AR Permit Practice Test 23

All 20 questions in test 23

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. When a green arrow is shown for your turn in Arkansas, what must opposing traffic do?

   1. Opposing traffic may enter and share the turn lane
   2. Opposing traffic gets the right to go first
   3. Opposing traffic must stop
   4. Opposing traffic should speed up to clear out
   Show answer

   Opposing traffic must stop. A green arrow gives the turning driver a protected movement. Drivers may turn in the direction of the arrow, and opposing traffic must stop, which is what makes the turn protected. Sharing the turn lane with opposing traffic would put vehicles on conflicting paths at the same time. Giving opposing traffic the right to go first reverses the protection the arrow provides. Speeding up on the opposing side does not clear the conflict safely. Turn in the arrow direction while opposing traffic stays stopped.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic Lights and Arrows

2. 2. What does a steady yellow traffic light mean in Arkansas?

   1. The intersection is closed until morning
   2. Drivers may speed up because green is coming next
   3. The traffic signal is changing from green to red
   4. Only buses and trucks need to stop at this signal
   Show answer

   The traffic signal is changing from green to red. A steady yellow light warns that the signal is in transition. It means the traffic signal is changing from green to red, so drivers should prepare to stop rather than rush the intersection. Green does not come right after yellow in this sequence; red follows yellow. The signal applies to cars as well as buses and trucks, and it does not close the intersection for hours. Reading yellow as a warning stage helps a driver stop smoothly instead of entering late against red.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic Lights and Arrows

3. 3. You are merging onto a busy road and see only a brief opening between two cars. What should you do?

   1. Take it quickly before it closes
   2. Take it and speed up to fit in
   3. Take it and signal that you are coming in
   4. Pass it up and wait for a larger gap
   Show answer

   Pass it up and wait for a larger gap. The guide says not to try to merge into a small gap, because a small gap can quickly become even smaller. It tells drivers to enter a gap that gives them a large cushion of space. Taking a brief opening, speeding to fit, or relying on a signal to make room leaves you with little space and gives the other drivers no time to adjust.

   Study this in the handbook: Stopping Distance and Following

4. 4. You are leaving an Arkansas high-speed road that has exit ramps. When should you slow down?

   1. Half a mile before the exit in a travel lane
   2. As soon as you see the exit sign far ahead
   3. Only after you have moved onto the exit ramp
   4. Before signaling, while still blocking fast traffic
   Show answer

   Only after you have moved onto the exit ramp. Travel lanes on a high-speed road are meant for traffic moving at highway pace. Slowing there early can surprise drivers behind you and cause hard braking. Moving onto the exit ramp first puts your speed reduction where it belongs. Signal your plan, keep pace until the ramp, then slow on the ramp itself. If traffic follows you on a two-lane road, tap your brakes lightly and reduce speed safely rather than braking suddenly.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed Limits and Road Conditions

5. 5. You are stopped at a red light and want to turn right in Arkansas. When may you turn?

   1. After a full stop, unless a sign prohibits it
   2. Only when a green arrow shows
   3. Without stopping, if no cars are coming
   4. Only when the light turns green and cross traffic stops
   Show answer

   After a full stop, unless a sign prohibits it. The guide says the driver may turn right on red unless there is a sign prohibiting a right turn on red. Before turning you must make a complete stop and check for opposing traffic, and you must look for pedestrians in or about to enter the crosswalks. If a no-turn sign is posted, you wait for green. Without such a sign, a red light alone does not prevent the turn.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic Lights and Arrows

6. 6. In Arkansas, if the driver behind you wants to pass, what should you do to help that pass finish safely?

   1. Hold your speed steady so the passer judges the gap
   2. Slow gradually to open room ahead for safe merging
   3. Shift left to widen the passing lane beside you
   4. Tap brakes twice to cue passer forward
   Show answer

   Slow gradually to open room ahead for safe merging. Easing off speed opens a clear spot ahead of your car where the passing vehicle can merge back without crowding. That small courtesy shortens the time spent beside or facing other traffic. Holding speed can trap the passer alongside you longer than planned. Moving left narrows the margin the passer needs most. A brief brake tap can confuse following drivers and shrink gaps behind you. A smooth lift from the pedal keeps the whole move predictable.

   Study this in the handbook: Emergency Vehicles and the Move Over Law

7. 7. Before slowing down on an Arkansas street, what should a driver check first?

