AZ Permit Practice Test 17

All 20 questions in test 17

Every question below comes from the Arizona 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. The car in the lane beside you has stopped for someone in a school crosswalk, and your lane looks clear. What must you do?

   1. Pass on the left, since your light is green and your lane is clear
   2. Stop too, and do not pass the stopped car
   3. Pass slowly on the right and honk
   4. Go ahead if you signal before passing
   Show answer

   Stop too, and do not pass the stopped car. You may not pass another vehicle that is stopped for a pedestrian, even if you have a clear lane or a green traffic signal. The stopped car may be blocking your view of someone crossing, and you could strike that person. Stay behind it until the crosswalk is clear and the vehicle moves. A signal, a horn, or a green light does not change that rule.

   Study this in the handbook: Signaling, passing and U turns

2. 2. Your vehicle stops on an Arizona freeway and you have signaled for help. What should you do next?

   1. Walk along the shoulder toward the next freeway exit
   2. Wait for help instead of walking along the freeway
   3. Walk back up the lane to warn approaching drivers
   4. Cross the lanes to flag down a patrol car
   Show answer

   Wait for help instead of walking along the freeway. After you stop on a freeway and signal for assistance, the safest choice is to stay with the plan and wait for help. The manual says not to walk along the freeway. Fast traffic leaves little room to avoid a pedestrian, and walking to an exit, back toward approaching cars, or across the lanes all add danger. Stay put, keep your signals on, and let responders come to you.

   Study this in the handbook: Freeway and highway driving

3. 3. Double solid yellow lines run down the center of an Arizona road. You want to turn left into a driveway. What does the manual allow?

   1. Cross them to pass slow traffic if the road is clear
   2. Cross them only when no vehicle is behind you
   3. Cross the lines only to make the left turn
   4. Cross them at any point to change direction
   Show answer

   Cross the lines only to make the left turn. Double solid yellow lines mean that passing is not allowed in either direction. The manual says you may not cross the lines unless you are turning left. A left turn into a driveway or side street is therefore permitted, but passing a slower vehicle or crossing to change direction elsewhere is not. A clear road or an empty lane behind you does not change that rule.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and turning lanes

4. 4. You see a stopped school bus ahead on an Arizona street. Why should you use extreme care?

   1. The bus may suddenly back up
   2. A child may dart from the front or the rear
   3. The bus may block the traffic signal
   4. The bus driver may open the door into your lane
   Show answer

   A child may dart from the front or the rear. Motorists should exercise extreme care when in the vicinity of any stopped school bus, as a child may dart from the front or the rear of the bus. Children often cross in front of or behind the bus, and drivers in other lanes may not see them. Slow down, watch the sides of the road, and be ready to stop whenever a bus is stopped nearby.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way, pedestrians and roundabouts

5. 5. On an Arizona one-way street traveled for several blocks, which lane is best to use?

   1. The left lane for the whole trip
   2. The right lane beside parked cars
   3. The center lane
   4. Whichever lane has fewer signals
   Show answer

   The center lane. On a one way street, the far lanes collect turning vehicles at each cross street, while the center lane carries through travel with fewer conflicts. Staying centered for several blocks avoids repeated merges around cars slowing to turn. Parked car lanes add door and pullout risks. Signal counts do not change lane purpose. When a turn approaches, the driver signals and moves to the proper side early, then turns from the correct lane without a last moment sweep across traffic.

   Study this in the handbook: Parking rules, hills and painted curbs

6. 6. Fog becomes too thick to continue safely in Arizona. What should the driver do?

   1. Park in the lane with headlights burning
   2. Follow tail lights ahead at close range
   3. Pull off, lights off, and wait for lift
   4. Drive the shoulder slowly through the fog
   Show answer

   Pull off, lights off, and wait for lift. When fog defeats forward vision, leaving the road entirely and waiting for lift beats creeping blindly. Headlights go off after pulling clear so following drivers do not mistake the parked vehicle for moving traffic to follow. A travel lane stop or shoulder crawl keeps the vehicle in the strike path. Chasing tail lights can lead both vehicles off a curve. Remaining buckled in the stopped vehicle until visibility returns is boring but removes the collision equation completely.

   Study this in the handbook: Stopping distance, bad weather and night driving

7. 7. What speed rule governs night driving in Arizona?

   1. Stop within the distance your lights reveal
   2. Drive the posted limit on every night road always
   3. Drive faster to finish before fatigue grows
   4. Match daytime speed on empty night roads
   Show answer

   Stop within the distance your lights reveal. Headlights reveal only a short tunnel of road, and anything beyond that beam arrives without warning. Speed must allow a full stop inside the visible stretch, which is often far below the posted limit. Empty roads hide animals, debris, and unlit vehicles in that darkness. Fatigue argues for rest stops, not haste. Low beams on city streets and high beams only where no traffic approaches within range support the rule. Slowing to the light is the core night skill.

