KS Permit Practice Test 9

All 20 questions in test 9

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. A Kansas driver misses a court date on a traffic ticket. What license action does the handbook list?

   1. A 30 day suspension
   2. A warning letter only
   3. No action unless the ticket was for speeding
   4. A mandatory indefinite suspension
   Show answer

   A mandatory indefinite suspension. Failing to appear for a court date is listed as a mandatory indefinite suspension, and failing to respond to a traffic citation from Kansas or another state is also a ground for suspension. Indefinite means no fixed end date is set, so a 30 day period is wrong. A warning letter understates the consequence, and the rule does not depend on the type of ticket.

2. 2. What should the curved-arrow warning prompt before entering the bend?

   
   1. Move across the centerline to make the bend wider
   2. Brake sharply after entering the curve to hold the lane
   3. Reduce speed before the curve and maintain control through it
   4. Accelerate because the arrow guarantees a clear roadway
   Show answer

   Reduce speed before the curve and maintain control through it. A curve warning gives you time to slow before the bend, when the tires are still aligned and traction demands are lower. Maintain a safe speed through the curve and stay in your lane. Sharp braking after entry can reduce traction, while crossing the centerline or accelerating on the assumption of a clear road increases danger. Read the arrow as advance notice, then use a controlled speed and steady steering to follow the roadway.

3. 3. When a green arrow permits a turn, what must the driver still watch for?

   1. A requirement to wait for a second green signal
   2. No one, because the arrow removes every yielding duty
   3. Only vehicles approaching from behind
   4. Pedestrians crossing in front of or beside the vehicle
   Show answer

   Pedestrians crossing in front of or beside the vehicle. A green arrow authorizes movement in the arrow's direction when the intersection is clear, but it does not make the path automatically empty. The handbook specifically tells turning drivers to watch for pedestrians crossing in front or from the side. Other roadway users may also be present, including someone turning right on red. Keep the turn controlled, check both sides of the crosswalk, and be prepared to yield or stop if a person has entered your path.

4. 4. What type of information do Kansas regulatory signs provide?

   1. Advance warnings of every possible roadway hazard
   2. Specific laws that drivers must obey
   3. Tourist directions only
   4. Weather forecasts for the route ahead
   Show answer

   Specific laws that drivers must obey. Regulatory signs communicate enforceable requirements involving traffic direction, lane use, turns, speed, parking, and other special situations. A warning sign serves a different purpose by alerting drivers to hazards or changing conditions ahead. Tourist guidance and weather information are not the defining function described here. When a sign gives an instruction such as a speed limit or turn restriction, treat it as a rule governing your movement and plan the maneuver before reaching the sign.

5. 5. Why should the gap behind a bus or delivery van be larger than the usual following space?

   1. Their brake lights are not required to work
   2. Their drivers are always permitted to exceed the speed limit
   3. Those vehicles may stop often or make sudden turns
   4. They must be followed closely to prevent other cars merging
   Show answer

   Those vehicles may stop often or make sudden turns. Buses, delivery vans, and police cars can make frequent stops or unexpected turns. The handbook advises increasing the following distance behind vehicles with those behaviors, then adding still more space in bad weather. Extra room improves your view and creates time to respond when the larger vehicle blocks sight lines or changes speed. Tailgating does the opposite: it hides conditions ahead and leaves little room for a controlled stop. Treat the vehicle's operating pattern as a cue to lengthen the gap early.

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.

7. 7. How can a qualifying Kansas applicant avoid taking the noncommercial knowledge exam in the office?

   1. Complete the exam online and bring the passing results
   2. Have a parent sign an exam waiver
   3. Submit a driving-school attendance letter
   4. Pay an extra fee for automatic credit
   Show answer

   Complete the exam online and bring the passing results. Kansas offers a noncommercial online knowledge exam. An applicant who qualifies can complete it online, bring the passing results to the licensing process, and eliminate the in-office knowledge exam. The parent waiver choice is not mentioned as an alternative to testing. A driving-school attendance letter does not replace the passing exam result, and an extra payment does not create automatic credit. The key cue is the sequence: take the approved online knowledge exam, preserve the passing result, then bring that result in. The option is an alternate testing location, not a waiver from demonstrating knowledge.

8. 8. Before emerging from an alley or driveway in a business or residential district, where must a driver stop?

