IN Permit Practice Test 1

All 20 questions in test 1

Every question below comes from the Indiana 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 must a driver do when approaching an intersection with a non-operating traffic signal?

   1. Continue because a dark signal grants priority
   2. Stop before entering and yield as required
   3. Yield only to vehicles approaching from the left
   4. Wait for a police officer before moving under any circumstance
   Show answer

   Stop before entering and yield as required. A non-operating signal requires the driver to stop before entering the intersection. After stopping, the driver may proceed cautiously only after yielding to cross traffic already inside, a vehicle that stopped first, a vehicle arriving simultaneously from the right, and pedestrians. A dark signal does not grant priority, and the rule is broader than watching only the left side. Police direction is not required before every careful movement through the intersection.

2. 2. Why should a driver slow down when heavy rain creates standing water on the road?

   1. Rain makes the posted speed limit legally higher
   2. Water can cause hydroplaning and loss of control
   3. The tires gain extra friction when water covers the road
   4. Only the vehicle's headlights are affected by standing water
   Show answer

   Water can cause hydroplaning and loss of control. Standing water can separate the tires from the pavement, a condition called hydroplaning. As speed increases, the tires may contact only a thin mixture of oil, dirt, and water, leaving little or no friction for braking, acceleration, or steering. That is why heavy rain and puddles call for reduced speed. The condition affects control, not merely visibility or headlight performance. A driver should avoid worn tires, slow before entering deeper water, and test the brakes after leaving puddles by pumping them.

3. 3. A red flashing light at an intersection has the same legal meaning as what control?

   1. A stop sign
   2. A yield sign with no stopping duty
   3. A steady yellow light
   4. A green arrow
   Show answer

   A stop sign. Indiana treats a red flashing intersection signal like a stop sign. The driver must make a complete stop, then proceed cautiously only after checking the intersection and yielding as required. It is not equivalent to a green arrow, which provides movement authority when the path is clear, nor to a yield sign that may allow a slow entry without stopping. A steady yellow communicates that the right of way is ending. The visual cue is the red light pulsing on and off, which demands a full stop before movement.

4. 4. When approaching a red light or stop sign, where should the driver stop if a solid white line is present?

   1. Beyond the crosswalk in the intersection
   2. At least one car length after the line
   3. Beside the nearest parked vehicle
   4. At the solid white stop line
   Show answer

   At the solid white stop line. The marked white bar is the driver's primary stopping reference. Stopping beyond the crosswalk or after the line can place the vehicle in the pedestrian or intersection area. A parked vehicle does not determine the stopping point. If there is no stop line, the manual gives alternate locations, including before the crosswalk or before entering the intersection, so the driver should use the visible marking whenever it exists. This keeps the vehicle behind the control point and preserves the crossing area for pedestrians.

5. 5. What action does an eight-sided traffic sign tell a driver to take?

   1. Prepare for a railroad crossing
   2. Watch for children near a school
   3. Avoid passing on the left
   4. Stop and yield the appropriate right of way
   Show answer

   Stop and yield the appropriate right of way. The eight-sided sign shape identifies a stop instruction. It warns that the driver must stop and yield the appropriate right of way at an intersection. Railroad crossings are associated with circular signs, school areas with five-sided signs, and no-passing warnings with a pennant shape. Shape recognition helps a driver interpret a sign even before reading its lettering, so an octagon should trigger a planned stop and an intersection scan.

6. 6. How far from the nearest rail must certain Indiana vehicles stop at a railroad crossing?

   1. No closer than 5 feet
   2. Between 10 and 25 feet
   3. Not closer than 15 feet and not farther than 50 feet
   4. At least 100 feet away
   Show answer

   Not closer than 15 feet and not farther than 50 feet. Vehicles in the listed required categories must stop not closer than 15 feet and not farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail. The rule applies to vehicles such as school buses, passenger for hire vehicles, and those carrying explosives or flammable liquids. The shorter distances in the other choices either put the vehicle too close or describe no rule in the passage. Remember the two boundaries together: fifteen is the minimum gap and fifty is the maximum stopping distance.

7. 7. An Indiana learner under 18 not in driver education practices with a licensed driver. How old must that driver be?

