AR Permit Practice Test 18

All 20 questions in test 18

Every question below comes from the Arkansas 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. Which two driver behaviors does Arkansas call especially problematic in work zones?

   1. Driving at night and using cruise control
   2. Speeding and distracted driving
   3. Changing lanes often and honking the horn
   4. Following closely and parking on the shoulder
   Show answer

   Speeding and distracted driving. Arkansas names speeding and distracted driving as the two habits that cause special trouble where road work is underway. Speed leaves less time to react to a sudden stop or a lane shift. A phone or a wandering mind does the same damage. Night driving, cruise control, lane changes, and horn use are not named as the problem pair. Slow down, put the phone out of reach, and keep your eyes moving across the whole work area.

   Study this in the handbook: Phone Laws and Distracted Driving

2. 2. You are about to turn near a bicyclist who is also getting ready to turn. What should you try to do before you turn?

   1. Make and keep eye contact with the rider
   2. Wave the rider ahead and turn right away
   3. Sound the horn and turn while the rider reacts
   4. Watch only the bicycle's rear wheel as you turn
   Show answer

   Make and keep eye contact with the rider. Arkansas drivers are told that most bicyclists keep eye contact with nearby drivers when turning, so a driver should try to gain and keep eye contact with the cyclist before turning. Eye contact shows that the rider has seen you and lets you read what the rider plans to do, which makes the turn safer. Guessing from a wave, a horn, or a wheel gives you far less information than a look at the rider.

   Study this in the handbook: Trucks, Motorcycles and Bicycles

3. 3. You follow a motorcycle on a two-lane road with gravel near the center. How much following distance should you allow?

   1. About two seconds, as with a car
   2. About one second, since it is small
   3. At least four to six seconds
   4. Only enough to see its taillight
   Show answer

   At least four to six seconds. The guide says to allow more following distance, at least four to six seconds, when following a motorcycle so the rider has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emergency. The slightest contact can mean a spill or injury for the rider. Gravel, wet roads, and metal surfaces make a fall more likely, so more room behind the motorcycle is important.

   Study this in the handbook: Trucks, Motorcycles and Bicycles

4. 4. The pictured sign warns that your lane will end ahead in a work area. When should you move over?

   
   1. At the very end of the lane
   2. Early, as soon as it is safe to do so
   3. After you pass the cone taper
   4. Only when the driver beside you waves
   Show answer

   Early, as soon as it is safe to do so. The guide's advice for entering a work zone is to merge early. If you see lane closures ahead, change to the correct lane as soon as it is safe to do so, ideally a mile or more before the closure. Moving over early gives you and nearby drivers time to find a gap, and avoids a last-moment squeeze at the closure. Waiting until the end of the lane forces other drivers to brake hard.

   Study this in the handbook: Work Zones

5. 5. After total brake failure you have stopped safely off the roadway. A passenger suggests driving slowly home on side streets. What should you do?

   1. Drive only on side streets with no traffic
   2. Do not drive the vehicle without brakes
   3. Drive using the gears to slow the car
   4. Drive home but keep the speed very low
   Show answer

   Do not drive the vehicle without brakes. The guide's steps for brake failure are to pump the brake pedal, then use the parking brake slowly, then shift to lower gears and look for a safe place to slow to a stop, making sure the car is off the roadway. It ends with a clear warning not to drive the vehicle without brakes. Low speed and quiet streets do not remove the danger of a car that cannot be stopped when needed.

   Study this in the handbook: Vehicle Emergencies and Crashes

6. 6. You and another driver are in a crash and police are on the way. What should you share with the other driver?

   1. Name, address, license number, and insurance
   2. Only your name and a phone number where you can be reached
   3. Only your insurance policy number
   4. Your license plate and employer's name
   Show answer

   Name, address, license number, and insurance. The guide says to exchange information with the other drivers involved in the crash, including name, address, driver's license number, insurance company, and policy number if available, along with vehicle information such as license plate, make, model, and year. Sharing the full set lets both drivers and their insurers sort out the crash. A name and number alone is not enough.

   Study this in the handbook: Vehicle Emergencies and Crashes

7. 7. You approach railroad tracks and see a white line painted across your lane before the rails. What does the line mark?

   1. Where the crossing gates will lower to block the road
   2. Where a train will stop for traffic
   3. Where to stop before reaching the tracks
   4. Where the no passing zone ends
   Show answer

   Where to stop before reaching the tracks. The guide says pavement markings at a railroad crossing mean the same as the Advance Warning sign, and that there may be a white stop line painted on the pavement before the railroad tracks. That line marks the place where a driver should stop if a train is coming or the gates are down. It keeps your vehicle back from the rails, which is the safest place to wait.

