GA Permit Practice Test 8

All 20 questions in test 8

Every question below comes from the Georgia 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. What does a round road sign warn a driver about?

   1. An approaching railroad crossing
   2. A reduced speed zone
   3. A one-way road
   4. A school crossing
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   An approaching railroad crossing. The round sign shape means a railroad crossing is ahead. It is posted several hundred feet before the tracks and gives the driver time to slow, look, listen, and prepare to stop. A pentagon identifies a school zone or school crossing, while speed and one-way restrictions use other sign designs. Treat the round sign as a prompt to search for trains and crossing signals, not as an instruction to continue at normal speed.

2. 2. When are Georgia drivers required to use headlights?

   1. Only after midnight on roads without streetlights
   2. From one-half hour after sunset until one-half hour before sunrise, and when visibility is limited
   3. Only during rain, never during fog or smoke
   4. Whenever the vehicle is parked on a public street
   Show answer

   From one-half hour after sunset until one-half hour before sunrise, and when visibility is limited. Georgia requires headlights during the nighttime interval beginning one-half hour after sunset and ending one-half hour before sunrise. They are also required when rain, fog, smoke, or other conditions reduce visibility. Waiting until midnight omits much of the required period, and limiting use to rain ignores fog and smoke. Check that lights are working before travel, then use them early whenever the roadway or weather makes it harder to see.

3. 3. What principle should guide a driver who technically has the right-of-way but sees another road user failing to yield?

   1. Yield if needed to prevent a crash
   2. Use the horn and keep the same path
   3. Insist on proceeding because the law guarantees safety
   4. Accelerate so the other vehicle must stop
   Show answer

   Yield if needed to prevent a crash. Right-of-way is something to give, not something to force. If another road user does not yield, a defensive driver should slow or yield when needed to prevent a collision, even when the law would otherwise favor that driver. A legal priority cannot protect a vehicle from impact. Watch the other road user's wheels and body position, cover the brake, and choose the action that keeps the conflict from developing.

4. 4. Where should a Georgia driver stop for an emergency vehicle if the shoulder cannot be reached?

   1. In the left lane
   2. In the center of the intersection
   3. As far to the right of the roadway or lane as possible
   4. Wherever the vehicle happens to be
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   As far to the right of the roadway or lane as possible. If moving to the shoulder is not possible when an emergency vehicle approaches with lights and siren, slow down and move as far to the right of the roadway or lane as you can, and stop. Use caution so you do not endanger motorists, bicyclists or pedestrians while doing so, and never position your vehicle where it blocks the emergency vehicle's path, such as inside an intersection.

5. 5. What does a triangular yield sign require before a driver enters the intersection?

   1. Stop for exactly five seconds at the sign
   2. Slow to a reasonable speed and yield to traffic with priority
   3. Accelerate to enter before approaching vehicles
   4. Yield only to vehicles turning left
   Show answer

   Slow to a reasonable speed and yield to traffic with priority. A triangle means yield. The driver slows to a reasonable speed for existing conditions and stops if necessary, then yields to vehicles already in the intersection or approaching closely on another roadway. A five-second pause is not the rule, and neither speed nor turning direction removes the duty to yield. Scan both directions, cover the brake, and be ready to stop at the marked line when traffic makes entry unsafe.

6. 6. After yielding to an emergency vehicle, how closely may a driver follow it?

   1. Within 20 feet so the route remains clear
   2. Not closer than 200 feet
   3. Within one car length at intersections
   4. At any distance if the emergency lights remain visible
   Show answer

   Not closer than 200 feet. Georgia prohibits following an emergency vehicle closer than 200 feet when it is responding with emergency equipment. Leaving that separation gives responders room to brake, maneuver, and deal with changing traffic. Staying within 20 feet or one car length is far too close, and visible lights do not create an exception. Once the vehicle passes, let it open a substantial gap before resuming ordinary travel behind it.

7. 7. If a vehicle leaves the roadway, what is the safest immediate response?

   1. Turn sharply back onto the pavement at once
   2. Brake as hard as possible while jerking the wheel
   3. Take your foot off the accelerator and avoid sudden hard braking
   4. Accelerate to regain the lane before other traffic arrives
   Show answer

   Take your foot off the accelerator and avoid sudden hard braking. A vehicle on uneven terrain can lose control if the driver reacts abruptly. The manual advises releasing the accelerator, gripping the wheel, and using the brakes carefully rather than hitting them suddenly and hard. Jerking back onto pavement can cause a skid, rollover, or movement into another lane. Let speed fall, check traffic, and return by merging at a safe location, stopping first if necessary.

