CT Permit Practice Test 7

All 20 questions in test 7

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. During months seven through twelve after licensing, which passengers may be added to the Connecticut teen driver's permitted passenger group?

   1. Any friend with a valid license
   2. Only a driving instructor
   3. All passengers under age 21
   4. Members of the driver's immediate family
   Show answer

   Members of the driver's immediate family. Connecticut expands the passenger allowance during the second six months of a teen license. Months seven through twelve add members of the driver's immediate family to the people already permitted during the first six months. The rule does not open the vehicle to every licensed friend or every person under 21. A driving instructor was already part of the earlier permitted group, so that option does not describe the new category. The timing is the key cue: immediate family becomes the additional group after month six.

2. 2. Where might a square sign with a white horizontal line inside a red ball be placed?

   
   1. At a permitted entrance to a two-way street
   2. At the start of every school zone
   3. Only beside a legal parking space
   4. At a roadway opening that should not be entered, such as an exit ramp leading the wrong way
   Show answer

   At a roadway opening that should not be entered, such as an exit ramp leading the wrong way. The DO NOT ENTER sign prohibits entry at a roadway opening where entering would put the driver in the wrong direction or otherwise violate the intended traffic flow. The manual gives exit ramps, crossovers on divided roads, and one-way streets as examples. It is not a parking or school-zone sign, and a permitted two-way entrance conveys the opposite message. The red ball with a white horizontal bar is the recognition cue. Treat the sign as an immediate instruction to stay out, not as a suggestion to slow down.

3. 3. What happens to the fine in Connecticut for failing to yield the right-of-way to a bicyclist?

   1. It is waived for a first offense
   2. It is doubled
   3. It is the same as a parking fine
   4. There is no fine, only points
   Show answer

   It is doubled. Fines are doubled for failure to yield the right-of-way to a bicyclist. Drivers must yield to cyclists in intersections, where a bike path or lane crosses the road, and in a bike lane before turning across it. The manual gives no first offense waiver, does not treat it as a parking offense, and does not replace the fine with points. When passing a cyclist, Connecticut also requires at least three feet of distance.

4. 4. After stopping for an ice cream truck with its stop arm extended, how may you proceed past it in Connecticut?

   1. At a reasonable speed up to 5 mph, yielding to pedestrians going to or from the truck
   2. At the posted speed limit
   3. Only after the truck drives away
   4. At up to 25 mph with the horn sounding
   Show answer

   At a reasonable speed up to 5 mph, yielding to pedestrians going to or from the truck. After stopping, a driver may pass the ice cream truck at a reasonable speed, no faster than 5 mph, and must yield to any pedestrian crossing to or from the truck. You do not have to wait until it leaves, and the posted limit or 25 mph is far too fast near children buying ice cream. Sounding the horn is not a substitute for slowing down. You must first stop at least 10 feet from the truck.

5. 5. If the brake pedal goes to the floor while driving, what should you try first?

   1. Pump the brake pedal several times
   2. Turn the steering wheel sharply toward the shoulder
   3. Shift immediately into park while moving
   4. Accelerate to reach the next intersection
   Show answer

   Pump the brake pedal several times. A brake pedal that drops to the floor signals a possible braking-system failure. The first response in the manual's emergency sequence is to try pumping the pedal, which may restore pressure. A sharp steering move can create a second emergency, and selecting park while moving can damage the vehicle or reduce control. Acceleration increases the problem. Keep the vehicle pointed safely and use the next listed slowing method if pumping does not help.

6. 6. What does a steady yellow traffic light mean for a driver approaching the intersection?

   1. The driver should accelerate through every time
   2. The driver has a new protected right of way
   3. The signal is about to turn red and the driver must stop if safe
   4. The intersection is closed to all traffic
   Show answer

   The signal is about to turn red and the driver must stop if safe. A steady yellow light announces that the signal is about to change to red. The driver must stop when a safe stop is possible. It is not a new protected movement, and accelerating through every yellow defeats the warning. A yellow light also does not mean the intersection is closed. Check the stopping distance, brake smoothly when appropriate, and avoid entering if the vehicle cannot clear the intersection before the signal changes.

7. 7. How can a driver check whether the following distance behind a truck is too short?

   1. Wait until the truck driver flashes the headlights
   2. Use a roadside landmark and count three seconds after the truck passes it
   3. Keep less than one second because trucks accelerate slowly
   4. Match the trucks length with the vehicles hood
   Show answer

   Use a roadside landmark and count three seconds after the truck passes it. The three-second method uses a fixed landmark rather than the truck's size or a signal from its driver. Watch the rear of the truck pass a sign, pole, or other stationary point, then count at a normal pace. If your vehicle reaches the same point before the count ends, the gap is too short and you should drop back. A larger truck blocks your view, so maintaining space improves both reaction time and visibility.