   1. After crossing the sidewalk
   2. Immediately before driving onto the sidewalk or sidewalk area
   3. Only at the edge of the roadway
   4. Only when a pedestrian is visible
   Show answer

   Immediately before driving onto the sidewalk or sidewalk area. Kansas requires a driver emerging from an alley, driveway, or building in a business or residential district to stop immediately before driving onto the sidewalk or the sidewalk area extending across the entrance. After stopping, the driver must yield the right-of-way. Waiting until after the sidewalk puts the vehicle into the pedestrian space too soon. The roadway-edge choice moves the required stop farther forward, and the pedestrian condition is too narrow because the stop is required before crossing the sidewalk area. Treat the sidewalk as the first boundary to protect, then check pedestrians and traffic.

9. 9. When can driving below an unposted minimum speed become unlawful in Kansas?

   1. Only when the driver is in the left lane
   2. Whenever the vehicle travels below 25 mph
   3. When the slow driving impedes or blocks normal traffic, unless needed for safe operation
   4. Never, because only speeding is regulated
   Show answer

   When the slow driving impedes or blocks normal traffic, unless needed for safe operation. Kansas makes it unlawful to drive so slowly that the vehicle impedes or blocks the normal movement of traffic, even when no minimum speed sign is posted. There is an exception when the slower pace is necessary for safe operation under the basic speed law. The 25 mph number is invented, and the rule is not limited to a left lane. The never choice ignores the handbook's explicit minimum-speed provision. Use a concrete check: if traffic is stacking behind you, consider whether a hazard requires the slower speed and whether you can safely allow traffic to pass.

10. 10. What do two solid yellow lines between opposing traffic lanes mean?

    
    1. Passing is permitted in both directions
    2. Passing is prohibited in both directions
    3. Only trucks may cross the centerline
    4. The lane is reserved for left turns
    Show answer

    Passing is prohibited in both directions. Two solid yellow lines mean neither direction may pass across the centerline. That marking is different from a dashed yellow line, which can permit passing when the gap and conditions are safe, and from a shared center lane used for left turns. The prohibition does not change for trucks or for a driver who is in a hurry. Treat the double line as a firm boundary and wait for a lawful passing section.

11. 11. What kind of information does a white rectangular sign with black lettering generally provide?

    1. A traffic law or other regulatory requirement
    2. A warning about a changing road surface
    3. Directions to a campground or museum
    4. The location of fuel and hospital services
    Show answer

    A traffic law or other regulatory requirement. White signs with black, red, or green letters or symbols commonly serve as regulatory signs. They tell drivers about laws involving direction, lane use, turning, speed, parking, or another special situation. A speed limit sign is a familiar example because its instruction must be obeyed. Orange signs identify work zones, and green, brown, or blue guide signs provide route or service information. When a white rectangular sign states a limit or required movement, treat it as an enforceable instruction.

12. 12. A school bus with its stop arm out is stopped on the far side of a road with a center turning lane. What must you do?

    1. Keep going, because a center turn lane counts as a median
    2. Slow to 20 mph and pass carefully
    3. Stop, even though the bus is on the opposite side
    4. Stop only if children are visible
    Show answer

    Stop, even though the bus is on the opposite side. A driver must stop for a school bus when there is a center turning lane between the roadways, whether the bus is on the driver's side or the opposite side. A center turn lane is not a median or physical barrier, which is the only situation where oncoming traffic need not stop. Slowing and passing is not allowed, and the stop is required whether or not children are visible. Wait until the red lights stop and the stop arm is no longer visible.

13. 13. How many non-sibling minor passengers may a 16-year-old carry under the listed Kansas restrictions?

    1. None under any circumstance
    2. Four
    3. Two
    4. One
    Show answer

    One. The 16-year-old restrictions allow only one non-sibling minor passenger. Zero is too strict because the handbook expressly permits one, while two and four exceed the stated limit. The word non-sibling matters, since the restriction is not a blanket count of every person in the vehicle. Compare this stage with the 15-year-old rule, which prohibits non-sibling minor passengers altogether. The quick recall cue is a single unrelated minor passenger, alongside the separate hours and approved-purpose conditions.

14. 14. For a first alcohol violation conviction, which additional device does the Kansas handbook say a driver will be required to use?

    1. An ignition interlock device
    2. A passenger-side brake pedal
    3. A vehicle tracking beacon
    4. A permanently installed breathalyzer at home
    Show answer

    An ignition interlock device. The handbook says a driver convicted of an alcohol violation for the first time will be required to drive with an ignition interlock device. That device is connected to vehicle operation, unlike a passenger brake pedal or a home breathalyzer, neither of which the passage names. A tracking beacon is also a different technology and is not the stated consequence. The same paragraph mentions fines, court costs, and either jail or community service, so this device requirement belongs to a broader first-conviction penalty package. Study the device name exactly: ignition interlock.

