KS Permit Practice Test 4

All 20 questions in test 4

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. When driving above 40 mph, how far ahead should you signal before a turn or lane change?

   1. 50 feet or 1 second before
   2. 100 feet or 1 to 2 seconds before
   3. 500 feet or 10 seconds before
   4. 200 feet or 3 to 5 seconds before
   Show answer

   200 feet or 3 to 5 seconds before. At speeds above 40 mph, the handbook says to signal 200 feet or 3 to 5 seconds before turning or changing lanes. In urban areas the figure is 100 feet or 3 to 5 seconds, and 100 feet is the legal minimum for any signal, so 100 feet is too short at highway speed. Fifty feet with one second is below every figure given, and 500 feet or 10 seconds is not a handbook standard.

2. 2. What score must an applicant reach to pass the Kansas knowledge test?

   1. 70%
   2. 75%
   3. 80%
   4. 90%
   Show answer

   80%. The handbook requires a score of 80% on the knowledge test, which on the 25 question exam means at least 20 correct answers. Seventy and 75 percent are below the passing mark, and 90 percent is higher than required. Passing the knowledge test is what makes an applicant eligible for the skills tests. The test is not timed and generally takes 15 to 20 minutes, and it covers traffic signs, pavement markings, and Kansas laws and driving practices.

3. 3. When may a driver cross a dashed yellow line between opposing lanes?

   1. Only after another driver waves
   2. Whenever the vehicle is below 25 mph
   3. When a safe gap in traffic is available
   4. Only during daylight hours
   Show answer

   When a safe gap in traffic is available. Dashed yellow lines between opposing lanes mean passing may occur when a safe gap in traffic is available. The line does not make passing automatic, and speed, a wave, or daylight alone does not establish a safe opportunity. The handbook also says the entered lane must be clear and road conditions must be considered. Before crossing, look far enough ahead and behind to identify approaching vehicles. Think of the dashed line as conditional permission, not a guarantee that the maneuver is safe.

4. 4. What must a driver be able to do by maintaining a reasonable following distance?

   
   1. Keep the same gap no matter the weather or road surface
   2. See only the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead
   3. Match the lead vehicle's speed within one car length
   4. Stop or turn to avoid a collision if the vehicle ahead stops suddenly
   Show answer

   Stop or turn to avoid a collision if the vehicle ahead stops suddenly. Following distance is a space-management tool, not merely a visual preference. Kansas guidance says the gap must leave enough time and room to stop or turn if the vehicle ahead suddenly stops. Weather, pavement, traffic, and the lead vehicle's behavior can all require more space. A one-car-length rule is too small and inflexible. Keep a clear view past the vehicle ahead, watch its brake lights, and enlarge the cushion whenever the road reduces traction or visibility.

5. 5. The winding-arrow sign indicates what should guide your driving?

   
   1. Expect a railroad gate and stop on the tracks if needed
   2. Expect one straight section where speed should be increased
   3. Expect a series of curves and manage speed throughout them
   4. Expect cross traffic to yield regardless of the intersection layout
   Show answer

   Expect a series of curves and manage speed throughout them. A winding-road symbol means the roadway will continue changing direction, not that one isolated turn is followed by a straight sprint. Select a manageable speed before the first curve, keep the vehicle in its lane, and continue scanning through the sequence. The sign does not create railroad procedures or alter intersection priority. Smooth control matters because repeated curves can expose a driver who entered too fast and has no comfortable margin left.

6. 6. A Kansas child aged 4 through 8 may use a seat belt instead of a child safety or booster seat when the child is:

   1. Taller than 4 feet 9 inches or weighs more than 80 pounds
   2. At least 4 feet tall, regardless of weight
   3. Older than 6 years, regardless of height or weight
   4. Taller than 5 feet or weighs more than 60 pounds
   Show answer

   Taller than 4 feet 9 inches or weighs more than 80 pounds. For children from age 4 through age 8, Kansas requires a federally approved child safety seat or booster seat unless the child is taller than 4 feet 9 inches or weighs more than 80 pounds. Either listed threshold permits the transition to a seat belt. Age alone does not create the exception, so a six-year-old still needs the required restraint if neither physical threshold is met. Check height and weight rather than relying only on the child’s birthday.

7. 7. When must you stop for a school bus that is stopped to pick up or release children?

   
   1. When meeting or overtaking it, until the stop signal is retracted and red lights are off
   2. Only when following it on a two-lane road, and only for five seconds
   3. Only when children are visible in the roadway after leaving the bus
   4. Never when traveling in the opposite direction on a divided highway
   Show answer

   When meeting or overtaking it, until the stop signal is retracted and red lights are off. Kansas requires a driver meeting or overtaking a stopped school bus, church bus, or day care bus that is loading or unloading children to stop. Remain stopped until the stop signal is retracted and the red lights are off. The rule is not limited to five seconds, visible children, or a particular undivided road. One stated exception is traffic approaching in the opposing roadway of a divided highway, which is why the roadway design must be identified carefully.

