KY Permit Practice Test 21

All 20 questions in test 21

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 limitation of mirrors must a driver remember while backing up?

   1. Mirrors show the area immediately behind the vehicle best
   2. Mirrors do not show the area immediately behind the vehicle
   3. Mirrors replace looking through the rear window
   4. Mirrors are only for traffic approaching from the front
   Show answer

   Mirrors do not show the area immediately behind the vehicle. Mirrors do not show the area immediately behind the vehicle, so backing also calls for looking directly through the rear window with the right arm on the back of the seat and the left hand at the 12 o'clock position on the wheel. Treating the mirrors as the best view of that hidden zone is incorrect. Children and small objects cannot be seen from the driver's seat either, which is why checking behind the vehicle before getting in matters.

2. 2. Where must a rear facing child safety seat never be placed?

   1. In the middle of the rear seat
   2. In any vehicle with side air bags
   3. Behind the driver in a rear seat
   4. In front of an active passenger air bag
   Show answer

   In front of an active passenger air bag. A rear facing child safety seat must never be placed in front of an active passenger air bag. If the vehicle has a factory installed disabling switch, the air bag should be turned off in that situation. The middle of the rear seat is actually the ideal placement, anchored to prevent movement in a collision. Rear seat positions generally are where children 12 and younger belong, properly restrained. Cue: the danger pairing is a rear facing seat plus a live air bag in front of it.

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

3. 3. What upkeep do driver assistance sensors require so safety features keep working as designed?

   1. Keep them clean and damage free
   2. Wax them monthly
   3. Cover them in rain
   4. Disconnect them in winter
   Show answer

   Keep them clean and damage free. Keep vehicle sensors clean and damage free. Keep software up to date and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. The manual warns that safety features may not work properly in rain, snow, ice, fog, hills, or curves, and that drivers must not rely on these features alone. The stated maintenance instruction is to keep sensors clean and damage free, not to wax them monthly. The manual says to keep sensors clean and damage free and warns that features may not work properly in rain. It does not direct drivers to cover sensors.

4. 4. If applying the parking brake during brake failure starts a skid, what should you be ready to do?

   1. Apply it harder
   2. Keep it applied while shifting into park
   3. Release the parking brake
   4. Keep it fully applied until stopped
   Show answer

   Release the parking brake. While using the parking brake to respond to brake failure, be ready to release it if a skid begins. Applying it slowly helps avoid locking the rear wheels in the first place. More pressure can work against that goal. The guidance is about maintaining control during an emergency, not holding the brake regardless of the vehicle’s response. After stopping, do not continue driving without working brakes.

   Study this in the handbook: Brake failure, blowouts and other vehicle failures

5. 5. A vehicle is parked on a hill where there is no curb. Which way should the wheels be turned?

   1. Toward the center line so the vehicle stops in the lane
   2. Straight ahead with the parking brake set
   3. So the vehicle will go off the road should it roll
   4. Toward the nearest driveway entrance
   Show answer

   So the vehicle will go off the road should it roll. When parked on a hill without a curb, turn the wheels so the vehicle will go off the road if it rolls. With a curb, turn the wheels so the vehicle will touch the curb if it begins moving. The manual also instructs drivers to turn off the engine, remove the key, and lock the vehicle when leaving it. Rolling toward the center line keeps the vehicle in traffic space; aim it off the road.

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

6. 6. You entered an intersection while the signal was yellow. May you finish crossing after it turns red?

   1. No, stop immediately inside the intersection
   2. Only if another driver waves you through
   3. Only if you were making a right turn
   4. Yes, you may clear the intersection
   Show answer

   Yes, you may clear the intersection. Kentucky distinguishes entering an intersection from clearing one you have already entered. A vehicle that entered while the signal was yellow may finish crossing after red appears. That permission does not authorize a new entry on red. Stopping immediately inside the intersection is not the response described for this situation. The key detail is the signal color when you entered, rather than whether you planned to turn or travel straight.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

7. 7. You realize you are driving slightly to the rear of another vehicle on its side, inside that driver's blind spot. What should you do?

   1. Stay there so the driver eventually notices you
   2. Flash headlights until the driver waves
   3. Move closer to the center line marking
   4. Speed up or drop back so you do not remain in the blind spot
   Show answer

   Speed up or drop back so you do not remain in the blind spot. Avoid driving on either side slightly to the rear of another vehicle: you may be in its blind spot, reducing the space you may need to avoid a crash. Either speed up or drop back, but do not remain in another driver’s blind spot. Avoid crowding the center line and keep as much space as possible from oncoming traffic. The manual says not to remain in another driver’s blind spot.

   Study this in the handbook: Looking ahead, stopping distance and following distance

8. 8. A funeral procession is traveling on an interstate highway. When may another driver pass or overtake a vehicle in the procession?

