LA Permit Practice Test 5

All 20 questions in test 5

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. Which signs use a rectangle with its longer side going horizontal?

   1. Stop signs, yield signs and railroad advance warning signs
   2. Guide signs, some warning signs and temporary traffic control signs
   3. No passing zone signs, school crossing signs and route markers
   4. Construction diamonds, yield signs and parking signs
   Show answer

   Guide signs, some warning signs and temporary traffic control signs. Louisiana's guide says a rectangle with the longer dimension going horizontal is used for guide signs, some warning signs and temporary traffic control signs. Other shapes have their own jobs: the octagon is only for stop signs, the point down triangle only for yield signs, the sideways triangle marks no passing zones, and a round sign gives railroad advance warning. Route markers typically use other shapes. Knowing these shapes helps you recognize the kind of message before you can read it.

   Study this in the handbook: Sign shapes and colors

2. 2. Steam is coming from an overheated engine. What should you do about the radiator cap?

   1. Open it as soon as the vehicle stops
   2. Loosen it while keeping the engine running
   3. Remove it before turning off the engine
   4. Leave it closed and wait for the engine to cool
   Show answer

   Leave it closed and wait for the engine to cool. Steam under the hood can mean the cooling system is boiling. Pull to the roadside, switch off the engine and wait for it to cool without opening the radiator cap. Removing the cap immediately is not the response the guide recommends, even after the vehicle has stopped. Keep the distinction between smoke and steam in mind: this situation specifically concerns an overheating cooling system and the safe handling of its cap.

   Study this in the handbook: Skids, blowouts and hydroplaning

3. 3. After entering a roundabout, how should you continue toward your exit?

   
   1. Keep moving through the circle and follow the destination signs
   2. Stop inside whenever another vehicle approaches from the right
   3. Drive clockwise against the circulating traffic to reach the exit
   4. Change lanes repeatedly until the desired exit appears
   Show answer

   Keep moving through the circle and follow the destination signs. Once inside a roundabout, do not stop, and remember that the vehicle circulating there has the right-of-way. Drivers yield to the left before entering, then follow signs and prepare for the chosen exit. Stopping inside disrupts the circle, and traveling against the circulation direction creates a head-on conflict. Repeated lane changes add unnecessary risk. Enter slowly, maintain a steady path, check the mirror before exiting, and use the turn signal as you leave.

   Study this in the handbook: Roundabouts and traffic circles

4. 4. What condition does the skidding-car symbol warn about?

   
   1. Loose gravel ahead
   2. Pavement that is slippery when wet
   3. An uneven railroad crossing
   4. A winding road ahead
   Show answer

   Pavement that is slippery when wet. The skidding car identifies the Slippery When Wet warning. It calls attention to pavement that can become slick in wet conditions, rather than to the shape of the road or the presence of tracks. Louisiana advises reducing speed when a roadway is slippery. Recognizing this symbol helps you connect the warning with the pavement condition you may encounter. The curving marks behind the car show slipping tires, not a series of curves in the highway.

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

5. 5. How close may a driver follow an emergency vehicle responding to a call in Louisiana?

   1. Within 100 feet if traveling slowly
   2. Not closer than 500 feet
   3. Within 50 feet when the road is clear
   4. Any distance if the driver uses hazard lights
   Show answer

   Not closer than 500 feet. Louisiana makes it unlawful to follow an emergency vehicle responding to a call closer than 500 feet. The smaller distances in the choices “Within 100 feet if traveling slowly” and “Within 50 feet when the road is clear” are still too close, and hazard lights do not create an exception. This rule addresses following the responding vehicle, while a separate rule covers parking within the block where the emergency vehicle has stopped. The cue is the large spacing requirement: leave at least 500 feet. You also must not follow the responder into, and park within, the block where it has stopped.

   Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles and the move over rule

6. 6. An impaired Louisiana driver injures someone, but not seriously. What is the penalty for vehicle negligent injury?

   1. A fine of not more than $1,000 or not more than six months in prison, or both
   2. 5 to 30 years in prison
   3. A fine up to $2,000 or up to five years
   4. No penalty if the injury is minor
   Show answer

   A fine of not more than $1,000 or not more than six months in prison, or both. Vehicle negligent injury, under R.S. 14:39.1, is injuring someone while under the influence of alcohol or drugs or with a BAC of 0.08% or more. Penalties include a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. Up to $2,000 or five years is not this offense's penalty, and serious bodily injury is charged as a separate, more serious crime. Five to 30 years is for vehicular homicide. A minor injury is still a crime.

   Study this in the handbook: Implied consent and DWI penalties

7. 7. When parallel parked in Louisiana, how close must the right wheels be to the curb?

