AK Permit Practice Test 17

All 20 questions in test 17

Every question below comes from the Alaska 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. In Alaska, you back into a parallel space after the setup. How do you turn and back at first?

   1. Back quickly with the steering wheel turned sharp left so the rear swings toward traffic beside you
   2. Back slowly with the wheel turned sharp right until the vehicle sits near a 45 degree angle
   3. Back in a straight line until the rear tire rolls up against the face of the curb
   4. Turn sharp right while rolling forward so the front enters the parking space first
   Show answer

   Back slowly with the wheel turned sharp right until the vehicle sits near a 45 degree angle. The first backing stage swings the rear of the vehicle toward the curb while the front stays out, and a sharp right wheel turn taken slowly builds the angle that aims you into the space. Backing fast or steering left sends the rear toward moving traffic, and rolling straight back merely reaches the curb line without entering the space. Watch over your shoulder, creep at walking pace, and stop the turn when the vehicle sits at a strong diagonal ready for the wheels to straighten.

2. 2. In Alaska, which passing location is barred even when the highway looks empty?

   1. Passing on the left in a marked passing zone
   2. Passing on the right shoulder of the highway
   3. Passing a bicycle with a full lane change
   4. Passing after sunrise on a straight rural road
   Show answer

   Passing on the right shoulder of the highway. The shoulder is built for stopped vehicles and emergencies, with gravel, drop offs, drainage, and people that a passing vehicle meets at speed. Emptiness at a glance does not convert it into a lane, and the ban holds however clear the moment looks. Lawful passing uses the opposing or adjacent travel lane inside a permitted zone with sight distance, including a full lane change around a rider. Keep every pass on traveled lanes designed for moving vehicles, and treat shoulder space as refuge rather than opportunity.

   Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and pavement markings

3. 3. In Alaska, a driver mounts deer whistles and extra reflectors for animal safety. What does the handbook say protects best?

   1. The deer whistles alone protect you fully at ordinary highway cruising speed
   2. Extra driving lights aimed outward into the roadside brush along your route
   3. Reflective devices fitted to the vehicle that promise animals will flee away
   4. Your own responsible driving behavior, not reliance on such devices
   Show answer

   Your own responsible driving behavior, not reliance on such devices. Gadgets promise an easy transfer of responsibility from the driver to the deer, and research does not repay that promise. Whistles, extra lamps, and reflectors may decorate a vehicle without changing animal behavior in any dependable way, while speed choice, scanning, and braking readiness change outcomes on every trip. Treat any device as decoration rather than protection, slow in signed and dim stretches, and keep the animal problem assigned to the only agent who can solve it: the person holding the wheel and the brake.

   Study this in the handbook: Night driving, lighting, weather and animals

4. 4. In Alaska, you spot moose in the highway ahead with traffic approaching you. How can you warn those drivers?

   1. Briefly use flashers or a headlight signal
   2. Turn off your lights so they slow in darkness
   3. Sound a continuous horn until they pass the moose
   4. Block your lane so they must stop behind you
   Show answer

   Briefly use flashers or a headlight signal. Drivers approaching an animal from the opposite direction may see nothing but your headlights until the animal fills their lane, and a brief flasher use or headlight signal tells them something ahead deserves caution. Darkness, endless horn noise, and blocking your own lane each add confusion or a fresh obstacle. Signal briefly without blinding, slow your own vehicle smoothly, and leave the opposing drivers room to brake and steer when the animals appear to them. Warning works when it buys attention without stealing control.

   Study this in the handbook: Night driving, lighting, weather and animals

5. 5. You turn at an Alaska corner where no crosswalk lines are painted, and a person is crossing your path on foot. Do they hold right of way?

   1. No, because unpainted corners give turning drivers priority over walkers
   2. Only when a painted crosswalk and a walk signal both protect them
   3. Only after they reach the middle of the lane you are turning into
   4. Yes, at intersections even without painted crosswalk lines
   Show answer

   Yes, at intersections even without painted crosswalk lines. Painted lines make a crossing easier to see, but the legal crossing exists at intersections whether the paint is there or not. A turning driver therefore yields to a person on foot at an unpainted corner just as at a marked crosswalk. Waiting for a signal that may not exist, or for the walker to reach mid lane, surrenders the early stop that keeps the turn safe. Scan both corners before turning and let the crossing clear completely.

   Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and pavement markings

6. 6. In Alaska, a steady WALK signal faces pedestrians at a crosswalk. What does it permit?

   1. Pedestrians must wait on the curb until vehicles clear
   2. Pedestrians may enter the roadway when it can be done with safety
   3. Pedestrians may enter the roadway only after every vehicle in all lanes has stopped
   4. Pedestrians must run across before the hand appears
   Show answer

   Pedestrians may enter the roadway when it can be done with safety. A steady WALK indication, or the walking person symbol with the same meaning, opens the roadway to pedestrians in the direction of the signal when entry can be made with safety. People entering should stay within marked crosswalks and show due courtesy to others sharing the space. The permission is not a command to step blindly: drivers may still be turning, so a look for vehicles remains part of entering safely. Enter steadily, keep inside the crosswalk lines, and continue across without delay so the next signal phase finds the roadway clear.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and lane control signals

7. 7. A horizontal yellow panel with one large black arrow pointing right stands at a sharp channelized turn in Alaska. What does it tell you?

   1. Turn around and travel back along the road you came on
   2. Merge left because the right lane ends beyond the panel
   3. Swing sharply right, passing in front of the sign
   4. Stop and yield to traffic crossing from your left side
   Show answer

   Swing sharply right, passing in front of the sign. Large arrow panels channel traffic through sharp geometry where the road itself bends harder than a normal curve. The right pointing arrow directs a sharp turn to the right in front of the sign, following the channel the engineers built. It does not order a turnaround, a left merge, or a yield stop. Slow before the panel, steer the sharp line it indicates, and stay inside the channel until the road straightens beyond it.

8. 8. A yellow sign shows a leaping animal silhouette as you drive a rural Alaska highway at dusk. What should you be alert for?

   
   1. A cattle guard built into the pavement just ahead of you
   2. A zoo entrance where animals are kept behind fencing
   3. Deer crossing the road unexpectedly in front of you
   4. A hunting area where parking on the shoulder is allowed
   Show answer

   Deer crossing the road unexpectedly in front of you. Animals step from brush and ditches without regard for traffic, and dusk is when they move most. The leaping silhouette warns that a deer may cross suddenly, often followed by another from the same group. It has nothing to do with cattle guards, fenced attractions, or shoulder parking for hunting. Ease your speed, scan both edges well ahead, and brake firmly in your lane if one appears rather than swerving toward opposing traffic or soft shoulders.

9. 9. In wet Alaska weather, how do you test road traction without inviting a rear crash?

   1. Check the rear vision mirror before making the test
   2. Brake hard once at full highway speed to test grip on the wet road
   3. Test only after the vehicle begins to slide
   4. Make the test while traffic follows closely behind your vehicle
   Show answer

   Check the rear vision mirror before making the test. A cautious traction test tells you how much grip rain, ice, or slush has left, yet the test braking itself becomes a hazard to anyone following closely. Checking the rear mirror first confirms space behind for your brief slowdown. Braking hard at speed manufactures the skid you fear, waiting for a slide wastes the warning, and delegating the test misunderstands whose tires meet the road. On an empty stretch, ease the brake gently, feel the response, and set speed and following distance by what the surface honestly reports.

   Study this in the handbook: Vehicle emergencies, skids and stalls on the tracks

10. 10. In Alaska, how does a bicyclist signal a right turn under the hand signal rules?

    1. Bend the left arm downward at the elbow
    2. Extend the left arm straight out to the left side of the bicycle
    3. Extend the right arm straight out to the right
    4. Wave the right hand in a circle overhead
    Show answer

    Extend the right arm straight out to the right. Bicycle signals speak with arms because no lamps carry the message, and the right turn is declared by the right arm itself pointing where the rider will go. Downward bent arms mean stop, straight left arms mean left, and improvised waving says nothing a driver can trust. Drivers who learn the arm language can grant riders the same predictability they grant signal lamps. Signal early, hold the arm steady through the approach, and return both hands to control before the turn itself begins.