   Study this in the handbook: Warning and Railroad Crossing Signs

8. 8. You approach a signal that is flashing red at an intersection. What must you do?

   1. Slow down and go on if no cars are near the intersection
   2. Treat it like a yield and merge when clear
   3. Stop only if you see cross traffic coming
   4. Stop completely, then go only when it is safe
   Show answer

   Stop completely, then go only when it is safe. The guide says a flashing red light is the same as a stop sign. A driver must come to a complete stop and then proceed only when it is safe. Slowing and rolling through, treating it like a yield, or stopping only when you see traffic does not meet the rule, because a flashing red calls for a full stop every time.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic Lights and Arrows

9. 9. You drive through a residential street next to a playground in the afternoon. What should you be most ready for?

   1. Drivers who want to pass you on the right
   2. Trucks that need the whole width of the road
   3. Traffic that is merging from a toll booth
   4. Children who may cross the street suddenly
   Show answer

   Children who may cross the street suddenly. The guide names schools, playgrounds, and residential streets as places where you need to slow down because children are present. It tells drivers to be alert for children crossing the street. Children can move quickly and without warning, so reducing speed and scanning the edges of the road gives you the time to stop. Other hazards in the guide, such as toll booths or trucks, belong to different places and are not what a playground street calls for.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed Limits and Road Conditions

10. 10. You are driving through an Arkansas work zone and think about holding your phone to look up directions. What does the guide say?

    1. Holding it counts as a moving traffic violation
    2. A quick look at directions is allowed
    3. Texting is the only phone use the guide restricts
    4. The rule covers only a handheld phone call
    Show answer

    Holding it counts as a moving traffic violation. The guide asks whether holding your phone to take a call, send a text, look up directions, or scroll social media counts as a moving traffic violation, and the answer is yes. In a work zone with workers present, a moving violation brings double the fine. The advice is simple: if you cannot use a hands-free connection while driving, then do not use your phone. A quick look at directions is treated the same as a call or a text.

    Study this in the handbook: Work Zones

11. 11. Before entering an Arkansas intersection, after looking left and right, what extra look is advised?

    1. Checking the rear mirror for vehicles behind
    2. Looking again only at traffic from your right side
    3. Scanning the painted crosswalk lines just ahead now
    4. A second look toward traffic approaching head on
    Show answer

    A second look toward traffic approaching head on. Traffic can change in the seconds between a first scan and the moment a vehicle enters an intersection. A vehicle that was far away or hidden may now be close enough to conflict with your path. Looking again toward approaching traffic confirms that the way is still clear before you commit to crossing. Mirror checks and crosswalk markings give different information and cannot replace that fresh look toward the direction where danger is most likely to arrive.

    Study this in the handbook: Stopping Distance and Following

12. 12. Before opening a car door in Arkansas, what should a driver do?

    1. Check traffic, then open the door when it is clear
    2. Open the door halfway to warn passing traffic
    3. Flash the headlights and open the door at once
    4. Open the door slowly without looking outside
    Show answer

    Check traffic, then open the door when it is clear. A door swings into space that cars and bikes may already be using. Look for traffic first and open the door only when the path beside you is clear. Opening it partway still puts metal and your arm in danger, and lights do not clear the lane. When you can, leave from the curb side away from moving vehicles. Wait a moment if traffic is passing close beside you.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking Rules and Accessible Parking

13. 13. While passing another vehicle in Arkansas, what should you watch for from that vehicle?

    1. A wave telling you to speed up past it
    2. Only its brake lights after dark
    3. Its driver checking a side mirror
    4. Possible sudden turns or stops
    Show answer

    Possible sudden turns or stops. Stay aware of the vehicle beside you during a pass. It may turn or stop with little warning, perhaps for a hazard you cannot yet see. Brake lights alone give late news, and a mirror check by that driver does not clear your path. Keep space, finish the pass without lingering alongside, and be ready to slow down if that vehicle changes course.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of Way at Intersections

14. 14. In Arkansas, before turning left across traffic, what should a driver make sure about the path ahead?

    1. That oncoming drivers will brake to create a gap
    2. That the turn can be finished by waiting halfway across a traffic lane
    3. That no vehicles or pedestrians are blocking the path
    4. That a honk will clear pedestrians from the lane
    Show answer

    That no vehicles or pedestrians are blocking the path. A left turn that stalls halfway leaves your car exposed broadside to oncoming traffic. Checking that the exit path is open before starting keeps the turn as one smooth movement. Pedestrians crossing your target street also count, since stopping for them mid turn traps you in the intersection. Other drivers cannot be counted on to brake and rescue a poorly timed start. Patience on the approach beats exposure in the middle.