8. 8. In Kansas, how close to a traffic signal, stop sign, or flashing beacon may you park on the approach?

   1. No closer than 15 feet
   2. No closer than 30 feet
   3. No closer than 20 feet
   4. No closer than 50 feet
   Show answer

   No closer than 30 feet. Kansas bars parking within the 30 feet approaching any traffic control signal, stop sign or flashing beacon at the side of the roadway, and within 30 feet of the curb points opposite the ends of a safety zone. Fifteen feet is the hydrant distance, 20 feet applies to a fire station driveway, and 50 feet applies to the nearest rail at a railroad crossing. A car parked in that space hides the sign from approaching drivers.

9. 9. What does the Kansas handbook say is illegal for anyone under 21 regarding alcohol?

   1. Only buying alcohol for others
   2. Only driving after drinking
   3. Purchasing, possessing, or drinking alcoholic beverages
   4. Nothing if a parent consents
   Show answer

   Purchasing, possessing, or drinking alcoholic beverages. If you are under 21 in Kansas it is illegal to purchase, possess or drink alcoholic beverages at all, not only to drive after drinking. Alcohol and other impairing drugs affect a person's ability to perceive their surroundings, react to emergencies and operate a vehicle, and the effects are greater for new drivers still learning complex skills. Parental consent does not create an exception under the rule the handbook states.

10. 10. An emergency vehicle approaches with a siren and flashing lights. What is the required response?

    
    1. Pull to the right edge and stop, keeping the intersection clear
    2. Stop in the lane immediately without moving right
    3. Turn left at the next opening to get away from it
    4. Accelerate until the emergency vehicle is no longer visible
    Show answer

    Pull to the right edge and stop, keeping the intersection clear. When a siren or flashing lights announce an approaching emergency vehicle, move right, pull beside the curb or road edge, and stop. The vehicle should be parallel and as close to the curb as practical, while intersections remain open for the emergency response. Stopping in the current lane can block the route. Turning away or accelerating creates uncertainty and may put the driver in the emergency vehicle's path. The useful cue is siren or flashing lights: right, curb, stop, clear the intersection.

11. 11. When an oncoming vehicle approaches while you are overtaking a pedestrian near the roadway, what should you do?

    1. Speed up and pass both road users together
    2. Sound the horn until the pedestrian leaves the roadway
    3. Move onto the shoulder so all three can proceed
    4. Slow down and let the oncoming vehicle pass first
    Show answer

    Slow down and let the oncoming vehicle pass first. Kansas gives an example of handling one potential hazard at a time. If a vehicle is approaching from the opposite direction during the pedestrian pass, reduce speed and let that vehicle clear first. Then pass the pedestrian with enough room. Speeding up combines two conflicts and leaves less space for everyone. The shoulder is not a shortcut for resolving the situation, and a horn cannot replace a safe separation. The practical cue is to wait, let the opposing vehicle clear, then complete one passing movement.

12. 12. What do Kansas yellow diamond warning signs generally tell a driver?

    
    1. All traffic controls end at the sign
    2. The maximum legal speed for every road ahead
    3. A service facility is located immediately beside the road
    4. A possible danger or special roadway situation may be ahead
    Show answer

    A possible danger or special roadway situation may be ahead. Kansas warning signs provide advance notice of a possible danger or special roadway situation ahead. Their yellow diamond design tells you to pay attention, consider slowing, and be prepared to stop if needed. The speed-limit choice describes a regulatory sign, while the service-facility choice belongs to guide or service information. The statement that all traffic controls end is not a warning-sign function. With the pictured opposing arrows, expect a roadway condition requiring extra attention, then follow the lane markings and any later signs or signals.

13. 13. When a yellow traffic light flashes, how should a driver approach the intersection?

    1. Stop and remain stopped until green
    2. Slow down, look, and proceed carefully
    3. Accelerate because cross traffic must stop
    4. Turn around before entering the intersection
    Show answer

    Slow down, look, and proceed carefully. A flashing yellow signal calls for caution rather than the complete stop required by flashing red. Reduce speed, check the intersection, and continue only after considering traffic and pedestrians. It does not grant automatic priority over every direction, and it does not require turning around. The key visual distinction is the color and flashing pattern: yellow means approach carefully, while red means stop. Keep scanning after entering because other road users may still be moving through the junction.

14. 14. A new resident moves to Kansas with a valid license from another state. By when must the driver have a Kansas driver's license?

