LA Permit Practice Test 7

All 20 questions in test 7

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. 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.

   Study this in the handbook: The graduated licensing program

2. 2. What information is commonly provided by a blue service sign?

   1. A prohibition against passing
   2. The location of services such as gas stations or hospitals
   3. A warning about a curve or slippery pavement
   4. The maximum speed allowed on the road
   Show answer

   The location of services such as gas stations or hospitals. Blue service signs direct travelers to useful facilities, including rest areas, gas stations, hotels, and hospitals. They are informational rather than warnings, prohibitions, or speed commands. No-passing rules belong to regulatory or warning signs, curves and slippery pavement are hazard messages, and maximum speed is posted on a regulatory sign. A simple roadside cue is color plus purpose: blue helps locate a service. Follow the symbol or wording and make any exit or turn safely.

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

3. 3. 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.

   Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings

4. 4. A school bus is stopped on a two-lane road with red lights flashing. What must traffic do?

   
   1. Drivers may continue once the bus door opens
   2. Only traffic behind the bus must stop
   3. Oncoming drivers may pass if they slow below 15 mph
   4. Drivers in both directions must stop at least 30 feet away
   Show answer

   Drivers in both directions must stop at least 30 feet away. A bus loading or unloading children requires a stop at least thirty feet away, and the rule applies whether a driver is meeting the bus or following it. The following-only choice overlooks the danger to children crossing the roadway. Do not resume simply because the bus door changes position. Wait for the bus to move, then scan before driving, and remain alert whenever the red lights and stop sign are active.

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

5. 5. How should a driver pass an animal-drawn vehicle on a rural road?

   1. Rev the engine loudly and pass as quickly as possible
   2. Sound the horn continuously so the animal moves away
   3. Pass cautiously without using the horn or revving the engine
   4. Drive onto the shoulder without checking the roadway
   Show answer

   Pass cautiously without using the horn or revving the engine. Animal-drawn vehicles have the same right to use the road as motor vehicles, but a horse can be frightened by sudden noise. The guide says to pass with caution and not use the horn or rev the engine, because startling the horse may cause a crash. These vehicles normally travel between 5 and 8 miles per hour, and a driver pulling a large load may not see vehicles behind, so be extra cautious when passing. The shoulder is not a substitute for checking traffic or maintaining a controlled, lawful position.

   Study this in the handbook: Interstate and rural road driving

6. 6. How many deer vehicle collisions happen in the U.S. each year, according to the Louisiana guide?

   1. About 100
   2. About 10,000
   3. An estimated 1.5 million, causing over 200 deaths and $4 billion in damage
   4. About 50 million
   Show answer

   An estimated 1.5 million, causing over 200 deaths and $4 billion in damage. There are an estimated 1.5 million deer vehicle collisions annually in the United States, causing more than 200 fatalities and $4 billion in property and vehicle damage. On rural roads expect animals at dawn and dusk, slow down when you see one, brake firmly and stay in your lane rather than swerving. Animal drawn vehicles bring restricted vision for their drivers too.

   Study this in the handbook: Interstate and rural road driving

7. 7. How many bicyclists were killed in U.S. traffic crashes in 2017, according to NHTSA figures in the Louisiana guide?

   1. 783, out of about 90 million cyclists
   2. About 10,000
   3. About 50
   4. About 5
   Show answer

   783, out of about 90 million cyclists. There are currently 90 million cyclists in the United States, and according to NHTSA 783 bicyclists were killed in traffic crashes in 2017. Louisiana law, R.S. 32:76.1, requires a three foot distance between a passing automobile and a slower bicyclist, and the guide says to give bicyclists the entire lane when they are passing parked cars so they can avoid opening doors. If a rider is unsafely moving into your lane, give the horn only a light tap.

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

8. 8. After passing another vehicle, what visual cue helps you decide when to return to its lane?