   1. Never, because passing a procession vehicle is always unlawful
   2. When the procession is on an interstate highway or state parkway
   3. When the passing driver flashes headlights at the procession
   4. When the funeral procession is traveling below the posted speed limit
   Show answer

   When the procession is on an interstate highway or state parkway. The manual permits passing a funeral-procession vehicle when a police or safety officer directs it, when the procession is outside city, town, or urban-county limits, or when it is on an interstate highway or state parkway. Because this procession is on an interstate, the interstate exception applies. An interstate or state parkway procession carries a passing exception. Officer direction is one path, but the interstate exception stands on its own.

   Study this in the handbook: Funeral processions

9. 9. Which condition is explicitly listed in the manual’s “Unlawful and Impermissible Equipment” section as a possible reason to reject a road-test vehicle?

   1. A small scratch on the rear bumper paint
   2. A missing floor mat on the passenger side
   3. Excessive window tint or flashing lights other than turn signals
   4. An empty windshield washer container
   Show answer

   Excessive window tint or flashing lights other than turn signals. The manual lists excessive window tint, flashing lights other than turn signals, and items obstructing windshield vision as examples of equipment that could cause an examiner to reject a road-test vehicle. Missing or inoperable equipment that makes a vehicle unlawful or unsafe may also cause cancellation or rescheduling. A small bumper-paint scratch is not one of the examples listed in this section. Floor mats are not listed rejection grounds.

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

10. 10. What happens during the road test if the applicant commits a collision, a traffic violation, or a dangerous act?

    1. The examiner deducts points and the test continues
    2. It may result in automatic failure and the test will not be completed
    3. The applicant restarts that maneuver and continues
    4. Only the parallel parking portion is scored as failed
    Show answer

    It may result in automatic failure and the test will not be completed. A collision, traffic violation, or dangerous act may result in automatic failure, and the test will not be completed. A collision, violation, or dangerous act may result in automatic failure with the test left incomplete. The manual says a dangerous act may result in automatic failure and the test will not be completed. The consequence covers the whole test, not parking alone.

    Study this in the handbook: License classes and the tests

11. 11. Under normal circumstances, how much horn should a driver use to get another road user's attention?

    1. A light tap on the horn
    2. A continuous blast lasting ten seconds
    3. No horn under any circumstance
    4. Three long blasts in a row
    Show answer

    A light tap on the horn. The horn works best as a polite nudge. Used properly it gets attention, and a light tap should be all that is needed under normal circumstances, such as when pedestrians or bicyclists drift toward your lane or a driver starts turning into you. Ten seconds of noise startles people and can trigger anger instead of awareness. Silence fails when a gentle warning could prevent contact entirely. Triple long blasts belong to no guidance here. Tap once, watch for the other person to notice, and keep speed and steering ready if the warning goes unheard.

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

12. 12. A church bus is loading passengers on a two-lane road with its stop arm and signal lights activated. What must you do?

    1. Pass slowly if it is not a school bus
    2. Stop only when traveling behind the bus
    3. Stop until the passengers are clear and the bus is moving
    4. Continue when its driver closes the door, even if the bus remains stopped
    Show answer

    Stop until the passengers are clear and the bus is moving. The stopping rule covers church buses as well as school buses. On a two-lane road, approaching traffic from either direction must stop while the bus receives or discharges passengers. Calling it a church bus does not remove that duty. Wait until people are clear of the roadway and the bus is moving before continuing. The exception for approaching from the opposite direction on a highway with four or more lanes does not apply here.

    Study this in the handbook: Roundabouts and traffic circles

13. 13. How does completing an approved Kentucky rider training course affect motorcycle license testing?

    1. Applicants are exempted from the licensing written and skills tests
    2. It waives only the vision screening
    3. It replaces the permit fee but tests remain
    4. It exempts only riders under 18 from the skills test
    Show answer

    Applicants are exempted from the licensing written and skills tests. Applicants for a motorcycle license are exempted from the licensing written and skills tests when they present satisfactory evidence of completing an approved rider training course. Vision screening is not the item waived; the exemption names the written and skills tests. Paying the fee remains part of licensing, so the course is not merely a fee substitute. The exemption is not limited to riders under 18. Cue: course completion stands in for the two performance hurdles, written knowledge and road skills.

14. 14. Which vehicle requires a Kentucky Class B commercial license?

    1. A combination with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more and a towed vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating over 10,000 pounds
    2. A single vehicle with a gross combination weight rating below 26,001 pounds designed to transport more than 16 people including the driver
    3. A single vehicle with a gross combination weight rating below 26,001 pounds that is placarded for hazardous materials
    4. Any single vehicle with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, including such a vehicle towing a vehicle rated at no more than 10,000 pounds
    Show answer

    Any single vehicle with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, including such a vehicle towing a vehicle rated at no more than 10,000 pounds. Class B covers a single vehicle with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, including such a vehicle towing a vehicle rated at no more than 10,000 pounds. The listed combination with a towed vehicle rated over 10,000 pounds fits Class A. The two listed single vehicles rated below 26,001 pounds fit the manual's Class C definitions.

