IN Permit Practice Test 5

All 20 questions in test 5

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. Which sign is listed in the manual as an example of a white traffic sign?

   1. SCHOOL BUS STOP AHEAD
   2. NO TURN ON RED
   3. SLIPPERY WHEN WET
   4. STATE PARK
   Show answer

   NO TURN ON RED. The manual identifies NO TURN ON RED as an example of a white traffic sign. It is a regulatory message, so a driver must obey it even when the intersection otherwise appears clear. SCHOOL BUS STOP AHEAD and SLIPPERY WHEN WET communicate warnings, while STATE PARK identifies a recreational destination. The important cue is that the white sign states a rule governing a movement. Before turning on red, look for this restriction and remember that a full stop and a clear path are required whenever a red turn is otherwise permitted.

2. 2. What does a red flashing traffic light at an Indiana intersection require a driver to do?

   1. Slow without stopping if the cross street is empty
   2. Treat it as a yellow signal and continue carefully
   3. Wait for a green arrow before moving in any direction
   4. Treat it as a stop sign and stop completely before proceeding with caution
   Show answer

   Treat it as a stop sign and stop completely before proceeding with caution. A red flashing light is equivalent to a stop sign. The driver must come to a complete stop, then proceed with caution only after the applicable right of way is clear. Slowing without stopping treats the signal like a yellow light, and waiting for a green arrow adds a condition the manual does not require. The key visual cue is the flashing red display: stop first, then check vehicles and pedestrians before entering the intersection.

3. 3. For which of these reasons must the Indiana BMV suspend a juvenile's driving privileges after notice from the school?

   1. A single failed test
   2. One tardy arrival
   3. A second suspension from school in one school year
   4. Missing an after-school club
   Show answer

   A second suspension from school in one school year. The BMV must suspend a juvenile's driving privileges when the principal or administrator reports an expulsion or exclusion, a second or later suspension from school in one school year, a habitual truancy finding, or withdrawal from school. A single failed test, one tardy and skipping a club are not on the list. The rule ties the privilege to staying in school and in good standing.

4. 4. How does a suspended Indiana driver's license affect operating a boat?

   1. A person with a suspended license may not operate a watercraft
   2. It has no effect on boating
   3. Only motorboats over 100 horsepower are affected
   4. Boating is allowed on private lakes
   Show answer

   A person with a suspended license may not operate a watercraft. If your driver's license is suspended, you may not operate a watercraft. Boating and driving records are linked in Indiana: operating a watercraft recklessly, while intoxicated, or in violation of watercraft laws can put points on your driver record, and anyone under 15 may not operate a watercraft with more than 10 horsepower. A suspension therefore keeps you off the water as well as the road.

5. 5. How many judgments for major offenses such as reckless driving or OWI within 10 years make an Indiana driver a Section B Habitual Traffic Violator?

   1. Two
   2. Three
   3. Five
   4. Ten
   Show answer

   Three. Section B applies to drivers with three judgments within a 10-year period for major offenses such as intoxicated driving, reckless driving, drag racing, leaving the scene, resisting law enforcement, or vehicle felonies, and it brings a 10-year suspension. Two judgments is the Section A count, which requires injury or death. Ten is the Section C count of traffic violations. Five is not a count used in the HTV law.

6. 6. An Indiana motorcycle learner's permit expires after renewal without an endorsement being earned. What happens?

   1. A new permit is issued immediately
   2. The rider may keep riding with a passenger
   3. The rider is fined $500
   4. The rider must wait one year to reapply, or complete an approved motorcycle safety course
   Show answer

   The rider must wait one year to reapply, or complete an approved motorcycle safety course. If you do not obtain a motorcycle endorsement before the expiration of the renewed permit, you must wait one year to reapply for a new motorcycle learner's permit, or you must successfully complete a motorcycle safety course with an approved Ride Safe Indiana provider. The course route also waives the knowledge and riding skills exams, which is why the manual points riders toward it.

7. 7. What does Indiana's manual identify as the most common factor in collisions?

   1. Speeding
   2. Weather
   3. Failure to yield the right of way
   4. Mechanical failure
   Show answer

   Failure to yield the right of way. Among all collisions in Indiana, failure to yield the right of way is the most common factor. Accidents are often caused by a driver's lack of attention, a failure to observe the rules of the road, or both. Knowing who must yield at intersections, when turning left, when entering from a driveway, and at crosswalks removes the single biggest cause of crashes.

