ME Permit Practice Test 10

All 20 questions in test 10

Every question below comes from the Maine 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. According to the Maine handbook's cost example, what could one drink over the legal limit end up costing a driver?

   1. About $500, the minimum fine
   2. About $1,500
   3. Well over $7,000
   4. Under $1,000 once insurance is counted
   Show answer

   Well over $7,000. The handbook adds up towing, bail, a lawyer, the fine, an alcohol education course, a three year insurance surcharge, lost work time, and the reinstatement fee, and says one drink over the limit could cost well over $7,000. The $500 figure is only the minimum fine, one piece of the total. About $1,500 and under $1,000 leave out most of the costs, especially the insurance surcharge, which is the largest item in the example.

2. 2. A Maine driver with a conditional license after an OUI is found driving with a small amount of alcohol, below 0.08. What happens?

   1. Nothing, because the level is below 0.08
   2. A one year suspension without a preliminary hearing
   3. A warning letter only
   4. A 30 day suspension after a court hearing
   Show answer

   A one year suspension without a preliminary hearing. The reinstated license after an OUI is conditioned on driving with no alcohol at all. A conditional licensee caught operating with any amount of alcohol loses the license for one year, without a preliminary hearing. The 0.08 adult limit does not protect this driver. A warning letter or a 30 day suspension understates the penalty. Operating at 0.08 or more brings the longer suspension periods used for second or third OUI convictions.

3. 3. What should a Maine driver do when a moose is standing in or near the roadway?

   1. Get out and chase the moose away
   2. Drive around the moose on the shoulder
   3. Slow down, stay in the vehicle, and give the moose room and time to leave
   4. Honk repeatedly and pass at normal speed
   Show answer

   Slow down, stay in the vehicle, and give the moose room and time to leave. The manual calls for extreme caution, slower speed, remaining in the vehicle, and allowing the moose room and time to wander away. Driving around the animal can put the vehicle into its path, while getting out can expose the driver to an unpredictable animal and create danger for other motorists. Honking and passing normally do not provide the patient separation the situation requires. The cue is space and patience: reduce speed, stay inside, and wait for a safe roadway.

4. 4. How many crashes each year does NHTSA attribute to sleepiness at the wheel, according to the Maine handbook?

   1. About 1,000
   2. About 10,000
   3. About 5 million
   4. As many as 240,000
   Show answer

   As many as 240,000. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that each year as many as 240,000 accidents are related to sleepiness at the wheel. The only cure for a sleep debt is more sleep; coffee, a cold shower or exercise do not work. At the first sign of drowsiness you must act rather than fight it: pull off and rest, or switch drivers if you can.

5. 5. What does a red circle with a red slash across a symbol mean on some Maine regulatory signs?

   
   1. The sign gives a recommended speed
   2. You must make the pictured movement
   3. The sign marks a service location
   4. You cannot do certain things
   Show answer

   You cannot do certain things. Maine explains that some regulatory signs place a red circle and slash across a symbol to show that a particular action is prohibited. The choice saying you cannot do certain things captures that restriction without assuming every slashed sign bans the same maneuver. The other choices reverse the meaning, describe a service sign, or confuse a prohibition with speed guidance. Identify the symbol first, then apply the slash to that movement. The visual cue is the red slash over the pictured action.

6. 6. How large a gap does the Maine manual recommend for merging with traffic?

   
   1. A gap of exactly one car length
   2. A gap of one second
   3. A gap of four seconds
   4. A gap of ten vehicle lengths
   Show answer

   A gap of four seconds. Merging safely requires a four-second gap so both your vehicle and the car behind you have a safe following distance. The one-second and one-car-length choices are too small to provide dependable reaction room. Ten vehicle lengths is not the manual's measurement and varies with vehicle size. Do not squeeze into a narrow opening. If several lanes must be crossed, change one lane at a time.

7. 7. When should a driver avoid passing based on the center line?

   1. When there is a solid center line on the driver's side
   2. When there is a broken center line on the driver's side
   3. When the road has two lanes in the same direction
   4. When the vehicle ahead is traveling below the posted limit
   Show answer

   When there is a solid center line on the driver's side. A solid center line on the driver's side marks a situation where passing should not begin. The line signals that the driver may not have enough sight distance or safe space to move into opposing traffic. A broken line on the driver's side can permit passing, but it still requires a clear view and a safe opening. Two lanes moving in the same direction do not create this specific no-passing condition, and a slower vehicle ahead is not a reason to cross a solid line. Check the pavement marking before considering any maneuver.