   1. At least 18
   2. At least 30
   3. At least 21, any licensed driver
   4. At least 25, with valid driving privileges and related by blood, marriage or legal status
   Show answer

   At least 25, with valid driving privileges and related by blood, marriage or legal status. If you are under 18 and not enrolled in a driver education program, you may practice with a licensed driver who has valid driving privileges, is 25 years of age or older, and is related to you by blood, marriage or legal status. A spouse who is licensed and at least 21 also qualifies. The supervising driver must sit in the front passenger seat, and the practice hours go into the supervised driving log.

8. 8. What should an Indiana driver do if water on the roadway is deeper than the vehicle's tire treads?

   1. Speed up to clear the water quickly
   2. Slow down
   3. Brake hard and keep the same speed
   4. Maintain speed while using high beams
   Show answer

   Slow down. When roadway water is deeper than the tire treads, the driver should slow down. Extra speed can reduce tire contact with the pavement and make hydroplaning or loss of control more likely. Braking hard while entering the water is not the stated response, and high beams do not solve the traction problem. Use the water depth as the practical cue: if it reaches beyond the tread depth, ease off the accelerator before entering and keep the vehicle steady. This guidance addresses the risk created by water covering the road, not a need to preserve normal speed through the puddle.

9. 9. How many miles per hour over the limit produces six points under Indiana's speeding point examples?

   1. 1 to 15 mph over
   2. 26 or more mph over
   3. 16 to 25 mph over
   4. Any speed at least 5 mph over
   Show answer

   26 or more mph over. Indiana's examples assign six points for driving 26 or more miles per hour above the speed limit. The first range, 1 to 15 over, carries two points, and the middle range, 16 to 25 over, carries four points. The question turns on the upper threshold, so a small excess does not reach six points. A quick study cue is the ascending pattern: two points for the first band, four for the next, and six once the excess reaches 26 miles per hour.

10. 10. When a person with a visual disability is crossing, what right of way must Indiana drivers yield?

    1. Only at a signalized intersection
    2. Only when the person uses a marked crosswalk
    3. Always yield the right of way
    4. Yield only after sounding the horn
    Show answer

    Always yield the right of way. Indiana directs drivers to always yield the right of way to persons who are visually impaired. The manual identifies a white cane or trained guide dog as common travel aids, but the duty is not limited to signalized intersections or marked crosswalks. Waiting for a horn or requiring an extra condition could leave a vulnerable pedestrian in the vehicle's path. The cue is the person's visual disability, which calls for a full yield and careful patience wherever the crossing occurs.

11. 11. For an indefinite Indiana no-insurance suspension, how long must an effective SR22 generally be maintained to terminate the suspension?

    1. Continuously for 30 days
    2. Until the next license renewal only
    3. Continuously for 180 days
    4. For one calendar year in every case
    Show answer

    Continuously for 180 days. For no-insurance suspensions that became effective on or after December 31, 2021, the suspension is indefinite. The manual says it can be stayed after the BMV receives an SR22 and terminated by maintaining that policy continuously for 180 days. Thirty days is too short, and a renewal date does not replace the stated period. One year is not the general requirement described here. The key is uninterrupted SR22 coverage on file with the BMV for the full 180 days.

12. 12. Off interstates and state highways, what is the maximum speed for an Indiana school bus unless a lower limit is posted?

    1. 30 mph
    2. 45 mph
    3. 60 mph
    4. 40 mph
    Show answer

    40 mph. When not on an interstate or state highway, a school bus may not exceed 40 mph unless a lower limit is posted. On an interstate or highway, the school bus maximum is 60 mph or the posted limit. Thirty and forty-five mph are not the stated figures. Other drivers should expect school buses to travel below the speed of surrounding traffic.

13. 13. What must anyone under 18 wear when operating or riding an off-road vehicle in Indiana?

    1. Goggles only
    2. A reflective vest
    3. No equipment is required
    4. A helmet meeting U.S. Department of Transportation standards
    Show answer

    A helmet meeting U.S. Department of Transportation standards. Anyone under 18 years of age who is operating or riding an off road vehicle shall wear a helmet that meets the standards established by the United States Department of Transportation under 49 CFR 571.218. The owner or person in possession of the ORV is responsible for ensuring compliance. The requirement mirrors the state's motorcycle guidance for young riders and applies on trails as well as roads.

14. 14. Which action helps prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in a vehicle?