8. 8. If a collision occurs on the traveled portion of a highway without injury, what should the driver generally do after stopping?

   1. Leave the vehicle in the travel lane until police arrive
   2. Drive home before exchanging information
   3. Move the vehicle off the highway as close to the accident as possible
   4. Move it only if the other driver agrees
   Show answer

   Move the vehicle off the highway as close to the accident as possible. Indiana requires a driver involved in a crash to stop immediately or as close as possible without creating unnecessary obstruction. When the accident is on the traveled portion of a highway, the vehicle should be moved off the highway to a nearby location. The manual identifies exceptions when hazardous materials, injury, death, or entrapment are involved, so those circumstances call for leaving the vehicle in place. Do not depart before exchanging required information. The key decision is whether the stated exception makes moving unsafe or improper.

9. 9. What does a yellow flashing light without an arrow mean at an Indiana intersection?

   1. Slow down and use caution while traveling through
   2. Stop and wait until a steady green light appears
   3. Speed up because cross traffic must stop for you
   4. Turn left immediately without checking pedestrians
   Show answer

   Slow down and use caution while traveling through. A yellow flashing light without an arrow calls for a cautious approach, not a full stop every time and not an invitation to hurry. A driver should reduce speed and watch the intersection carefully. Someone turning left still must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians, while cross-street traffic is required to yield to the flashing-light approach. The visual cue is intermittent yellow with no directional arrow. Proceed only after checking for people or vehicles that could enter the path, especially when visibility is limited.

10. 10. How far below the area's maximum established speed must an Indiana highway work site speed limit be at minimum?

    1. 5 mph
    2. 15 mph
    3. 20 mph
    4. 10 mph
    Show answer

    10 mph. Indiana says work site speed limits are always at least 10 miles per hour below the area's maximum established speed limit. The 5 mile option understates the required reduction, while 15 and 20 miles per hour are larger reductions that the manual does not make universal. A sign may be active only while flashing or may apply at all times, so check the sign's operation as well as its number. The fixed memory cue is the minimum ten mile per hour difference at a work site.

11. 11. Which vehicle is required to make a stop at a railroad crossing under Indiana's listed special-stop rule?

    1. A private sedan carrying only its driver
    2. A vehicle carrying explosives or flammable liquids
    3. A bicycle approaching a marked crossing
    4. A passenger car following a school bus at a safe distance
    Show answer

    A vehicle carrying explosives or flammable liquids. Indiana identifies vehicles carrying explosives or flammable liquids as one class that must always stop at railroad crossings. The same list includes vehicles carrying passengers for hire and all school buses. A private sedan does not join that special category merely because it is approaching a crossing, and the other choices do not describe the listed duty. The stop must be no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail. Remember the range before entering a crossing.

12. 12. Which kind of sign displays rules that drivers must obey about traffic speed or movement?

    
    1. A traffic guidance sign
    2. A warning sign
    3. A traffic regulation sign
    4. A route marker only
    Show answer

    A traffic regulation sign. Traffic regulation signs are the category used for rules governing speed or movement. Their messages are mandatory, so a driver follows the posted limit, turn restriction, lane instruction, or similar rule when it applies. Guidance signs instead provide information about roads, entrances, exits, or destinations. Warning signs prepare drivers for conditions and hazards ahead, but they do not serve the same general regulatory role. A route marker identifies a highway or route and is informational rather than a standalone command about how traffic must move.

13. 13. What area is identified by a five-sided traffic sign?

    
    1. A railroad crossing with multiple tracks
    2. A no-passing zone on a rural road
    3. A highway entrance or exit
    4. An area near a school where children may cross
    Show answer

    An area near a school where children may cross. Five-sided signs warn that the vehicle is entering an area near a school where children may cross the road. That shape should prompt a slower, more attentive approach and careful scanning for students. Circular signs warn of railroad crossings, pennants mark no-passing zones, and green guidance signs can identify highway entrances or exits. The school warning does not guarantee that children are visible, so do not wait for a person to appear before reducing speed. Watch the roadside, crosswalks, and vehicles that may stop suddenly.

14. 14. What are Indiana's local quiet zones at railroad crossings?