8. 8. What kind of information is normally conveyed by a yellow diamond-shaped traffic sign?

   1. A legal parking payment requirement
   2. A warning of danger ahead
   3. A route number for an interstate
   4. A guide to hotels and restaurants
   Show answer

   A warning of danger ahead. Yellow diamond-shaped signs are warning signs. They alert drivers to danger or a roadway change ahead, such as a curve, merging traffic, a school area, or a pedestrian crossing. They are different from regulatory signs, which communicate enforceable controls, and guide signs, which point toward destinations or services. A yellow diamond should prompt a driver to scan ahead, moderate speed when needed, and prepare for the condition shown by the symbol or words.

9. 9. When may a driver in Maine turn right at a red traffic light?

   
   1. After stopping, unless a sign prohibits it, and yielding to traffic and pedestrians
   2. Without stopping when no vehicle is visible
   3. Only after waiting for the light to turn green
   4. Before stopping if the turn is from a one-way street
   Show answer

   After stopping, unless a sign prohibits it, and yielding to traffic and pedestrians. Maine permits a right turn on red only after the driver stops, unless a posted sign forbids that turn. The turning driver must yield to pedestrians and all vehicle traffic. A clear-looking intersection does not erase the stop requirement, and a one-way street does not create an exception. Waiting for green is more restrictive than the stated rule, though it would avoid the risk of an improper turn.

10. 10. What rule applies when traffic is traveling on a one-way street?

    
    1. Traffic may reverse direction whenever the street is empty
    2. Traffic may move against the arrow after yielding
    3. Traffic may use the shoulder to travel the opposite way
    4. Traffic moves only in the direction of the arrow
    Show answer

    Traffic moves only in the direction of the arrow. On a one-way street, vehicles must travel in the direction shown by the arrow. The arrow establishes the permitted movement, so turning against it or using the shoulder to oppose traffic creates a wrong-way conflict. An empty street does not change the rule, and yielding does not authorize movement in the opposite direction. Stop or correct the route only when it can be done safely and lawfully.

11. 11. Who is exempt from Maine's seat belt law while delivering mail?

    1. A rural mail carrier of the United States Postal Service while engaged in delivery
    2. Anyone driving under 25 mph
    3. All delivery drivers
    4. No one is exempt
    Show answer

    A rural mail carrier of the United States Postal Service while engaged in delivery. A rural mail carrier of the United States Postal Service is not required to be secured in a seat belt while engaged in the delivery of mail, because the job requires constant stops and reaches. Other exemptions cover medical conditions and passengers in manufacturer installed seats outside the passenger compartment. Everyone else, in every seat, must buckle up, and the driver is responsible for passengers under 18.

12. 12. How much clear road does the Maine handbook say you need to pass at highway speed?

    1. About 200 feet
    2. Over 1,600 feet, about one third of a mile
    3. About 500 feet
    4. About 5 miles
    Show answer

    Over 1,600 feet, about one third of a mile. At highway speeds you will travel over 800 feet in 10 to 12 seconds, and so will the oncoming car, which means you need over 1,600 feet, about one third of a mile, to pass safely. Use your odometer to learn what that distance looks like. Only you can judge when it is safe to pass, and never pass on hills or curves.

13. 13. Why should a driver keep scanning the road instead of staring at one spot?

    1. To avoid checking mirrors while traveling straight
    2. To make the vehicle use less fuel at every speed
    3. To notice hazards early and gain time to change speed or direction
    4. To replace the need for turn signals near intersections
    Show answer

    To notice hazards early and gain time to change speed or direction. The manual connects continual searching with early hazard detection. Seeing a problem sooner gives you time to alter speed or direction before the situation becomes urgent. The fuel-saving claim is unrelated, and scanning does not eliminate mirror checks or signaling duties. A useful driving cue is to keep your eyes moving through the space ahead, then check the sides and rear as traffic conditions change. This search pattern is especially valuable near intersections, parked vehicles, curves, and places where another road user could appear suddenly.

14. 14. What must a Maine driver do when a pedestrian with a guide dog or white cane is crossing?

