KS Permit Practice Test 1

All 20 questions in test 1

Every question below comes from the Kansas 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. How far before slowing, turning, or changing lanes must a driver give a required signal?

   1. At least 25 feet before the move
   2. At least 100 feet before the move
   3. At least 50 feet before the move
   4. Only after beginning the move
   Show answer

   At least 100 feet before the move. Kansas requires the signal to begin at least 100 feet before the actual slowdown, turn, or lane change. Waiting until the vehicle starts moving gives people behind too little notice, and 25 or 50 feet falls short of the stated distance. Hold the signal until you are ready to make the actual turn. Before you slow down, turn, or change lanes, make sure you can do so safely, because the signal exists to let other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians know what you intend to do.

   Study this in the handbook: Turn signals, U turns and passing

2. 2. What does a red arrow signal mean for a driver who wants to turn in that direction?

   1. Turn after a complete stop if the way is clear
   2. Slow down and turn with caution
   3. Yield to pedestrians, then turn
   4. Stop, and do not go in the arrow's direction until a green arrow or green light returns
   Show answer

   Stop, and do not go in the arrow's direction until a green arrow or green light returns. A red arrow means you must stop and you may not go in the direction of the arrow until the green arrow or green light comes back on. It does not work like a right turn on a steady red light, where Kansas allows a turn after stopping and checking traffic when no sign forbids it. Yielding and turning, or turning with caution, describes other signals. Wait in place until the signal changes.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

3. 3. A vehicle is tailgating you on a Kansas road with no empty lane. What does the handbook say to do?

   1. Wait until the road ahead is clear, then reduce speed slowly to encourage the tailgater to pass
   2. Brake hard once
   3. Slow down quickly to make the driver back off
   4. Speed up to open a gap
   Show answer

   Wait until the road ahead is clear, then reduce speed slowly to encourage the tailgater to pass. If you are being tailgated and there is an empty lane, move over and allow the pass. If there is no empty lane, wait until the roadway ahead is clear, then reduce speed slowly to encourage the tailgater to drive around your vehicle. Never slow down quickly to discourage a tailgater, because that increases the risk of a rear end crash. Speeding up only moves the problem to a higher speed.

   Study this in the handbook: Following distance, scanning and space

4. 4. A steady yellow traffic light appears while you are approaching the intersection. What does it signal?

   1. You must accelerate before the signal turns red
   2. The light is about to change to red, so stop if traffic behind permits
   3. Cross traffic must stop and you have an unrestricted turn
   4. Treat it exactly like a flashing yellow light and never stop
   Show answer

   The light is about to change to red, so stop if traffic behind permits. A steady yellow warns that the signal will soon become red. The handbook tells an approaching driver to slow and make a complete stop when traffic flow behind allows it. If the vehicle is already in the intersection when yellow appears, continuing safely through is permitted. That exception does not turn yellow into a command to speed up. Check your mirrors, judge the stopping space, and choose a controlled stop whenever doing so will not create a rear-end hazard.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

5. 5. What size gap should a driver select when merging with other traffic flow?

   
   1. A gap of 4 to 6 seconds
   2. A gap of less than 2 seconds
   3. A gap of exactly 10 seconds
   4. A gap measured only by one vehicle length
   Show answer

   A gap of 4 to 6 seconds. When merging, entering a roadway, or changing lanes, the handbook advises selecting a gap of four to six seconds. Moving into the middle of that opening gives both vehicles room to adjust to a three-second following interval. A gap shorter than two seconds can disappear before the maneuver is complete, while ten seconds is not the stated target. One vehicle length changes meaning with speed and does not provide the time-based margin the procedure requires. Scan the traffic stream early, choose an opening with usable time, and move one lane at a time when several lanes must be crossed.

   Study this in the handbook: Following distance, scanning and space

6. 6. What movement is prohibited by this red-slashed U-shaped arrow?

   
   1. Turning right at the next intersection
   2. Making a U-turn at that location
   3. Passing a slower vehicle on a straight road
   4. Changing lanes after signaling
   Show answer

   Making a U-turn at that location. The crossed U shaped arrow is a regulatory sign that prohibits the movement shown by its symbol, which is a U turn. It does not automatically prohibit an ordinary right turn, passing on a straight road, or a properly completed lane change. Other rules still apply, including the Kansas restriction on making a U turn where other drivers cannot see the vehicle for at least 500 feet. When the sign is posted, continue in the permitted direction and wait for a legal place to reverse course if one is available.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory signs

7. 7. What maneuver is barred by the sign showing a crossed left arrow?

