CT Permit Practice Test 3

All 20 questions in test 3

Every question below comes from the Connecticut 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. An emergency vehicle approaches while you are already in an intersection. What should you do first?

   1. Stop in the intersection immediately
   2. Back up to the previous stop line
   3. Drive through the intersection, then pull over
   4. Turn left and continue without stopping
   Show answer

   Drive through the intersection, then pull over. The emergency-vehicle rule requires a driver to pull to the right and stop, but the manual gives a specific instruction for a vehicle already in an intersection: drive through the intersection before pulling over. Stopping in the middle can block the emergency vehicle and create a second conflict with cross traffic. Reversing is unpredictable, and continuing after clearing the intersection without stopping ignores the duty to yield. Clear the intersection safely, then move as far right as possible and remain stopped until the vehicle passes.

2. 2. If an officer's hand signal conflicts with a traffic light, which instruction controls?

   1. The signal given by another driver
   2. The traffic light
   3. The last signal a driver noticed
   4. The officer's hand signal
   Show answer

   The officer's hand signal. A driver must obey the directions of a police officer who is directing traffic, even when those directions conflict with the light. The officer may be managing a crash, work zone, malfunction, or unusual movement that the signal cannot address. Do not select the light merely because it is normally controlling. Reduce speed, watch the officer's position and gestures, and proceed only as directed. This rule is about active traffic control at the scene.

3. 3. What change in roadway operation is shown by two opposing arrows?

   
   1. Passing is automatically allowed in both directions
   2. Both directions may use any lane
   3. A second median is beginning
   4. You are leaving a divided roadway and entering a two-way highway
   Show answer

   You are leaving a divided roadway and entering a two-way highway. The TWO-WAY ROAD WAY sign means the divided roadway is ending and you will drive on a two-way highway. Expect opposing traffic and keep a careful position within your lane. It does not make every lane available to both directions, authorize passing, or announce another median. As the roadway changes, reduce speed if needed, watch for oncoming vehicles, and check pavement markings that separate the opposing flows.

4. 4. What movement is prohibited by a red slash over a left-turn arrow?

   
   1. Turning left from that approach
   2. Turning around in the roadway
   3. Changing lanes to the left
   4. Driving straight through the intersection
   Show answer

   Turning left from that approach. A red circle and slash over a left-turn symbol prohibits the left-turn movement shown by the symbol. It is a movement restriction for that approach, not a general ban on changing lanes, making a U-turn, or continuing straight. Read the arrow beneath the slash precisely: the barred action is the one depicted. If the route requires a left turn, select a permitted alternative only after checking lane markings, traffic signals, and surrounding traffic.

5. 5. What does a posted SPEED LIMIT sign identify?

   
   1. The speed allowed only for commercial vehicles
   2. A suggested speed used only during rain
   3. The minimum speed required in every lane
   4. The maximum speed that should be driven on that roadway
   Show answer

   The maximum speed that should be driven on that roadway. A SPEED LIMIT sign identifies the maximum speed that should be driven on the roadway. It is not merely a rain-time suggestion, a minimum speed, or a rule limited to commercial vehicles. Even at the posted maximum, conditions such as traffic, visibility, pavement, or weather may call for a slower pace. Use the number as an upper boundary, then adjust below it when the road environment requires more time and stopping distance.

6. 6. What is the proper response to a steady yellow traffic light?

   1. Stop in the intersection even after entering it
   2. Accelerate regardless of the distance to the intersection
   3. Reverse to the previous intersection
   4. Stop if it is safe to do so
   Show answer

   Stop if it is safe to do so. A steady yellow light warns that the signal is about to become red. The driver should stop when that can be done safely. If the vehicle is already in the intersection, the manual says to continue through rather than stop there. Accelerating as a routine response encourages risky entries, and reversing creates a new hazard. The visual cue is a decision point: brake smoothly if stopping is safe, otherwise clear the intersection carefully.

7. 7. What following gap does Connecticut's three-second rule establish for ordinary conditions?

   
   1. No closer than one second
   2. No closer than three seconds
   3. No closer than six seconds
   4. No closer than ten seconds
   Show answer

   No closer than three seconds. The manual uses a stationary sign, pole, or similar point to measure the space behind another vehicle. After that vehicle passes the point, count one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand, three-one-thousand. Reaching the mark before the count ends means the gap is too short, so the driver should drop back and try again. One second leaves little reaction time, while six and ten seconds are not the manual's ordinary baseline. Bad weather, darkness, trailers, and other conditions can require even more room than the three-second minimum.