    1. Within 90 days of moving to Kansas
    2. Within 10 days of moving to Kansas
    3. Within 30 days of moving to Kansas
    4. Only when the old license expires
    Show answer

    Within 90 days of moving to Kansas. Kansas gives a new resident 90 days after the move to get a Kansas driver's license. Ten and 30 days are shorter deadlines that the handbook does not set. Waiting until the old license expires is also wrong, because the clock starts with the move, not with the other state's expiration date. Visitors and certain nonresidents, such as students and military members, are handled separately.

15. 15. Two vehicles enter an uncontrolled intersection from different roads at about the same time. Who yields?

    
    1. The vehicle turning right always yields
    2. The driver on the right yields to the driver on the left
    3. The faster vehicle goes first
    4. The driver on the left yields to the driver on the right
    Show answer

    The driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. At an uncontrolled intersection, Kansas gives priority to the vehicle on the right when vehicles enter at approximately the same time. The driver on the left must yield. The reverse-right choice swaps the rule. Speed does not decide the encounter, so the faster vehicle has no special privilege. The turning choice also invents a blanket rule that is not in this passage. A simple visual cue helps: if you are looking across the intersection and another vehicle is on your right, you yield. Reduce speed early and make sure the other driver's movement is clear before proceeding.

16. 16. When may a Kansas officer stop a passenger vehicle solely for a seatbelt violation?

    1. Only when the driver is unrestrained
    2. When any adult in a front seat is unrestrained or any child is unrestrained
    3. Only when a child under four is unrestrained
    4. Only after another traffic violation
    Show answer

    When any adult in a front seat is unrestrained or any child is unrestrained. Kansas treats seatbelt use as a primary violation. An officer may stop the vehicle based solely on seeing an unrestrained adult in a front seat or an unrestrained child anywhere in the vehicle. The driver-only choice is too narrow because the rule reaches front-seat adults and children in any seating position. The under-four choice confuses the separate child-seat age rule with the broader stop authority. The choice “Only after another traffic violation” incorrectly adds a prerequisite. When reviewing this rule, picture the two triggers: an unrestrained adult in front, or an unrestrained child anywhere.

17. 17. What are pavement markings used to do on the roadway?

    1. Record the vehicle owner's license information
    2. Give directions or warnings through lines, arrows, words, or symbols
    3. Replace every traffic signal at an intersection
    4. Identify only locations where fuel is sold
    Show answer

    Give directions or warnings through lines, arrows, words, or symbols. Pavement markings use lines, arrows, words, and symbols to give roadway directions or warnings. They can divide lanes, show when passing or changing lanes is allowed, identify turn lanes, define pedestrian walkways, and mark where drivers must stop. The license-information choice describes a vehicle record, not a roadway marking. Markings support traffic signals rather than replacing them, and they cover far more than fuel locations. Read the paint together with signs and signals, then use its pattern and position to choose a lane, turn, pass, or stopping point safely.

18. 18. Where should a driver stop at a red octagonal stop sign when no stop line is marked?

    1. Only beside the signpost
    2. Past the crosswalk at the center of the intersection
    3. Before entering the near-side crosswalk, if one is present
    4. After crossing the intersecting roadway
    Show answer

    Before entering the near-side crosswalk, if one is present. The stop-sign sequence uses the nearest available stopping reference. If there is no marked stop line, stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection. Moving past that crosswalk risks entering the pedestrian space and reduces the driver's ability to see or yield. The signpost is not the stopping line, and crossing the roadway is far too late. Look for a line first, then the crosswalk, and only then the nearest point to the intersecting roadway.

19. 19. When must a driver yield to construction vehicles and workers?

    1. When they are actually engaged in work on the roadway
    2. Only when they are parked beyond the shoulder
    3. Only after a construction vehicle enters the driver's lane
    4. Never unless a traffic signal directs the driver to yield
    Show answer

    When they are actually engaged in work on the roadway. Kansas says drivers must yield to construction vehicles and workers that are actually engaged in work on the roadway. The rule protects people and equipment occupying an active work area, even when the vehicle has not entered the driver's lane. The shoulder-only choice narrows the rule to a location the handbook does not require. Waiting until a vehicle enters the lane gives up needed reaction time, and the signal choice adds a condition that is not part of the instruction. Reduce speed early, watch the work zone, and give operating crews room to complete the task safely.

20. 20. What does a WRONG WAY sign indicate about your vehicle?

    
    1. It is entering a truck-only route
    2. It is approaching a rough pavement section
    3. It may use the shoulder as a passing lane
    4. It is moving in the wrong direction
    Show answer

    It is moving in the wrong direction. A Wrong Way sign tells the driver that the vehicle is traveling against the permitted direction. The handbook notes that this sign can appear on an expressway ramp beyond a Do Not Enter sign or after turning incorrectly onto a one-way street, alley, or driveway. Rough pavement and truck restrictions use different messages. Treat the sign as an immediate direction problem and stop the wrong-way movement safely.