KY Permit Practice Test 22

All 20 questions in test 22

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. When should you avoid sounding your horn close to a bicyclist?

   1. Whenever the bicycle is moving faster than you
   2. When there is no chance of a crash requiring a warning
   3. Only when the rider has signaled a turn
   4. Only in areas with marked bicycle lanes
   Show answer

   When there is no chance of a crash requiring a warning. A nearby horn can startle a bicyclist and cause the rider to steer into your path. Avoid using it simply to announce that you are close. Kentucky makes an exception when there is a chance of a crash and a warning is needed. The presence of a bicycle lane or a turn signal does not define this rule. Judge the immediate danger and leave as much space as possible while approaching or passing.

   Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians and blind pedestrians

2. 2. After a Kentucky applicant age 15 to 20 passes the vision and written tests, what distinctive permit is issued?

   1. A standard adult permit with no age marking
   2. A distinctive under 21 permit
   3. A motorcycle only permit
   4. A temporary paper license
   Show answer

   A distinctive under 21 permit. After passing the written and vision tests, applicants in this age group receive a distinctive under-21 permit. Permit holders ages 15 to 20 must hold the permit for at least 180 days. The credential carries an under 21 distinction, not a plain adult format. These tests lead to a driving permit, not a motorcycle only credential. A license comes later; this stage issues a permit.

   Study this in the handbook: The learner's permit phase for teens

3. 3. What following distance should a driver allow when following a motorcyclist, especially in wet conditions?

   1. A 2 second gap, closing to 1 second in rain
   2. The same gap used behind a stopped school bus
   3. A minimum 4 second following distance, or more in wet conditions
   4. Whatever distance keeps the motorcycle headlamp visible only
   Show answer

   A minimum 4 second following distance, or more in wet conditions. When following a motorcyclist, allow a minimum four-second following distance and more in wet conditions so you have enough time and space to avoid a crash. Motorcyclists may need to change speed or lane position suddenly to avoid hazards such as potholes or slippery surfaces. Rain calls for more distance, not a shrinking gap. Bus stop duties do not set a motorcycle following distance.

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

4. 4. You must stop at an intersection with no stop line and no apparent crosswalk. Where should you stop?

   1. In the center of the intersection
   2. After crossing the nearest traffic lane
   3. Only after another vehicle appears
   4. Before entering the intersection
   Show answer

   Before entering the intersection. When a stop is required and no crosswalk is apparent, Kentucky directs the driver to stop before entering the intersection. Missing paint does not move the stopping place into a traffic lane or cancel the stop. Crosswalks are not always marked, and the surrounding guidance calls for attention to pedestrians when crossing intersections. Use the intersection boundary for the stopping decision when there is no stop line or visible crosswalk.

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

5. 5. What should you do if the brake warning light shows the brakes are not working properly before a trip?

   1. Do not drive the vehicle
   2. Drive slowly until the light goes out
   3. Test the brakes at highway speed
   4. Use the parking brake for the whole trip
   Show answer

   Do not drive the vehicle. A brake warning light indicating a problem is a reason to keep the vehicle off the road. Driving slowly is not a substitute for functioning brakes. The parking brake instructions in the emergency section address a failure that happens while already driving, not permission to begin a trip with defective brakes. Treat the warning before departure as a maintenance problem that must be addressed before driving.

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

6. 6. Where are WRONG WAY signs often found?

   1. At the top of steep hills and sharp curves
   2. At exit ramps and the beginning of one-way streets
   3. At the entrance to school zones and playgrounds
   4. At all entrances to two-way residential streets
   Show answer

   At exit ramps and the beginning of one-way streets. Kentucky identifies exit ramps and the beginnings of one-way streets as common locations for WRONG WAY signs. Those are places where entering from the wrong direction would put a driver against the intended traffic flow. This location clue is separate from the sign’s basic meaning. Hills, curves, school zones, and ordinary two-way street entrances are not the locations the manual gives. Check for these warnings when approaching a ramp or one-way entrance.

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

7. 7. A solid yellow line is on your side of a solid-and-broken center-line pair. May you cross it to pass a car?

   1. Yes, if the other side has a broken line
   2. Yes, if the car ahead is below the speed limit
   3. Yes, after signaling for 100 feet
   4. No, passing is prohibited from your side
   Show answer

   No, passing is prohibited from your side. The marking on your own side determines whether you may pass at a solid-and-broken center line. Kentucky prohibits passing when the solid line is on your side. The broken line belongs to traffic approaching from the other direction in this situation. A slow vehicle ahead or a long advance signal does not change the restriction. Read the line nearest your lane before deciding whether the opposing lane is available for passing.

