AL Permit Practice Test 7

All 20 questions in test 7

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 does an Alabama school-zone sign indicate during the hours shown on the sign?

   1. Drivers may ignore the sign when its flashing lights are off
   2. A statewide 20 mph limit applies at every school
   3. The ordinary road speed limit applies until children enter the roadway
   4. The posted school-zone speed limit applies during those indicated hours
   Show answer

   The posted school-zone speed limit applies during those indicated hours. A school-zone sign identifies the speed limit that governs during the hours printed on the sign. The manual also notes that the limit may appear on a lighted sign with flashing amber lights. The statewide 20 mph choice invents a single number that this passage does not establish. Waiting for children to enter the road is unsafe because the restriction is tied to the displayed hours, not to a child’s location. A useful roadside cue is to look for the hours or amber flash before choosing your speed, then obey the posted school-zone limit while it applies.

2. 2. What testing consent does a person give by operating a motor vehicle on Alabama public highways?

   1. No consent unless the driver volunteers it after arrest
   2. Consent only to a breath test after signing a separate form
   3. Consent only when a crash causes property damage
   4. Consent to a chemical blood, breath, or urine test for blood alcohol content
   Show answer

   Consent to a chemical blood, breath, or urine test for blood alcohol content. Alabama’s implied-consent rule treats operation on public highways as consent to chemical testing of blood, breath, or urine for blood alcohol content. The rule is broader than a breath-only requirement and does not depend on a separate form signed at the roadside. It also is not limited to crashes or to a driver’s later willingness to volunteer. The practical cue is the phrase public highways: driving there creates the consent described by the manual. A separate passage warns that refusing a directed chemical breath test while under arrest can result in license suspension.

3. 3. Even with a steady green arrow, to whom must a driver yield while entering the intersection?

   1. No one, because a green arrow gives absolute priority
   2. Only vehicles approaching from behind
   3. Other traffic lawfully using the intersection
   4. Only vehicles stopped at the opposite curb
   Show answer

   Other traffic lawfully using the intersection. A green arrow permits the indicated movement, but vehicles entering on that arrow must still yield to other traffic lawfully using the intersection. The absolute priority option removes an explicit limitation from the rule. Traffic behind the driver is not the only group that matters, and the opposite curb description is narrower than the manual. Treat the arrow as permission to proceed in a particular direction, then scan for lawful road users already occupying or entering the intersection. If another user has the right to be there, wait rather than forcing the movement.

4. 4. Why must a driver never make a left turn to enter an Alabama roundabout?

   1. A roundabout may be entered only after a police officer signals
   2. Left turns are reserved for emergency vehicles
   3. The center island is always open to crossing traffic
   4. The maneuver would enter against the roundabout’s traffic flow
   Show answer

   The maneuver would enter against the roundabout’s traffic flow. Roundabouts move traffic in a counterclockwise, one-way pattern, so the manual specifically says never to make a left turn to enter. The required entry is a right turn made when a safe gap is available. The restriction is not a special privilege for emergency vehicles, and the center island is not an ordinary crossing path. Police direction is not required for routine entry. Think of the circle as an established flow: yield to traffic already inside, wait for a safe opening, and turn right into that flow rather than cutting across it.

5. 5. Alabama's Hands-Free Law replaced the old texting ban. Which activity is a violation when a driver is also seen swerving or crossing lanes without signaling?

   1. Writing, sending, or reading a text message, e-mail, or Internet data on a wireless device
   2. Dictating a message that the device automatically converts into written text
   3. Following turn directions from a device used for GPS navigation
   4. Talking through a speaker phone or earpiece without holding the device
   Show answer

   Writing, sending, or reading a text message, e-mail, or Internet data on a wireless device. Act 2023-478 repealed Alabama's old texting statute and its $25 first fine. Under the Hands-Free Law in Section 32-5A-350.1, a driver observed crossing in and out of a lane without signaling, swerving, or otherwise driving improperly violates the law while writing, sending, or reading text-based communication on a wireless device. The same section excludes messages the device converts automatically from voice, use of the device for navigation, and substantially hands-free voice calls through a speaker phone or earpiece. Penalties start at a fine of up to $50 for a first conviction.

6. 6. What is the usual purpose of a yellow diamond-shaped warning sign?

   1. To mark a parking area
   2. To identify a public recreational or cultural destination
   3. To warn of a hazardous condition ahead requiring extra caution
   4. To give directions to a hospital or fuel station
   Show answer

   To warn of a hazardous condition ahead requiring extra caution. Yellow diamond-shaped signs are generally warning signs. They alert drivers to hazardous conditions ahead and call for extra caution, while fluorescent yellow is used for pedestrian crossings and school zones. Green, blue, and brown sign colors serve informational, service, or recreational guidance purposes instead. Slow your pace when a yellow diamond appears, look for the condition it identifies, and be ready to adjust before reaching the hazard. Shape and color together provide the early warning.

