KY Permit Practice Test 18

All 20 questions in test 18

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. What is a child booster seat designed to do for a child passenger?

   1. Elevate the child to properly sit in a federally approved lap and shoulder belt system
   2. Replace all seat belts with a padded cushion
   3. Face the child rearward until age eight
   4. Attach the child directly to the vehicle frame
   Show answer

   Elevate the child to properly sit in a federally approved lap and shoulder belt system. A child booster seat is a child passenger restraint system meeting the specified federal standards. It is designed to elevate a child so the child can sit properly in a federally approved lap-and-shoulder belt system. The vehicle belt still restrains; the booster positions it. The manual defines a booster by its role in elevating the child for the lap-and-shoulder belt, not by rear-facing use until age eight.

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

2. 2. May an interpreter ride in the vehicle during the Kentucky road test?

   1. Yes, interpreters may ride and translate throughout
   2. Yes, but only in the back seat
   3. No; interpreters are not permitted in the vehicle during the test, though one may help before and after
   4. Only if the examiner requests translation help
   Show answer

   No; interpreters are not permitted in the vehicle during the test, though one may help before and after. Interpreters are not permitted in the vehicle during the road test. An interpreter may be present before and after the test to assist as needed. Riding along to translate throughout, sitting in the back seat, and waiting for an examiner request each place an interpreter in the vehicle during the test. Help from an interpreter is allowed before and after the test instead.

   Study this in the handbook: License classes and the tests

3. 3. After turning the ignition to the on position, what should you check?

   1. Only the fuel gauge, ignoring system indicators
   2. The oil level under the hood and the tire tread depth
   3. The windshield washer fluid and the brake pad thickness
   4. Indicator lights and gauges, including fuel, ABS, and air bags
   Show answer

   Indicator lights and gauges, including fuel, ABS, and air bags. The starting sequence includes checking the indicator lights and gauges after switching the ignition on. Fuel level and the ABS and air bag indicators are examples. Looking only at the fuel gauge leaves out part of that dashboard check, and oil level, tire tread, washer fluid, and brake pads are not part of it. Placing the foot on the brake and confirming park occurs earlier in the sequence. Keep these steps distinct so that the vehicle’s status indications are not overlooked.

4. 4. What horn equipment must every motor vehicle and bicycle in use on a Kentucky highway have?

   1. A warning device that cannot make an abrupt sound
   2. A horn or other device capable of making an abrupt sound loud enough to be heard under ordinary traffic conditions
   3. A horn audible only inside the vehicle
   4. No horn is required for bicycles
   Show answer

   A horn or other device capable of making an abrupt sound loud enough to be heard under ordinary traffic conditions. Every motor vehicle and bicycle used on a highway must have a horn or other device capable of making an abrupt sound loud enough to be heard under ordinary traffic conditions. A warning device that cannot make an abrupt sound fails the stated capability, and a horn audible only inside the vehicle cannot warn others under ordinary traffic conditions. Bicycles used on highways are included in the rule rather than exempt from it.

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

5. 5. After a driver takes a lawfully requested DUI chemical test, how may its result be used?

   1. Only to select a treatment program
   2. As proof of the driver's eligibility for a license
   3. To set the amount of the driver's insurance premium
   4. As evidence against the driver in court
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   As evidence against the driver in court. Agreeing to testing does not prevent a chemical test result from becoming evidence. Kentucky’s DUI guidance says results of tests taken may be used against the driver in court. A refusal is not required before the result can be used. Treatment programs, license eligibility, and insurance premiums are separate subjects. The important distinction is between cooperating with a lawful test request and the later evidentiary use of the result.

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

6. 6. How should following distance change for night driving and for unfamiliar roadways at night?

   1. Add at least one additional second for night driving and at least two additional seconds on unfamiliar roadways at night
   2. Subtract one second at night to stay closer to taillights
   3. Keep the daytime gap unchanged in all night conditions
   4. Add five seconds only when the road is familiar
   Show answer

   Add at least one additional second for night driving and at least two additional seconds on unfamiliar roadways at night. Increase your following distance by at least one additional second for night driving and by at least two additional seconds for unfamiliar roadways at night. The manual explains that nighttime visibility ahead is limited by the light from your headlights. Closer following at night shrinks reaction time when vision is shortest. An unchanged daytime gap ignores the added night risk. The larger addition belongs on unfamiliar roads, not familiar ones.

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

7. 7. Why must a driver not stop in the middle of a crosswalk when yielding near a blind pedestrian?

   1. It forces the blind pedestrian to go around the car and into traffic outside the crosswalk
   2. It blocks the driver's own view of signals
   3. It prevents other drivers from hearing the vehicle
   4. It keeps the pedestrian from hearing traffic sounds
   Show answer

   It forces the blind pedestrian to go around the car and into traffic outside the crosswalk. Stopping in the middle of a crosswalk forces a blind pedestrian to go around the car into traffic outside the crosswalk. At a stop light or stop sign, do not stop more than five feet from the crosswalk unless there is an advanced stop bar; a blind pedestrian uses vehicle sound as a guide. Do not honk, because the pedestrian may not know whom you are honking at and may be startled. Stepping back and pulling in the cane signals that you should go.

   Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians and blind pedestrians

8. 8. What minimum field of vision must a Kentucky driver have to the sides and above or below fixation?

   1. At least 120 degrees across and 80 degrees up and down
   2. At least 35 degrees to each side and 25 degrees above and below fixation
   3. At least 20 degrees to each side and 10 degrees above and below
   4. At least 90 degrees to each side with no vertical minimum
   Show answer

   At least 35 degrees to each side and 25 degrees above and below fixation. The horizontal field must be at least 35 degrees to both the left and the right, and the vertical field at least 25 degrees above and below fixation. The 120 by 80 pairing belongs to the bioptic driving program's better eye standard, a separate program with its own training. Twenty degrees and 90 degrees do not appear in either standard. Cue: ordinary driving uses the smaller 35 and 25 pairing, while the triple digit numbers signal the bioptic program.

9. 9. For applicants age 18 to 20, how long is the instruction permit valid, and may it be renewed?

   1. Valid one year and not renewable
   2. Valid five years and renewable once only
   3. Valid three years and renewable
   4. Valid 180 days and not renewable
   Show answer

   Valid three years and renewable. Applicants age 18 to 20 receive a temporary paper permit first, and the credential that follows is valid for three years and may be renewed. One year understates the validity window. Five years overstates it and adds a renewal cap that is not stated. One hundred eighty days confuses the holding period before the road test with the life of the credential itself. Keep those clocks apart: 180 days to test eligibility, three years of permit validity.

10. 10. Why is squeezing between a turning truck or bus and the curb so dangerous?

    1. The truck horn cannot be heard near the curb
    2. The driver may swing wide left to turn right, then close the gap at the curb
    3. Curb lanes are reserved for buses only
    4. The truck will stop before completing the turn
    Show answer

    The driver may swing wide left to turn right, then close the gap at the curb. A truck or bus may swing wide to the left to make a right turn and clear a curb or obstruction, sometimes using space from other lanes. Do not move between the turning vehicle and the curb; you could be squeezed and suffer a serious crash. Wait until the truck or bus completes its turn. Horn sound near the curb is not the hazard described for wide turns.

    Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles and school buses

11. 11. Kentucky seat belt law is described as primary. What does that mean for enforcement?

    1. Belts are required only after another violation is found
    2. Officers can stop drivers observed driving while not wearing seat belts
    3. Officers can issue a warning but cannot stop a driver for a belt violation
    4. Officers can stop passengers but not drivers for belt violations
    Show answer

    Officers can stop drivers observed driving while not wearing seat belts. Primary status lets a belt violation start the traffic stop. Kentucky law requires properly adjusted and fastened belts, and officers may stop a driver observed operating without one, without needing any other offense first. Waiting for a second violation describes secondary enforcement, the opposite arrangement. A warning-only approach, or one that covers passengers but not drivers, contradicts the primary enforcement described. Drivers themselves are plainly within the law, not just passengers. Click the belt before the wheels roll; an officer who spots an unbelted driver across an intersection already has grounds to light up.

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

12. 12. Once a court has referred a Kentucky driver to State Traffic School, what happens if the driver does not comply with the order to attend?

    1. The referral expires with no consequence
    2. Only a late fee is charged
    3. The court must issue a second referral first
    4. The driver's driving privileges will be suspended
    Show answer

    The driver's driving privileges will be suspended. Once a court refers a driver to Kentucky State Traffic School, attendance becomes a court order. Failure to comply with the order suspends the driver’s driving privileges. The Division of Driver Licensing mails enrollment instructions to the address on the license, and the driver should follow those instructions carefully. Noncompliance brings suspension, not quiet expiration. Suspension follows noncompliance without a guaranteed second referral. The consequence is suspension, not only a fee.

    Study this in the handbook: The point system and losing your license

13. 13. An out of state permit holder transfers to Kentucky but does not submit out of state test scores. What happens before a Kentucky license can issue?

    1. The old permit converts automatically
    2. No testing of any kind is needed
    3. Only a vision screening is needed
    4. The Kentucky road test must be taken
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    The Kentucky road test must be taken. Out-of-state permit holders transferring to Kentucky must exchange their permit for a Kentucky permit before applying for a Kentucky license. If their out-of-state test scores are not submitted, they must take the Kentucky road test. Skipping testing of any kind and relying on vision screening alone both ignore the road test triggered by missing scores. The old permit does not convert automatically, because it must first be exchanged for a Kentucky permit.

14. 14. Before starting to drive in winter conditions, what must be cleared from the vehicle?

