LA Permit Practice Test 9

All 20 questions in test 9

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. On a multilane highway, how should you respond to a stopped emergency vehicle displaying warning lamps?

   
   1. Stop in the lane next to the emergency vehicle
   2. Change to a lane not adjacent to it when safe, or slow to a reasonably safe speed
   3. Keep your speed and pass without changing lanes
   4. Move onto the emergency vehicle's shoulder
   Show answer

   Change to a lane not adjacent to it when safe, or slow to a reasonably safe speed. Louisiana's emergency vehicle rule gives priority to creating space around a parked responder. On a highway with two or more lanes in the same direction, change into a lane that is not next to the parked vehicle when traffic and safety allow. If a lane change cannot be made, slow to a reasonably safe speed. Stopping beside the responder can create a new conflict, and normal speed leaves too little protection for people working roadside. Scan early, signal, check the next lane, and make the safest available adjustment.

2. 2. A pedestrian is crossing outside a marked crosswalk. What does the Louisiana guide require a driver to do?

   1. Continue because pedestrians only have priority in marked crosswalks
   2. Yield and stop for the pedestrian
   3. Pass a stopped vehicle that is waiting for the pedestrian
   4. Sound the horn and keep the same speed
   Show answer

   Yield and stop for the pedestrian. The guide says drivers must yield to pedestrians at all times, even when a person is crossing where crossing is illegal. A marked crosswalk gives pedestrians a clear right of way, but its absence does not permit a driver to continue through someone’s path. Passing a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk is specifically unsafe because it can hide the pedestrian. Slow early, keep the person visible, and stop when needed. The important cue is the pedestrian's presence in the roadway, not whether paint is visible.

3. 3. What full-stop procedure belongs to a flashing red light?

   1. As a signal to wait until it becomes steady red
   2. As a yield sign without making a full stop
   3. As a green light if no vehicle is visible
   4. As a stop sign, stopping completely before proceeding when safe
   Show answer

   As a stop sign, stopping completely before proceeding when safe. A flashing red light requires the driver to stop behind the stop bar, crosswalk, or intersection before entering. The guide then directs the driver to use the same procedure as a stop sign: come to a complete stop, look both ways, and yield right of way. A yield only response skips the required stop, while treating the signal as green ignores an active control. Make the full stop first, then check vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists before proceeding through the intersection.

4. 4. How long must Louisiana require SR-22 proof to be maintained from the date of conviction in the described alcohol case?

   1. Three years
   2. One year
   3. Five years
   4. Until the next license renewal
   Show answer

   Three years. The guide says SR-22 high-risk insurance must be maintained for three years from the date of conviction when that proof is required after an alcohol-test refusal. The one-year choice confuses the first-refusal suspension with the insurance period. Five years is not the stated duration, and a license-renewal date does not replace the conviction-based measurement. Look for the anchor date in the rule: the clock starts at conviction, and the obligation lasts three years. This requirement is separate from the number of days the driving privilege remains suspended.

5. 5. Which Louisiana children must wear an approved helmet on a bicycle?

   1. Children under 6
   2. Children under twelve
   3. Everyone under 18
   4. Only children riding as passengers
   Show answer

   Children under twelve. Louisiana requires children under the age of twelve to wear approved helmets when operating a bicycle or riding as a passenger, fastened securely with the straps. Children who weigh less than forty pounds or are less than forty inches tall must ride in an approved restraining seat. Six and 18 are not the rule's age, and the helmet rule covers riders as well as passengers.

6. 6. What shape and colors are typical of Louisiana warning signs?

   1. Blue with white lettering, usually rectangular
   2. White with green lettering, usually circular
   3. Yellow with black lettering or symbols, usually diamond-shaped
   4. Orange with black lettering, usually triangular
   Show answer

   Yellow with black lettering or symbols, usually diamond-shaped. Louisiana warning signs are usually yellow with black lettering or symbols and have a diamond shape. That combination alerts a driver to a possible hazard or special roadway condition ahead. Blue rectangular signs generally point to services, while white signs commonly communicate regulations. Orange backgrounds identify temporary traffic control areas, not the ordinary warning-sign category. When the diamond shape and yellow background appear together, scan ahead and be ready to slow or stop for the condition shown.

7. 7. What does the winding-road sign's yellow diamond shape communicate?