   
   1. Stopping behind the marked stop line
   2. Continuing straight through the intersection
   3. Turning right after yielding to pedestrians
   4. Turning left from the controlled approach
   Show answer

   Turning left from the controlled approach. The red slash is placed over a left-turn symbol, so the prohibited action is the pictured left turn. It does not automatically prohibit going straight, a separate right turn, or stopping at the line. The driver should read the arrow rather than generalize the slash to every movement. Even when a left turn is banned, continue to obey the signal, lane markings, and any other regulatory sign at the intersection.

   Study this in the handbook: Kansas speed limits

8. 8. Your right wheels drop off the pavement edge. What speed should you slow to before steering back?

   1. 45 mph or less
   2. 25 mph or less
   3. 35 mph or less
   4. Keep your speed so the car does not stall
   Show answer

   25 mph or less. When your wheels leave the pavement, ease off the accelerator, brake gently, steer straight, and slow to 25 mph or less before returning. Hard braking or holding speed makes a skid or overcorrection more likely, and 35 or 45 mph is too fast for a controlled return. Straddle the pavement edge while you slow down. Straddling keeps the inside edge of the tires from rubbing and lets you return at a better angle. Do not jerk the wheel back the moment the wheels leave the pavement, because too much steering before you slow down can cost you control.

   Study this in the handbook: Emergency braking, skids and vehicle failures

9. 9. What does a steady green traffic light allow when you want to turn left?

   
   1. A turn only after the signal changes to yellow
   2. An immediate turn without checking oncoming traffic
   3. A turn that takes priority over pedestrians
   4. A left turn only when the intersection is clear
   Show answer

   A left turn only when the intersection is clear. A steady green light permits a left turn only when the intersection is clear. The driver must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians, even though the signal is green. The light does not create an immediate path through a crowded intersection, and waiting for yellow is not the rule. Entering while vehicles block the route can leave your car obstructing traffic when the signal changes. Check the opposing lane, the crosswalk, and the intended exit before turning.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

10. 10. Is it specifically illegal for an adult Kansas driver to talk on a cell phone or dial a phone number while driving?

    1. Yes, any phone use is a traffic violation
    2. Yes, unless the driver uses a hands-free device
    3. Only on highways outside of towns
    4. No, but anything that distracts from driving is dangerous
    Show answer

    No, but anything that distracts from driving is dangerous. Kansas law targets written communication: using an electronic device to write, send, or read texts, email, or other writing while driving. The handbook says talking on a cell phone or dialing a phone number is not specifically illegal in Kansas. It adds right away that anything distracting from driving is dangerous, so a legal call can still be a poor choice. The hands-free and highway-only choices describe rules Kansas does not list for adult drivers. Young drivers with permits or restricted licenses have their own ban on wireless devices.

    Study this in the handbook: Where not to park and parking on hills

11. 11. Unless posted otherwise, what is the Kansas maximum speed on a state or federal highway outside of towns and cities?

    1. 65 mph
    2. 55 mph
    3. 45 mph
    4. 75 mph
    Show answer

    65 mph. Kansas sets the default maximum at 65 miles per hour on any state or federal highway, unless another limit is posted. The 55 mph choice belongs to county or township roads. The 75 mph figure applies to a separated, multilane highway designated and posted by the Secretary of Transportation, not every state or federal highway. Forty-five mph is not one of the handbook's listed defaults. First identify the road category, then check for a posted change. A state route alone does not turn into the 75 mph category without the separated, multilane designation and posting.

    Study this in the handbook: Kansas speed limits

12. 12. When does a driver facing a Kansas yield sign have to stop?

    1. Only when another vehicle sounds its horn
    2. Every time before entering
    3. Never, because a yield sign forbids stopping
    4. Only when stopping is necessary to avoid interfering with traffic or pedestrians with the right-of-way
    Show answer

    Only when stopping is necessary to avoid interfering with traffic or pedestrians with the right-of-way. A Kansas yield sign does not automatically require a complete stop. The driver stops when stopping is necessary to avoid interfering with other traffic that has the right-of-way, including pedestrians. The every-time choice treats the sign as a stop sign. The never choice goes too far in the opposite direction because a stop can be required for safety. A horn is not the handbook's test. Slow enough to assess the crossing, yield to the protected road users, and stop when continuing would interfere with them.

    Study this in the handbook: Driveways, yield signs and roundabouts

13. 13. What does the eight-sided red sign at an intersection require?

    1. A reduction to the advisory curve speed
    2. A yield only if another car is visible
    3. A complete stop before proceeding
    4. A lane change to the right
    Show answer

    A complete stop before proceeding. An octagonal red sign identifies a stop sign, and Kansas requires the vehicle to stop behind the stop line or crosswalk when one is present. After stopping, scan for vehicles and pedestrians in every direction and enter only when the way is safe. A yield sign uses a different shape and allows a driver to continue after yielding when needed. Advisory curve speeds concern roadway geometry, while a lane change is not part of the stop command. The shape is an important recognition cue when the lettering is difficult to read.

