AK Permit Practice Test 9

All 20 questions in test 9

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. When must an Alaska crash generally be reported to the DMV?

   1. Only at the next license renewal
   2. Within 24 hours in every case
   3. Within 30 days only if a vehicle was towed
   4. Within 10 days, unless police investigated it
   Show answer

   Within 10 days, unless police investigated it. The manual says to report a crash to the Division of Motor Vehicles within 10 days, but the report is not required if a police officer investigated the crash. The 24 hour choice creates a deadline the cited procedure does not give, and towing or license renewal does not determine the reporting rule. After a reportable crash, record the deadline and check whether police investigation supplies the stated exception.

2. 2. What following interval does Alaska recommend when towing a trailer or driving on a wet or slippery road?

   1. One second, because the trailer slows the vehicle
   2. Six seconds or more
   3. Two seconds in every condition
   4. Four seconds only when traffic is stopped
   Show answer

   Six seconds or more. The four-second method becomes six seconds or more when a driver is towing a trailer or the road surface is wet or slippery. Those conditions increase the time and distance needed to respond, so retaining the ordinary four-second gap is not enough for the recommendation. The two-second figure is a regulatory minimum noted elsewhere, not this expanded safety interval. Choose a fixed point, count the interval after the vehicle ahead passes it, and add space whenever traction or vehicle length raises the stopping demand.

3. 3. When entering a roadway from an Alaska driveway, alley, or building, what is required?

   1. Yield only to vehicles approaching from the left
   2. Roll through if the driver has activated a turn signal
   3. Stop and yield to all traffic on the roadway
   4. Accelerate into the nearest lane before checking traffic
   Show answer

   Stop and yield to all traffic on the roadway. Entering from a driveway, alley, or building places the driver at the edge of an established roadway, so Alaska requires a stop and a yield to all traffic on that road. Signaling communicates an intention but does not give permission to enter. Looking only left misses traffic from the opposite direction, and acceleration before checking removes the time needed to respond. Pause before the sidewalk or roadway edge, scan the whole conflict area, and join the traffic stream only after it is clear.

4. 4. According to the Alaska manual, how much alcohol is in 12 ounces of beer compared with liquor and wine?

   1. Half as much as a shot
   2. Twice as much as a glass of wine
   3. The same as a 1.5 ounce shot of 80 proof liquor or 4 ounces of wine
   4. Almost none
   Show answer

   The same as a 1.5 ounce shot of 80 proof liquor or 4 ounces of wine. The same amount of alcohol is present in 12 ounces of beer as in a single 1.5 ounce shot of 80 proof alcohol or 4 ounces of wine. A drink is a drink regardless of the container, so switching to beer does not make a driver safer. The body eliminates alcohol at a fixed rate, and only time lowers blood alcohol.

5. 5. Which condition requires a driver to choose a careful and prudent speed below the posted maximum?

   1. A rough, icy, wet, or otherwise low traction road surface
   2. A clean dry road with light traffic
   3. A desire to arrive earlier than planned
   4. A vehicle with a full fuel tank
   Show answer

   A rough, icy, wet, or otherwise low traction road surface. Alaska's speed limitation law requires a careful and prudent speed when the road surface is rough, icy, wet, or otherwise provides poor traction. The posted maximum applies under favorable conditions and does not guarantee that speed is safe in every circumstance. Light traffic on a dry road does not itself require a reduction, and schedule pressure or fuel level has no role in the rule. Assess traction along with traffic, roadway width, and weather before deciding how fast you can safely travel.

6. 6. What does a lane-ending warning require a driver to anticipate?

   
   1. A new lane will open on the side shown by the sign
   2. The roadway narrows ahead, requiring a safe move into the remaining lane
   3. The right lane becomes a permanent passing lane
   4. All traffic must stop before the lane markings change
   Show answer

   The roadway narrows ahead, requiring a safe move into the remaining lane. A lane-ending warning shows that the roadway will narrow ahead, so the driver must plan a safe move into the lane that remains. Check mirrors and blind spots, signal, and change lanes gradually when a suitable gap is available. The sign does not add a lane, create a permanent passing lane, or require all traffic to stop. Identify the open lane early and avoid waiting until the stripe disappears. The warning gives time to make a controlled transition rather than forcing a sudden lateral move beside other vehicles.

7. 7. What should a driver do when approaching the railroad crossbuck shown here?