8. 8. What does a first street racing conviction bring a Connecticut teen driver?

   1. A 30 day suspension
   2. A $100 fine
   3. A six month suspension, a $175 restoration fee, and court fines or up to one year in jail
   4. No penalty beyond points
   Show answer

   A six month suspension, a $175 restoration fee, and court fines or up to one year in jail. Street racing under section 14-224(c) brings a 16 or 17 year old a six month suspension, a $175 license restoration fee, and court fines or imprisonment of not more than one year or both, and a second offense brings a one year suspension. The same table lists reckless driving at six months and speeding 20 over at 60 days. Every entry also requires the $175 restoration fee before the license is returned.

9. 9. After pumping a failed brake pedal and using the parking brake slowly, what should the driver do if the brakes still do not work?

   1. Use the parking brake at full force while turning sharply
   2. Continue driving until the brakes begin working normally
   3. Turn the vehicle off in the travel lane
   4. Shift to lower gears and look for a safe place to stop off the roadway
   Show answer

   Shift to lower gears and look for a safe place to stop off the roadway. Brake-failure recovery proceeds in stages. After pumping the pedal and applying the parking brake slowly, the manual says to begin shifting to lower gears and look for a safe place to slow to a stop. The vehicle should be off the roadway, and it must not be driven without brakes. Continuing to drive leaves the emergency unresolved, while a hard pull or sharp turn can lock the rear wheels or create a skid. Reduce speed progressively and warn nearby traffic as you move toward a safe stopping area.

10. 10. What test can show that a driver is traveling too fast for the available sight distance?

    1. The one-second parking-space rule
    2. The four-second sight-distance rule
    3. The ten-minute fuel-economy test
    4. The two-car-length rule at every speed
    Show answer

    The four-second sight-distance rule. The four-second sight-distance rule checks whether the driver can stop within the distance that is visible. Pick a stationary object at the farthest clear point and count for four seconds. Reaching the object before the count ends means the vehicle is moving too fast for that sight distance and should slow down. The other choices are not tests described in the manual. Use a sign or telephone pole as the reference, and remember that speed must match visibility, not just the posted limit.

11. 11. What does a steady red HAWK signal require of motorists?

    1. Stop while pedestrians are in the crosswalk
    2. Proceed slowly without stopping if the lane is clear
    3. Yield only to pedestrians approaching from the right
    4. Use the horn to tell pedestrians to hurry
    Show answer

    Stop while pedestrians are in the crosswalk. The steady-red HAWK phase corresponds to pedestrians being in the crosswalk, so motorists must stop. A clear lane does not override the pedestrian movement, and the rule is not limited to people approaching from one side. Sounding the horn is not a substitute for yielding and could startle a person crossing. The practical cue is the solid red pair in the HAWK sequence: stop, remain stopped while pedestrians occupy the crossing, and wait for the permitted movement.

12. 12. At an intersection without signs or signals, which approaching vehicle has priority?

    
    1. The vehicle approaching from the right
    2. The vehicle approaching from the left
    3. The vehicle traveling at the higher speed
    4. The vehicle that enters the intersection first
    Show answer

    The vehicle approaching from the right. At an uncontrolled intersection, the driver approaching from the left yields to the vehicle approaching from the right. This is a yielding rule, not permission for the vehicle on the right to force its way through. Speed and assertive entry do not establish priority. Reduce speed, scan both directions, and be prepared to yield even when you believe another driver should yield. The practical cue is to check the vehicle on your right before entering an intersection without traffic control.

13. 13. When a broken yellow line is beside a solid yellow line, who may pass?

    1. Traffic on the side of the solid line, at any time
    2. Traffic on the side of the broken line, when safe
    3. Neither side under any condition
    4. Both sides whenever a vehicle signals
    Show answer

    Traffic on the side of the broken line, when safe. The broken line grants a passing opportunity only to vehicles traveling on that side, and the maneuver still requires a clear, safe view. The solid-line side may not use the marking to pass. A turn signal communicates an intention but cannot authorize crossing from the prohibited side. Check oncoming traffic, road width, sight distance, and hazards before moving across the center. A quick reading cue is simple: broken means that side may pass, solid means that side must remain behind slower traffic.

14. 14. Before entering an intersection, what should you check first?