8. 8. Which situation is an explicit exception to Georgia's child passenger restraint rule for a child under eight?

   1. The child is at least 4 feet 9 inches tall
   2. The child weighs more than 80 pounds
   3. The child sits in the front seat
   4. The child is riding in a taxi or public transit vehicle
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   The child is riding in a taxi or public transit vehicle. Georgia requires a driver transporting a child under eight to use an appropriate child passenger restraint system, but the manual explicitly names a taxi cab or public transit vehicle as an exception. Height, weight, and seating position are not presented here as automatic exemptions. This distinction matters when reviewing a child passenger question: identify the transportation setting before relying on a physical measurement. The manual also says limited circumstances may exist and directs readers to the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for further information.

9. 9. What should a driver do when fog makes visibility poor?

   1. Reduce speed and dim the headlights
   2. Use bright high beams to illuminate more fog
   3. Turn on parking lights and continue at normal speed
   4. Follow the vehicle ahead more closely
   Show answer

   Reduce speed and dim the headlights. Fog reduces the distance a driver can see and makes bright beams reflect glare back toward the vehicle. Georgia advises reducing speed and dimming headlights, then slowing farther when another vehicle's lights appear. High beams can make visibility worse, while parking lights and normal speed provide too little warning time. Keep a larger gap, use the regular headlights, and avoid driving into dense fog when another route is available.

10. 10. When a school bus stops to load or unload children, which traffic must stop?

    1. Only traffic directly behind the bus
    2. Only traffic traveling toward the front of the bus
    3. No traffic if the bus is on the shoulder
    4. Traffic approaching the bus from either direction, subject to the divided-highway exception
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    Traffic approaching the bus from either direction, subject to the divided-highway exception. A stopped school bus loading or unloading children requires traffic approaching from either direction to stop, except where separate roadways are divided by a median as provided by law. Limiting the duty to vehicles behind the bus ignores opposing traffic that may cross the children's path. A shoulder location does not automatically cancel the rule. Watch for the flashing lights, stop before reaching the bus, and remain stopped until the signals end and the children are safe.

11. 11. Why are traffic signals placed at intersections?

    1. To identify nearby parking areas
    2. To guarantee that every driver may turn left
    3. To control orderly traffic movement and help prevent crashes
    4. To replace all yielding rules
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    To control orderly traffic movement and help prevent crashes. Traffic signals organize the movement of vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians at intersections and help prevent crashes. They do not guarantee a left turn because a driver may still need to yield to opposing traffic or pedestrians. Parking information is provided by signs, not by the basic purpose of a signal. A signal also works with, rather than erases, other right-of-way rules. The cue is a controlled crossing: read the indication, check the people and vehicles in conflict, and follow the displayed movement.

12. 12. What should a driver do when a traffic signal is malfunctioning and flashing yellow?

    1. Stop and wait until an officer arrives
    2. Proceed with caution
    3. Treat the signal as a red light
    4. Ignore the signal and accelerate
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    Proceed with caution. A malfunctioning signal that flashes yellow still permits the driver to proceed with caution. Stopping indefinitely or treating it as a red signal adds a rule the manual reserves for a flashing red indication. Ignoring the display and accelerating is unsafe because cross traffic and pedestrians may still be present. Slow down, check every approach, and enter only after yielding where necessary. The cue is the flashing color: yellow means cautious movement, while red requires stopping and waiting until it is safe.

13. 13. When a traffic signal is not functioning at all, how should drivers treat the intersection?

    1. As a pedestrian-only crossing
    2. As an uncontrolled intersection with no yielding rule
    3. As a green signal for the main road
    4. As if a stop sign is posted for all directions
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    As if a stop sign is posted for all directions. A completely nonfunctioning traffic signal requires every driver to treat the intersection as if a stop sign were posted for all directions. That means stopping, checking traffic and pedestrians, and proceeding only when the movement is safe. Treating it as uncontrolled removes the required stop, while assuming a green main road invents priority that the manual does not grant. The pedestrian-only choice is unrelated. The cue is a dark or dead signal: make a full stop in every approach direction and resolve right-of-way carefully.

14. 14. What should a driver use to signal a change in speed while preparing to exit in the traveling lane?