   
   1. A warning about an approaching roadway condition
   2. A requirement to stop at every curve
   3. A route direction toward a named city
   4. A temporary order to use the shoulder
   Show answer

   A warning about an approaching roadway condition. The winding road symbol is a yellow diamond warning sign, so it alerts the driver to an approaching roadway condition. The manual specifically describes yellow diamond signs as warnings about curves, side roads, and traffic flow. Continue scanning beyond the first bend, reduce speed before the series, and keep enough space to react to an unseen road user. The sign does not require a stop at each curve, give destination directions, or order shoulder travel. Its shape provides the broad warning while the winding symbol identifies the kind of condition ahead.

8. 8. How early must a Louisiana driver continuously signal before making a turn?

   1. Only when another vehicle is close behind
   2. For not less than 25 feet before the turn
   3. Only after the vehicle begins turning
   4. For not less than 100 feet before the turn
   Show answer

   For not less than 100 feet before the turn. Louisiana requires a right or left turn signal continuously for at least 100 feet before making the turn. The distance gives other roadway users time to recognize the intended movement and adjust. Twenty-five feet is shorter than the stated minimum, and waiting until the turn begins gives no useful advance notice. Signaling is not optional just because no vehicle appears nearby. Activate the signal early, keep it on through the approach, and cancel it after completing the maneuver so the next movement is not misread.

9. 9. Before changing lanes, what should you do to check the area your mirrors cannot show?

   
   1. Look only at the vehicle directly ahead
   2. Turn your head and look over the shoulder toward the lane you plan to enter
   3. Turn on the hazard flashers and move immediately
   4. Rely on the inside mirror without checking beside the vehicle
   Show answer

   Turn your head and look over the shoulder toward the lane you plan to enter. A blind spot is an area around the vehicle that the mirrors cannot reveal. Before moving sideways, check the new lane and behind you, then turn your head toward that lane to inspect the blind spot. The choice about looking only ahead ignores traffic that may be beside or approaching from the rear. Hazard flashers do not replace a lane-change check, and the inside mirror alone leaves areas hidden. Use the sequence as a driving cue: mirror check, shoulder glance, signal, then move only after the lane is clear.

10. 10. What kind of sign is a white rectangle that posts a speed limit?

    1. A temporary incident sign
    2. A recreational information sign
    3. A regulatory sign
    4. A railroad advance warning sign
    Show answer

    A regulatory sign. Rectangular signs with a white background commonly give regulatory instructions, including speed limits, school zones, and parking rules. Regulatory signs tell drivers about laws that must be obeyed, so a posted speed limit is more than a suggestion. Recreational information belongs with brown guide signs, temporary incidents use a different temporary-sign system, and railroad advance warnings use a separate yellow sign shape. Read the number, compare it with conditions, and slow further when weather or traffic requires it.

11. 11. If a lane change away from a stopped emergency vehicle is unsafe, what should you do?

    
    1. Slow to a reasonably safe speed and pass carefully
    2. Stop beside the emergency vehicle in the adjacent lane
    3. Speed up to reduce time beside the vehicle
    4. Ignore the vehicle if its lights are flashing
    Show answer

    Slow to a reasonably safe speed and pass carefully. The emergency response rule allows a driver to slow to a reasonably safe speed when moving into a nonadjacent lane is not possible or safe. A sudden lane change can create a side collision, so safety and traffic conditions come first. Speeding up reduces reaction time and increases exposure to workers or responders. Check mirrors, reduce speed early, give the scene room, and move over later when a safe opening exists.

12. 12. What information does a typical yellow diamond-shaped warning sign provide?

    1. The location of a fuel or lodging service
    2. A maximum legal speed that applies in all weather
    3. A possible danger or special roadway condition ahead
    4. A command to enter only in the arrow's direction
    Show answer

    A possible danger or special roadway condition ahead. Warning signs alert drivers to possible danger, a hazard, or a special situation ahead. They are usually yellow with black lettering or symbols and diamond shaped. Their message calls for an adjustment in speed or attention before the driver reaches the condition. A speed limit is a regulatory message, services use guide signs, and directional commands belong to lane-use or other regulatory signs. When a yellow diamond appears, look beyond the sign, identify the developing condition, and prepare to slow or stop if the roadway requires it.

13. 13. How many crashes did drowsy driving cause, according to statistics in the Louisiana guide?