   1. Its front bumper is alongside your rear door
   2. Its complete front is visible in your rearview mirror
   3. Its driver flashes a turn signal
   4. Its headlights disappear from your side mirror
   Show answer

   Its complete front is visible in your rearview mirror. Continue past the other vehicle until its complete front appears in your rearview mirror, then signal before returning smoothly to the lane. Being only alongside its front bumper is not enough clearance. This check helps prevent cutting across the passed vehicle’s path. Keep watching the road ahead throughout the maneuver; the mirror check is one step in completing the pass, not a reason to stop scanning traffic in front of you.

9. 9. What activity does Louisiana law prohibit on a public street or road?

   1. Reducing speed before a school crossing
   2. Driving at the posted limit on a divided highway
   3. Passing a slower vehicle on a clear, legal stretch
   4. Participating in a race, speed contest, or speed exhibition
   Show answer

   Participating in a race, speed contest, or speed exhibition. Louisiana treats drag racing as an unlawful race, speed contest, or speed exhibition on a public street or road. The choice “Participating in a race, speed contest, or speed exhibition” describes the prohibited conduct. Ordinary passing is allowed when visibility, markings, and traffic conditions make it lawful. Driving at a posted limit is not automatically racing, and slowing near a school crossing is a safety measure rather than an offense. A useful cue is competition: two or more vehicles accelerating to outdo one another is the behavior the rule targets, not merely traveling quickly or passing another vehicle.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed laws

10. 10. How many non-family passengers under 21 may an intermediate licensee transport between 6:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.?

    1. No more than two
    2. No more than one
    3. No more than three
    4. Any number if all wear seat belts
    Show answer

    No more than one. During the 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. period, an intermediate licensee may not transport more than one passenger under 21 who is not an immediate-family member. The rule is a passenger cap, not a permission to carry two or three young non-family passengers after buckling them in. Immediate family is treated differently by the wording, so classify the passenger before counting. Also remember that this evening restriction is distinct from the 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. driving curfew, which concerns whether the licensee may drive at all without an accompanying qualified person.

    Study this in the handbook: The graduated licensing program

11. 11. What action is prohibited by a red slash over a U-shaped arrow?

    
    1. Turning right at the next intersection
    2. Making a U-turn
    3. Passing a slower vehicle on a straight road
    4. Entering a one-way street in the arrow's direction
    Show answer

    Making a U-turn. A red circle with a red slash identifies a regulatory sign that prohibits the action represented by the symbol. On the pictured sign, the symbol shows a U turn, so the barred maneuver is turning around. The slash does not automatically prohibit a right turn, ordinary passing, or travel in the permitted direction on a one way street. Read the symbol first, then obey any other signs or markings governing the lane. The visual cue is the red slash crossing the maneuver that drivers must not make.

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

12. 12. Which restraint does Louisiana’s guide list for the four-through-nine age category?

    1. The vehicle lap shoulder belt by itself
    2. A forward facing car seat, as for toddlers
    3. A rear facing car seat, as for infants
    4. A booster seat with restraints
    Show answer

    A booster seat with restraints. The four-through-nine category in the Louisiana guide calls for a booster seat with restraints. An adult belt alone belongs to the later category listed in the guide. Age and size both matter in selecting protection. Where the categories overlap, use the more protective one. For a family trip, review each child’s restraint separately instead of assuming that every child in the rear seat needs the same arrangement.

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

13. 13. On a first offense, a Louisiana driver age 21 or older tests at 0.16% BAC. How long are driving privileges suspended?

    1. 180 days
    2. Two years (730 days)
    3. 365 days
    4. 90 days
    Show answer

    Two years (730 days). For a driver 21 or older who submits to the test, a BAC of 0.15% or greater brings a suspension of two years, or 730 days. The 180 day suspension is for 0.08% to 0.149%, which 0.16% exceeds. Three hundred sixty-five days is the first refusal suspension. Ninety days is not part of the rule. Refusing on a second or later offense also brings 730 days.

    Study this in the handbook: Implied consent and DWI penalties

14. 14. At approximately what speed should a driver negotiate the sharp curve when entering a roundabout?