    1. Gated crossings where approaching trains do not sound their horns
    2. Crossings closed at night
    3. Zones where trains must slow to 10 mph
    4. Areas where drivers may not honk
    Show answer

    Gated crossings where approaching trains do not sound their horns. Be aware of local quiet zones, where locomotive horns are not sounded by approaching trains at some gated crossings. Without the horn warning, you must rely on the gates, lights and your own look and listen check. After one train passes, check that another is not coming the other way behind it. Some trains also run on tracks in the middle of streets, where signals flash red in all directions.

15. 15. What information do white traffic signs commonly display?

    1. Temporary work-zone conditions only
    2. Traffic regulations and helpful information such as state highway markers
    3. Nearby recreational and cultural sites
    4. Railroad crossings exclusively
    Show answer

    Traffic regulations and helpful information such as state highway markers. White traffic signs display regulations drivers must obey, including speed limits, and can also provide helpful information such as state highway markers. Temporary traffic conditions are associated with orange signs, while brown signs identify recreational or cultural interests. Railroad crossing warnings are associated with circular signs. The color is a classification clue, so a white sign should prompt attention to a rule or useful roadway information rather than an assumption that it is merely advisory.

16. 16. A driver is following a vehicle that has slowed and may be turning. What should the following driver do?

    1. Pass immediately on the shoulder
    2. Accelerate until the lead vehicle turns
    3. Slow down and be prepared to stop
    4. Follow at the same speed without watching the signal
    Show answer

    Slow down and be prepared to stop. When a lead driver signals an intention to turn, or slows in a way that suggests a turn may be coming, the following driver should slow down and be ready to stop. Passing on the shoulder is not a safe substitute for anticipating the maneuver. Accelerating removes the space needed if the turn begins suddenly, and holding the same speed ignores the warning created by the lead vehicle's change. Watching for a turn signal and easing off early provides a useful safety margin.

17. 17. How far ahead may an Indiana driving skills exam be scheduled?

    1. No more than three weeks and no less than 48 business hours ahead
    2. Up to six months ahead
    3. At least 30 days ahead
    4. Same day only
    Show answer

    No more than three weeks and no less than 48 business hours ahead. A driving skills exam may be scheduled no more than three weeks, and no less than 48 business hours, ahead of time through IN.gov/BMV or the BMV Contact Center, though a license branch visit may get you a sooner slot. You must provide your own legally equipped, insured vehicle in safe and clean condition, and the examiner may reject an unsuitable vehicle. The BMV charges nothing for the exam itself.

18. 18. Who must yield when a driver enters an Indiana interstate from an on-ramp?

    
    1. Interstate traffic must stop for the merging driver
    2. The driver entering from the ramp yields to interstate traffic
    3. Both streams must stop before the merge
    4. The entering driver has priority if signaling
    Show answer

    The driver entering from the ramp yields to interstate traffic. A driver entering an interstate must yield the right of way to vehicles already traveling on it. The ramp driver should use the acceleration lane to build speed and merge when the path is clear, but signaling does not reverse the yield requirement. Interstate traffic does not have to stop, and both streams are not required to stop. Look for a safe opening while matching the flow, with priority remaining with vehicles already on the highway.

19. 19. What does a steady DON'T WALK hand symbol mean at a pedestrian signal?

    1. It is not safe to cross
    2. Walk only with a police escort
    3. Cross after sounding the horn
    4. Cross if traffic appears light
    Show answer

    It is not safe to cross. The steady hand marks a period when pedestrians should not enter the street. A light traffic gap does not override the signal, and a horn or escort is not part of the ordinary crossing rule. The signal exists to coordinate people on foot with traffic movements at the intersection. Use the WALK display when it permits crossing, and treat the hand as a clear barrier to starting. Remember that a flashing hand also signals that the remaining crossing time is running out.

20. 20. What right of way does an official procession such as a funeral procession have?

    1. Right of way regardless of a conflicting traffic signal
    2. None if its signal is red
    3. Right of way only on rural roads
    4. Right of way only after every vehicle stops
    Show answer

    Right of way regardless of a conflicting traffic signal. Indiana’s manual gives official processions, including funeral processions, the right of way even when a traffic signal indicates otherwise. That means a driver should not cut through the line or rely on a red or green indication to enter its path. The rule is not limited to rural roads and does not wait for every vehicle in the procession to stop. Look for the connected line of vehicles, remain patient, and let it clear the intersection safely.