IN Permit Practice Test 4

All 20 questions in test 4

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 hazard is signaled by a circular traffic sign?

   
   1. A school area where children may cross
   2. An upcoming railroad crossing
   3. A no-passing zone on a two-way road
   4. A sharp curve with an advisory speed
   Show answer

   An upcoming railroad crossing. A circular traffic sign alerts drivers to an upcoming railroad crossing. That shape is an advance cue to look for tracks, signals, gates, and trains, then follow the crossing rules. A five-sided sign marks a school area, a pennant warns against passing, and a rectangular sign can carry an advisory speed. The shape does not tell you whether a train is present, so continue scanning and be prepared to stop. Reduce distractions before the tracks and never assume a quiet crossing is automatically clear.

2. 2. Until what age is an Indiana probationary driver's license valid?

   1. 18 years exactly
   2. 21 years exactly
   3. 21 years and 30 days
   4. 25 years
   Show answer

   21 years and 30 days. A license obtained before 21 is probationary until the holder turns 21, and it is valid until the driver is 21 years and 30 days old. The driver may not renew it until 21 years and one day, and renewal then gives an unrestricted license. Eighteen is when the under-18 curfews end, not the license expiration. Exactly 21 ignores the 30-day window, and 25 is the supervising driver age.

3. 3. What type of traffic information is conveyed by a red sign?

   
   1. A nearby recreational or cultural attraction
   2. A regulation requiring immediate action for traffic safety
   3. A temporary highway construction condition only
   4. A permitted movement or route direction
   Show answer

   A regulation requiring immediate action for traffic safety. Indiana's manual assigns red to traffic regulations that require immediate action to avoid threats to traffic safety. A STOP sign is one familiar example, so a driver should respond promptly rather than treat the color as general route information. Brown identifies recreational and cultural interest sites, orange warns about temporary construction conditions, and green provides permitted movements or directions. When a red sign appears, read its message and carry out the required action before continuing. The red background signals urgency, while the wording supplies the specific command.

4. 4. At what blood alcohol concentration does Indiana identify operation of a vehicle as exceeding the legal limit?

   1. .08
   2. .10
   3. .12
   4. .05
   Show answer

   .08. The manual identifies a BAC in excess of .08 as exceeding Indiana's legal limit for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. The .05, .10, and .12 choices replace the figure stated in the manual with different thresholds. This is a BAC measure, not a count of drinks, and a driver should not treat a value below the threshold as a guarantee of safe driving. The practical cue is that impairment can still make driving unsafe even before a statutory limit is reached.

5. 5. What are common hours for Indiana school zone speed limits?

   1. 24 hours a day, every day
   2. Only 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
   3. Only on weekends
   4. 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or when beacons flash
   Show answer

   7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or when beacons flash. Common school zone hours in Indiana are 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or whenever the school speed limit beacons are flashing. Local authorities may also set lower limits whenever children are present. The limit is not in force all day every day unless posted, and an 8 to 9 a.m. window or weekends only are not the stated hours.

6. 6. When turning left at an intersection with a flashing yellow light, whom must the driver yield to?

   1. Only vehicles on the cross street traveling from the right
   2. Only vehicles approaching from behind
   3. No one, because flashing yellow grants an unprotected turn priority
   4. Oncoming traffic and pedestrians
   Show answer

   Oncoming traffic and pedestrians. The general flashing-yellow instruction is to slow down and use caution, but a left turn carries an additional yielding duty. The turning driver must give way to oncoming traffic and pedestrians who could conflict with the movement. The signal does not create a protected turn, and vehicles behind the driver are not the relevant opposing movement. Cross-street traffic generally yields to the flashing-light approach, subject to the driver's duty to watch for people and vehicles crossing. The cue is left-turn geometry plus intermittent yellow.

7. 7. How does occupancy affect the rollover risk of a 15-passenger van, according to Indiana's manual?

   1. Occupancy has no effect
   2. More passengers lower the center of gravity and reduce risk
   3. The risk increases dramatically as the number of occupants increases
   4. Only cargo weight matters
   Show answer

   The risk increases dramatically as the number of occupants increases. The rollover risk of a 15 passenger van increases dramatically as the number of occupants increases. Other risks include inexperienced drivers, improperly sized or inflated tires, and incorrectly loaded cargo or passengers that raise the center of gravity. Slow down on curves and ramps and never exceed the posted advisory speeds, which are set with ordinary cars in mind and are too fast for a loaded van.

