LA Permit Practice Test 21

All 20 questions in test 21

Every question below comes from the Louisiana 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 does an orange and red triangle on the rear of farm or construction equipment indicate?

   1. The vehicle is stopped and may be passed without checking
   2. The vehicle can travel at the posted maximum speed
   3. The vehicle is an emergency vehicle with priority
   4. The vehicle is traveling less than 25 mph
   Show answer

   The vehicle is traveling less than 25 mph. The fluorescent or reflective orange and red triangle identifies a slow-moving vehicle traveling less than twenty-five miles per hour. It does not grant emergency priority or mean the equipment is stopped. The driver approaching it should slow, watch for wide movements, and confirm that passing is safe before moving around. Farm machinery may occupy more than one lane and may pull left before turning right, so a quick pass can be dangerous. The triangle is an advance warning to create time and space, not an invitation to pass immediately.

   Study this in the handbook: Interstate and rural road driving

2. 2. A traffic signal is mounted sideways, with its three lights in a row. Where is the red light?

   1. On the left end
   2. On the right end
   3. In the middle
   4. Next to the green light
   Show answer

   On the left end. Most signals are vertical, with red at the top, yellow in the middle and green at the bottom. Louisiana's guide notes that some metropolitan areas use horizontal signals, where red is on the left, yellow in the middle and green on the right. Knowing the fixed order helps if glare makes the colors hard to tell apart. On a sideways signal, the left light means stop, and the light beside the green one is the yellow.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

3. 3. You are stopped at an intersection and ready to go. In what order should you look before entering?

   1. Right, left and then right again
   2. Left only, since that lane is closest
   3. Left, right and then left again
   4. Straight ahead only, if your light is green
   Show answer

   Left, right and then left again. After a stop, look left, right and left again before you enter the intersection. The second look to the left matters because traffic in the nearest lanes comes from that side and can arrive while you check the right. Before entering any intersection, also look to the front, left and right for vehicles and people crossing. A green light does not replace this check, because some drivers do not obey or see signals.

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

4. 4. How does alcohol affect a driver's judgment of the traffic around them?

   1. It sharpens judgment of gaps at low speeds
   2. It reduces the ability to judge speeds and distances
   3. It affects balance but leaves judgment alone
   4. It changes judgment only above the legal limit
   Show answer

   It reduces the ability to judge speeds and distances. Alcohol makes it harder to judge speeds, distances and angles, which are the skills needed to pick a gap or know when to brake. The guide adds that alcohol slows reaction time, limits vision, encourages foolish risks and reduces your ability to judge your own condition. Impairment starts with the first drink, and even one drink can affect a person's ability to drive, so its effects do not wait until a driver reaches the legal limit.

   Study this in the handbook: Alcohol and Louisiana's BAC limits

5. 5. On a long, dull interstate drive, your eyes lock on the road and you stop noticing traffic around you. What is this called?

   1. Highway hypnosis
   2. Tunnel vision glare
   3. Speed adaptation
   4. Night blindness
   Show answer

   Highway hypnosis. Boredom on long trips, especially on interstates, can lead to highway hypnosis. Your senses become dulled, your eyes fix on the road, and you are no longer alert to traffic around you. To prevent it, start well rested, take regular rest stops even if you do not feel tired, keep your eyes moving near and far and side to side, and let in fresh air. If nothing keeps you awake, leave the highway and take a short nap.

   Study this in the handbook: Defensive driving, fatigue and aggressive drivers

6. 6. A school speed limit sign reads WHEN FLASHING, but its lights are dark. Which limit applies?

   1. The lower school zone limit
   2. No limit until the next sign
   3. The school limit, but only on weekdays
   4. The regular posted limit for the road
   Show answer

   The regular posted limit for the road. The School Speed Limit When Flashing sign is posted before a school to show a reduced speed limit in the school zone. Louisiana's guide says the reduced limit is required only while the sign is flashing; otherwise you obey the road's regular speed limit. With the lights dark, the regular limit governs. That limit still applies, so there is no unlimited stretch, and the day of the week is not what turns the school limit on.

   Study this in the handbook: Warning, regulatory, guide and work zone signs

7. 7. You are driving in a funeral procession in Louisiana. What lights must your vehicle show?

   1. Headlights and emergency flashers
   2. Parking lights only, no headlights
   3. High beams with no flashers
   4. Flashers only, with headlights off
   Show answer

   Headlights and emergency flashers. Each driver taking part in a funeral procession must have the vehicle's headlights on and its emergency lights flashing. Other drivers are required to yield the right of way to vehicles in it. Parking lights alone or flashers without headlights do not meet the rule, and high beams without flashers do not mark your car as part of the procession.