   1. Within 18 inches
   2. Within 3 feet
   3. Within 6 inches
   4. Touching the curb
   Show answer

   Within 18 inches. When parallel parked, the vehicle's right wheels must be within 18 inches of the right-hand curb. The list of illegal parking spots also includes being more than 2 feet from the curb. Three feet is too far out and would also break the 2 foot limit. Six inches and touching the curb are closer than required but are not the rule, which sets a maximum distance, not an exact one. When leaving the car, stop the motor, remove the key, lock the ignition and set the brake.

   Study this in the handbook: Parking rules and painted curbs

8. 8. How far does a 100 car freight train at 55 mph need to stop?

   1. About 290 feet
   2. About 500 feet
   3. About a quarter mile
   4. More than a mile
   Show answer

   More than a mile. The guide says a 100 car freight train traveling at 55 miles per hour requires more than a mile to stop, the length of 18 football fields. Two hundred ninety feet is the guide's minimum stopping distance for a loaded tractor trailer at 55 mph. Five hundred feet and a quarter mile badly understate a train's stopping distance. Trains have the right of way over everyone 100% of the time.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way and other laws you should know

9. 9. When turning right at a roundabout, when should the driver use the right signal?

   1. Never, because roundabouts do not use signals
   2. Just before entering, then turn it off once inside the circle
   3. When another vehicle is waiting to enter behind you
   4. While approaching and until exiting the roundabout
   Show answer

   While approaching and until exiting the roundabout. For a right turn through a roundabout, the guide directs the driver to signal right while approaching and continue signaling until the exit is completed. Signaling communicates the intended movement to drivers and pedestrians near the circle. Turning the signal off inside the circle, or using it only when another car waits, leaves road users guessing at the driver's plan. A roundabout still requires communication even though traffic flows around an island. Slow first, yield to circulating traffic, then keep the right signal active through the selected exit.

   Study this in the handbook: Roundabouts and traffic circles

10. 10. By how much can proper tire inflation improve gas mileage, according to the Louisiana guide?

    1. Not at all
    2. About 25 percent
    3. As much as 3.3 percent
    4. About 50 percent
    Show answer

    As much as 3.3 percent. Keeping your tires properly inflated can improve gas mileage by as much as 3.3 percent, and properly inflated tires are also safer and last longer. The correct pressure for your vehicle is usually found on a sticker on the driver side door jamb or in the owner's manual. The guide suggests checking tire pressure weekly, for example during a fill up, and making sure each tire has at least 1/16 of an inch of tread depth. Claims of 25 or 50 percent overstate the benefit.

11. 11. Louisiana prohibits parking within how many feet of a fire hydrant?

    1. 15 feet
    2. 10 feet
    3. 20 feet
    4. 30 feet
    Show answer

    15 feet. The parking restrictions in the Louisiana guide prohibit parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. Measure the situation by the hydrant, rather than borrowing a distance from a crosswalk or railroad crossing. Those are separate parking restrictions with their own numbers. A space that appears large enough for your vehicle is not necessarily a lawful place to park. Check the nearby hydrant and other listed restrictions before leaving your vehicle.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking rules and painted curbs

12. 12. What causes hydroplaning as speed rises on a wet roadway?

    1. The brakes lock because the road is too dry
    2. The engine becomes flooded by rainwater
    3. The tires ride up on a layer of water and lose pavement contact
    4. The steering wheel automatically turns toward the shoulder
    Show answer

    The tires ride up on a layer of water and lose pavement contact. Hydroplaning begins when water cannot be removed from the roadway quickly enough by the tires. The tires then ride up on the water like skis, reducing or eliminating contact with the pavement. That loss of contact means the driver cannot rely on normal braking, acceleration, or steering. The explanation involving a flooded engine confuses a roadway traction problem with a mechanical problem. Reduce speed on wet roads, maintain recommended tire pressure, and keep usable tread so water can escape through the grooves.

    Study this in the handbook: Skids, blowouts and hydroplaning

13. 13. Where does the Louisiana guide say children 12 and under should sit in a vehicle with front airbags?

    1. In the front passenger seat
    2. In whichever seat is nearest an exit
    3. In the back seat
    4. On an adult’s lap in the back seat
    Show answer

    In the back seat. The guide's airbag section says older, frail persons and children 12 and under should sit in the back seat, because front seat airbags have killed children and older people. The child passenger rules also say children younger than 13 should ride in the rear seat of a vehicle when available, properly restrained. Sitting in the back does not replace a proper restraint, and the guide warns that you are not strong enough to hold onto even a small child in a crash.

    Study this in the handbook: Safety belts, child restraints and air bags

14. 14. You reach a flooded road that appears shallow. What is the recommended route decision?

