AR Permit Practice Test 20

All 20 questions in test 20

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. You send a quick text while driving at 55 mph. How far does the car travel while your eyes are off the road?

   1. About the length of a car
   2. About the length of a city block downtown
   3. About the length of a football field
   4. About the length of a house lot
   Show answer

   About the length of a football field. The guide says that sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for about five seconds, and that at 55 mph that is like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. Texting is the most alarming distraction, because it combines visual, manual, and cognitive distraction at the same time. Any non-driving activity increases the risk of crashing.

   Study this in the handbook: Phone Laws and Distracted Driving

2. 2. In Arkansas, your brakes have failed and pumping plus the parking brake did not stop the vehicle. What should you do next?

   1. Shift to a higher gear and speed up
   2. Turn the engine off and coast in neutral
   3. Keep pumping until the pedal feels hard
   4. Shift to lower gears and find a safe place to stop
   Show answer

   Shift to lower gears and find a safe place to stop. When pumping and the parking brake still leave the vehicle rolling, lower gears help slow the engine and the wheels together. Shift down step by step and steer toward a safe place clear of traffic where the vehicle can roll to a halt. A higher gear does the opposite and lets speed build. Cutting the engine in neutral removes engine braking and power help. Endless pumping wastes the time you need to pick a safe spot and warn others with your horn and lights.

   Study this in the handbook: Vehicle Emergencies and Crashes

3. 3. A 12-ounce can of beer, a 6-ounce glass of wine, and a shot of 80 proof liquor are sitting on a table. How do they compare?

   1. The beer has the least alcohol
   2. The wine has the most alcohol
   3. Each counts as about one standard drink
   4. The liquor counts as several drinks
   Show answer

   Each counts as about one standard drink. The guide defines a single drink as a 1.5-ounce shot of 80 proof liquor, a 6-ounce glass of wine, or a 12-ounce container of beer. Each of these holds about the same amount of alcohol, so none of them is a safe or weak choice for a driver. The guide also warns that specialty drinks can have more alcohol, and that one specialty drink may equal several normal drinks.

   Study this in the handbook: Drinking and Driving

4. 4. You are in a minor crash on a quiet street and nobody seems hurt. May you drive away because the damage looks small?

   1. Yes, if both cars can still move
   2. No, you must stop when you are involved in a crash
   3. Yes, if no one is outside to see you
   4. Yes, if you give your name to a bystander at the scene later
   Show answer

   No, you must stop when you are involved in a crash. The guide says that no matter how well you drive, there may be a time when you are involved in a crash, and that if you are involved in a crash you must stop. You should move the vehicle from the roadway so it does not block traffic, and try to locate the owner of a parked vehicle you hit. Small damage or an empty street does not remove the duty to stop.

   Study this in the handbook: Vehicle Emergencies and Crashes

5. 5. Heavy rain is falling on an Arkansas highway. What is the best way to keep from hydroplaning?

   1. Use the cruise control to hold a steady speed
   2. Brake firmly every few seconds
   3. Keep your speed down
   4. Drive in the tracks of the car ahead at the same pace
   Show answer

   Keep your speed down. The guide explains that in heavy rain your tires can lose all traction at 50 mph, and that the faster you move, the more your tires ride up on the water, much like water skis. It says the best way to keep from hydroplaning is to keep your speed down, and that worn tires can also cause hydroplaning. Cruise control, braking, or following another car at speed do not fix the problem.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed Limits and Road Conditions

6. 6. You follow a heavy truck toward a long, steep hill. What should you expect as it climbs?

   1. It may lose speed and take longer to speed up later
   2. It will hold speed and pull ahead at the top
   3. It will pull to the left lane as it climbs the grade
   4. It will stay the same speed uphill and downhill
   Show answer

   It may lose speed and take longer to speed up later. The guide says to watch for trucks and underpowered cars that are not designed to handle a steep grade. A slower vehicle can lose speed on long or steep hills, and it will take longer to build speed when entering traffic again. When you approach this kind of traffic, give yourself time to change lanes or slow down, because slowing suddenly can cause a crash.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed Limits and Road Conditions

7. 7. When turning left in Arkansas, how should a driver shape the turn?