8. 8. What should a driver do when rain, ice, poor visibility, or heavy traffic makes the posted speed unsafe?

   1. Reduce speed below the posted limit as conditions require
   2. Keep the posted limit because it is always safe
   3. Match the speed of the fastest nearby vehicle
   4. Use the shoulder to avoid slowing traffic
   Show answer

   Reduce speed below the posted limit as conditions require. Posted limits assume ideal conditions. When the road is wet or icy, visibility is poor, or traffic is heavy, the driver must slow enough to manage the reduced traction, view, or stopping space. Holding the posted number does not guarantee safety, and following the fastest vehicle can compound the risk. The shoulder is not a substitute for choosing a safe speed. Watch the road ahead and reduce speed before conditions force a sudden response.

9. 9. Which condition can make the posted speed unsafe even when the number on the speedometer matches the sign?

   1. Wet or icy pavement, poor visibility, or heavy traffic
   2. A dry road with light traffic and clear visibility
   3. A clean windshield on a sunny day
   4. Driving on a road with no nearby driveway
   Show answer

   Wet or icy pavement, poor visibility, or heavy traffic. Connecticut's manual treats a speed limit as a figure for ideal conditions, not a guarantee that the same speed is safe in every circumstance. Wet or icy pavement reduces traction, poor visibility shortens the distance available to react, and heavy traffic creates more conflicts. Those conditions call for slowing down, and the driver can still be ticketed for traveling too fast for the road. A dry, clear roadway does not create the same warning. Match speed to what you can see, stop, and control.

10. 10. Which conditions must be met before a right turn can be made during a red signal?

    1. Before stopping if the intersection appears empty
    2. Whenever the driver uses a turn signal
    3. After coming to a full stop, checking for traffic and pedestrians, and confirming that no sign prohibits the turn
    4. Only after the light changes to yellow
    Show answer

    After coming to a full stop, checking for traffic and pedestrians, and confirming that no sign prohibits the turn. A right turn on red begins with a full stop. The driver must then check for oncoming traffic and pedestrians and make sure no sign prohibits the turn. A turn signal communicates intent but cannot replace the stop or the safety checks. An empty-looking intersection also does not waive the full-stop requirement, and yellow is not the required signal phase. Stop at the line or before the crosswalk, scan both directions, and turn only after the path is clear and the movement is permitted.

11. 11. What should a driver do after seeing a SIGNAL AHEAD warning?

    
    1. Stop immediately in the travel lane regardless of traffic
    2. Speed up to clear the signal before it changes
    3. Treat the next signal as advisory only
    4. Slow down and prepare to stop
    Show answer

    Slow down and prepare to stop. SIGNAL AHEAD warns that traffic signals are coming up. Slow down and prepare to stop so you can respond to the actual signal without abrupt braking. The sign is not permission to race through the intersection or treat the signal as optional. Nor does it require an immediate stop before the signal when the lane is still open. Lift off the accelerator, scan for changing lights and queued traffic, and leave room to stop smoothly.

12. 12. A 19 year old who has never held a license anywhere applies for a Connecticut license. What course must this applicant take?

    1. No course, because adults are exempt from driver education
    2. An 8 hour course on safe driving practices
    3. A 30 hour classroom course
    4. A 4 hour defensive driving course
    Show answer

    An 8 hour course on safe driving practices. Applicants 18 or older who have never held a Connecticut license and do not hold a valid license from another state must take an 8 hour safe driving practices course and bring the certificate. Adults are therefore not fully exempt. The 30 hour classroom program is for teens in a driving school or high school program, and a 4 hour defensive course is not the requirement. Adult applicants must also hold a learner's permit for at least 90 days before the road test.

13. 13. A Connecticut child is 18 months old and weighs 32 pounds. What type of car seat is required?

    1. A booster seat
    2. A rear-facing seat with a 5-point harness
    3. A forward-facing seat because the child is over 30 pounds
    4. A seat belt alone
    Show answer

    A rear-facing seat with a 5-point harness. A child under age 2 or under 30 pounds must ride in a rear-facing car seat with a 5-point harness. When a child's age and weight fall in different categories, the more restrictive requirement applies, so this 18 month old stays rear facing even at 32 pounds. A forward-facing seat, a booster, or a belt alone all loosen the requirement. Connecticut also requires child seats to have a five point harness.

