AK Permit Practice Test 5

All 20 questions in test 5

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. What minimum tread depth does the Alaska manual require, and how can a penny check it?

   1. At least 2/32 inch, the distance from a penny's edge to the top of Lincoln's head
   2. At least 6/32 inch
   3. At least 1/32 inch
   4. Any visible tread
   Show answer

   At least 2/32 inch, the distance from a penny's edge to the top of Lincoln's head. Tires must have at least 2/32 inch of tread depth, and the distance between the edge of a penny and the top of Lincoln's head is about 2/32 of an inch, so if the tread does not reach his head the tire is worn out. Proper rotation can add as much as 10,000 miles to a set of tires, and underinflated tires waste fuel and grip.

2. 2. What should a driver do when railroad crossing gates are down?

   1. Drive around the gates if no train is visible
   2. Stay in place and wait until the gates are raised
   3. Cross quickly before the warning lights change
   4. Stop on the tracks to watch for the train
   Show answer

   Stay in place and wait until the gates are raised. Down crossing gates mean the driver must stay in place and not cross the tracks until the gates are raised. Driving around them is against the law, even when a train is not immediately visible. The choice to cross quickly adds the danger of a hidden or second train and leaves no margin for a malfunction or changing signal. Stop before the crossing, keep the vehicle off the tracks, and wait for the complete clearance cue. Never race a train or assume a quiet crossing is safe to enter.

3. 3. What point total triggers mandatory suspension or revocation under Alaska's general point rule?

   1. 12 points in 12 months or 18 points in 24 months
   2. 6 points in 12 months or 9 points in 24 months for every driver
   3. 10 points in 6 months or 20 points in 12 months
   4. 15 points in 12 months or 25 points in 24 months
   Show answer

   12 points in 12 months or 18 points in 24 months. Alaska's general point rule requires mandatory suspension or revocation after accumulating 12 points in 12 months or 18 points in 24 months. The 6 and 9 figures apply to a separate provisional-license driver-improvement requirement, not the general threshold for every driver. Count both the points and the time window, since a total that looks modest in one period can cross the rule in another. Keep track of convictions on the driving record and treat the halfway warning as a prompt to change behavior before the mandatory action level is reached.

4. 4. Where should you stop for a stop sign when a crosswalk or stop line is present?

   1. Beside the sign, even if that blocks the sidewalk
   2. Past the crosswalk so the front bumper enters the intersection
   3. Behind the crosswalk or at the painted stop line
   4. Only after entering the intersecting roadway
   Show answer

   Behind the crosswalk or at the painted stop line. Alaska's stop sign procedure places the vehicle behind the crosswalk, at the painted stop line, or behind the intersecting roadway shoulder line when those markings apply. The choice that moves past the crosswalk defeats the stopping point and can put pedestrians or cross traffic at risk. After stopping, yield to pedestrians, bicyclists, and traffic before entering. A practical cue is to identify the nearest marked stopping boundary before the front of the vehicle reaches it, then check both directions and proceed only when the intersection is clear.

5. 5. How should a driver respond to a flashing yellow ball at an Alaska intersection?

   1. Turn only after a police officer gives permission
   2. Stop and remain stopped until a green ball appears
   3. Accelerate because cross traffic must yield
   4. Reduce speed, use caution, and yield as needed
   Show answer

   Reduce speed, use caution, and yield as needed. A flashing yellow ball is used where special emphasis is needed and calls for a cautious approach. Reduce speed, watch the intersection, and yield to pedestrians or vehicles that have priority. It is not a red signal requiring a prolonged stop, and it does not grant automatic priority over traffic already in the intersection. The driver should be prepared to adjust to what is actually ahead rather than proceeding at the former speed. Slow, scan, and yield whenever another road user has the right of way.

6. 6. An Alaska driver is 19. When will the current driver's license expire, and what must be passed to renew it?

   1. On the 21st birthday; a road test
   2. Five years from issue; nothing extra
   3. 90 days after the 21st birthday; an alcohol awareness test
   4. On the 25th birthday; a vision test only
   Show answer

   90 days after the 21st birthday; an alcohol awareness test. A driver's license issued to someone under 21 expires 90 days after the 21st birthday, and an alcohol awareness test must be passed before it can be renewed. The license does not expire exactly on the birthday, no road test is required for this renewal, and the 25th birthday is not part of the rule. The alcohol awareness test can be taken online through the address listed in the manual.

7. 7. Which court conviction requires revocation of Alaska driving privileges?