   Study this in the handbook: Bicycles, motorcycles and big trucks

8. 8. You need to make a phone call while driving. What does the Louisiana guide tell you to do before making it?

   1. Pull safely off the road and stop
   2. Slow down to the posted minimum speed
   3. Wait for a red light, then dial
   4. Move to the right lane and turn on hazards
   Show answer

   Pull safely off the road and stop. The guide says a cell phone call involves all three kinds of distraction: visual, manual and cognitive. Use the phone only in emergencies, and when possible let a passenger make the call. If you must place the call yourself, pull safely off the road and stop first. Dropping to a low speed, waiting for a red light or moving to the right lane still leaves you in control of a vehicle while you dial. The guide also says not to look up numbers or take notes while driving and to let voice mail answer incoming calls.

   Study this in the handbook: Night driving, pedestrians and phones

9. 9. A school bus is stopped at the curb with its red lights flashing, and the lane to its left is wide open. May you drive around it?

   1. Yes, if you pass slowly on the left
   2. Yes, if no children are in sight
   3. No, not on the left or on the right
   4. Only on the right, away from the door
   Show answer

   No, not on the left or on the right. The guide says never to pass a bus with its red lights flashing, whether on the right or on the left. Every state makes it illegal to pass a school bus that is loading or unloading children, and in Louisiana you must stop at least 30 feet from it. An open lane or an empty sidewalk does not change this, because children can appear from in front of or behind the bus. Wait until the bus moves, then scan before you go.

   Study this in the handbook: School buses, turns and signals

10. 10. Two lanes going your way are separated by a wide, single solid white line, and you want to move into the other lane. What does the line tell you?

    1. Crossing is hazardous, so do it only with great care
    2. Crossing it is never allowed for any reason
    3. It marks the right edge of the roadway
    4. You may cross freely once you signal
    Show answer

    Crossing is hazardous, so do it only with great care. White lines separate lanes moving in the same direction. A single solid white line tells you that moving from lane to lane is hazardous, and Louisiana's guide adds that the wider the line, the greater the hazard. You may cross a solid white line, but only with great care. That makes it different from double solid white lines, which may not be crossed at all. Edge lines, by contrast, run along the right edge of the road rather than between two travel lanes.

    Study this in the handbook: Center lines, lane lines and crosswalks

11. 11. You open your car door into traffic and a passing bicyclist hits it. Who does the Louisiana guide say is at fault?

    1. The bicyclist, for riding too close
    2. Neither, since the car was parked
    3. Both share the fault equally
    4. The driver who opened the door
    Show answer

    The driver who opened the door. The guide tells drivers to look first for bicyclists before opening a car door into traffic, and states that this kind of collision is the driver's fault. Being parked does not shift the blame, and the rider is not at fault for passing a parked car. The guide also says to give bicyclists the entire lane when they pass parked cars, because they need room to avoid opening doors. Check your mirror and look back before you open the door.

    Study this in the handbook: Bicycles, motorcycles and big trucks

12. 12. You are stopped in traffic and see a car about to hit you from behind. What should you be ready to do?

    1. Release the brake so the car rolls forward
    2. Apply the brake so you are not pushed ahead
    3. Swerve onto the shoulder at the last second
    4. Lean forward, away from the head rest
    Show answer

    Apply the brake so you are not pushed ahead. If you are about to be hit from the rear, be ready to apply your brake so the impact does not push you into the car ahead. Brace yourself between the steering wheel and the seat back, and press the back of your head firmly against the head rest. The best protection of all comes before the trip: buckle your seat belt and shoulder harness every time, no matter how short the drive.

13. 13. You are driving at dusk on a road posted with this sign. What does the guide tell you about it?

    
    1. It marks a deer hunting area, so expect hunters
    2. It marks a spot with many deer crashes, so be alert
    3. It means deer have a fence along this road
    4. It applies only during daylight hours
    Show answer

    It marks a spot with many deer crashes, so be alert. Deer crossing signs are placed where there have been many deer and vehicle collisions, and the guide says to use caution and stay alert on roads marked with them. Wildlife is most active at dusk and dawn, which is also when your eyes have the hardest time adjusting. Keep your speed down, scan both sides of the road, and if you see one deer, expect another nearby. The guide adds that October through December is an especially active time.

    Study this in the handbook: Interstate and rural road driving

14. 14. Your car does not have anti-lock brakes and you must stop quickly in an emergency. How should you brake?