   1. Traffic waiting at the next cross street ahead
   2. Vehicles following close behind your own car
   3. Signals changing color beyond the next corner
   4. Parked cars on both street sides
   Show answer

   Vehicles following close behind your own car. A driver who slows without warning can surprise the person following behind, especially where a stop is unexpected. Checking traffic to the rear shows whether another vehicle is close or approaching fast, so braking can start earlier and stay gradual. That extra time helps the following driver react and keeps a routine slowdown from becoming a rear end collision. Looking only ahead or toward parked cars cannot tell you how much room the driver behind you needs.

8. 8. How does the Arkansas guide say you can tell what kind of information a traffic sign gives?

   1. By its size and height
   2. By its distance from the road
   3. By the font of the lettering
   4. By its shape and color
   Show answer

   By its shape and color. The guide says traffic signs display traffic rules, hazards, location, travel directions, and where services are located, and that the shape and color of these signs will determine the type of information placed on the sign. A stop sign is red with eight sides, warning signs are mostly yellow diamonds, and regulation signs are white squares or rectangles. Learning these shapes and colors helps you understand a sign before you can read it.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic Lights and Arrows

9. 9. A rear tire blows out suddenly at highway speed. How should you hold the steering wheel?

   1. Turn it sharply toward the shoulder
   2. Hold it tightly and keep the car going straight
   3. Let it go loose so the car settles itself
   4. Turn it back and forth to feel how the road grips
   Show answer

   Hold it tightly and keep the car going straight. The guide says that if you have a sudden tire blowout you should hold the steering wheel tightly and keep the vehicle going straight. You should slow gradually by taking your foot off the gas pedal and using the brakes lightly, and then pull off the road in a safe place rather than stopping on the road. A firm, steady grip is what keeps the car from veering into another lane.

   Study this in the handbook: Vehicle Emergencies and Crashes

10. 10. Why can an approaching motorcycle be hard for an Arkansas driver to see?

    1. Its profile is much smaller than a car, making it harder to see
    2. Motorcycles travel without any lights at all times of day
    3. Motorcycle riders always wear dark colors that hide them
    4. Motorcycles always move too fast for drivers to see them
    Show answer

    Its profile is much smaller than a car, making it harder to see. A motorcycle presents a much smaller profile than a car, so an approaching rider can blend into traffic and escape a quick glance. Motorcycles do travel with lights, riders wear many colors, and their speed is not what hides them. Size is the problem, and it also makes distance and speed harder to judge. Look twice at intersections, check mirrors and blind spots before moving, and wait until the motorcycle path is fully clear before turning across it.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, Motorcycles and Bicycles

11. 11. You near an Arkansas intersection where no crosswalk paint is visible. What should you expect?

    1. Watch for people crossing even though no paint is visible
    2. Assume empty corners mean nobody will ever step into the road
    3. Watch only for walkers who use a guide dog or cane
    4. Cross quickly before anyone on foot can reach the corner
    Show answer

    Watch for people crossing even though no paint is visible. Paint is only one way that a crossing place shows itself to drivers. Corners and crossing paths can exist without fresh lines, with worn lines, or with no lines at all. Slow down near corners and look for feet near curbs, strollers, and people stepping between parked cars. A short lift off the gas pedal buys time to react. Treating an unpainted corner as empty leaves no margin when someone appears at the edge of your path.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, Sidewalks and Traffic Circles

12. 12. Why does the guide tell you to keep a safe following distance inside an Arkansas work zone?

    1. Flaggers are required to ticket close followers
    2. Work zone vehicles cannot be passed at any time
    3. Posted speeds are lower for tailgating drivers
    4. Rear-end collisions are common in work zones
    Show answer

    Rear-end collisions are common in work zones. The guide lists keeping a safe following distance as one of the things to do while in the work zone, because rear-end collisions are common there. Traffic in a work zone can slow or stop suddenly because of lane closures, flaggers, and equipment, so extra space gives you time to stop. The reason is crash risk, not a ticketing rule for flaggers or a special speed for tailgaters.

    Study this in the handbook: Work Zones

13. 13. You reach a railroad crossing as the gates begin to block the lane. What must you never do?

    1. Go around the gates
    2. Stop behind the white line
    3. Wait for the train to pass
    4. Check both directions before moving
    Show answer

    Go around the gates. The guide tells drivers to obey all railroad crossing warning signs and never to go around barriers or disregard a warning. When gates are down it means a train is present and the road is closed, and it is unsafe and illegal to cross. Stopping behind the line, waiting for the train to pass, and looking both ways are all correct steps. Going around the gates is what the guide forbids.

    Study this in the handbook: Warning and Railroad Crossing Signs

14. 14. Glare from oncoming headlights bothers you at night, and you think about wearing dark tinted lenses. What does the guide advise?