8. 8. What does Indiana's manual say about stopping or shifting gears on railroad tracks?

   1. Avoid both, and never start across unless the tracks can be cleared without stopping
   2. Stop briefly on the tracks to look both ways
   3. Shift to a lower gear on the tracks
   4. Shifting is fine if the crossing is gated
   Show answer

   Avoid both, and never start across unless the tracks can be cleared without stopping. Avoid stopping or shifting gears while crossing railroad tracks, and never begin to cross unless the tracks can be cleared without stopping. A stall on the tracks is the danger, and if it happens all occupants should leave the vehicle immediately and call the number on the emergency notification sign, then 911. Never try to race a train to a crossing; its speed is deceiving.

9. 9. What reinstatement fee follows a second Indiana no-insurance suspension that occurred before 2015?

   1. $150
   2. $300
   3. $1,000
   4. $225
   Show answer

   $225. For no insurance suspensions prior to January 1, 2015, the reinstatement fees are $150 for a first suspension, $225 for a second, and $300 for a third and subsequent suspensions. Different fees apply to suspensions after that date. A driver may reinstate without paying the no insurance fee by having the insurer electronically submit proof of future financial responsibility, an SR22, and keeping it in force.

10. 10. What does an Indiana yield sign require as a driver approaches an intersection?

    1. Slow down and be ready to stop for a vehicle or pedestrian with the right of way
    2. Accelerate so cross traffic must brake first
    3. Stop at the sign every time, even when the approach is empty
    4. Enter without checking because a yield sign gives unconditional priority
    Show answer

    Slow down and be ready to stop for a vehicle or pedestrian with the right of way. A yield sign reduces the driver's priority at the intersection. The approach should be slow enough to evaluate traffic and pedestrians, with a complete stop available if someone with the right of way is approaching. The sign does not create an automatic stop in every empty approach, nor does it authorize a driver to make others brake. A good cue is whether another road user would need to change speed to avoid you. If so, wait and let that road user proceed first.

11. 11. What does signing a traffic ticket mean in Indiana?

    1. Only an acknowledgment of receiving the ticket, not an admission of guilt
    2. Agreement to pay the fine immediately
    3. Waiver of the right to a hearing
    4. A guilty plea
    Show answer

    Only an acknowledgment of receiving the ticket, not an admission of guilt. A traffic ticket requires the driver's signature, and signing it is not an admission of guilt but only an acknowledgment of receiving the ticket. During a stop, do not argue with the officer, do not refuse to sign, and do not be uncooperative. Refusing a breath, urine, blood or performance test when suspected of drunk driving can cost you your driving privileges.

12. 12. How close may an Indiana driver park to a fire hydrant?

    1. Within 5 feet
    2. Within 10 feet
    3. No closer than 15 feet
    4. Only beyond 25 feet
    Show answer

    No closer than 15 feet. Indiana lists parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant as prohibited, so a vehicle must be beyond that boundary rather than within it. The five, ten, and fifteen foot choices describe distances that still enter the prohibited area. The wording is important: the manual identifies the nearest fifteen feet as illegal, while it does not require a blanket 25 foot gap. A useful curbside cue is to look for the hydrant before leaving the vehicle and preserve more than fifteen feet of clearance.

13. 13. How long do points stay active on an Indiana driver record?

    1. Six months
    2. Five years
    3. Ten years
    4. Two years from the conviction date
    Show answer

    Two years from the conviction date. Points stay active for two years from the date of conviction. Six months is too short. Five years is the Habitual Traffic Violator suspension for ten violations in ten years, and ten years is the look-back period for HTV status, so neither is the points rule. A driver 21 or older with six or more active points at renewal must retake the knowledge exam, so old points can still matter at renewal time.

14. 14. In Indiana, two HTV judgments within ten years for intoxicated driving resulting in death can lead to what suspension?

    1. A 90 day suspension
    2. A five year suspension
    3. A lifetime suspension
    4. A ten year suspension
    Show answer

    A lifetime suspension. The manual distinguishes two major HTV outcomes. Two qualifying judgments within ten years ordinarily produce ten years, but two judgments for operating while intoxicated resulting in death, or with a .08 percent BAC or more resulting in death, produce a lifetime suspension. That special offense category makes the lifetime choice fit, while the five year option belongs to Section C's ten traffic offenses with a major offense. The ten year choice is the tempting near miss because it applies to other Section A offenses, not this specified fatal intoxication pattern.

