehicle ahead is below the speed limit
    Show answer

    Complete the pass safely without exceeding the speed limit. On a two-lane, two-way road, passing on the left is allowed only when the maneuver can be completed safely and without exceeding the speed limit. A slow vehicle by itself is not enough. You also need adequate sight distance, space, and a clear opposing lane. The rear-view-only choice is especially dangerous because it says nothing about traffic ahead. Check ahead and behind, signal, pass promptly, and return only when the maneuver is safely complete.

20. 20. Through what age must children generally be restrained under Alabama’s child restraint law?

    1. Through age 5
    2. Through age 8
    3. Through age 15
    4. Through age 12
    Show answer

    Through age 15. Alabama’s child restraint law requires children through age 15 to be restrained while riding in motor vehicles in Alabama. The younger ages in the choices may sound familiar because the manual assigns different equipment stages to infants, young children, and booster-seat users, but the broad law statement extends through age 15. The rule is not limited to children who still need a booster seat. Look for the phrase through age 15 when the question asks about the overall age coverage, then distinguish it from the separate size-appropriate restraint requirements.