    Study this in the handbook: License classes and the tests

15. 15. For a short rest after fatigue begins on a trip, what nap length does the guidance suggest?

    1. Two to three minutes
    2. Five minutes
    3. 15 to 20 minutes
    4. Two hours as the minimum short nap
    Show answer

    15 to 20 minutes. When tiredness begins, stop driving and use the next exit or rest area for a fifteen to twenty minute nap, or find somewhere to sleep overnight. A two minute pause or five minute rest is not the listed short nap interval. The guidance does not require a two hour nap as the minimum. Fatigue can slow decisions and affect vision, so continuing while tired is not the solution.

    Study this in the handbook: Fatigue, distraction and emotions

16. 16. Besides using emergency flashers, how can you show other drivers that a disabled vehicle needs assistance?

    1. Raise the hood
    2. Flash high beams repeatedly instead
    3. Sound the horn at regular intervals instead
    4. Leave the trunk open while keeping the hood closed
    Show answer

    Raise the hood. A raised hood tells other drivers that a disabled vehicle needs help. Emergency flashers identify the vehicle as disabled, while the hood adds a visible request for assistance. Flashing high beams, repeatedly sounding the horn, or opening the trunk is not the signal described. The guidance also calls for pulling completely off the road if possible and choosing a place visible from a distance. Make the disabled vehicle visible.

    Study this in the handbook: Brake failure, blowouts and other vehicle failures

17. 17. Your wheels drop off the pavement onto a lower shoulder. What response avoids the panic steering crash pattern?

    1. Slow down gradually, then turn quickly back onto the pavement when safe
    2. Jerk the wheel immediately back onto the pavement
    3. Accelerate to climb the edge faster
    4. Brake hard while still off the pavement
    Show answer

    Slow down gradually, then turn quickly back onto the pavement when safe. If your wheels leave the pavement, avoid panic steering back immediately. Slow down gradually, then turn quickly back onto the pavement when it is safe to do so. Immediate jerking back is the panic steering pattern that causes crashes. The manual directs you to slow down gradually, not accelerate, before returning to the pavement. The manual calls for slowing gradually before returning to the pavement when safe.

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

18. 18. May a driver switch on headlights to falsely claim funeral procession priority?

    1. Yes, if the driver follows the last procession vehicle
    2. Yes, if traffic is moving slowly
    3. Yes, if the driver intends to turn at the next intersection
    4. No, using headlights to secure that priority is prohibited
    Show answer

    No, using headlights to secure that priority is prohibited. The funeral procession guidance prohibits using headlights or another act to obtain its right of way. Following the procession or traveling at its pace does not make that conduct acceptable. The procession’s intersection privilege has specific requirements and exceptions; other drivers should respect it rather than attempt to claim it. A planned turn does not change the prohibition against using lights to secure priority.

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

19. 19. Near which road users should you avoid using your horn, and why does general horn guidance support that?

    1. Cyclists, because horns are banned near bikes
    2. Blind pedestrians, who cannot tell who is being honked at and may be startled
    3. Drivers at four way stops
    4. Children in school zones
    Show answer

    Blind pedestrians, who cannot tell who is being honked at and may be startled. Do not use your horn near blind pedestrians. A blind person may not know whom you are honking at and may be startled. The manual also cautions against sounding your horn close to bicyclists unless there is a chance of a crash; it does not state a blanket ban near bicycles. The manual cautions against sounding your horn close to bicyclists unless there is a chance of a crash; this is not a blanket ban near bicycles.

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

20. 20. Which habit helps a driver with hearing loss stay safe, and what should every driver do about hearing?

    1. Rely on hearing alone and skip mirror checks
    2. Compensate by relying more on visual abilities, and have hearing tested periodically because loss can grow unnoticed
    3. Drive only at night when roads are quieter
    4. Use the horn continuously in traffic
    Show answer

    Compensate by relying more on visual abilities, and have hearing tested periodically because loss can grow unnoticed. Drivers who know they are deaf or have hearing problems can adjust by relying more on visual abilities. Hearing loss may develop so slowly that it goes unnoticed, so the manual recommends periodic hearing tests. Drivers with hearing problems can compensate by relying more on visual abilities. The hearing guidance calls for greater reliance on visual abilities and periodic hearing tests. The hearing guidance recommends relying more on visual abilities and having hearing tested periodically.

    Study this in the handbook: Fatigue, distraction and emotions