LA Permit Practice Test 6

All 20 questions in test 6

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 the octagon shape tell a driver about a traffic sign?

   
   1. It identifies a no-passing zone
   2. It marks a railroad advance warning
   3. It is used exclusively for stop signs
   4. It marks a guide sign to a service
   Show answer

   It is used exclusively for stop signs. The octagon is reserved for stop signs, making its shape useful before the lettering can be read. A railroad advance warning uses a round yellow sign or a white crossbuck, and the sideways triangle identifies a no-passing zone. Service information is commonly shown on blue square or rectangular signs. If an octagonal sign comes into view, begin slowing and prepare for a complete stop rather than treating it as a general warning.

2. 2. How much more likely per mile are teen drivers ages 16 to 19 to crash than older drivers, according to the Louisiana guide?

   1. Twice as likely
   2. Four times more likely
   3. About the same
   4. Ten times more likely
   Show answer

   Four times more likely. Per mile driven, teenage drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely to crash than older drivers, which is why Louisiana adopted graduated licensing on January 1, 1998. Teens must complete the required stages, log supervised practice, and face passenger and night restrictions. Today drivers 16 to 19 have a fatality rate four times that of drivers 25 to 29.

3. 3. At a Louisiana yield-sign intersection, when may a driver proceed?

   1. Only after slowing and confirming the movement will not interfere with approaching traffic
   2. Immediately, because a yield sign grants priority to entering traffic
   3. Only after stopping for a fixed five seconds
   4. By accelerating before approaching traffic reaches the intersection
   Show answer

   Only after slowing and confirming the movement will not interfere with approaching traffic. At a yield sign intersection, the driver must slow to a reasonable speed and stop if required. Proceed only when the movement will not interfere with approaching traffic. The sign does not give entering traffic priority, does not require a fixed five-second stop in every case, and does not call for acceleration to beat another road user. The visual cue is the downward-pointing triangle, but the action depends on traffic conditions. Scan for vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians, then stop when necessary before entering the intersection safely.

4. 4. When may a driver travel at the maximum speed shown on a Louisiana speed limit sign?

   1. Whenever the driver is late
   2. Only in ideal driving conditions
   3. Only when following another vehicle
   4. Regardless of rain or fog
   Show answer

   Only in ideal driving conditions. A posted maximum speed is intended for ideal driving conditions. Rain, fog, slippery pavement, snow, ice, or poor visibility can require a lower speed even when the sign has not changed. Being late or following another vehicle does not create permission to use the maximum. The key cue is maximum, not target speed: evaluate weather, traction, and visibility first, then reduce speed whenever those conditions make the posted number unsafe.

5. 5. What is Louisiana's maximum speed for a vehicle pulling or towing another motor vehicle?

   1. 70 mph
   2. 55 mph
   3. 45 mph
   4. 35 mph
   Show answer

   45 mph. Louisiana sets a 45 mph maximum when a vehicle is pulling or towing another motor vehicle. The general maximum of 70 mph does not control this exception, and 55 mph is not the towing figure in the guide. The 35 mph number applies to certain school buses that frequently stop for children. The practical cue is the trailer or tow connection: once another motor vehicle is being pulled, use the special 45 mph limit.

6. 6. When making a left turn, to whom must the driver yield in Louisiana?

   
   1. Only vehicles approaching from behind
   2. Oncoming traffic, including bicyclists
   3. Only pedestrians on the far sidewalk
   4. No one if the turn signal is activated
   Show answer

   Oncoming traffic, including bicyclists. The driver making a left turn must yield right of way to oncoming traffic, including bicyclists. A turn signal communicates intent but does not give the turning vehicle priority. Checking only behind misses the road users who may conflict with the turn, and limiting the rule to pedestrians ignores the manual's explicit reference to oncoming traffic and bicyclists. Wait for a safe gap, scan for people and bicycles, and complete the turn only when the path is clear. The central cue is that a left turn crosses opposing movement.

7. 7. Which first-time Louisiana license applicants must submit a detailed report from a physician or vision specialist?

   1. Everyone under 18
   2. Only commercial drivers
   3. Physically impaired persons and persons over 60
   4. Only applicants who wear glasses
   Show answer

   Physically impaired persons and persons over 60. Every physically impaired person and every person over the age of 60 applying for a license for the first time must submit a detailed report from a physician and/or vision specialist, on a form from the Office of Motor Vehicles. Teens under 18 are not singled out. The rule is not limited to commercial drivers or glasses wearers, and the OMV may require a medical or visual report from anyone.