    Study this in the handbook: Stopping Distance and Following

15. 15. On a two-lane Arkansas road, where should you position your vehicle within your lane?

    1. Crowd the center line to see around curves sooner
    2. Ride the outer edge line as closely as possible
    3. Drive in the center of your lane without crowding the center line
    4. Weave between the center and edge to stay alert
    Show answer

    Drive in the center of your lane without crowding the center line. Centering the car leaves breathing room from both oncoming traffic and the road edge. Hugging the center line shrinks the margin when a vehicle approaches from the opposite direction. Drifting toward the shoulder invites ruts, gravel, and drop offs into the trip. A steady middle path also makes your movement predictable for drivers ahead and behind. Small steering corrections keep the car centered without constant weaving.

16. 16. Danger appears ahead and you must turn sharply to avoid a collision. How should you hold the wheel?

    1. Grip it with one hand at the top
    2. Grip it with both hands at 10 and 2
    3. Hold it low with both hands at 5 and 7
    4. Hold it with one hand and shift with the other
    Show answer

    Grip it with both hands at 10 and 2. In its section on avoiding collisions, the guide says to make sure you grip the steering wheel with both hands, and that the best way to grip it is to place your hands at the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock positions. Once you have turned away or changed lanes, you must be ready to keep the vehicle under control, because some drivers steer away from one collision only to end up in another.

    Study this in the handbook: Vehicle Emergencies and Crashes

17. 17. You plan to turn at an Arkansas intersection and see no cars coming. What extra check helps protect motorcyclists?

    1. Check only the mirror behind you before you start turning
    2. Rely on the horn to warn any rider you miss
    3. Turn quickly so the rider has less time to react
    4. Take a second look for a motorcycle before you turn
    Show answer

    Take a second look for a motorcycle before you turn. The guide says that although you may not see any cars coming, there may be a motorcycle. It advises drivers to be careful at intersections and always take a second look for a motorcycle before turning, particularly when making left turns. A motorcycle is smaller and harder to judge than a car, so a single quick look can miss it. The second look is the extra check that protects riders.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, Motorcycles and Bicycles

18. 18. Before driving in Arkansas, what should you do about a prescription or nonprescription drug that may impair driving?

    1. Test the drug during one short trip to gauge its effects
    2. Read label warnings or ask a clinician about side effects
    3. Take a reduced dose and then continue with driving plans
    4. Ask a friend who used it whether driving seemed manageable
    Show answer

    Read label warnings or ask a clinician about side effects. Some prescription and store bought drugs can impair driving, so warnings on the label deserve attention before any trip. A doctor or pharmacist can explain side effects such as drowsiness or slowed reactions for a particular medicine. Testing the drug on a short drive still exposes the driver to those effects on public roads. Taking a smaller amount does not remove unknown reactions. Another person may respond quite differently to the same medicine, so personal experience from a friend is a weak guide.

    Study this in the handbook: Drivers Under 21 and Alcohol

19. 19. Traffic slows ahead in Arkansas and your exit is just past a large truck. What move is unsafe?

    1. Slowing down and leaving the exit behind the truck
    2. Waiting for a larger gap before changing lanes
    3. Cutting into the open space in front of the truck to reach the exit
    4. Signaling early and merging where space is open
    Show answer

    Cutting into the open space in front of the truck to reach the exit. Open space ahead of a heavy truck is not spare room for a late exit dive. That gap lets the truck driver stop or slow without hitting traffic ahead. Filling it with your car removes the safety cushion and can force hard braking. Missing an exit costs a short detour, while a cut off can cause a rear crash. Slow down, stay behind, and take the next safe route.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, Motorcycles and Bicycles

20. 20. It is a cold morning and you want to warm up the engine while the car sits in your closed garage. What does the guide say?

    1. Do not idle it in an enclosed space without an open window
    2. Idle it for as long as you like once the garage door is shut
    3. Idle it only for a minute with the doors locked
    4. Idle it if the exhaust smells normal to you
    Show answer

    Do not idle it in an enclosed space without an open window. The guide explains that the exhaust system removes toxic gases from the engine and that fumes from a leaky exhaust can cause death in a very short time. For that reason it says never to allow the engine to idle in your garage or enclosed area without an open window. The same section suggests opening a window now and then in winter so fresh air fills the cabin and reduces the risk of toxic fumes. A closed garage traps those fumes.