7. 7. Where must you stop at an Alabama STOP sign when a marked stop line is present?

   1. In the center of the crossing street
   2. Past the crosswalk near the intersection
   3. At the marked stop line
   4. Only where the driver can see traffic
   Show answer

   At the marked stop line. At an Alabama STOP sign, the marked stop line is the first required stopping location when one is present. If there is no line, the driver uses the near-side crosswalk, or the nearest point before the crossing street when no crosswalk exists. The choice placing the vehicle beyond the crosswalk moves the stop too far forward and can endanger pedestrians. Visibility may require a cautious second stop, but it does not replace the marked line. Stop fully at the line, then proceed only after checking the intersection and yielding as required.

8. 8. If a brake pedal sinks to the floor, what should you try first?

   1. Pump the pedal to build pressure
   2. Turn off the engine and coast in neutral immediately
   3. Pull the emergency brake as hard as possible
   4. Accelerate to test whether the brakes recover
   Show answer

   Pump the pedal to build pressure. A pedal that suddenly reaches the floor may respond to repeated pumping, which can rebuild braking pressure. If pumping fails, the manual directs the driver to use the emergency or parking brake gently, and it also mentions a lower gear or turning off the engine while leaving the car in gear. The hard pull choice risks locking the brakes and causing a skid. Diagnose the pedal movement first, then add slowing methods progressively while keeping the vehicle under control.

9. 9. An Alabama 16 year old wants to drive alone at 1 a.m. For which trip is that allowed?

   1. Going home from a friend's party
   2. Going to or from the teen's regular workplace
   3. Driving to a late movie
   4. Picking up food with friends
   Show answer

   Going to or from the teen's regular workplace. A 16 year old, or a 17 year old licensed less than 6 months, may not drive between 12 midnight and 6 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, or unless accompanied by a licensee 21 or older with parental consent, going to or from a regular workplace, a school sponsored event or a religious sponsored event, or driving because of a medical, fire or law enforcement emergency. A party, a movie and a food run are not listed exceptions.

10. 10. An Alabama GDL driver is convicted of a second moving traffic violation. What happens?

    1. The restricted period is extended by 30 days
    2. The license is automatically suspended for 60 days
    3. A warning letter is sent
    4. The license is revoked until 21
    Show answer

    The license is automatically suspended for 60 days. If a GDL licensee is convicted of a second moving traffic violation, or of offenses like failing to render aid, racing, fleeing police, reckless driving, illegal passing, driving on the wrong side, or any offense worth four or more points, the license is automatically suspended for 60 days. Thirty days is not the extension period, which is 6 months. The manual does not describe a warning letter or revocation until 21 for this rule.

11. 11. When approaching a crest of a hill or a curve, what speed adjustment does the manual call for?

    1. Stop in the travel lane before every curve
    2. Accelerate so the vehicle spends less time there
    3. Maintain the maximum posted speed in all conditions
    4. Slow down before reaching the hill or curve
    Show answer

    Slow down before reaching the hill or curve. The manual lists hills and curves among locations where slower speeds are often required. Reducing speed before reaching the limited-visibility area gives the driver more time to detect an obstruction, oncoming traffic, or a changing road surface. Acceleration works against that safety margin, and a posted maximum is not a command to use that speed when conditions call for less. A full stop in every lane is unnecessary and can create a hazard. Use the roadway shape as the cue to ease off early, not after entering the blind portion.

12. 12. What does Alabama’s child restraint law require for children through age 15?

    1. They may ride unrestrained in the back seat
    2. They must be restrained while riding in Alabama motor vehicles
    3. They need a restraint only on interstate highways
    4. They are exempt when traveling with a parent
    Show answer

    They must be restrained while riding in Alabama motor vehicles. Alabama’s child restraint law requires children through age 15 to be restrained when riding in motor vehicles in Alabama. The rule applies to occupants in both front and back seats and covers the vehicle types named in the manual. A back-seat exemption is not provided, and the requirement is not limited to interstate travel. A parent’s presence does not remove the duty. Match the child’s age and size to the appropriate restraint, secure it before moving, and remember that the safety-belt rule protects every occupant regardless of age.

13. 13. What should an Alabama driver do if a car approaches in the driver’s lane?

    1. Stop with the wheels pointed left
    2. Turn into the left lane immediately
    3. Accelerate toward the approaching car
    4. Pull right, slow down, and sound the horn
    Show answer

    Pull right, slow down, and sound the horn. If another car is coming toward you in your lane, pull to the right, slow down, and sound the horn. At night, flashing the lights may also wake an inattentive driver. Turning into the left lane can place both vehicles on the same escape path if the other driver corrects course, so that response is specifically unsafe. Keep control, create separation toward the right, and use the warning signal while avoiding a panicked steering movement.