    1. Press hard and hold until the car stops
    2. Brake lightly and let the car coast
    3. Pull the parking brake to lock the rear wheels
    4. Pump: push hard, ease up as it skids, push again
    Show answer

    Pump: push hard, ease up as it skids, push again. Without anti-lock brakes, braking hard and holding the pedal locks the wheels and puts the car into a skid. For a quick emergency stop, the guide describes a pumping action: push the brake pedal hard, quickly let up as the car begins to skid, then push down again, repeating until the car stops. Cars with ABS do this pumping automatically, so their drivers press firmly and concentrate on steering instead.

15. 15. A high-speed road posts a minimum speed of 40 mph. The weather is clear and traffic is moving well. Is driving 30 mph acceptable?

    1. Yes, a slower speed is always safer
    2. Yes, if your hazard lights are on
    3. No, you must travel at least the minimum
    4. Yes, minimum speeds are only advice
    Show answer

    No, you must travel at least the minimum. Some high-speed roads in Louisiana post minimum speed limits. The guide says you are legally required to travel at least that fast so you are not a hazard to other drivers. In clear weather with traffic flowing, driving 10 mph below the posted minimum breaks that rule and creates a large speed difference with the vehicles around you. A minimum is a legal requirement, and hazard lights do not make driving below it lawful.

    Study this in the handbook: Warning, regulatory, guide and work zone signs

16. 16. You are about to turn into a highway ramp and see a square sign with a white horizontal bar inside a red circle. What should you do?

    1. Enter slowly with your hazard lights on
    2. Do not enter; find the correct ramp
    3. Enter only if the ramp looks empty
    4. Stop, then enter when it is clear
    Show answer

    Do not enter; find the correct ramp. The Do Not Enter sign is a square sign with a white horizontal line inside a red circle, and it means you cannot enter. Louisiana's guide says it appears at openings you may not enter, such as exit ramps where you would be traveling in the wrong direction. An empty ramp is no exception, because traffic leaving the highway can appear at any moment. Do not turn in; continue to the proper entrance ramp.

17. 17. Why should you be cautious at a railroad crossing at any hour of the day or night?

    1. Trains are not allowed to run after dark
    2. Freight trains do not run on fixed schedules
    3. Crossing signals are switched off late at night
    4. Trains always sound horns a mile away
    Show answer

    Freight trains do not run on fixed schedules. The guide says to expect a train on any track at any time and to be cautious at crossings day and night, because freight trains do not travel at fixed times or schedules. Knowing when a train usually passes does not tell you when the next one will come. Be especially careful when visibility is low or when trees, hills or buildings hide the tracks, and do not cross until you are sure no train is coming.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings

18. 18. A center lane is marked with solid and dashed yellow lines on both sides. Which use of this lane is never allowed?

    1. Turning left from either direction
    2. Waiting in it for a gap to turn left
    3. Driving in it to pass slower traffic
    4. Entering it to begin a left turn
    Show answer

    Driving in it to pass slower traffic. Two-way left turn lane markings combine solid and dashed yellow lines in the center of the road. Louisiana's guide says vehicles from either direction may use the lane, for left turns only, and it must never be used for travel or passing. Entering it to set up a left turn and waiting there for a gap are what the lane is for. Driving along it to get around slower traffic is the use the guide forbids.

    Study this in the handbook: Center lines, lane lines and crosswalks

19. 19. Before you turn right at an intersection, which traffic must you check for?

    1. Traffic coming from your right
    2. Only vehicles waiting behind you
    3. Traffic from the left and oncoming left turners
    4. Only pedestrians on the far corner
    Show answer

    Traffic from the left and oncoming left turners. A right turn puts you into the lanes of traffic coming from your left, so check that no traffic is approaching from that side. Also check that no oncoming vehicle is turning left into the same path. Do not begin the turn without searching for pedestrians crossing, both on your side and on the corner you are turning toward. Traffic behind you matters for signaling, but it does not decide when the turn is safe.

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

20. 20. You must park along the side of a roadway. Where should you place your vehicle?

    1. Close to the center line for room
    2. In the travel lane with flashers on
    3. Half on the lane and half on the curb
    4. As far from traffic as possible
    Show answer

    As far from traffic as possible. When you park along a roadway, put your vehicle as far away from traffic as possible. If there is a curb, park as close to it as you can; when parallel parked, the right wheels must be within 18 inches of the curb. Parking near the center line or in a travel lane leaves your car in the path of moving traffic. When you get out on the street side, look carefully for vehicles and bicycles first.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking rules and painted curbs