   
   1. Shift gears while crossing to clear the tracks faster
   2. Accelerate because the crossing has priority over trains
   3. Stop only if a gate is already across the lane
   4. Be prepared to stop for trains
   Show answer

   Be prepared to stop for trains. The railroad crossbuck and its warning message tell drivers to prepare for trains. A gate is not the only cue that requires caution, so waiting for a barrier would be too late. Trains have no obligation to yield to a vehicle, and acceleration does not create a safe crossing. Gear changes can create a problem on the tracks, especially for a manual transmission. Slow, look, listen, and make sure the crossing can be cleared before entering it.

8. 8. For a first DUI or refusal conviction, how long must an Alaska ignition interlock device remain installed?

   1. Three months
   2. Twelve months
   3. Nine months
   4. Six months
   Show answer

   Six months. One DUI or refusal conviction requires an ignition interlock device for a minimum of six months on any vehicle the person operates. Three and nine months are shorter periods not stated in the chart, while twelve months applies to the second conviction rather than the first. The device requirement is separate from the court sentence and from the driver's responsibility for installation and maintenance costs. On a test question, count convictions first, then match the count to the installation period instead of assuming every DUI carries a year long device requirement.

9. 9. What movement is a center lane marked for left turns intended to support?

   1. Temporary parking during congestion
   2. Passing slower traffic straight ahead
   3. Left turns only
   4. Driving straight until the next traffic signal
   Show answer

   Left turns only. A center lane marked for left turns is a shared turning space, not a travel lane for overtaking or continuing straight. The sign examples in the manual identify the center lane as a place to make left turns. Using it to pass or cruise creates conflict with drivers approaching from the opposite direction who need the same lane to turn. Treat the yellow-lined center area as a short maneuver lane: enter only for the permitted left-turn movement and leave it promptly.

10. 10. Which motorcycles and scooters may be operated with an Alaska Class D license?

    1. Any motorcycle
    2. Those with engine displacements of less than 50cc
    3. None, all require Class M
    4. Only three wheeled motorcycles
    Show answer

    Those with engine displacements of less than 50cc. Motorcycles and motor scooters with engine displacements of less than 50cc can be operated with a Class D license. Class M1 covers motorcycles and scooters of 50cc or more, a 14 or 15 year old may hold an M2 license for scooters under 50cc, and Class M3 covers three wheeled motorcycles and motor driven cycles. The engine size decides which license the rider needs.

11. 11. What does the Alaska manual say a tight fuel cap can save a driver?

    1. About $120 per year, since loose or missing caps let 147 million gallons evaporate annually
    2. Nothing measurable
    3. About $1,000 per year
    4. About $5 per year
    Show answer

    About $120 per year, since loose or missing caps let 147 million gallons evaporate annually. Loose, damaged or missing fuel tank caps cause 147 million gallons of fuel to evaporate each year, and making sure the cap is tight can save about $120 per year. The same smart driving section notes that underinflated tires wasted 1.2 billion gallons of fuel in 2005, that cruise control over 10,000 miles saves more than 60 gallons, and that tire rotation adds up to 10,000 miles of tire life.

12. 12. When an authorized emergency vehicle displays flashing red or blue lights, what must other drivers do?

    
    1. Follow closely so the emergency vehicle clears traffic
    2. Keep speed and pass the emergency vehicle on the left
    3. Stop in the middle of the intersection
    4. Slow, pull to the right clear of the intersection, and stop
    Show answer

    Slow, pull to the right clear of the intersection, and stop. The manual is explicit on this point. The required response is to slow, pull to the right-hand edge clear of an intersection, and stop to await the emergency vehicle. The rule applies whether or not a siren is operating. Stopping in the middle of an intersection blocks the route, while passing or following closely creates another hazard. Use the visible lights as the immediate cue, then clear the intersection before completing the stop.

13. 13. Where must an Alaska driver stop at a stop sign?

    1. After entering the intersection to improve visibility
    2. Behind the crosswalk, stop line, or intersecting roadway shoulder line
    3. Only beside the sign post
    4. Anywhere within the nearest travel lane
    Show answer

    Behind the crosswalk, stop line, or intersecting roadway shoulder line. The stop-sign rule places the vehicle behind the crosswalk, at the painted stop line, or, if neither exists, behind the shoulder line of the intersecting roadway. After stopping there, the driver yields to pedestrians, bicyclists when present, and traffic before entering. Stopping after entering the intersection can put the vehicle into the path of people or cross traffic. Locate the first applicable stopping reference before reaching the junction, make a complete stop, and then check both directions before proceeding.