    1. Both left and right for approaching vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians
    2. Only the lane directly ahead
    3. Only the traffic signal above the intersection
    4. The rear seat before looking outside
    Show answer

    Both left and right for approaching vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. An intersection can contain crossing traffic, bicycles, or pedestrians arriving from either side. The manual calls for checking both left and right before entering, then checking again just before moving if you were stopped. Looking only ahead misses a vehicle approaching from the side, while relying on a signal ignores people who may disobey it. Make the side-to-side scan a routine cue whenever a road, driveway, shopping center entrance, or parking lot entrance crosses your path. That habit gives you information before your vehicle reaches the conflict point and leaves more time to stop.

15. 15. When entering a traffic circle or rotary, which traffic has priority?

    
    1. Drivers already in the circle
    2. Vehicles entering from the left
    3. The fastest approaching vehicle
    4. The vehicle that signals first
    Show answer

    Drivers already in the circle. A driver entering a traffic circle or rotary must yield to drivers already circulating. The vehicle inside the circle has an established path, so entering traffic must wait for a safe opening. Speed, approach direction, and signaling do not create priority over traffic already in the circle. Slow before entry, scan for vehicles and pedestrians, and yield until the circulating lane is clear. Once inside, maintain the proper lane and follow the posted signs for the exit you need.

16. 16. A 16 year old in Connecticut has a learner's permit and is practicing with a qualified trainer. Which extra passengers may ride along?

    1. Any friends who hold learner's permits
    2. Up to two siblings
    3. Only the teen's parent or legal guardian
    4. Anyone wearing a seat belt
    Show answer

    Only the teen's parent or legal guardian. For the whole time a 16 or 17 year old holds a learner's permit, no passengers are allowed except a licensed driving instructor and people with that instructor, or one qualified trainer who is at least 20 and has held an unsuspended license for four consecutive years. Parents or a legal guardian may accompany the instructor. Friends with permits, siblings, and anyone else are not allowed, and wearing a seat belt does not create an exception. Breaking permit rules can lead to a permit suspension.

17. 17. Under Connecticut law, when is leaving a crash scene a crime?

    1. Only if your vehicle was damaged
    2. When someone was injured or killed and you leave before police have talked to you
    3. Never, if you exchanged phone numbers
    4. Only if you were at fault
    Show answer

    When someone was injured or killed and you leave before police have talked to you. It is a crime to leave a crash site involving your vehicle when there is an injury or death before police have talked to you and collected the information they need. Damage to your own car and fault are not the test, and swapping phone numbers does not satisfy the duty. If any person is hurt or killed, police must be notified. Evading responsibility after a crash with death or serious injury also rules out youthful offender status.

18. 18. In the Connecticut manual's hand over hand steering method, where does the pulling hand grip the wheel?

    1. At 6 o'clock
    2. At 3 and 9 o'clock without moving
    3. At the 1 or 11 o'clock position, then pull down
    4. At 12 o'clock only
    Show answer

    At the 1 or 11 o'clock position, then pull down. Grip the wheel firmly on the outside rim, push one hand to the 12 o'clock position letting the wheel slide through the other hand, bring that hand to the 1 or 11 o'clock position and pull down while the other hand slides back to its starting point, and repeat as needed. Done correctly, the turn is smooth and the hands never cross awkwardly.

19. 19. What type of information do regulatory signs provide?

    1. Only scenic points and recreation areas
    2. Rules for traffic direction, lane use, turning, speed, or parking
    3. Only warnings about weather conditions
    4. Only directions to emergency rooms
    Show answer

    Rules for traffic direction, lane use, turning, speed, or parking. Regulatory signs communicate rules that govern how traffic may move. The manual lists direction, lane use, turning, speed, parking, and other special situations. They may be square or rectangular, or use a special shape, and often use white, red, or black. Scenic guidance belongs to guide signs, while hazards are generally the work of warning signs. The cue is to treat a regulatory sign as an instruction or legal restriction that must be followed, not as optional route information.

20. 20. For a driver age 21 or older who fails a chemical test for the first time, what IID period is listed?

    1. Two years
    2. One year
    3. Six months
    4. Three years
    Show answer

    Six months. The adult first-offense baseline is at least six months with an ignition interlock device after a failed chemical test. One year is associated with the next adult tier or with the under-21 consequence, while two years belongs to a later adult tier. The age and offense history must be read together because Connecticut uses different periods for adults and drivers under 21. Use 21 or older plus first failure as the six-month cue.