8. 8. When confronted by an aggressive driver, which action is recommended?

   1. Use the horn repeatedly to make the driver stop
   2. Hold position and prevent the driver from passing
   3. Return gestures so the driver knows you are not intimidated
   4. Avoid eye contact, steer clear, and give the driver plenty of room
   Show answer

   Avoid eye contact, steer clear, and give the driver plenty of room. The safe response to an aggressive driver is to avoid eye contact, steer clear, and provide plenty of room. The guide also advises staying calm, refusing to return gestures, and making every attempt to get out of the way without escalating the situation. Holding position, trading gestures, or using the horn to punish someone can turn a traffic problem into road rage. Keep your attention on an escape route, let the other driver pass when possible, and do not stop on the roadside to settle the conflict.

9. 9. What hazard can a truck's windblast create for a bicyclist on an open highway or bridge?

   1. Windblasts can move a bicyclist out of the path of travel
   2. Windblasts eliminate the need to leave space when passing a bicycle
   3. Windblasts make a bridge's lane markings change direction
   4. Windblasts require the truck to stop before crossing a bridge
   Show answer

   Windblasts can move a bicyclist out of the path of travel. Air pushed by a passing truck can move a bicyclist out of the bicyclist's path on a long open highway or bridge. That sudden lateral movement is why a driver should avoid crowding the bicycle, keep a safe buffer, and be prepared for the rider to drift. Wind does not remove the need for passing space, change lane markings, or require the truck to stop at a bridge. Watch the bicycle as well as the truck, reduce speed when needed, and allow the rider room to recover from the gust.

10. 10. A truck carrying hazardous materials is stopped at a Louisiana railroad crossing. What should the driver behind it do?

    1. Honk until the truck leaves the tracks
    2. Pass immediately if no train is visible
    3. Drive onto the shoulder and pass on the right
    4. Wait behind it because vehicles carrying hazardous materials must stop at railroad crossings
    Show answer

    Wait behind it because vehicles carrying hazardous materials must stop at railroad crossings. Louisiana lists vehicles carrying hazardous materials among those required to stop at railroad crossings. The following driver should leave room and wait rather than treating the absence of a visible train as permission to pass. The choice about passing on the shoulder is especially risky because it adds an unplanned movement near tracks and a stopped truck. A useful cue is to recognize that the truck is making a legally required stop, not merely pausing for convenience. Do not pass unless it is legal, conditions are safe, and the tracks can be seen clearly.

11. 11. A 16 year old moves to Louisiana with a license or permit held for at least 180 days. What may happen?

    1. The teen must start over with a new learner's permit
    2. The teen gets a full license right away
    3. The teen must wait until 17 to drive
    4. The teen may bypass the learner's permit stage and get an intermediate license
    Show answer

    The teen may bypass the learner's permit stage and get an intermediate license. Louisiana allows an out-of-state applicant who is sixteen and has had a license or permit for at least one hundred eighty days to be eligible to bypass the learner's permit stage and be issued an intermediate license. Starting over ignores that rule. A full license is not available until the intermediate stage ends at 17. Waiting until 17 to drive at all is not required.

12. 12. A yellow signal is steady as you approach the stop bar. What does it warn you to do?

    1. Accelerate because the intersection is closing
    2. Prepare for the signal to change to red and stop if possible
    3. Stop only after entering the crosswalk
    4. Treat the light as a flashing green indication
    Show answer

    Prepare for the signal to change to red and stop if possible. Steady yellow is a transition warning, not an invitation to speed up. The driver should slow and make a complete stop before the stop bar when that can be done safely. If the vehicle is already in the intersection when yellow appears, continuing safely through is permitted. Accelerating to beat red risks entering after the signal changes, while stopping after the crosswalk places the vehicle too far forward. As the light changes from green to yellow, check your distance and stopping ability, then choose a controlled response.

13. 13. What BAC limit applies to a Louisiana driver who is 21 years of age or older?

    1. .08 percent
    2. .02 percent
    3. .04 percent for every driver
    4. .10 percent
    Show answer

    .08 percent. For a driver age 21 or older, Louisiana identifies .08 percent as the legal BAC limit. The .02 figure belongs to drivers age 20 and younger, while .04 applies to a commercial motor vehicle operator. A reading of .10 is above the adult limit and is not the number to memorize for this category. The practical cue is to match the BAC number to the driver's age before choosing a response, because the guide separates adult, underage, and commercial driving rules.