14. 14. What share of fatal accidents involve drinking drivers, according to studies cited in the Alabama manual?

    1. About 5 percent
    2. As high as 50 percent
    3. Less than 1 percent
    4. About 95 percent
    Show answer

    As high as 50 percent. Special studies show that fatal accident involvement of drinking drivers is as high as 50 percent, a fact not recognized by people who drink and drive. The alcohol in one bottle of beer is about equal to that in a shot of whiskey or a glass of wine, and the effect on the average driver is the same. Alcohol must be broken down by the liver over time.

15. 15. What minimum insurance coverage for bodily injury to one person is listed in Alabama’s manual?

    1. $10,000
    2. $15,000
    3. $50,000
    4. $25,000
    Show answer

    $25,000. The manual lists at least $25,000 for death or bodily injury to one person under Alabama’s Mandatory Liability Insurance Law. The $50,000 figure applies to death or bodily injury involving two or more persons, so it is not the single-person amount. The lower figures do not meet the listed minimum. When reviewing an insurance policy, distinguish the person-count limits from the separate $25,000 property-damage limit, and keep proof available for a traffic stop.

16. 16. What is the safest way to check clearance before changing lanes?

    
    1. Rely only on the inside mirror
    2. Check mirrors and glance over your shoulder for the blind spot
    3. Turn on hazard lights and move immediately
    4. Look only at the vehicle directly ahead
    Show answer

    Check mirrors and glance over your shoulder for the blind spot. Before changing lanes, watch for safe clearance to the side, ahead, and behind, and glance over your shoulder to check the blind spot that mirrors cannot cover. Mirror-only checking can miss a vehicle beside the rear quarter of your car. Hazard lights do not replace a deliberate clearance check or grant permission to move. Looking only forward ignores traffic approaching from behind. Use a turn signal to communicate the plan, but remember that a signal does not make the lane available. Move only after the entire path is clear.

17. 17. What action does the triangular YIELD sign call for?

    1. Slow down and give the right of way as needed
    2. Stop at the sign even when the road is empty
    3. Accelerate to enter before cross traffic arrives
    4. Ignore pedestrians because the sign applies only to cars
    Show answer

    Slow down and give the right of way as needed. The triangular YIELD sign is a regulatory instruction to reduce speed and give the right of way to the people and traffic using the roadway you are entering. A complete stop may be necessary, but it is not automatic in every empty-road situation. Accelerating defeats the purpose of the sign, and pedestrians are explicitly part of the protected traffic. The key cue is the downward-pointing triangle paired with the yield message: approach under control, look for crossing users, and stop if the available gap is not sufficient.

18. 18. What roadway feature is identified by the curve warning sign?

    
    1. A curve to the right ahead, distinct from a sharp turn or a winding series
    2. A mandatory right turn at the next signal
    3. A detour around a work zone
    4. A lane reserved for vehicles turning left
    Show answer

    A curve to the right ahead, distinct from a sharp turn or a winding series. The curved arrow warns that the road bends to the right ahead. It is a roadway alignment warning, not a command to turn at an intersection or a work-zone detour. Slow before reaching the bend and keep the vehicle under control through it. The arrow’s gradual shape is the cue that this is a curve rather than a square-corner turn or a lane-use instruction.

19. 19. When does Alabama require headlights because of windshield wiper use?

    1. Whenever the vehicle is parked outdoors
    2. Only when wipers are used intermittently
    3. When the wipers are in use because of rain, sleet, or snow
    4. Only when the driver uses high beams
    Show answer

    When the wipers are in use because of rain, sleet, or snow. Alabama requires headlights when windshield wipers are in use because of rain, sleet, or snow. The manual specifically says intermittent wiper use does not require headlight usage, so the choice “Only when wipers are used intermittently” reverses the stated exception. Parking outdoors and selecting high beams are unrelated triggers. Use low beams as the practical choice when weather reduces visibility, while remembering that the legal rule described here connects headlights to weather-related wiper use. The cue is precipitation, not merely the presence of wipers or darkness alone.

20. 20. What does a round yellow railroad warning sign tell a driver?

    
    1. A railroad crossing is ahead, so the driver must slow and look both ways
    2. A roundabout is ahead and traffic moves counter-clockwise
    3. A no-passing zone begins immediately at the sign
    4. A road construction crew is working around the next curve
    Show answer

    A railroad crossing is ahead, so the driver must slow and look both ways. The advance railroad warning sign gives drivers time to prepare before reaching the tracks. Slow down, look carefully in both directions, and be ready to stop. It is not a roundabout instruction, a passing restriction, or a work-zone notice. The warning is especially important because a train cannot stop quickly, so a driver must make the crossing decision before entering the rail area.