   1. Follow the curve without cutting across the corner
   2. Swing wide into the far lane to finish the turn sooner
   3. Cut across the corner in a short and speedy arc
   4. Turn sharply inward toward traffic from your left side
   Show answer

   Follow the curve without cutting across the corner. A left turn should follow the curve of the intersection without clipping the corner. Cutting inward can carry your vehicle into a car approaching from the left that you did not expect to meet there. Swinging wide into the far lane also leaves the lawful path and surprises other drivers. Extra speed through the corner makes each error harder to correct. A smooth turn that leaves room for others keeps all paths apart and predictable.

8. 8. You drive down a residential street with driveways and parked cars on both sides. What should you watch for?

   1. Trucks that need the full width of the lane to turn
   2. Drivers who stop in the middle of the block
   3. Vehicles that are passing on the right
   4. Bikes coming out of driveways or from behind cars
   Show answer

   Bikes coming out of driveways or from behind cars. The guide says to watch out for bikes coming out of driveways, behind parked cars, or from other obstructions. Residential streets are danger zones, with children and teenagers riding, and a rider can appear suddenly from a spot your view does not reach. Slowing down and scanning the edges of the street, including driveways and the gaps between parked cars, gives you the time to stop when a rider appears.

   Study this in the handbook: Trucks, Motorcycles and Bicycles

9. 9. You must park on the roadway at a spot with no curb. How should you position your vehicle?

   1. As far from moving traffic as you can
   2. Close to the edge of the lane to save space
   3. Just off the lane with the rear sticking out
   4. Where other drivers can see the front of your car
   Show answer

   As far from moving traffic as you can. The guide says that if you park on the roadway, you should park your vehicle as far away from traffic as possible, and if there is a curb, as close to the curb as possible. It also says to park where the vehicle is far enough from the street or highway to avoid interfering with traffic and visible to cars approaching from either direction. A vehicle left partly in the lane becomes a hazard.

   Study this in the handbook: Parking Rules and Accessible Parking

10. 10. A bicycle and a car use the same lane on a local street. What does the guide say about this shared use?

    1. They must ride side by side in the same lane
    2. The bicycle must leave the lane for the car
    3. The car must wait until the bicycle turns off
    4. The bicycle must ride on the sidewalk
    Show answer

    They must ride side by side in the same lane. The guide says bicycles have the same rights and responsibilities on the streets as other vehicles and must share lanes of traffic. When a bicycle rider and a vehicle share the same lane, they are required to ride side by side in the same lane, and there are certain times when a bicycle can take the full lane. Bicyclists must ride with traffic, on the right side of the road.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, Motorcycles and Bicycles

11. 11. At a railroad crossing you see a white X shaped sign with black letters. What does the guide say it requires?

    1. Cross first if no train is in sight
    2. Stop only when the gates are down
    3. Yield the right-of-way to the train
    4. Slow down, then cross at your own pace
    Show answer

    Yield the right-of-way to the train. The guide describes the crossbuck as a white X shaped sign with black letters. It marks the grade crossing and requires you to yield the right-of-way to the train. The guide's safety tips add that you should look up and down the track to make sure a train is not approaching, always expect a train, and never assume a train is not coming even if you have not seen one at that crossing. Never try to beat a train.

    Study this in the handbook: Warning and Railroad Crossing Signs

12. 12. You see the first work zone signs ahead on an Arkansas road. What should you do as you reach them?

    1. Keep your speed until you see workers
    2. Begin to slow down and stay alert
    3. Speed up to clear the zone quickly
    4. Slow down only after the lane narrows
    Show answer

    Begin to slow down and stay alert. When approaching a work zone, you will see signs indicating you are entering it, and there may be signs that show a reduced speed. The guide says that when you see these signs you should begin to slow down, and continue at a reduced speed until you see a posted speed limit sign. Waiting for workers to appear or for the lane to narrow leaves you too little time to slow safely.

    Study this in the handbook: Work Zones

13. 13. A county judge has not set a speed limit for an Arkansas county road. What speed limit applies?

    1. 25 miles per hour
    2. 55 miles per hour
    3. 40 miles per hour
    4. No limit applies until a sign is posted
    Show answer

    40 miles per hour. Arkansas sets a backup speed limit for county roads when local action has not been taken. If a county judge has not established a speed limit on a county road, the speed limit is forty miles per hour on that road. Twenty-five miles per hour is below the stated default and is not the backup figure. Fifty-five miles per hour exceeds the default and would break the limit. The absence of a locally set limit does not leave the road without a limit; the forty mile per hour default fills that gap.