   1. An expired registration
   2. A single speeding ticket
   3. Reckless driving
   4. A parking violation
   Show answer

   Reckless driving. Alaska must revoke driving privileges for court convictions including DUI or chemical test refusal, driving while license is cancelled, suspended, or revoked, reckless driving, failing to stop and render aid at an injury crash, perjury to the department, unlawful flight to avoid arrest, and vehicle felonies such as manslaughter or assault with a vehicle. A single speeding ticket, an expired registration, or a parking violation is not on that list.

8. 8. At what distance behind a vehicle going the same direction must an Alaska driver switch to low beams?

   1. Only when passing
   2. 50 feet
   3. 1,000 feet
   4. 300 feet or more
   Show answer

   300 feet or more. Change headlights to low beam when 300 feet or more from a vehicle going in the same direction, so the glare does not fill the other driver's mirrors, and dim for oncoming traffic as well. Headlights are required from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise and whenever daytime visibility drops to 1,000 feet or less.

9. 9. An authorized emergency vehicle approaches with flashing red or blue lights. What must other drivers do?

   
   1. Stop immediately in the intersection to make room
   2. Maintain speed because only a siren creates a legal duty
   3. Yield, move to the right edge clear of an intersection, and stop
   4. Follow the emergency vehicle closely through traffic
   Show answer

   Yield, move to the right edge clear of an intersection, and stop. When an authorized emergency vehicle shows flashing red or blue lights, drivers in every direction must yield whether or not the siren is operating. The response is to slow, move to the right-hand edge of the roadway clear of an intersection, and stop to await passage. Stopping in the intersection can obstruct the emergency route, and following closely puts the driver in the response path. See the lights, clear the junction, and stop at the edge so the emergency crew has room to proceed.

10. 10. Before entering an intersection to make a left turn, what does the Alaska manual say to do?

    
    1. Enter immediately when the turn signal is on
    2. Wait for oncoming vehicles before entering the intersection
    3. Proceed past the center of the intersection while waiting
    4. Look only behind the vehicle before turning
    Show answer

    Wait for oncoming vehicles before entering the intersection. The left-turn guidance says to wait for oncoming vehicles before entering the intersection and not proceed past the center while waiting. A turn signal communicates the intended maneuver but does not remove the need to yield. Moving immediately or crossing the center early can place the turning vehicle in the path of oncoming traffic. Before turning, keep the vehicle positioned safely, watch the opposing approach, and check the turn path for pedestrians before completing the maneuver.

11. 11. A red slash over a left-turn arrow means what?

    
    1. Left turns are required from every lane
    2. The pictured left-turn movement is prohibited
    3. Only U-turns are forbidden at this location
    4. The road becomes a two-way street after the sign
    Show answer

    The pictured left-turn movement is prohibited. A red circle and diagonal slash identify the movement shown by the arrow as prohibited. With a left-turn arrow, the restriction applies to making that left turn at the posted location. It does not require left turns, automatically ban U-turns, or change a one-way roadway into a two-way street. The driver should follow the available route and wait for a legal turning point. The visual cue is the arrow itself, since the pictured direction tells you which movement the sign controls.

12. 12. What do Alaska warning signs alert drivers to?

    1. Actual or potentially dangerous conditions ahead
    2. Only destinations and route distances
    3. A required vehicle registration renewal
    4. A parking fee that must be paid immediately
    Show answer

    Actual or potentially dangerous conditions ahead. A warning sign calls attention to a danger that may already exist or may develop farther along the roadway. It is not a route guide, payment notice, or registration reminder. The manual also advises extra caution and says most warning signs imply a speed reduction. When a yellow warning sign appears, read the condition it identifies, look farther ahead, and adjust speed and position before the hazard is close. The useful cue is warning equals changing road conditions, not a routine command or destination marker.

13. 13. A red slash over a right-turn arrow prohibits which maneuver?

    
    1. Continuing straight through the junction
    2. Turning right where the sign is posted
    3. Parking on the right side of the street
    4. Yielding to a pedestrian on the right
    Show answer

    Turning right where the sign is posted. The right-turn arrow shows the movement covered by the prohibition, so the driver may not turn right where the sign applies. Straight travel, curbside parking, and yielding to a pedestrian are separate actions and are not identified by this arrow. Check the route before entering the junction and choose a permitted movement. A red slash is not a command to stop every kind of travel. Match the slash to the symbol beneath it, then obey that specific restriction while continuing to watch for people and traffic.

14. 14. What administrative revocation period is listed for a new DUI or refusal offense when the driver has two prior convictions?