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

8. 8. During long trips, how often should a driver plan to stop to guard against fatigue?

   1. About every 50 miles or 1 hour
   2. About every 200 miles or 4 hours
   3. About every 100 miles or 2 hours
   4. Only when fuel is needed
   Show answer

   About every 100 miles or 2 hours. During long trips, plan to stop about every 100 miles or 2 hours. Fifty miles or 1 hour is half that interval; 200 miles or 4 hours is twice it. The manual gives a distance-or-time interval rather than a fuel-only stopping rule. Fifty miles or 1 hour is half the stated planning interval of 100 miles or 2 hours. Two hundred miles or 4 hours doubles the stated interval between planned stops.

   Study this in the handbook: Fatigue, distraction and emotions

9. 9. During the Kentucky road test, what happens if an applicant fails to follow the Examiner instructions repeatedly?

   1. Failing to follow the Examiner instructions two times during the test results in being disqualified
   2. One missed instruction ends the test at once
   3. Three missed instructions bring only a warning
   4. Missed instructions only lower a numerical score
   Show answer

   Failing to follow the Examiner instructions two times during the test results in being disqualified. Failing to follow the Examiner’s instructions twice during the road test results in disqualification. The score sheet indicates whether the applicant passed or failed and does not give a numerical score. The manual separately warns that a collision, traffic violation, or dangerous act may result in automatic failure. The specific instruction-following rule sets disqualification at two failures. A collision, traffic violation, or dangerous act may separately cause automatic failure.

   Study this in the handbook: License classes and the tests

10. 10. An unbelted driver traveling at 55 mph hits something head on. At what speed will the driver's body impact the steering wheel?

    1. About 25 mph
    2. About 10 mph after braking
    3. The same speed, 55 mph
    4. The body stops with the vehicle
    Show answer

    The same speed, 55 mph. The manual states that during a frontal collision the body moves toward the steering wheel or dashboard. If a person is not properly belted and is traveling at 55 mph when the collision occurs, the body impacts the steering wheel at the same speed. Safety belts hold occupants in the seated position during sudden stops and turns and help prevent impact with the steering wheel or dashboard.

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

11. 11. Which driving act counts as an aggravating circumstance requiring mandatory jail time in a Kentucky DUI case?

    1. Driving 10 mph above the posted limit with no other factor
    2. Carrying an adult passenger in the front seat
    3. Operating a vehicle in the wrong direction on a limited access highway
    4. Driving after midnight on a weekend
    Show answer

    Operating a vehicle in the wrong direction on a limited access highway. Operating a motor vehicle in the wrong direction on a limited access highway is listed as an aggravating circumstance requiring mandatory jail time in a DUI case. The listed speed aggravator is more than 30 mph above the posted limit, and the passenger aggravator involves a passenger under twelve. The speed aggravator requires more than thirty over the limit. An adult passenger is not an aggravating circumstance.

    Study this in the handbook: Implied consent and DUI penalties

12. 12. During a traffic stop at night, which lights should you turn on after stopping?

    1. High beams and fog lights only
    2. Hazard flashers and interior lights
    3. The left turn signal only
    4. Parking lights with the interior lights off
    Show answer

    Hazard flashers and interior lights. After pulling over for an officer, switch on the hazard flashers and illuminate the interior at night. Interior lighting lets the officer see inside the vehicle. High beams do not provide that view, and a turn signal does not replace the flashers. The traffic stop guidance also calls for turning off the engine and lowering the window completely. Keep the situation calm and follow the officer’s instructions.

    Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles and school buses

13. 13. How far can the blind spot directly behind a large vehicle extend?

    1. Up to 50 feet
    2. Up to 100 feet
    3. Up to 335 feet
    4. Up to 200 feet
    Show answer

    Up to 200 feet. Large vehicles have blind spots directly behind them extending up to 200 feet. If you follow too closely, the driver cannot see your car and you cannot see what is ahead. Avoid following too closely and position your vehicle where the driver can see it in the side mirrors. Fifty feet understates the hidden area behind a large vehicle. One hundred feet still falls short of the stated two hundred foot zone.

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

14. 14. Before turning across the path of a bicyclist in an intersection, what should you do?