    Study this in the handbook: Stop, Yield and Regulation Signs

14. 14. You are stopped at a red light in Arkansas. When may you move forward?

    1. When the cross traffic slows down
    2. When the light turns green and it is safe to go
    3. When no other car is in sight on the cross street
    4. When the light turns yellow for cross traffic
    Show answer

    When the light turns green and it is safe to go. The guide says a red light means the driver must stop, and the driver cannot proceed until the light turns green and it is safe to go. Both conditions matter: the signal must show green, and the way must be clear of cross traffic and pedestrians. An empty intersection, slowing cross traffic, or a yellow light for the other direction does not give you permission to move.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic Lights and Arrows

15. 15. You see a bicycle with a red or orange pennant flag on a neighborhood street. What should you do?

    1. Speed up to pass the rider before the next turn comes up
    2. Honk once so the rider knows you are there
    3. Pass close to show the rider where you are
    4. Slow down, because the rider may have impaired hearing
    Show answer

    Slow down, because the rider may have impaired hearing. The guide says a red or orange pennant flag attached to a bicycle is a symbol that the rider has impaired hearing, and that drivers should slow down when they see one. A rider who cannot hear you may not know you are approaching, so a horn will not help. Slowing down and giving the rider plenty of room is the safe response.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, Motorcycles and Bicycles

16. 16. You miss your turn on an Arkansas road with traffic behind you. What must you never do?

    1. Continue to a safe place to turn around
    2. Back up in a travel lane to reach the turn
    3. Slow down while looking for a new route
    4. Use a parking lot to change direction
    Show answer

    Back up in a travel lane to reach the turn. Reversing in a lane where traffic expects forward motion invites a rear crash, and following drivers have little time to react. Keep moving with the flow, signal your next move, and turn around from a lot, side street, or other safe area. Slowing gently to read signs is fine when it does not block traffic. A lot gives you space to reposition without crossing paths blindly. The extra block of driving is far cheaper than a collision in live traffic.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement Markings and Lane Use

17. 17. You will turn right at the next corner and a bicyclist rides alongside you on the right. How should you position your car before the turn?

    1. Merge into the bicycle traffic before you turn
    2. Turn from the left side of the lane
    3. Stay ahead of the rider and turn across the path
    4. Slow down and let the rider pass on the right
    Show answer

    Merge into the bicycle traffic before you turn. The guide says to merge with bicycle traffic when preparing for a right turn and not to turn directly across the path of a cyclist. By merging, your car is in the same line as the rider, so your turn does not cut across the rider's path. A driver who overtakes a bicyclist and then turns right in front of the rider can cause an accident.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, Motorcycles and Bicycles

18. 18. What can happen when an Arkansas driver brakes very quickly?

    1. The vehicle always stops straighter
    2. It can skid and cause loss of control
    3. Following drivers gain more time
    4. The tires grip harder on any surface
    Show answer

    It can skid and cause loss of control. Hard, sudden braking can break tire grip and send the vehicle into a skid, leaving the driver with little steering control. It also surprises drivers behind, who may struggle to avoid a rear-end crash. Firm braking has a place in a true emergency, yet scanning ahead and slowing early prevent most panic stops. Leave space so slowing can be gradual and controlled whenever possible in everyday traffic.

19. 19. You plan to change lanes on a busy Arkansas road. When should you start signaling?

    1. At least 100 feet before the lane change
    2. Just as you begin to move over
    3. Only after you are in the new lane
    4. About a half block before you make the change
    Show answer

    At least 100 feet before the lane change. The guide says turn signals should be used 100 feet before a lane change, a right turn, a left turn, and each time you merge into traffic or park. Signaling early gives other drivers time to react and keeps them from being surprised. A signal that starts as you move, or after you are in the new lane, gives others no warning at all.

    Study this in the handbook: Headlights, Horn and Signals

20. 20. Where should a driver place the hands for a proper steering grip in Arkansas?

    1. Both hands together at the top
    2. One hand on the wheel center
    3. Both hands low in the lap
    4. On opposite sides of the steering wheel
    Show answer

    On opposite sides of the steering wheel. Hands on opposite sides give balanced control and comfort while steering. That grip also lets a driver make turns without lifting hands away to reposition. Crowding both hands at the top, using one hand on the center, or dropping hands toward the lap weakens control if a quick correction is needed. Keep a steady two-hand hold so turning feels smooth in normal driving and emergencies.