KY Permit Practice Test 17

All 20 questions in test 17

Every question below comes from the Kentucky 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 do safety belts change a person's chances of surviving a crash, according to Kentucky's seat belt discussion?

   1. Chances are two times greater if the occupant stays inside the vehicle
   2. Chances are five times greater if the occupant stays inside the vehicle
   3. Chances are unchanged if the vehicle has air bags
   4. Chances improve only at speeds below 25 mph
   Show answer

   Chances are five times greater if the occupant stays inside the vehicle. The manual says chances of surviving a crash are five times greater if you stay inside the protection of the vehicle. Safety belts help keep occupants from being thrown out and hold them in a seated position during sudden stops and turns. Air bags work best with safety belts. The manual does not limit these benefits to speeds below 25 mph.

   Study this in the handbook: Required equipment, safety belts, air bags and child seats

2. 2. A permanent resident holds an International Driver Permit from a Foreign License Reciprocity Country and has no valid license from another U.S. state to transfer. Which Kentucky tests must that applicant pass?

   1. Road test only
   2. Written, vision, and road tests
   3. Written knowledge and vision tests only
   4. No tests at all
   Show answer

   Written knowledge and vision tests only. Reciprocity status trims the testing list for permanent residents. Holding an International Driver Permit from a Foreign License Reciprocity Country means passing the written knowledge drivers test and the vision test, with no road test in that path. Adding the skills test describes applicants from non reciprocity countries or without a permit. A road test alone would skip knowledge of Kentucky rules. Waiving everything ignores the two named checks. Bring the permit, study this manual for the written portion, and expect an eyesight screening before licensing proceeds.

3. 3. Which groups face the highest risk for health issues related to ground level ozone from motor vehicle pollution?

   1. Only professional drivers
   2. Healthy adults between 25 and 40 who work indoors
   3. Younger children, older adults, and people who work or play outside
   4. Professional drivers and people who commute in air conditioned cars
   Show answer

   Younger children, older adults, and people who work or play outside. The manual identifies younger children, older adults, and people who work or play outside as having the highest risk for health issues related to ground-level ozone. It says ozone pollution contributes to chronic lung and heart disease, allergies, and asthma, and that vehicle emissions increase unless vehicles are carefully maintained. Drivers are not named as the highest risk group. Healthy adults who work indoors are not listed as a risk group.

4. 4. A Kentucky licensed driver is arrested for DUI in another state and an officer there lawfully requests a chemical test. Which implied consent law applies?

   1. The law of the state where the driver is arrested
   2. Kentucky law, because the license came from Kentucky
   3. No law, because implied consent ends at the border
   4. The law of the driver's home county
   Show answer

   The law of the state where the driver is arrested. Implied-consent laws vary by state. The manual says the applicable law is that of the state where the driver is arrested, not the state that issued the license. Kentucky law based on the issuing license, no law beyond the border, and home county law each name the wrong source. The arresting state supplies the implied consent rule that governs the chemical test request.

   Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, other drugs and the BAC limits

5. 5. At a horizontal traffic light, where is the red light positioned?

   1. On the left
   2. In the middle
   3. On the right
   4. Below the green
   Show answer

   On the left. At a horizontal traffic light, red is on the left, yellow in the middle, and green on the right. On a vertical signal, the usual order from top to bottom is red, yellow, then green. Right is where green sits on a horizontal signal. Middle is yellow's position in this layout. Below the green mixes orientations; horizontal red is on the left.

   Study this in the handbook: Yielding the right of way

6. 6. You will be away from your parked vehicle for only a short period. What does the Kentucky manual instruct you to do with the engine, key, and locks?

   1. Leave the engine running if under five minutes
   2. Locking is optional for short stops
   3. Remove the key but leave the engine on for heat
   4. Turn off the engine, remove the key, and lock the vehicle
   Show answer

   Turn off the engine, remove the key, and lock the vehicle. The law requires you to turn off the engine and remove the key when leaving a vehicle. The manual also instructs you to always lock the vehicle, even if you will be away for only a short time. Short errands do not excuse a running, unattended vehicle. Engine off and key out go together when leaving the vehicle. The manual instructs you to always lock the vehicle, even for a short absence.

7. 7. What are escape or runaway ramps on long downgrades for, and who may use them?