11. 11. You tow a trailer on a wet Alaska highway with spray cutting your view of the vehicle ahead. What following interval fits?

    1. Two seconds, because the trailer brakes are designed for highway gaps
    2. Three seconds, matching the interval for dry pavement at low speed
    3. Four seconds, with no change needed for the trailer or the wet surface
    4. Six seconds or more while towing or driving on a wet or slippery road
    Show answer

    Six seconds or more while towing or driving on a wet or slippery road. Extra weight, trailer sway, and wet pavement all stretch the distance needed to stop or steady the combination. Six seconds or more gives that margin while towing or driving on slippery roads. Ordinary intervals, dry road figures, or faith in trailer brakes leave too little room when the vehicle ahead brakes hard. Build the longer count early, before spray and traffic compress your choices, and protect it when others merge into the gap.

    Study this in the handbook: Following distance and large trucks

12. 12. Entering an Alaska freeway, freeway traffic approaches as you near the merge. What must you do?

    1. Force your vehicle into the merge because entering traffic holds priority there
    2. Stop abruptly without regard to any vehicles that are following behind you
    3. Accelerate past all freeway traffic first and consider yielding only afterward
    4. Yield to that traffic and stop if needed, while watching vehicles following you
    Show answer

    Yield to that traffic and stop if needed, while watching vehicles following you. The freeway stream holds the path and the entering driver holds the duty to fit into it, even to the point of stopping at the merge when no gap exists. That stop must still respect followers on the ramp who may not expect it, so brake lights and early easing matter as much as the yield itself. Forcing entry and racing the stream each seize space that belongs to others. Judge the gap early, adjust speed along the ramp, and stop only smoothly when the stream truly leaves no opening.

    Study this in the handbook: School buses, passing and railroad crossings

13. 13. Your tires are worn nearly bald as rain begins on an Alaska road and you brake for slowing traffic. What control do they fail to give?

    1. Steering control over the vehicle while you are stopping
    2. Electrical control of the brake lights and signals
    3. Control of the engine speed while the vehicle slows
    4. Control of the horn and other driver warning devices
    Show answer

    Steering control over the vehicle while you are stopping. Tread channels water away and grips the surface so steering still answers while braking. Bald tires ride up on the water film and lose that directional control, letting the vehicle slide straight or sideways despite turned wheels. Lights, engine speed, and the horn have nothing to do with the failure. Slow well before braking is urgent, increase following room, and replace worn tires before wet seasons test them at highway speed.

    Study this in the handbook: Vehicle emergencies, skids and stalls on the tracks

14. 14. You back toward a parking space and want the rear of your car to swing left. Which way do you move the steering wheel?

    1. To the right, because the rear follows the front wheels
    2. Straight ahead, then let the curb guide the rear sideways
    3. Toward where you want the back of the car to swing
    4. Left only after the vehicle rolls backward several feet
    Show answer

    Toward where you want the back of the car to swing. Backing reverses ordinary steering intuition, and the reliable rule is to move the wheel toward the direction the rear should travel. Wanting the rear to swing left means turning the wheel left from the start. Turning right swings the rear away, holding straight never begins the arc, and waiting several feet consumes the space. Make small inputs, watch the rear corners over your shoulder, and correct early while speeds are still at a crawl.

15. 15. In Alaska, what legal force do pavement markings carry compared with signs or signals?

    1. Less force, because paint is only a guide
    2. The same force of law as signs or signals
    3. No force until a sign repeats the message
    4. More force than signals from an officer
    Show answer

    The same force of law as signs or signals. Paint on the pavement regulates traffic with real legal weight. Markings carry the same force of law as signs or signals, so a solid line or lane arrow binds a driver even when no sign repeats it nearby. Treating paint as a mere guide invites illegal lane changes and turns. An officer directing traffic still outranks fixed devices at the scene, so markings do not stand above human direction. Read the markings early, know the message, and obey without waiting for a sign to confirm it.

    Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and pavement markings

16. 16. In Alaska, a police officer directs traffic against a green light. Whose directions must you follow?

    1. The officer, even when signs or signals say otherwise
    2. The green light, because signals outrank officers
    3. Whichever direction the nearest flag person gives informally
    4. The green light until the officer steps into your lane
    Show answer

    The officer, even when signs or signals say otherwise. A police officer, fireperson, or authorized flag person directing traffic outranks posted signs and working signals at that place. Following the green light against an officer order can drive you into the very conflict the officer is clearing. Helpful gestures from people without authority do not carry the same force, and an officer need not step into your lane before the direction binds you. Stop or go as directed, keep movements slow and predictable, and watch for a change in the direction given.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and lane control signals

17. 17. An emergency vehicle approaches behind you in Alaska with lights flashing but no siren sounding at all. Must you yield?

    1. Only after the siren starts, because lights alone are advisory
    2. Only when traffic behind you begins pulling over first
    3. Yes, the yield is owed with or without any siren sounding
    4. Only on multi lane roads where pulling over is convenient
    Show answer

    Yes, the yield is owed with or without any siren sounding. Flashing lights by themselves demand the right of way, with or without a siren adding its warning. Waiting for sound, for other drivers, or for a wider road delays an ambulance or fire crew whose call may be silent by design or by a speaker you cannot hear. Signal, move to the right edge clear of intersections, and stop until the emergency vehicle passes. Resume only after checking for additional responding vehicles following behind it.

    Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles and the Move Over law

18. 18. In Alaska, what false feeling does alcohol create about your own driving?

    1. A true sense that your reaction time improved
    2. A false sense of confidence that your driving is not affected
    3. A feeling that other drivers have slowed down
    4. Confidence that police cannot detect impairment
    Show answer

    A false sense of confidence that your driving is not affected. Alcohol edits the scoreboard while it degrades the player, lending assurance precisely as effectiveness falls with every additional drink. That false confidence is more dangerous than honest doubt, because it suppresses the decision to hand over keys that doubt would trigger. Improved reactions, slowed traffic, and undetectability are the stories confidence tells itself at the wheel. Build the ride decision before drinking begins, surrender keys to a person outside the drinking, and let morning hindsight rather than midnight confidence judge the night.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, implied consent and under 21 rules

19. 19. In Alaska, floodwater covers the road ahead of you. What must you do instead of driving through?

    1. Turn around and find another route to your destination
    2. Drive through slowly in the center of the road
    3. Follow a larger vehicle wake through the water
    4. Cross when the water looks shallow at the edges
    Show answer

    Turn around and find another route to your destination. Moving water hides depth, current, and the road itself, any of which can stall, float, or drop a vehicle without warning. Turning around for another route is the only response that respects all three unknowns at once. Slow center crossings, borrowed wakes, and shallow appearances each gamble that the hidden road remains where memory left it. Back away while turning space remains, choose the longer dry route without resentment, and treat every flooded dip as closed until authorities or direct sight prove the pavement intact.

    Study this in the handbook: Vehicle emergencies, skids and stalls on the tracks

20. 20. In Alaska, certain prescribed drugs cause drowsiness. What does adding alcohol to other drugs do?

    1. It reduces the prescribed drug to a safe level
    2. It affects only the alcohol in the body, never the medicine taken with it
    3. It matters only when the medicine is illegal
    4. It increases the effects of each individual drug
    Show answer

    It increases the effects of each individual drug. Sedating medicines and alcohol push the nervous system the same direction, so together they overshoot what either dose promised alone, deepening drowsiness and cutting alertness at the wheel. Neutralization folklore reverses the chemistry, independent effect denies the interaction, and legality does not soften it. Even a familiar prescription becomes a new drug on a drinking day. Keep alcohol entirely away from driving whenever any prescribed medicine lists drowsiness, and ask the prescriber plainly whether driving itself, not merely drinking, remains safe during treatment.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, implied consent and under 21 rules