15. 15. If you cannot safely change lanes around a stopped emergency vehicle with flashing lights, what must you do?

    
    1. Stop in the lane beside the emergency vehicle and wait there
    2. Keep the same speed because the emergency vehicle is off the roadway
    3. Reduce speed and proceed with due caution
    4. Pass on the shoulder without checking for responders
    Show answer

    Reduce speed and proceed with due caution. Kansas gives lane changing priority when it can be done safely, but it also states what to do when that option is unavailable: reduce speed and proceed with due caution. Maintaining speed, stopping beside responders, or using the shoulder creates unnecessary exposure. Check traffic, leave room, and remember that flashing lights signal an active roadside risk. The safe response adapts to the available lane rather than forcing a dangerous merge or shoulder pass.

16. 16. How should a driver measure a safe gap behind another vehicle in prime conditions?

    1. The two-second rule
    2. The one-second rule
    3. The four-second rule
    4. A fixed one-car-length rule
    Show answer

    The two-second rule. Under prime conditions, Kansas recommends the two-second rule for measuring a safe following distance. A one-second gap or a fixed car length can disappear quickly when the vehicle ahead stops, and four seconds is the handbook’s guidance for adverse conditions. Pick a roadside object, wait until the vehicle ahead passes it, and count before your own vehicle reaches that point. Increase the gap when weather, traffic, or repeated stopping reduces visibility and reaction time.

17. 17. When should a driver reduce speed before entering a curve?

    1. Before the curve, to a speed that permits slight, constant acceleration through it
    2. After entering, by braking hard at the midpoint
    3. Only when a separate lower speed sign is posted
    4. Never, because momentum improves cornering
    Show answer

    Before the curve, to a speed that permits slight, constant acceleration through it. The handbook advises reducing speed before entering a curve to a safe speed that permits slight, constant acceleration through the turn. Entering too quickly lets momentum carry the vehicle straight and can make the tires lose traction. Hard braking after entry may also cause traction loss. A separate sign is not required before a driver responds to the curve's visibility, surface, or traffic conditions. Ease off before the bend, then maintain controlled acceleration rather than making a late, abrupt brake application.

18. 18. If the accelerator pedal is stuck down, what is the safest sequence?

    1. Turn off the vehicle before shifting or steering
    2. Pump the accelerator until it returns to normal
    3. Turn the steering wheel sharply and keep accelerating
    4. Shift to neutral, steer smoothly, brake gently, and pull off the roadway
    Show answer

    Shift to neutral, steer smoothly, brake gently, and pull off the roadway. A stuck accelerator is treated as an accelerator failure. Shift to neutral first so the engine no longer drives the wheels, then search for a safe escape path. Keep steering smoothly, use gentle braking, and pull off the roadway. Turning the vehicle off immediately is not the handbook sequence, because control and a safe path come first. Pumping the pedal can waste time while the vehicle continues moving. Once stopped, the vehicle should be turned off and the pedal repaired at a service center before driving again.

19. 19. When a vehicle begins to lose traction, what should the driver do first?

    1. Fixate on the object the vehicle may hit
    2. Look for open space
    3. Brake as hard as possible while turning sharply
    4. Accelerate until the tires regain grip
    Show answer

    Look for open space. Kansas places visual direction first when a vehicle begins to lose traction. Look toward open space where the vehicle can travel rather than staring at the hazard you are trying to avoid. Fixating on the object can draw the vehicle toward it. Hard braking with a sharp turn can increase the skid, and acceleration can continue overwhelming the tires. Once your eyes are directed toward the intended path, follow the handbook guidance for lifting pedal pressure and steering according to which tires have lost traction. Keep the visual target open and safe.

20. 20. What vision standard must a Kansas license applicant meet?

    1. 20/20 in both eyes
    2. 20/40 in both eyes without lenses
    3. 20/70 in the better eye
    4. At least 20/40 in at least one eye, with or without corrective lenses
    Show answer

    At least 20/40 in at least one eye, with or without corrective lenses. Kansas requires at least 20/40 vision in at least one eye, and glasses or contacts may be used to meet it. Both 20/20 and a two eye requirement set a stricter standard than the handbook does, and barring lenses contradicts it. The 20/70 figure is weaker than the 20/40 minimum. A driver who needs lenses to pass gets a corrective lens restriction and must wear them any time they drive.