    1. Proceed first if the traffic light is green
    2. Sound the horn and continue if the pedestrian pauses
    3. Pass behind the pedestrian without slowing
    4. Come to a complete stop and yield
    Show answer

    Come to a complete stop and yield. A pedestrian using a guide dog or carrying a white cane is visually impaired, and Maine requires the driver to come to a complete stop. A horn does not replace yielding, and passing close behind someone who may not see the vehicle creates serious danger. A green light also does not cancel the driver's duty to yield. Stop with enough room, remain alert, and wait until the crossing is clear.

15. 15. How long do demerit points stay on a Maine driving record?

    1. Until they are one year old
    2. Until they are two years old
    3. Until they are three years old
    4. They are never erased
    Show answer

    Until they are one year old. Maine erases demerit points from a driver's record when the points become one year old. Two and three years are periods used by other states, not Maine. Points are not permanent. A driver can also lower a point total by completing an approved driver improvement course. A driver who reaches 6 points receives a warning, and 12 points or more brings a suspension. Because points drop off at one year, a year without new violations lets the total fall.

16. 16. How old must a Maine applicant be to get a driver's license without completing an approved driver education course?

    1. 16
    2. 17
    3. 21
    4. 18
    Show answer

    18. Maine allows a license at 16 only for an applicant who has completed an approved driver education course. Without that course, the applicant must be at least 18. Seventeen is still under the no course threshold. Twenty one is the age tied to other rules, such as the school bus license, not to skipping driver education. Completing the approved course is what allows a younger applicant to qualify at 16.

17. 17. When an emergency vehicle approaches with a siren and flashing light, what must a Maine driver do?

    
    1. Follow the emergency vehicle in its travel lane
    2. Continue through the intersection before checking mirrors
    3. Yield, move right clear of the intersection, and stop
    4. Pull left and stop beside the center line
    Show answer

    Yield, move right clear of the intersection, and stop. An emergency responder with the specified warning signals has priority. Move immediately to the right side of the roadway, clear of any intersection, and stop until the vehicle has passed. Remaining in the intersection can block the response path, while continuing forward treats the warning as optional. Check mirrors, signal the movement when appropriate, and stop where the vehicle has room to pass. This response applies to an active response vehicle, not merely a parked service vehicle with no warning operating. The practical cue is lights or a siren demanding a clear path.

18. 18. What must you do at a stop sign when there is no stop line or crosswalk?

    1. Stop only after the front bumper enters the intersection
    2. Stop at the point nearest the intersection where you can see approaching traffic
    3. Roll through if no vehicle is visible on the main road
    4. Stop beside the nearest parked vehicle
    Show answer

    Stop at the point nearest the intersection where you can see approaching traffic. If a stop line or crosswalk is absent, Maine directs the driver to stop at the point nearest the intersection that allows a view of approaching traffic. The vehicle must be fully stopped before any part enters the intersection. Entering first defeats the required stopping position and can put the vehicle in the path of cross traffic. Rolling through is not a stop, even when the road appears empty. A parked vehicle is not the reference point. Use the intersection edge as the cue, stop completely, look for vehicles and pedestrians, and proceed only when safe.

19. 19. What does Maine's written driver's license test measure?

    1. Understanding of traffic laws, regulations, driving skills, vehicle handling, and highway signs
    2. Only the applicant's eyesight and peripheral vision
    3. Only the ability to control a vehicle during a road test
    4. Knowledge of vehicle repair and insurance billing
    Show answer

    Understanding of traffic laws, regulations, driving skills, vehicle handling, and highway signs. The written test checks understanding of traffic laws, regulations, driving skills, vehicle handling, and highway signs. Vision and peripheral vision belong to the separate vision screening, while vehicle control and reactions are assessed during the road test. Vehicle repair and insurance billing are not listed as the written test's scope. When distinguishing Maine's examinations, associate written testing with knowledge, vision screening with sight, and the road test with actual vehicle control.

20. 20. What examination must an applicant pass to obtain a Maine learner's permit?

    1. A commercial vehicle road test
    2. A driver knowledge written examination
    3. A motorcycle skills test
    4. A vision screening only
    Show answer

    A driver knowledge written examination. A Maine learner's permit applicant must pass the driver knowledge written examination. The age requirement remains separate, because a person must also be at least 15, but age alone does not complete the permit process. A road test is a later licensing step, not the examination named here. The written test checks whether the applicant understands the rules before supervised driving begins. Keep the sequence in mind: meet the age threshold, pass the knowledge exam, then operate only with the required licensed supervisor.