   Study this in the handbook: Stopping distance, bad weather and night driving

8. 8. Why does the Arizona manual call for extreme caution when you pass on the left?

   1. Left lanes always have a lower posted speed than right lanes
   2. Other drivers cannot see a vehicle on the left
   3. You are facing oncoming traffic while you overtake
   4. Broken yellow lines hide every curve ahead
   Show answer

   You are facing oncoming traffic while you overtake. When you pass on the left on a two-way road, you move into the lane used by traffic coming toward you. Because you are facing oncoming traffic, the manual says overtaking and passing must be done with extreme caution. Make sure the road ahead is clear for the whole pass and that you can return to your lane safely. Lane speed limits and sight lines are not the reason given.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and turning lanes

9. 9. A head-on crash threatens in Arizona. What warning actions come first?

   1. Close your eyes and hold speed
   2. Turn off lights so the driver passes by
   3. Steer into the center to claim space
   4. Slow, flash lights, and sound the horn
   Show answer

   Slow, flash lights, and sound the horn. Reducing speed cuts crash energy while headlight flashes and horn give the oncoming driver a last chance to correct back into the proper lane. Closing eyes and claiming center space surrender or worsen the meeting. Darkening lights hides your vehicle from the confused driver. If warning fails, the next move is toward the shoulder and off the road away from the oncoming path. Maneuvering to lessen impact severity remains the final layer when contact cannot be avoided at all.

   Study this in the handbook: Dust storms, blowouts, fires and brake failure

10. 10. Your power steering fails and you are stopping the car in Arizona. If it has power brakes, what should you do?

    1. Push the brake pedal extra hard
    2. Pump the pedal lightly so power assist returns
    3. Use only the parking brake until you stop
    4. Press the pedal lightly to avoid locking the wheels
    Show answer

    Push the brake pedal extra hard. When the power steering stops working the engine may have stalled, and power brakes lose their assist. The brake pedal then feels stiff and the car takes more force to slow. The manual says to stop the car and push the brakes extra hard if your vehicle has power brakes. Light pressure, pumping, or using only the parking brake will not slow the car as quickly.

    Study this in the handbook: Dust storms, blowouts, fires and brake failure

11. 11. How can an Arizona driver help the driver behind keep a safe following distance?

    1. Constant speed, early signal before slowing
    2. Brake at random intervals
    3. Hide brake lights until the last moment possible
    4. Speed up whenever followed closely
    Show answer

    Constant speed, early signal before slowing. Predictability protects the vehicle behind: constant speed avoids accordion braking, and an early signal before slowing or stopping gives the follower time to match smoothly. Random braking and hidden intentions compress the follower gap into a rear crash setup. Speeding to escape a tailgater can pull the pair into faster trouble. The follower still owns gap duty, but a steady leader makes that duty achievable. Signaling planned stops also warns the second and third vehicles back through the chain.

    Study this in the handbook: Defensive driving, scanning and following distance

12. 12. Who has priority once traffic is already circulating in an Arizona roundabout?

    1. Vehicles entering from the right side
    2. Whichever vehicle reaches the yield line first
    3. Vehicles already in the roundabout
    4. Vehicles about to leave at the next exit
    Show answer

    Vehicles already in the roundabout. Roundabout flow depends on entering drivers giving way to traffic already circulating. That rule keeps the circle moving and prevents gridlock inside the island area. Entering without a gap forces circulating drivers to brake sharply. The entering driver slows, scans for circulating traffic and for people crossing, then joins through a safe opening. Once inside, the driver keeps moving to the chosen exit without stopping. Large vehicles entering at the same time also get the right-of-way.

    Study this in the handbook: Signaling, passing and U turns

13. 13. How should a driver entering an Arizona freeway match traffic speed?

    1. Enter slowly and speed up after merging
    2. Stop at the end of the ramp, then accelerate
    3. Match the speed of traffic in the right lane before merging
    4. Enter at 35 mph on every ramp
    Show answer

    Match the speed of traffic in the right lane before merging. Freeway traffic already moves at highway speed, so an entering vehicle that arrives slowly forces braking and swerving behind the merge. Using the ramp to reach the speed of right lane traffic makes the merge a lane change between equals. Stopping on the ramp destroys that speed match and creates a rear crash risk. No single ramp speed fits every freeway and traffic condition. The entering driver still yields, signals, and checks gaps, but speed matching is what makes a chosen gap usable.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking rules, hills and painted curbs

14. 14. When should an Arizona driver use turn signals if no other vehicles are visible?