    1. Wear them, because glare is the bigger danger
    2. Wear them only on dark roads with no street lights
    3. Avoid them, because they cut out too much light
    4. Wear them and drive more slowly at night
    Show answer

    Avoid them, because they cut out too much light. The Arkansas guide says to avoid dark or tinted glasses or contact lenses at night, even if they help with glare. The problem is that these lenses cut down too much light, and you need light to see the road ahead. Glare is a real problem for many drivers, and the guide suggests being careful or not driving at night unless it is necessary, rather than reducing the light that reaches your eyes.

15. 15. You park a car with an automatic transmission in Arkansas. What should you do before leaving it?

    1. Leave it in drive with the parking brake released
    2. Set the parking brake and leave it in park
    3. Set the parking brake and leave it in neutral
    4. Turn the wheels straight and skip the parking brake
    Show answer

    Set the parking brake and leave it in park. Two holds keep a parked car in place: the parking brake and the gear setting. An automatic belongs in park, while a manual belongs in gear, with the brake set in both cases. Neutral lets the brake carry the whole load, and drive with no brake invites rolling. Make this pair a habit on flat ground and hills alike. That routine keeps the vehicle from creeping on a slope.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking Rules and Accessible Parking

16. 16. You drive at night on a road with no street lights. How fast should you go, based on your headlights?

    1. At the posted limit if the road ahead looks straight and clear
    2. At the speed of the car you are following
    3. Faster, so you pass dark areas more quickly
    4. At a speed that lets you stop within your headlight range
    Show answer

    At a speed that lets you stop within your headlight range. The guide says that at night you need to be able to stop within the distance you can see ahead with your headlights. Low beams let you see about 400 feet ahead, so you should drive at a speed that allows you to stop within that distance, which is around 50 mph. Driving faster than your headlights allow you to stop means you may not see an object in time to avoid it.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed Limits and Road Conditions

17. 17. In Arkansas, your vehicle has no antilock brakes and you must turn quickly to miss a crash. What order should you use?

    1. Turn first, then brake hard
    2. Hold the brake down through the turn
    3. Speed up, then turn with no braking
    4. Brake, let up, then turn the wheel
    Show answer

    Brake, let up, then turn the wheel. Start with braking to slow the vehicle and shift weight onto the front tires, which helps them bite for the turn. Then ease off the pedal so the wheels roll freely and steer toward the escape path. Turning first at full speed asks too much of the tires. Holding the brakes down can lock wheels and send the vehicle straight ahead. Adding speed before the turn makes the path wider and control weaker. Brake, release, and steer as one smooth sequence, then straighten out once clear.

    Study this in the handbook: Vehicle Emergencies and Crashes

18. 18. After a crash an injured person is alert and asks you for water while medical help is on the way. What should you do?

    1. Give nothing to drink until medical staff arrives
    2. Give a small sip of water to calm the injured person
    3. Give a warm drink to prevent shock
    4. Give water only if the person says it is needed
    Show answer

    Give nothing to drink until medical staff arrives. The guide's list for assisting the injured says not to give the injured anything to drink, even water, until medical personnel are on the scene. Even a request from an alert person is not a reason to break that rule, because the person's injuries are not known and a drink could cause harm. You can instead cover the person with a blanket or coat to help prevent shock.

    Study this in the handbook: Vehicle Emergencies and Crashes

19. 19. Which way must a bicyclist travel on an Arkansas road?

    1. Facing oncoming traffic on the left side
    2. On the right-hand side of the road with other traffic
    3. In the center of each lane against traffic flow
    4. On either side, changing sides at each block
    Show answer

    On the right-hand side of the road with other traffic. Bicycle traffic moves with the flow of other vehicles, keeping to the right side of the road. Riding toward oncoming cars shortens reaction time and puts rider and driver on a closing path. Drivers should look for bicycles traveling in the expected direction, while still scanning driveways and side streets. A rider facing traffic breaks the pattern other users rely on. Same direction travel makes turns and passes easier to judge.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, Motorcycles and Bicycles

20. 20. Why does a tractor-trailer need extra room when it turns at a corner?

    1. Its trailer is wider than the lanes of most roads
    2. Its brakes cannot be used at all while it is turning
    3. The rear wheels follow a shorter path than the front
    4. Its driver has no view of the road straight ahead of the cab
    Show answer

    The rear wheels follow a shorter path than the front. The guide explains that any turning vehicle's rear wheels follow a shorter path than the front wheels, and that a longer vehicle makes a greater difference. For that reason the drivers of tractor-trailers must often swing out to the left as the first step in making a right turn. A driver following or passing should watch the turn signals and not try to squeeze past on the right.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, Motorcycles and Bicycles