14. 14. 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.

15. 15. What does Louisiana law prohibit a driver from doing on railroad tracks?

    1. Stopping before a lowered crossing gate
    2. Looking both ways before crossing
    3. Stopping a vehicle on the tracks
    4. Waiting until the gates are raised
    Show answer

    Stopping a vehicle on the tracks. Louisiana law prohibits stopping a vehicle on railroad tracks. Looking both ways, stopping before a lowered gate, and remaining stopped until the gate rises are safety actions required by the crossing guidance. The danger is not limited to a vehicle that is intentionally parked: a driver should avoid entering a crossing unless there is room to clear the tracks. If a vehicle stalls or becomes trapped, occupants should leave and move toward the approaching train, away from the tracks. Never treat the rails as a temporary stopping place.

16. 16. When darkness or bad weather makes it difficult to see ahead, what should a driver do about following distance?

    1. Increase it
    2. Reduce it to keep other drivers from merging
    3. Keep it fixed at one car length
    4. Eliminate it by driving on the shoulder
    Show answer

    Increase it. Low visibility is one of the guide's situations requiring more space ahead. Darkness or bad weather can hide hazards and leave less time to recognize a stopped or slowing vehicle, so increasing the following distance helps restore reaction time. Reducing the gap to block merging traffic creates the opposite of the needed protection. A fixed car length is unreliable because stopping distance changes with speed and surface conditions. Slow as needed, keep lights appropriate, and use the extra space to see farther and respond smoothly.

17. 17. What penalties does Louisiana list for vehicular homicide?

    1. A fine up to $1,000 or six months
    2. A fine up to $2,000 or five years
    3. A fine of $2,000 to $15,000 and five to 30 years in prison, with at least three years served without parole
    4. Loss of license only
    Show answer

    A fine of $2,000 to $15,000 and five to 30 years in prison, with at least three years served without parole. Louisiana Revised Statute 14:32.1 punishes vehicular homicide with a fine of not less than $2,000 nor more than $15,000 and imprisonment for five to 30 years. At least three years must be served without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension, and that rises to five years if the driver's BAC was 0.15 percent or more or the driver has a prior DWI conviction. A fine up to $1,000 or six months is the vehicular negligent injuring penalty. A fine up to $2,000 or five years is not the vehicular homicide penalty, and license loss alone ignores the prison term.

18. 18. What does an orange diamond-shaped sign indicate?

    1. A construction zone or approaching work activity
    2. A hospital or other traveler service
    3. A permanent route designation
    4. A recreational or cultural destination
    Show answer

    A construction zone or approaching work activity. Orange is the visual cue for temporary traffic control and construction activity. An orange diamond tells the driver that workers, machinery, barricades, or a changed traffic pattern may be ahead. The response is to reduce speed, watch the channelizing devices, and be prepared to stop or change lanes. Hospital and service information uses blue guide signs, route designations use route marker shapes, and recreational destinations use brown guide signs. Treat the orange background as a warning that the normal path may be altered for a work zone.

19. 19. If a steady yellow traffic light appears before a driver reaches the stop bar, what is the expected response?

    1. Accelerate to beat the red signal
    2. Slow and stop completely if stopping can be done before the bar
    3. Continue as though the light were steady green
    4. Reverse away from the intersection immediately
    Show answer

    Slow and stop completely if stopping can be done before the bar. A steady yellow light warns that the signal is about to turn red. The driver should slow and make a complete stop before the stop bar when that can be done safely. Accelerating to beat red turns a warning into a risky maneuver, and treating yellow as green ignores the pending change. A driver already inside the intersection may continue safely through, but reversing is not the prescribed response. Check your stopping distance, brake smoothly, and use the stop bar as the point before which the vehicle should halt.

20. 20. What restriction does the pennant-shaped sign mark?

    
    1. A shoulder lane reserved for bicycles
    2. Passing is required before the next intersection
    3. The end of every speed restriction
    4. A no-passing zone begins or is ahead
    Show answer

    A no-passing zone begins or is ahead. The sideways triangle, or pennant, is used to indicate a no-passing zone. Treat it as a warning that sight distance or roadway conditions make overtaking unsafe or prohibited, and wait until passing is legal and visible. The choice requiring a pass reverses the instruction. Do not use the shoulder as an alternative passing path. Stay behind the vehicle ahead, watch centerline markings, and reassess only after the restriction ends.