15. 15. If water on the roadway is deeper than the tire treads, what does the manual advise a driver to do?

    1. Use high beams and maintain the posted maximum
    2. Slow down and use headlights to be seen
    3. Brake hard while driving through every puddle
    4. Speed up to prevent the tires from touching water
    Show answer

    Slow down and use headlights to be seen. When water is deeper than the tire treads, Indiana advises slowing down and using headlights so other drivers can see the vehicle. Maintaining maximum speed increases the danger of hydroplaning, and high beams are not the stated response. Hard braking in every puddle can reduce control, while speeding up raises the risk created by standing water. Ease off the accelerator, keep the vehicle steady, and leave extra space. The practical cue is depth at the tires, not the posted limit alone, because deeper water can quickly reduce traction.

16. 16. On a multi-lane roundabout, what must a driver do when a large vehicle is traveling through at the same time?

    1. Pass the large vehicle inside the circulatory roadway
    2. Yield to the large vehicle, slowing or stopping if needed
    3. Assume the smaller vehicle always has priority
    4. Change lanes beside it to remain visible
    Show answer

    Yield to the large vehicle, slowing or stopping if needed. Indiana gives large vehicles special room in a multi-lane roundabout. When a truck or bus is approaching or circulating at the same time, the smaller vehicle must yield, including slowing or stopping to let the larger vehicle pass safely. Passing inside the circle increases conflict, and vehicle size does not give a smaller car priority. Changing lanes beside a large vehicle is also hazardous and contrary to the roundabout guidance. Choose the needed lane before entering, watch the larger vehicle's path, and leave generous space through the circulatory roadway.

17. 17. When may a driver use an Indiana bicycle lane or bicycle path?

    1. Whenever traffic is congested
    2. Whenever the driver is preparing to pass
    3. Only when signs allow joint use with pedestrians or the driver is on official duty
    4. Only after a bicyclist waves the vehicle through
    Show answer

    Only when signs allow joint use with pedestrians or the driver is on official duty. Indiana reserves bicycle paths and lanes for bicycle operation, with narrow exceptions. A driver may enter when signs specify joint use with pedestrians or when the driver is on official duty, such as delivering mail. Congestion does not create a general permission, and preparing to pass is not an exception. A bicyclist also cannot waive away the lane's designated use. Treat the painted lane as protected space unless one of those stated conditions applies. Official duty must be the driver's actual role, not a convenient reason to avoid traffic.

18. 18. What is a designated center lane for left turns intended for?

    
    1. Left-turning vehicles, not passing
    2. Continuous straight travel
    3. Long-term vehicle storage
    4. Passing slower vehicles in either direction
    Show answer

    Left-turning vehicles, not passing. A designated center lane on a busy road is reserved for vehicles preparing to turn left. Drivers must not use it to pass, and it is not a through lane or a parking area. Vehicles traveling in the opposite direction may also enter that lane to turn left, so check carefully before moving into it. Look for alternate directional arrows or a CENTER LANE ONLY sign, signal, and use the lane only for the intended turn movement.

19. 19. In a multi-lane roundabout, when should a driver choose the needed lane?

    1. After stopping on the center island
    2. Before entering the circulatory roadway
    3. Only after passing the exit
    4. By changing lanes repeatedly inside the circle
    Show answer

    Before entering the circulatory roadway. In a multi-lane roundabout, drivers should know which lane they need before entering the circulatory roadway. Changing lanes inside the circle is discouraged because it places vehicles alongside one another while they are negotiating exits. The center island is not a stopping area, and choosing after passing an exit is too late for a smooth path. Read the lane signs and pavement arrows on approach, select the proper lane, and maintain it through the movement.

20. 20. What do fluorescent yellow green signs warn Indiana drivers about?

    1. Construction and maintenance work ahead
    2. Railroad crossings
    3. A no passing zone
    4. Nearby schools, pedestrians, bicycles, playgrounds and school bus routes
    Show answer

    Nearby schools, pedestrians, bicycles, playgrounds and school bus routes. The bright yellow green color is reserved in Indiana for places where people are likely to be in or near the road: school zones, pedestrian crossings, bicycle routes, playgrounds and school bus routes. Orange belongs to construction and maintenance zones, the pennant shape marks a no passing zone, and railroad crossings use the round yellow advance sign and the crossbuck. The color was chosen because it stands out in dawn, dusk and rain, exactly when children walking to school are hardest to see.