    1. The posted interstate speed
    2. About 35 to 40 mph
    3. About 15 to 20 mph
    4. Any speed that keeps the engine above idle
    Show answer

    About 15 to 20 mph. The guide tells drivers to slow to about fifteen to twenty miles per hour when entering a roundabout because the entry requires negotiating a sharp curve. The interstate-speed choice ignores the geometry and gives too little time to yield or select the proper lane. A driver should also follow signs and pavement markings after entering, and should not change lanes or pass inside when multiple lanes travel the same direction. The roundabout warning sign and the curved entry are cues to reduce speed before crossing into circulating traffic.

    Study this in the handbook: Roundabouts and traffic circles

15. 15. How should you position your car near a large truck or bus inside a roundabout?

    1. Stay directly alongside its cab
    2. Match its speed beside its rear wheels
    3. Pass it within the circulating lane
    4. Keep away from it and avoid driving alongside it
    Show answer

    Keep away from it and avoid driving alongside it. The Louisiana guide tells drivers not to drive alongside large vehicles, including trucks and buses, in a traffic circle or roundabout. Keep away from the large vehicle instead of matching its position beside it. The roundabout guidance also tells drivers to choose the proper lane before entry and not change lanes or pass once inside. Plan your position early so you can follow the circle without crowding a truck or bus.

    Study this in the handbook: Roundabouts and traffic circles

16. 16. How fast does an air bag deploy, according to the Louisiana guide?

    1. 150 to 200 miles per hour
    2. 10 miles per hour
    3. 50 miles per hour
    4. 500 miles per hour
    Show answer

    150 to 200 miles per hour. The Louisiana guide says an air bag, when it deploys, comes out at speeds of 150 to 200 miles per hour. That speed is the reason the old 10 and 2 hand position went out: hands on the upper part of the wheel can be thrown into the head, and wrists, forearms or thumbs can be injured. The guide recommends 9 and 3 or 8 and 4 and sitting at least 10 inches from the wheel. Air bags supplement safety belts and do not replace them.

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

17. 17. Traffic ahead begins moving, but a work-zone flag person still displays a STOP paddle toward you. How should you respond?

    1. Remain stopped until the flag person directs you onward
    2. Follow the moving traffic to avoid holding up the lane
    3. Proceed slowly after checking for workers
    4. Treat the paddle as a yield instruction once traffic moves
    Show answer

    Remain stopped until the flag person directs you onward. Flag persons guide traffic safely through highway and street work zones. Their duties include stopping or slowing vehicles, using red flags or stop/slow paddles to communicate the required movement. Stop when directed and continue according to their guidance. A clear-looking lane does not cancel the instruction; the flag person is controlling movement through the work area. Watch the person directing traffic as well as the surrounding signs and devices.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

18. 18. When does a school speed limit sign marked 'flashing' require the reduced speed?

    1. Only after sunset
    2. Whenever the school building is occupied
    3. Only when the sign is flashing
    4. Only when a crossing guard is present
    Show answer

    Only when the sign is flashing. A school speed limit when flashing sign indicates that the reduced school-zone speed is required only while the sign is flashing. When the lights are off, the driver follows the roadway's regular speed limit unless another sign says otherwise. Occupancy, darkness, and the presence of a crossing guard are not the conditions stated by this sign. The strongest cue is literal: flashing activates the reduced limit, so check the beacon before applying that lower number.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed laws

19. 19. 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. Impairment can begin before the legal threshold; even one drink can affect driving, so do not drive after drinking.

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

20. 20. What does the sharply bent arrow in the picture warn you to expect?

    
    1. A sharp right turn in the road ahead
    2. A gentle right curve ahead
    3. A side road joining from the right
    4. A right lane ending ahead
    Show answer

    A sharp right turn in the road ahead. The right-angle bend identifies a sharp right turn ahead. Compare the abrupt change in the arrow with the gradual bend on a right-curve sign. Both concern the road ahead, but this symbol warns of the sharper change in direction. The warning gives you time to prepare before you reach the turn. It does not show a separate side road joining the highway or a travel lane narrowing into another lane.

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