    1. Only when a police officer is present
    2. Only at marked intersections
    3. Skip them on quiet streets
    4. Use them as a habit even then
    Show answer

    Use them as a habit even then. The vehicle a driver cannot see is often the one that matters most: a bicycle at the edge, a car leaving a driveway, or a motorcycle in a blind area. Signaling as a habit protects against those unseen road users and keeps the action automatic under stress. Limiting signals to marked intersections misses lane changes and curb departures. Quiet streets still have pedestrians and parked vehicles pulling out. A steady habit also tells any hidden observer your plan early enough for them to adjust speed or position.

    Study this in the handbook: Defensive driving, scanning and following distance

15. 15. When parallel parking in Arizona, how much space should you leave beside the forward car as you stop alongside it?

    1. About six inches
    2. About five feet
    3. Bumper to bumper contact
    4. About two feet
    Show answer

    About two feet. Stopping alongside the forward vehicle with about two feet of side space sets up the reverse turn without scraping either car. Six inches leaves no room for steering error or an opening door. Five feet pushes the parking vehicle too far into traffic. Contact risks damage before the maneuver even starts. During the setup, the back bumpers line up while traffic behind is checked. That measured gap, plus slow backing and wheel turns at the right moments, brings the car parallel to the curb.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking rules, hills and painted curbs

16. 16. Which use of a wireless device is barred for an Arizona driver while driving?

    1. Listening to spoken directions
    2. Reading or writing a text based message
    3. Using voice to text with a hands free setup
    4. Reporting an emergency by phone
    Show answer

    Reading or writing a text based message. Reading or writing text pulls eyes from the road for several seconds at a time, and Arizona bars that text based use during driving. Spoken directions and voice to text keep the exchange in sound rather than print, so they follow the hands free path. Reporting an emergency is the narrow situation where device use during driving is allowed. The dividing line is whether the driver must look at words or handle the device. When a message needs reading, the safe choice is to stop clear of traffic before opening it.

    Study this in the handbook: Defensive driving, scanning and following distance

17. 17. How far ahead should an Arizona driver look to avoid last minute decisions?

    1. About one city block
    2. Only to the next crosswalk
    3. Two car lengths ahead
    4. To the end of the hood
    Show answer

    About one city block. Looking about one city block ahead gives time to read traffic lights, turning vehicles, pedestrians, and lane blockages before reaching them. A view of only two car lengths leaves braking and steering to the final moment. Crosswalks matter, but hazards also form at driveways, parked cars, and merging lanes within that longer view. The habit works with mirror checks for the sides and rear. Together, the far view and the mirror checks build a full picture that supports smooth speed changes instead of sudden stops.

    Study this in the handbook: Defensive driving, scanning and following distance

18. 18. Where are the large blind spots, called the No-Zone, around big trucks and buses in Arizona?

    1. Only in the space above the truck cab itself
    2. Around the front and rear sides of the rig
    3. Only inside the truck mirror glass itself
    4. Only beside the fuel tanks on each side
    Show answer

    Around the front and rear sides of the rig. Large trucks and buses hide cars in broad zones around the front and along the back sides where mirrors cannot reach. Lingering there makes your vehicle invisible to the truck driver during lane changes and turns. The zones are road space beside and behind the rig, not glass or tank locations. A driver should pass promptly through a blind zone or fall back where the truck driver can see the car. Seeing the truck driver face in the truck mirror is a practical visibility check.

    Study this in the handbook: Freeway and highway driving

19. 19. The driver behind you wants to pass on an Arizona road. How can reducing your speed help?

    1. It forces the driver to stay behind
    2. It blocks the passing lane longer
    3. It signals the driver to use the shoulder
    4. It lets that driver pass more quickly and return sooner
    Show answer

    It lets that driver pass more quickly and return sooner. Easing off speed while being passed shortens the time the other vehicle spends beside or facing oncoming traffic. The added space also makes the return to the lane smoother for everyone. Holding or raising speed stretches the pass and can strand the passer. Shoulder use is never the intended path. A brief speed reduction is a cooperative move that ends the conflict sooner. Once the pass completes, normal speed and following distance can be rebuilt calmly.

    Study this in the handbook: Stopping distance, bad weather and night driving

20. 20. Which area is NOT part of the passenger compartment under Arizona open container law?

    1. An unlocked glove compartment
    2. The trunk or space behind the last seat
    3. Any portable device within driver reach in front
    4. The center console beside the driver
    Show answer

    The trunk or space behind the last seat. Open container law reaches unlocked compartments and portable devices within reach of the driver or passenger. The trunk stands outside that reach zone, as does the area behind the last upright seat when a vehicle has no trunk. Glove boxes, consoles, and reachable carriers stay inside the definition. Placing an open container in the trunk therefore separates it from occupants during travel. That storage choice also prevents a passenger from passing alcohol forward during the trip on a public roadway.

    Study this in the handbook: Crashes, wrong way drivers and traffic stops