    1. Slow and let the bicyclist clear the intersection
    2. Turn sharply ahead of the bicyclist
    3. Sound the horn and turn immediately
    4. Assume the bicyclist will stop for your vehicle
    Show answer

    Slow and let the bicyclist clear the intersection. Give the bicyclist time to clear the intersection before turning. A sharp turn across the rider’s path can create a conflict, and sounding the horn does not transfer priority to you. The manual tells drivers to yield to bicyclists in intersections and provide generous space. Do not rely on the rider to compensate for a hurried turn. Watch the rider’s progress and wait until the path is clear.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians and blind pedestrians

15. 15. How long must a Kentucky license applicant or licensee be free of seizures, blackout, loss of conscience, or an altered state of awareness to obtain or maintain driving privileges?

    1. For 30 days
    2. For 60 days
    3. For 90 days
    4. For one year
    Show answer

    For 90 days. The driver must be free of seizures, blackout, loss of conscience, or an altered state of awareness for 90 days to obtain or maintain driving privileges. The 30 day span matches a permit holding period for applicants 21 and older, which is a licensing timeline rather than a medical clearance. Sixty days and one year do not match the stated medical interval. Cue: when the question names those four conditions together, it is pointing at the 90 day clearance tied to the Medical Review Board.

16. 16. As a sideways skid begins to straighten, what should you do with the steering wheel?

    1. Keep it fully turned in the original correction direction
    2. Release it completely
    3. Turn it farther in the original direction
    4. Turn it back to prevent a skid in the opposite direction
    Show answer

    Turn it back to prevent a skid in the opposite direction. The first skid correction is followed by a recovery correction. When the vehicle starts to straighten, turn the wheel back so it does not begin skidding the other way. Holding the original correction too long or adding more of it misses that recovery step. Continue making controlled left and right corrections until the skid is resolved. The steering wheel is the most important vehicle control during this process.

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

17. 17. You pass your exit on an interstate or freeway. What must you never do, and what should you do instead?

    1. Never back up or try to turn around; proceed to the next exit and work your way back
    2. Never stop on the shoulder; instead reverse slowly to the exit
    3. Never use the next exit; instead cross the median at the first opening
    4. Never signal; instead drift across lanes to the missed ramp
    Show answer

    Never back up or try to turn around; proceed to the next exit and work your way back. After passing an exit on an interstate or freeway, never back up or try to turn around. Proceed to the next exit and work your way back to your destination. Reversing slowly to the exit, crossing the median at the first opening, and drifting across lanes to the missed ramp each conflict with that instruction. The credited choice pairs the ban on backing up and turning around with continuing to the next exit and working back.

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

18. 18. After a tire suddenly goes flat while driving, how should you initially slow?

    1. Apply the brakes hard immediately
    2. Ease off the accelerator and let the vehicle slow gradually
    3. Accelerate before turning onto the shoulder
    4. Keep the accelerator pressed until you stop
    Show answer

    Ease off the accelerator and let the vehicle slow gradually. A blowout calls for gradual slowing. Hold the wheel firmly, keep the vehicle straight, and release the accelerator. Hard braking is not the initial response; the guidance permits gentle braking if necessary as the vehicle slows. Accelerating or maintaining power works against that controlled slowdown. After the speed drops, seek a safe place off the road rather than stopping in the traffic lane whenever possible.

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

19. 19. What happens to the steering tires during hydroplaning?

    1. They dig deeper into the pavement for grip
    2. They gain traction once speed rises
    3. They lock and slide sideways at once
    4. They ride up on pooled water and stop contacting the actual roadway surface
    Show answer

    They ride up on pooled water and stop contacting the actual roadway surface. Hydroplaning occurs when the steering tires ride up on pooled water like water skis and no longer contact the roadway surface. To avoid this traction loss, slow down in rain or pooled water and use properly inflated tires with good tread. Hydroplaning lifts tires off the surface; they do not dig in for grip. The manual describes hydroplaning as tires riding up on water without contacting the roadway, not as immediate locking and sideways sliding.

    Study this in the handbook: Kentucky speed limits

20. 20. What routine vision care helps a driver identify roadway conditions and respond to problems?

    1. Regular eye checks by an eye doctor
    2. Waiting until daytime vision becomes completely blurred
    3. Testing vision only after a collision
    4. Relying on a clear daytime view to rule out night problems
    Show answer

    Regular eye checks by an eye doctor. Clear sight helps you identify traffic, recognize road conditions, and respond when a problem develops. Regular examinations by an eye doctor are part of that preparation. Do not wait for a collision or severe blurring to pay attention to vision. Daytime clarity also does not establish that your vision is equally good at night. If corrective lenses are required, wear them while driving and avoid dark or tinted corrective lenses at night.

    Study this in the handbook: Fatigue, distraction and emotions