    1. Snow, ice, and frost from all windows
    2. Snow, ice, and frost from the windshield only
    3. Snow from the roof only, if the windows are clear
    4. Nothing, if the defroster is running
    Show answer

    Snow, ice, and frost from all windows. Snow, ice, and frost must be removed from all windows before starting to drive. Clearing only the windshield leaves side and rear views blocked at exactly the moments lane changes and backing demand them. A cleared roof with frosted windows still fails the requirement. A running defroster does not replace removing the buildup before moving. Keeping the windshield clean matters for the same reason: bright sun or headlights on dirty glass decrease vision. Cue: every window clear before the vehicle moves.

15. 15. You are leaving a parallel parking space. When may you move forward into the traffic lane?

    1. As soon as your door opens without hitting the vehicle ahead
    2. After backing as far as possible, regardless of traffic
    3. When the door post of your vehicle clears the rear bumper of the vehicle parked ahead
    4. Once the vehicle behind honks
    Show answer

    When the door post of your vehicle clears the rear bumper of the vehicle parked ahead. Exiting a parallel space takes a sequence: check traffic in all directions, place a foot on the brake, shift to reverse, and back as much as possible toward the vehicle behind, then check and signal before moving forward. Forward movement into the lane fits when the door post of your vehicle clears the rear bumper of the vehicle parked ahead. Door clearance says nothing about whether your front swings clear. Backing room alone ignores traffic approaching from behind. A honk from another driver is not a clearance signal. Confirm the bumper geometry, then steer smoothly into the lane.

16. 16. For how long before a turn must a bicyclist give a signal, and by what means?

    1. Intermittently for the last 50 feet, by hand signals, signal lamps, or mechanical devices
    2. For the last 10 feet, by shouting only
    3. For the last 100 feet, by motor vehicle turn signals only
    4. No signal is ever required for bicycles
    Show answer

    Intermittently for the last 50 feet, by hand signals, signal lamps, or mechanical devices. A bicycle turn signal may be given by hand signals, signal lamps, or mechanical signal devices. Give the signal intermittently during the last 50 feet before the turn. Drivers should remember that bicyclists may be unable to signal when road or traffic conditions require both hands on the handlebars. The manual specifies intermittent signaling for the last 50 feet and allows hand signals, lamps, or mechanical devices.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians and blind pedestrians

17. 17. You park on a hill where a curb is present. How should the wheels be turned?

    1. Straight ahead with the parking brake set
    2. Away from the curb so it rolls into the street
    3. So the vehicle will touch the curb if it begins moving
    4. Toward the downhill side only on steep grades
    Show answer

    So the vehicle will touch the curb if it begins moving. When parking on a hill with a curb, turn the wheels so the vehicle will touch the curb if it begins moving. If there is no curb, turn the wheels so the vehicle will go off the road should it roll. Straight wheels provide no curb contact if the vehicle starts to roll. Rolling into the street is the outcome the wheel turn is meant to prevent.

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

18. 18. What does Kentucky law require after a non-injury accident regarding the damaged vehicles?

    1. Leave the vehicles where they stopped until photographs are sold
    2. Push the vehicles into the nearest intersection for visibility
    3. Move the damaged vehicles to the shoulder of the roadway
    4. Abandon the vehicles and leave the scene
    Show answer

    Move the damaged vehicles to the shoulder of the roadway. For a non-injury accident, the manual says Kentucky law requires moving the damaged vehicles to the shoulder of the roadway. Stop at or near the scene, remain until the responding officer has questioned everyone, and collect the required collision information. The manual directs drivers in a non-injury accident to move damaged vehicles to the shoulder. Move the damaged vehicles to the shoulder, not into an intersection.

    Study this in the handbook: Skids, pavement drop offs and collisions

19. 19. After steering around an obstacle, what steering action helps straighten your vehicle?

    1. Continue steering toward the roadside indefinitely
    2. Release the wheel so it centers itself
    3. Brake hard while keeping the wheel fully turned
    4. Steer in the opposite direction to regain control
    Show answer

    Steer in the opposite direction to regain control. A quick avoidance turn needs a controlled recovery. Once clear of the obstacle, steer the opposite way to straighten the vehicle and regain control, then begin slowing. Continuing the initial turn or releasing the steering wheel does not follow that recovery sequence. Keep both hands on the wheel unless another driving task requires one hand. The goal is to avoid the hazard and bring the vehicle back under control.

    Study this in the handbook: Skids, pavement drop offs and collisions

20. 20. You are considering passing several vehicles in one maneuver. What must you not rely on?

    1. A clear view of the road ahead
    2. Other drivers making room for you to return
    3. Enough space to return to your own lane
    4. Checking for oncoming traffic before starting
    Show answer

    Other drivers making room for you to return. Do not pull out unless you know there is enough space to return to your lane. A plan that depends on several drivers creating a gap is not a reliable passing plan. Kentucky specifically warns against depending on time to pass several vehicles at once or on others making room. Check ahead, check following traffic, and consider hills, curves, intersections, and other obstructions before committing to the overtake.

    Study this in the handbook: Turns, lane changes and passing