    Study this in the handbook: Regulatory signs

14. 14. Pumping the brake pedal has not restored your failed brakes. What should you try next?

    1. Shift into park while moving
    2. Turn off the engine
    3. Use the parking brake slowly, ready to release it if the vehicle skids
    4. Pull the parking brake as hard and fast as possible
    Show answer

    Use the parking brake slowly, ready to release it if the vehicle skids. Kansas gives a three-step response to brake failure. First, rapidly pump the brake pedal. If that does not work, use the parking brake: pull the handle in the center console or push the parking brake pedal slowly so the rear wheels do not lock and cause a skid, and be ready to release it if the vehicle starts to skid. If that also fails, look for a safe place to slow to a stop off the roadway. Yanking the parking brake hard is the mistake the word slowly warns against.

    Study this in the handbook: Emergency braking, skids and vehicle failures

15. 15. Because of air bag risk, which children does the Kansas handbook say should ride in the rear seat?

    1. Children age 5 and under
    2. Children age 12 and under
    3. Children under 8 only
    4. Only infants in rear facing seats
    Show answer

    Children age 12 and under. A deploying air bag can hurt a child, so the handbook says children age 12 and under should sit in the rear seat. Limiting that advice to age 5 or to children under 8 leaves older children in front of an active air bag. Rear facing infants must never face an active passenger air bag, but the rear seat advice covers every child through age 12. Vehicles without usable rear seats often have a switch to turn off the passenger air bag for that purpose.

    Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and air bags

16. 16. What does the plus-shaped warning sign tell you to anticipate?

    
    1. A no-passing zone that begins only after sunset
    2. A hospital entrance with no intersecting roadway
    3. A crossroad where traffic may enter from more than one direction
    4. A lane reserved for vehicles turning around
    Show answer

    A crossroad where traffic may enter from more than one direction. The plus shape depicts a crossroad, so look for an intersection and prepare to search both sides for vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The warning does not identify a hospital, create a time-based passing rule, or reserve a lane for U-turns. Slow enough to make a deliberate approach, and apply the actual signs, signals, and right-of-way rules when you reach the intersection rather than assuming the warning sign itself grants priority.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

17. 17. What does a fluorescent pink sign with black lettering mean on a Kansas road?

    1. A school zone
    2. A permanent construction project
    3. A temporary incident, such as a crash, spill, or detour
    4. A scenic route
    Show answer

    A temporary incident, such as a crash, spill, or detour. Kansas uses fluorescent pink with black lettering for incident signs. These temporary signs tell you to be prepared to stop or that roads are closed or detoured because of a road user incident, natural disaster, hazardous material spill, or other unplanned event. Planned road work uses orange signs instead, which is why the construction choice is tempting but wrong. School zones may use fluorescent yellow. When you see pink, expect a sudden change ahead and slow down.

    Study this in the handbook: Work zone, guide and incident signs

18. 18. Which conviction does the Kansas handbook list as grounds for revoking, not just suspending, driving privileges?

    1. Attempting to elude a police officer
    2. Failing to renew a license on time
    3. A first seat belt violation
    4. Parking in a no parking zone
    Show answer

    Attempting to elude a police officer. The revocation list includes vehicular homicide, failing to stop and render aid after an injury or fatal crash, reckless driving, any felony committed with a vehicle, attempting to elude a police officer, aggravated vehicular homicide, and vehicular battery. Renewing late brings a $1.00 penalty and, after a year, full testing, not revocation. A seat belt violation and a parking violation are not on the list.

    Study this in the handbook: DUI law, implied consent and penalties

19. 19. Which of these does the Kansas handbook list as a ground for suspending driving privileges?

    1. Receiving one parking ticket
    2. Talking on a cell phone while driving
    3. Transporting an open container of liquor or cereal malt beverage
    4. Driving with a dirty license plate
    Show answer

    Transporting an open container of liquor or cereal malt beverage. Transporting an open container of liquor or cereal malt beverage (3.2 beer) is on the handbook's list of suspension grounds. A single parking ticket is not a moving violation and is not on the list. The handbook states that talking on a cell phone is not specifically illegal in Kansas, although texting is. A dirty plate does not appear among the suspension grounds.

    Study this in the handbook: License tests, renewal and losing your license

20. 20. How many hours of supervised driving must a 15-year-old complete before applying for a Kansas restricted license?

    1. 10 hours
    2. 50 hours
    3. 25 hours
    4. 100 hours
    Show answer

    25 hours. A 15-year-old applicant must have 25 hours of supervised driving. The full 50 hours with 10 at night applies to 16-year-old applicants, and a 15-year-old who applied with only 25 hours must later file another affidavit for the additional 25 hours before moving to the 16-year-old rules. Ten hours is too few, and 100 hours is more than Kansas requires at any stage.

    Study this in the handbook: Instruction permit, farm permit and the 15 year old restricted license