   1. Any driver who wants to rest or park
   2. Passenger cars avoiding tolls
   3. Only large vehicles that are out of control or cannot stop because of brake failure
   4. Emergency vehicles only, for staging
   Show answer

   Only large vehicles that are out of control or cannot stop because of brake failure. Escape or runaway ramps on long downgrades are for large vehicles that are out of control or cannot stop because of brake failure. Never stop or park near these ramps. On downgrades, get out of the way of a fast-approaching truck that seems out of control or unable to slow down. A ramp blocked by a resting driver cannot catch a runaway truck. These ramps are reserved for large vehicles that are out of control or cannot stop because of brake failure.

   Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles and school buses

8. 8. The railroad gates are down, but you cannot see a train. May you drive around the gates?

   1. Yes, after waiting one minute
   2. Yes, if a passenger looks both ways
   3. No, crossing while the gates are down is against the law
   4. Yes, if you can clear the tracks quickly
   Show answer

   No, crossing while the gates are down is against the law. A lowered railroad gate is a restriction you must obey even when a train is not visible from your position. Kentucky says crossing after the warning lights are flashing or the gates are down is against the law and can lead to a citation. A passenger checking or a short waiting period does not change that rule. Keep the vehicle out of the crossing while the gates remain lowered.

   Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings

9. 9. After the Medical Review Board receives a reported driver's medical information, how is the individual told the outcome?

   1. By phone call from the examiner
   2. In person at the next renewal
   3. Only through the reporting physician
   4. By mail with the Board decision
   Show answer

   By mail with the Board decision. Once a case is created, medical forms are sent to the driver for completion by the driver’s physician. When that information reaches the Medical Review Board, the individual is notified of the Board’s decision by mail. The stated notification method is mail, not a phone call, notification only through a physician, or an in-person renewal visit. Notification is by mail, not by a phone call from an examiner.

10. 10. After overtaking a car, what rearview-mirror cue should you check before returning to its lane?

    1. The complete front of the passed car is visible
    2. Only its nearest front headlight is visible
    3. Its driver has flashed the headlights
    4. Its front wheel is alongside your rear door
    Show answer

    The complete front of the passed car is visible. Continue the pass until you can see the complete front of the overtaken vehicle in your rearview mirror. This is the cue in Kentucky’s passing sequence for leaving enough room before returning. Seeing only one corner is not the full view described. Signal your intention to return, then steer smoothly into the lane while maintaining or adjusting speed appropriately. Avoid cutting back merely because the front of your own car has moved ahead.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings, crosswalks and lane use

11. 11. For a first drug violation while driving within a ten year period, what county jail term does Kentucky list?

    1. Not less than 48 hours nor more than 30 days
    2. Not less than 30 days nor more than one year
    3. No jail time for a first conviction
    4. Not less than six months nor more than two years
    Show answer

    Not less than 48 hours nor more than 30 days. A first drug violation conviction within a ten year period carries imprisonment in the county jail for not less than 48 hours nor more than 30 days, alongside a fine and a license suspension. The longer ranges belong to no stated first conviction penalty here, and second or later convictions within ten years carry much worse penalties. Saying no jail time applies erases the mandatory minimum in the range. Cue: first conviction penalties pair a short county jail span with the ten year lookback window.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, other drugs and the BAC limits

12. 12. A Kentucky resident serving in the military lets the operator's license expire while stationed outside the Commonwealth. How long after returning may that person renew without a written test or road test?

    1. Within 30 days of returning
    2. Within 90 days of returning
    3. Within 60 days of returning
    4. Within one year of returning
    Show answer

    Within 90 days of returning. A resident who was serving in the military and returns to the Commonwealth has 90 days to renew the expired operator's license without taking a written test or road test. The 30 day choice matches the new resident transfer deadline, which is a different situation. Sixty days and one year are not the window given for this renewal. The cue is the return date: count from arrival back in Kentucky, and finish the renewal before that 90 day span closes.

13. 13. On a road with one lane in your direction, when enough roadway space is available, what minimum clearance does the manual specify for passing a bicycle or electric low-speed scooter?

    1. At least 1 foot until safely past
    2. No minimum distance is stated
    3. At least 6 feet until safely past
    4. At least 3 feet until safely past
    Show answer

    At least 3 feet until safely past. When there is only one lane for traffic traveling in the same direction, pass to the left keeping at least three feet between your vehicle and the bicycle or electric low-speed scooter until safely past. If roadway space is unavailable for three feet, the manual says to use reasonable caution. With more than one same-direction lane, move into the immediate left lane if it is available and the move is reasonably safe.

    Study this in the handbook: Sharing the road with bicycles, motorcycles and trucks

14. 14. How should a head restraint be adjusted to guard against whiplash?