    1. Cross slowly if the centerline remains visible
    2. Follow the next vehicle through the water
    3. Drive along the flooded shoulder
    4. Turn around and find another route
    Show answer

    Turn around and find another route. Do not attempt to cross a flooded roadway, even when the water appears shallow. Water can conceal dips or damage where the supporting road surface has washed away. Turning around and finding another route avoids relying on appearances to judge whether the road is intact. Following another vehicle does not establish a safe path. If there is no alternative route, the guide advises moving to higher ground and waiting for the water to subside.

    Study this in the handbook: Stuck pedals, fires, floods and crashes

15. 15. For a second or subsequent refusal of Louisiana's alcohol analysis test, how long are driving privileges suspended?

    1. 180 days
    2. 365 days
    3. 730 days
    4. Three years
    Show answer

    730 days. Louisiana increases the implied-consent suspension to 730 days for a second or subsequent refusal of the alcohol analysis test. The 365-day choice is the first-offense period. A 180-day suspension is connected to certain BAC results after submitting to the test, not to a later refusal. Three years is the required maintenance period for SR-22 proof in the described case, not the refusal suspension itself. Separate the duration of the license suspension from the length of any financial-responsibility requirement when reading the fact pattern.

    Study this in the handbook: Implied consent and DWI penalties

16. 16. Which Louisiana applicants must supply a Social Security number for Selective Service purposes?

    1. All male U.S. citizens or immigrants age 15 to 26 applying for a license or ID
    2. All applicants over 18
    3. Only commercial applicants
    4. No one
    Show answer

    All male U.S. citizens or immigrants age 15 to 26 applying for a license or ID. To comply with the Military Selective Service Act, Louisiana requires the Social Security number from all male U.S. citizens or immigrants age 15 to 26 who apply for a driver's license or ID card. Failure to provide the number results in denial of issuance. The rule is tied to sex and age, so it does not reach every applicant over 18, it is not limited to commercial applicants, and it plainly does apply to someone.

    Study this in the handbook: Insurance, renewal, your record and losing your license

17. 17. How fast should a driver generally travel inside a Louisiana roundabout?

    1. The posted highway speed
    2. 35 mph or less
    3. 15 mph or less
    4. At least 25 mph
    Show answer

    15 mph or less. The guide says speeds of 15 mph or less are adequate inside a roundabout. The 35 mph option is associated with a different speed rule in the manual, not the circular intersection. Using the ordinary highway limit would ignore the tight geometry and conflict points of the roundabout, while a minimum speed is not required. The cue is the word inside: reduce speed before entering and maintain a slow pace through the circle.

    Study this in the handbook: Roundabouts and traffic circles

18. 18. What is a driver required to do when a high-speed road has a posted minimum speed?

    1. Ignore the minimum when traffic is light
    2. Stay below the minimum to conserve fuel
    3. Use the shoulder whenever traveling at the minimum
    4. Travel at least the posted minimum unless conditions require otherwise
    Show answer

    Travel at least the posted minimum unless conditions require otherwise. Some high-speed roads post a minimum speed, and drivers are legally required to travel at least that fast so they do not become a hazard to other drivers. Light traffic does not erase the sign, and using the shoulder is not the stated solution. Conservation of fuel is not a reason to obstruct normal traffic. The cue is the word minimum: it marks the slowest lawful pace for ordinary conditions, subject to any need to slow for safety.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed laws

19. 19. A Louisiana driver has a BAC of 0.20% at 2:00 a.m. About what will it still be at noon?

    1. 0.00%
    2. About 0.05%
    3. 0.15%
    4. About 0.10%
    Show answer

    About 0.05%. The guide says the body processes about 0.015% of alcohol per hour. Its own example: a BAC of 0.20% at 2:00 a.m. will be more than 0.10% at 8:00 a.m. and still 0.05% at noon the next day. So the driver is not sober by noon, and 0.00% is wrong. About 0.10% is the 8:00 a.m. figure, and 0.15% would mean almost no alcohol was processed. Only time lowers BAC.

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

20. 20. How long does the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles keep a public record of your traffic convictions and collisions?

    1. Two years
    2. Five years
    3. Ten years
    4. Permanently
    Show answer

    Five years. The Office of Motor Vehicles keeps a public record of all your traffic convictions and collisions for five years. Convictions for DWI are maintained for 10 years, and the guide adds that this includes traffic convictions received in other states, which is why ten years is a tempting choice. Two years is too short, and ordinary convictions are not kept permanently under the guide. Keep the two periods separate: five years for the general record, ten for DWI.

    Study this in the handbook: Insurance, renewal, your record and losing your license