    1. Over 72,000
    2. About 500
    3. About 5 million
    4. About 1,000
    Show answer

    Over 72,000. According to recent statistics, drowsy driving caused over 72,000 crashes. On long trips the guide suggests 100 to 110 miles every two hours with 10 to 15 minute breaks every 2 to 3 hours, hour long meal stops, and no more than 10 to 11 hours of total driving even with drivers sharing. Ask a passenger to serve as co pilot and stop at the first sign of drowsiness.

14. 14. How long can a Louisiana driver lose the license for a second DWI conviction?

    1. One year (365 days)
    2. Three years (1095 days)
    3. Two years (730 days)
    4. 90 days
    Show answer

    Two years (730 days). The maximum license loss for a second DWI conviction is two years, or 730 days. One year is the first conviction maximum. Three years, or 1095 days, applies to third and fourth convictions. Ninety days is not in Louisiana's DWI list. The second conviction also carries at least 48 hours of jail that must be served without parole, probation or suspension.

15. 15. 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, including convictions received in other states. DWI convictions are the exception and are kept for 10 years, which is why ten years is a tempting choice. Two years is too short, and ordinary convictions are not kept permanently under the guide.

16. 16. Until what age must a Louisiana driver keep the intermediate license?

    1. The 17th birthday
    2. The 16th birthday
    3. The 18th birthday
    4. The 21st birthday
    Show answer

    The 17th birthday. Stage 2 of Louisiana's program, the intermediate license, must be maintained until the seventeenth birthday. The driver can then move to Stage 3, the full license, after completing Stages 1 and 2. Sixteen is the minimum age to get the intermediate license, not the end of it. Eighteen and 21 are not the Stage 2 cutoff. While intermediate, the driver faces the 11:00 p.m. curfew and the evening passenger limit.

17. 17. What does Louisiana's knowledge test cover for a first-time applicant?

    1. Navigation and fuel economy only
    2. Vehicle repair and engine rebuilding only
    3. Road construction employment procedures only
    4. Traffic signs and signals, safe driving practices, and Louisiana driving laws
    Show answer

    Traffic signs and signals, safe driving practices, and Louisiana driving laws. The knowledge test confirms understanding of traffic signs and signals, safe driving practices, and Louisiana laws related to driving. It is not an engine-repair exam, a road-construction employment test, or a fuel-economy assessment. Those distractors name useful subjects in other contexts but do not describe the test's stated scope. The cue is to remember the three-part coverage: controls on the road, safe operation, and Louisiana law.

18. 18. What does a green arrow at an intersection allow you to do?

    1. Turn in any direction without checking for people or vehicles
    2. Turn in the arrow's direction when the intersection is clear
    3. Proceed only after the arrow changes to yellow
    4. Enter the intersection and stop in the crosswalk
    Show answer

    Turn in the arrow's direction when the intersection is clear. A green arrow gives a protected movement in the arrow's direction, but it does not remove the need for a clear path. Check for roadway users, pedestrians, and signs that prohibit the turn before moving. The broad choice allowing any direction changes the limited permission into something much wider. Waiting for yellow defeats the signal, while stopping in a crosswalk creates a hazard and blocks pedestrians. Treat the arrow as permission for one indicated movement, subject to a final safety check.

19. 19. If a car begins to skid, which response follows the driver's guide?

    1. Turn the wheel as far as possible in the opposite direction
    2. Lock the brakes and hold the steering wheel straight
    3. Accelerate sharply toward the shoulder
    4. Ease off the gas and steer carefully where you want the front of the car to go
    Show answer

    Ease off the gas and steer carefully where you want the front of the car to go. A skid calls for calm, gradual control rather than a sudden correction. Release pressure on the accelerator and guide the front wheels toward the intended path, making only enough steering input to regain alignment. Locking the brakes can worsen the loss of traction, and acceleration toward the shoulder adds another unpredictable force. A full opposite turn may overcorrect and start a skid in the other direction. Think of the cue as tires first: reduce power, look where you want to travel, and steer smoothly.

20. 20. What does a railroad crossbuck sign require a driver to do?

    1. Speed up before the train arrives
    2. Stop only if the train is already crossing
    3. Yield the right of way to a train
    4. Treat the tracks as a four-way stop
    Show answer

    Yield the right of way to a train. A railroad crossbuck is required at public railroad crossings and means the driver must yield the right of way to a train. The sign does not make stopping conditional on seeing the train already enter the crossing, and it does not authorize rushing across the tracks. A four-way-stop procedure is a different traffic control rule. The cue is the crossbuck's railroad setting: identify the train as the road user that receives priority before entering.