    1. As low as possible behind the neck
    2. So it contacts the back of the head and not below the level of the ears
    3. Removed when wearing a seat belt
    4. So it touches the top of the shoulders only
    Show answer

    So it contacts the back of the head and not below the level of the ears. Head restraints are designed to prevent whiplash. Adjust the restraint so it contacts the back of the head and is not below the level of the ears. The other choices do not match this placement guidance. Low behind the neck is the wrong placement; contact belongs at the back of the head. The manual advises adjusting the head restraint to contact the back of the head, not removing it when wearing a belt.

15. 15. A person moves into Kentucky and establishes residence. Within how many days must that person obtain a Kentucky driver's license?

    1. Within 10 days
    2. Within 90 days
    3. Within 60 days
    4. Within 30 days
    Show answer

    Within 30 days. Persons moving into Kentucky must obtain a Kentucky driver's license within 30 days of establishing residence. The 10-day deadline applies to obtaining a duplicate license after a name or address change. Sixty and 90 days exceed the new-resident deadline. Ten days is the duplicate deadline after an address or name change, not the limit for a new resident. Sixty days doubles the stated limit; a new resident has 30 days after establishing residence.

    Study this in the handbook: License classes and the tests

16. 16. When shifting into drive to begin moving, where should your foot remain?

    1. On the accelerator pedal
    2. On the brake pedal
    3. Off the brake, relying on park until the shift finishes
    4. On the floor until the transmission engages
    Show answer

    On the brake pedal. Keep your foot on the brake as you select drive. Then check that the path ahead is safe and examine traffic beside and behind the vehicle. Signal and move to the accelerator only when it is safe to begin. Pressing the accelerator during the shift or removing your foot from both pedals omits the control step described in the starting movement instructions. Build the movement in that order.

17. 17. After parking a car with a manual transmission, which gear does the parking guidance specify along with setting the parking brake?

    1. Reverse
    2. Neutral
    3. The highest forward gear
    4. Any gear selected after releasing the parking brake
    Show answer

    Reverse. Securing the parked vehicle includes setting the parking brake and selecting reverse in a manual shift car. The same instruction uses park for an automatic transmission. Leaving the manual car in neutral omits the stated gear choice, while releasing the parking brake contradicts the other part of the instruction. Complete both steps to keep the vehicle from moving before getting out and leaving it unattended.

18. 18. Before entering an intersection after stopping, what scanning order should you use?

    1. Right, then left, then proceed without a second check
    2. Look straight ahead and rely on the signal
    3. Only check the lane you plan to enter
    4. Left, then right, then left again
    Show answer

    Left, then right, then left again. After stopping at an intersection, check for crossing traffic and bicyclists by looking left, right, and left again. When the light turns green, make sure your path is clear before moving. Allow enough space to cross the roadway or turn into the appropriate lane and get up to speed. The manual specifies looking left, then right, then left again before entering the intersection. Cross traffic outside the entry lane can still enter your path.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

19. 19. You would be relying on an approaching vehicle's turn signal to judge that your path will be clear. What should you do before turning into its lane?

    1. Immediately, because the signal guarantees the turn
    2. Confirm the driver is actually turning and that you have enough space to enter, since the signal may be forgotten or intended for a later turn
    3. Whenever your own signal is also on
    4. After flashing your headlights once
    Show answer

    Confirm the driver is actually turning and that you have enough space to enter, since the signal may be forgotten or intended for a later turn. Do not turn into a lane just because an approaching vehicle has its turn signal on. The driver may turn after passing you or may have forgotten to cancel the signal from an earlier turn. Make sure your path is clear and that you have enough space to turn into the appropriate lane and get up to speed. A signal alone does not guarantee the driver will turn before you.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

20. 20. What does Kentucky say about signaling equipment on a motor vehicle?

    1. Hand signals may substitute for broken signals
    2. Signals are optional below 35 mph
    3. The vehicle must have mechanical signals; hand signals cannot be used
    4. Only brake lights are required
    Show answer

    The vehicle must have mechanical signals; hand signals cannot be used. Kentucky states your vehicle must have mechanical signals, and hand signals cannot be used, alongside brake lights that warn following drivers when you slow for turns off roadways without separate lanes or for parking and turning before intersections. Arm waving from a car window does not satisfy the equipment rule. Low speed travel still involves turns and lane changes that others must anticipate. Brake lights alone cannot announce a left or right intention. Working mechanical signals are mandatory equipment, not backup decoration.

    Study this in the handbook: Headlights, turn signals and night driving