    1. The hazard lights only after stopping
    2. A high-beam flash without slowing
    3. Brake lights or a turn signal
    4. The horn instead of any light
    Show answer

    Brake lights or a turn signal. When preparing to exit while still slowing in the traveling lane, Georgia advises using brake lights or a turn signal to show the drivers behind that speed is changing. The hazard-light choice adds a condition the passage does not require, while a high-beam flash or horn does not provide the stated warning. The cue is the combination of slowing and exit preparation: communicate the change early enough for following traffic to react, then complete the maneuver in the proper lane.

15. 15. Where should a driver generally place the hands on the steering wheel?

    1. Left hand at 9 o'clock and right hand at 3 o'clock
    2. Both hands at the top of the wheel
    3. Left hand at 6 o'clock and right hand at 12 o'clock
    4. One hand on the wheel and one on the window
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    Left hand at 9 o'clock and right hand at 3 o'clock. The manual’s general steering guidance places the left hand at 9 o'clock and the right hand at 3 o'clock. Balanced hand placement keeps both hands ready for a controlled correction and avoids resting an arm on the window. The other arrangements either remove a hand from a useful control position or leave only one hand engaged. Some vehicles with airbags may have manufacturer guidance for another position, so consult the owner’s manual when it differs. The cue is two hands opposite each other, not a single-hand posture.

16. 16. When must a driver give a turn signal?

    1. Only when another vehicle is visible
    2. Only during the final second before turning
    3. Only when turning at a traffic signal
    4. Whenever making a turn to the right or left
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    Whenever making a turn to the right or left. Georgia’s manual requires a signal whenever a vehicle turns right or left, with a continuous signal for enough distance to alert other drivers. The visible-vehicle choice is unsafe because a driver may be hidden from view or approaching from a side street. Signaling only at the last moment gives others too little time, and the rule applies beyond signalized intersections. Activate the indicator before the maneuver, keep it on through the approach and turn, then cancel it. The cue is every turn, even on an apparently empty road.

17. 17. Which behavior does the manual identify as an example of aggressive driving?

    1. Allowing another driver to pass safely
    2. Blocking other drivers from passing or changing lanes
    3. Maintaining a safe following distance
    4. Yielding when required
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    Blocking other drivers from passing or changing lanes. The Georgia manual lists blocking other drivers from passing or changing lanes as an example of aggressive driving, along with conduct such as tailgating and cutting in front of another driver. Allowing a safe pass, keeping a reasonable following distance, and yielding when required are defensive habits rather than aggressive examples. The cue is whether the maneuver intentionally obstructs another road user. If a driver is being blocked or harassed, avoid escalating the encounter, create distance when safe, and keep attention on the roadway.

18. 18. What minimum space must a Georgia motorist leave when passing a bicyclist?

    1. At least one foot
    2. At least six inches
    3. At least three feet
    4. No fixed space if the horn is used
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    At least three feet. Georgia requires a motorist to leave at least three feet between the vehicle and a bicyclist while passing. The one-foot and six-inch options leave too little room for a rider who may need to avoid a pothole or another road danger. Using the horn does not replace the space requirement, because the rule protects the bicyclist throughout the pass. A practical cue is to picture a full arm span or more between the vehicle and the bicycle, then maintain that buffer until the pass is complete.

19. 19. Before entering or crossing a highway from an alley or private road, what must a driver do?

    1. Accelerate into the nearest lane
    2. Yield only to vehicles approaching from the left
    3. Stop only when a sign requires it
    4. Stop and yield to all traffic and pedestrians
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    Stop and yield to all traffic and pedestrians. A driver entering or crossing a highway from an alley, private road, or another highway must stop and yield to all traffic and pedestrians. Accelerating into the nearest lane risks crossing an occupied path, while yielding only left ignores vehicles and pedestrians from other directions. The duty applies even when a separate stop sign is not visible. Stop before the roadway, check both directions and the crossing area, then proceed only after the path is clear. The cue is entering a highway from a lesser access point: stop and yield.

20. 20. What fine may apply for a first violation of Georgia HOV lane restrictions?

    1. Up to $75
    2. Up to $25
    3. Up to $100
    4. Up to $150
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    Up to $75. Georgia lists a fine of up to $75 for a first offense involving HOV lane restrictions. The higher amounts belong to later violations: up to $100 for a second offense and up to $150 for a third offense. The fourth or subsequent offense can also add a point to the driving record. Do not select a later-offense amount when the question describes a first violation. The cue is the sequence: first $75, second $100, third $150, with an additional point possible for the fourth or later offense.