14. 14. How should speed change as a road becomes wet, packed with snow, and then icy?

    1. Keep the posted speed in all three conditions
    2. Increase speed to maintain tire momentum
    3. Slow only after the vehicle starts sliding
    4. Reduce speed about 10 mph on wet roads, halve it on packed snow, and crawl on ice
    Show answer

    Reduce speed about 10 mph on wet roads, halve it on packed snow, and crawl on ice. Connecticut gives progressively stronger speed guidance as traction declines. On a wet road, the manual says to reduce speed by about 10 mph. On packed snow, cut speed in half. On ice, slow to a crawl because driving there is very dangerous. Waiting for a slide means the correction comes too late, and the posted limit does not guarantee safe traction. Increasing speed makes stopping and steering harder. The cue is to respond to the surface immediately, starting with the first sign of rain, snow, or sleet.

15. 15. What suspension does a Connecticut 16 or 17 year old face for speeding 20 mph over the limit?

    1. A 30 day suspension
    2. A 60 day suspension, a $175 restoration fee and court fines
    3. A one year suspension
    4. A warning
    Show answer

    A 60 day suspension, a $175 restoration fee and court fines. For a 16 or 17 year old, speeding 20 mph over the speed limit under section 14-219 brings a 60 day suspension, a $175 license restoration fee and court fines, with longer suspensions for repeat offenses. Cell phone use brings 30 days, and reckless driving and street racing bring six months. Two violations before age 25 also require operator retraining.

16. 16. A railroad crossbuck has the same meaning as which traffic sign?

    1. Do Not Enter
    2. Stop
    3. Yield
    4. Speed Limit
    Show answer

    Yield. The white X-shaped railroad crossbuck carries the meaning of a yield sign, so a driver must yield to crossing trains. That does not mean every crossing requires a routine stop when no train is present, which is why Stop is too broad. The crossbuck is also not a restriction on entry or a speed-limit sign. Slow as you approach, look and listen along the tracks, and enter only when you can yield safely and clear the crossing.

17. 17. According to the Connecticut manual, how much alcohol could make a driver under 21 considered impaired?

    1. Only one drink
    2. At least three drinks
    3. Any amount over 0.08 percent
    4. Only enough to fail a field sobriety test
    Show answer

    Only one drink. In Connecticut, people under 21 could be considered impaired after only one drink. That fits the zero tolerance limit of 0.02 percent for drivers under 21. Three drinks and 0.08 are adult thresholds that do not protect a young driver, and a field sobriety test is not required to find impairment. A drink means 1.5 ounces of 80 proof liquor, 12 ounces of beer, or 5 ounces of wine.

18. 18. When must police be notified after a Connecticut crash?

    1. Only when a vehicle cannot be driven
    2. Only on highways
    3. Whenever any person is injured or killed
    4. Never, insurers handle it
    Show answer

    Whenever any person is injured or killed. If you are involved in an accident you must stop, and if any person is injured or killed the police must be notified; leaving a crash site where someone is hurt is a crime. If you hit a parked vehicle you must try to locate the owner. Exchange license, registration and insurance information with the other drivers involved, and stay at the scene until released.

19. 19. What do warning signs tell drivers?

    1. That a destination's distance is being shown
    2. That a parking space is legally reserved
    3. That the road is always one-way
    4. That a special situation or hazard is ahead
    Show answer

    That a special situation or hazard is ahead. Warning signs alert drivers to a special situation or hazard ahead and tell them to slow down and be prepared to stop if needed. They do not by themselves create a parking reservation, establish one-way travel, or serve as distance-only guide signs. Connecticut says these signs are usually yellow with black lettering or symbols and are often diamond-shaped. The cue is to change attention and speed when the sign appears, then be ready for the curve, crossing, signal, work area, or other condition it previews.

20. 20. At a railroad crossing, what right-of-way rule applies to an approaching train?

    1. The driver yields only when gates are down
    2. The train must yield to road traffic
    3. The driver must yield to the train
    4. The driver has priority if already on the crossing
    Show answer

    The driver must yield to the train. A train crossing the roadway has the right of way, so the driver must yield and remain clear until the crossing is safe. Gates and flashing lights are additional warnings, not the only situations in which yielding matters. The choice saying the train yields reverses the rule, and being on the crossing first does not create permission to remain in the path of a train. Approach slowly, look and listen in both directions, and never enter unless there is enough room to clear the tracks completely.