    1. Have the exhaust system checked regularly
    2. Let the engine run in a closed garage
    3. Close every vent on a highway in cold weather
    4. Ignore an unusual roar under the car
    Show answer

    Have the exhaust system checked regularly. Regular exhaust-system checks help identify leaks before poisonous carbon monoxide enters the passenger compartment. Running an engine in a closed garage can concentrate the gas, and an unusual roar under the car is a warning to investigate rather than ignore. The manual also advises opening the fresh-air vent on highways in cold weather, so closing every vent reverses that guidance. Carbon monoxide has no visible, smellable, or tasteable warning, making prevention and maintenance especially important.

15. 15. What are Indiana's minimum liability insurance limits?

    1. $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 property damage, known as 25/50/25
    2. $15,000, $30,000 and $10,000
    3. $50,000, $100,000 and $50,000
    4. $100,000 combined single limit
    Show answer

    $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 property damage, known as 25/50/25. The state minimum insurance standard is $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one individual, $50,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more people in one accident, and $25,000 for property damage in one accident, commonly called 25/50/25 liability insurance. Driving without it brings suspensions and reinstatement fees, and the insurer must file a Certificate of Compliance electronically when the BMV requests proof.

16. 16. If the rear wheels begin sliding sideways, what initial correction does the manual recommend?

    1. Pump the brakes repeatedly while turning sharply away
    2. Accelerate hard to force the tires straight
    3. Ease off the gas pedal and avoid a fast turn away from the skid
    4. Turn the wheel as far as possible toward the shoulder
    Show answer

    Ease off the gas pedal and avoid a fast turn away from the skid. A sideways rear-wheel slide calls for a calm reduction in power. Ease off the gas, keep steering inputs controlled, and avoid snapping the wheel away from the skid. A sharp opposite movement or excessive steering can turn a slide into a spin. The procedure applies to both front-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive vehicles. If the vehicle has conventional brakes, guide the steering wheel in the direction the rear is sliding, then straighten the vehicle after traction returns and continue slowly.

17. 17. What do railroad traffic signs alert drivers to?

    
    1. A lane that must turn left
    2. A school bus stop ahead
    3. Upcoming railroad crossings
    4. A temporary construction detour
    Show answer

    Upcoming railroad crossings. Railroad traffic signs alert drivers that a railroad crossing is ahead. The advance notice gives the driver time to reduce speed, identify crossing devices, look and listen, and keep the vehicle clear of the tracks. A school bus stop sign serves a different warning, a lane-turn sign is regulatory, and a detour is construction guidance. Do not treat the railroad symbol as a suggestion to maintain speed. Scan for a train and obey gates, lights, bells, crossbucks, and any stop requirement at the crossing.

18. 18. What do diamond-shaped traffic signs warn drivers about?

    
    1. The distance to a destination or highway exit
    2. Upcoming road conditions and hazards
    3. A required stop at every intersection
    4. A nearby recreational or cultural site
    Show answer

    Upcoming road conditions and hazards. Diamond-shaped signs warn of road conditions and hazards ahead. A Slippery When Wet sign is the manual's example, so the driver should anticipate a change in traction and adjust speed smoothly. Green signs provide destination guidance, eight-sided signs require a stop and yield, and brown signs identify recreational or cultural locations. The diamond is an advance warning, not a command to stop at once. Use the information to prepare early, leaving room for braking and steering if the hazard becomes present.

19. 19. Before turning right through an Indiana intersection against a red light, what must the driver do first?

    1. Come to a full stop and check the path and signs
    2. Slow briefly, then turn if no car is nearby
    3. Turn without stopping when the signal is red
    4. Wait for a green arrow in every case
    Show answer

    Come to a full stop and check the path and signs. A permissible right turn on red requires a full stop before the driver checks vehicles and pedestrians in the turn path or about to enter it. The driver must also check for a No Turn on Red sign and use the correct lane. A rolling slowdown is not a full stop, and turning without stopping violates the procedure. Waiting for a green arrow every time is more restrictive than the rule. Stop, scan, check signage, and then turn only when clear.

20. 20. How is an Indiana driver's license affected by a conviction for operating a watercraft while intoxicated?

    1. The driving privileges face the same penalties as for a motor vehicle
    2. It has no effect on the driver's license
    3. Only the boating license is affected
    4. It adds a single warning point
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    The driving privileges face the same penalties as for a motor vehicle. A conviction for operating a watercraft while intoxicated brings the same driving privilege penalties as the same offense in a motor vehicle, and the conviction is sent to the BMV and placed on the driver record. Other boating offenses, like reckless operation or operating while suspended, are also added to the record. The license is not shielded from boating conduct, and a warning point is not the rule.