14. 14. A vehicle is entering an Alaska roundabout while another vehicle is already circulating. Who has priority?

    
    1. The vehicle already in the circle
    2. The vehicle entering from the approach road
    3. The larger vehicle, regardless of position
    4. The vehicle that signals first
    Show answer

    The vehicle already in the circle. Traffic already circulating in the roundabout has priority over a vehicle waiting to enter. The entering driver should slow down, look for a gap, and yield before joining the counterclockwise flow. Stopping inside the circle is not the routine response once entry has occurred, so the approach line is where the decision belongs. A larger vehicle or an early signal does not change the order. Treat the center island as a reminder that circulating traffic has already established its path.

15. 15. What must a driver do before moving out of an Alaska parking place?

    1. Back into traffic without signaling
    2. Sound the horn and move immediately
    3. Look, signal, and yield the right-of-way
    4. Wait only for a larger vehicle to pass
    Show answer

    Look, signal, and yield the right-of-way. Leaving a parking place is a movement into a traffic stream, so the driver must look, signal, and yield the right-of-way. Looking finds approaching road users, signaling communicates the intended movement, and yielding prevents the parked vehicle from forcing traffic to brake. A horn is not a substitute for those checks, and vehicle size does not determine priority. Make the observation before moving, keep the signal on during the maneuver, and enter only when the path is safe.

16. 16. What maximum speed may be posted on selected Alaska highways?

    1. There is no posted maximum
    2. 45 mph only
    3. 75 mph on every highway
    4. 65 mph
    Show answer

    65 mph. Alaska permits selected highways to be posted at 65 mph. This is a posted exception in the speed table, not a command to drive 65 mph everywhere and not proof that every highway has that limit. Conditions still matter, because the manual requires a careful and prudent speed that is reasonable for traffic, surface, width, and weather. Look for the actual sign, then reduce speed whenever conditions make the posted number unsafe.

17. 17. What does a flashing yellow ball signal require?

    1. Reduce speed, use caution, and yield to pedestrians and vehicles in the intersection
    2. Stop and remain stopped until a green light appears
    3. Make the indicated turn without checking traffic
    4. Treat the signal as permission to speed through
    Show answer

    Reduce speed, use caution, and yield to pedestrians and vehicles in the intersection. A flashing yellow ball calls for reduced speed and caution, with yielding to pedestrians and vehicles already in the intersection. It does not impose the complete stop required by a flashing red signal, and it does not authorize a hurried movement. The driver must still evaluate the intersection rather than assuming an unqualified green indication. Remember the paired cue: flashing yellow means caution and yielding, while flashing red means stop before proceeding when safe.

18. 18. How close may a vehicle be parked to an Alaska fire hydrant?

    1. No closer than 5 feet
    2. No closer than 15 feet
    3. No closer than 30 feet
    4. Any distance if the driver stays inside
    Show answer

    No closer than 15 feet. Alaska's parking list prohibits parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. The clearance gives emergency crews room to connect equipment and work around the hydrant. Five feet understates the required space, while 30 feet belongs to another listed parking reference, not the hydrant. Remaining in the driver's seat does not create an exception. When checking a curbside space, estimate the distance from the hydrant before leaving the vehicle rather than relying on a quick glance.

19. 19. What can happen if an Alaska driver cannot show proof of liability insurance to an officer?

    1. A traffic citation, or the vehicle may be impounded
    2. Nothing, if the driver is insured at home
    3. Only a written warning
    4. Immediate license revocation for five years
    Show answer

    A traffic citation, or the vehicle may be impounded. You must carry proof of liability insurance in the vehicle. Failing to provide it to a law enforcement officer may result in a traffic citation, or the vehicle may be impounded. The minimum coverage is $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury or death, and $25,000 for property damage. Being insured is not enough without proof, and a five year revocation is not the listed consequence.

20. 20. Under what condition may an Alaska driver drive over a fire hose?

    1. When no water is flowing
    2. Whenever the hose is flat
    3. Only with the consent of a fire department official
    4. At speeds under 5 mph
    Show answer

    Only with the consent of a fire department official. Do not drive over a hose of a fire department without the consent of a department official; crushing a charged hose can cut water to firefighters and burst the line. Stay well back from fire equipment, do not follow an emergency vehicle closer than 500 feet, and move over for emergency vehicles stopped on the shoulder as the law requires.