    1. Six months
    2. Ninety days
    3. Three years
    4. Ten years
    Show answer

    Three years. Alaska's administrative schedule escalates with prior DUI or Refusal convictions. A first offense is listed as 90 days, one prior conviction produces one year, and two prior convictions produce a three-year revocation. The five-year period belongs to a driver with three or more prior convictions. Do not substitute the first-offense period simply because the new event is the one being reviewed. Count the qualifying history, then select the matching duration from the sequence.

15. 15. An Alaska driver under 21 has three previous revocations for minor operating after consuming alcohol and is caught again. What is the administrative revocation?

    1. 30 days
    2. 60 days
    3. 90 days
    4. 1 year
    Show answer

    1 year. Alaska's administrative revocation periods for minor operating after consuming or refusing testing are 30 days for a first offense, 60 days with one previous revocation, 90 days with two previous revocations, and 1 year with three or more previous revocations. With three prior revocations, this driver faces 1 year. The revocation happens even if the criminal citation is dismissed or the minor is found not guilty.

16. 16. Under Alaska law, how must a child who is one year old but weighs less than 20 pounds ride?

    1. In a booster seat
    2. In a seat belt
    3. On an adult's lap
    4. In a rear-facing child safety seat
    Show answer

    In a rear-facing child safety seat. Alaska requires a child less than one year of age, or a child one year or older who weighs less than 20 pounds, to be secured in a rear-facing child safety seat that meets federal standards and is used according to the manufacturer's instructions. A booster seat is for children over four and under eight who are under 57 inches and weigh 20 to under 65 pounds. A seat belt alone or an adult's lap does not meet the rule.

17. 17. When must Alaska drivers use headlights during daylight hours because of reduced visibility?

    1. Whenever the road is wider than two lanes
    2. When fog, rain, snow, smoke, or dust reduces visibility to 1,000 feet or less
    3. Only when another vehicle is within 100 feet
    4. Only after the sun has fully set
    Show answer

    When fog, rain, snow, smoke, or dust reduces visibility to 1,000 feet or less. Alaska requires headlights during the day when fog, rain, snow, smoke, or dust reduces visibility to 1,000 feet or less. The rule is based on seeing distance and the listed conditions, not lane count or the presence of a nearby vehicle. Waiting for sunset misses a daytime requirement. Headlights should also be used from one half hour after sunset to one half hour before sunrise. Use the visibility threshold as the quick cue when weather makes the roadway difficult to see.

18. 18. Who may supervise a person driving under an Alaska instruction permit?

    1. Only a driving school instructor may supervise
    2. Any licensed driver at least 18 with six months of experience
    3. A licensed driver at least 25 with two years of experience
    4. A licensed driver at least 21 with at least one year driving the same vehicle type
    Show answer

    A licensed driver at least 21 with at least one year driving the same vehicle type. The supervising person must be licensed, at least 21 years old, and experienced with the same type or class of vehicle. The six month option lowers both the age and experience requirement, while the older supervisor option adds requirements that Alaska does not impose. A school instructor is one possible supervisor in an approved course, but the ordinary permit rule is broader. For a passenger vehicle, the supervisor also sits beside the learner. When studying this rule, connect the age and one year requirement to the vehicle being driven, rather than treating them as general driving credentials.

19. 19. What does a sign marked "Do not turn right on red signal" require?

    1. Do not make a right turn on red at that location
    2. Turn right on red without stopping
    3. Use the right lane for trucks only
    4. Prepare for a road hazard ahead
    Show answer

    Do not make a right turn on red at that location. A sign saying do not turn right on red removes that turning option at the displayed location. The driver must wait for a signal that permits the movement or for another lawful instruction, rather than treating a clear intersection as permission. Stopping first does not override the prohibition, and the sign does not direct trucks or announce a roadway hazard. Check the sign before reaching the corner, identify the restricted movement, and choose a permitted path without blocking the crosswalk.

20. 20. What does a steady orange Don't Walk signal require of a pedestrian who has not entered the roadway?

    1. Remain on the sidewalk and do not enter
    2. Cross immediately before the signal changes
    3. Walk outside the marked crosswalk
    4. Enter halfway and wait in the travel lane
    Show answer

    Remain on the sidewalk and do not enter. A steady orange Don't Walk signal means a pedestrian must not leave the sidewalk or enter the roadway in the direction of the signal. A person already crossing when the signal appears should quickly continue across. The hand outline has the same meaning as Don't Walk, so a driver should expect that pedestrians may still be clearing the crossing. The safe cue is to wait before entering and watch the crosswalk until it is clear.