ME Permit Practice Test 23

All 20 questions in test 23

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. How can drivers recognize and obey a flagger controlling traffic in a work zone?

   1. Flaggers stand in plain clothes waving arms
   2. High visibility dress, paddle signals
   3. Any worker shout is a signal
   4. Flaggers only work at night
   Show answer

   High visibility dress, paddle signals. One person owns traffic flow where lanes vanish in a work zone. Flaggers wear high visibility vests, shirts or jackets and use a stop/slow paddle and hand signals to control traffic through the work zone, and drivers must be patient and always obey those signals. Plain clothes arm waving could be any worker hailing a colleague. Random shouts carry no authority over moving traffic. Watch for the paddle, follow its face, and creep only when waved through.

   Study this in the handbook: Night, rural, winter and wet weather driving

2. 2. What holding test must the parking brake pass at Maine inspection?

   1. Hold for ten seconds on flat ground
   2. Stop the car from 20 mph
   3. Be able to hold the vehicle on a hill
   4. Replace the foot brake
   Show answer

   Be able to hold the vehicle on a hill. Parking brakes prove themselves against gravity, not the clock. The parking brake must be able to hold the vehicle on a hill, keeping a parked car stationary on grades where foot brakes are released. Flat ground holding hides weak cables that slopes expose immediately. Emergency stopping from speed belongs to the foot brake system instead. Test on a quiet incline before inspection day and adjust cables that let the car creep.

   Study this in the handbook: Title, registration, insurance and inspection

3. 3. Why must a driver never slam on the brakes when the road is slippery?

   1. It saves brake pads
   2. Wheels can lock and throw you into a skid
   3. It annoys following drivers
   4. Slippery roads need no braking
   Show answer

   Wheels can lock and throw you into a skid. Panic braking defeats the tires it depends on. Never slam on the brakes; this can cause your wheels to lock and throw you into a skid, converting a controllable slowdown into a sideways slide. Pad savings cannot justify surrendering steering at the critical moment. Following drivers prefer any braking to a spinning car ahead. Squeeze the pedal progressively, let tires keep rolling, and preserve the steering that finds escape gaps while the car slows on a surface with little grip to spare.

   Study this in the handbook: Night, rural, winter and wet weather driving

4. 4. Passengers ask to sit on the hood, roof, or trunk for a slow parade roll through town. What applies?

   1. Allowed below 10 mph
   2. Allowed with handholds
   3. Barred on moving vehicles
   4. Allowed on private driveways only
   Show answer

   Barred on moving vehicles. Body panels are not seats at any speed a vehicle moves. Don't let passengers sit on the hood, roof or trunk of a moving vehicle, because one brake tap or bump converts riders into projectiles without belts or structure around them. Handholds fail when smooth metal and sudden stops combine. Slow rolls still cross intersections where others drive faster. Everyone rides inside, belted in a seat, or the vehicle does not move at all.

   Study this in the handbook: Moose and deer

5. 5. What does a fluorescent or reflective orange and red triangle on the rear of a vehicle indicate in Maine?

   1. The vehicle is moving less than 25 miles per hour
   2. The vehicle is carrying hazardous materials
   3. The vehicle is an emergency vehicle stopped ahead
   4. The vehicle may travel only during daylight
   Show answer

   The vehicle is moving less than 25 miles per hour. The fluorescent or reflective orange and red triangle marks a slow moving vehicle traveling less than 25 miles per hour. It does not identify an emergency vehicle, hazardous materials, or a daylight operating restriction. Seeing the triangle should prompt caution and a careful check that passing is safe, especially on rural roads where farm equipment may be present. The key recognition cue is the color combination and rear placement, paired with the under 25 mile speed figure.

   Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles, move over and traffic stops

6. 6. When may a car carrying Maine registration be driven on a public way regarding inspection?

   1. Only after passing a dealer safety check
   2. Only during the month shown on the plate
   3. Only if the car is under five years old
   4. Only with a current Maine inspection
   Show answer

   Only with a current Maine inspection. Inspection is a precondition to lawful road use, not an afterthought. All motor vehicles bearing a Maine registration must have a current Maine inspection before being operated on any public way, renewed once a year at an official station. A dealer check cannot stand in for the state inspection sticker. Vehicle age grants no exemption from the yearly visit. Glance at the sticker monthly so renewal never sneaks past.

   Study this in the handbook: Title, registration, insurance and inspection

7. 7. When checking behind before a lane change, what could happen ahead if you look away too long?

   1. The vehicle ahead could stop suddenly.
   2. The vehicle behind will leave a larger gap.
   3. The vehicle ahead will become easier to see.
   4. The lane ahead will stay clear.
   Show answer

   The vehicle ahead could stop suddenly.. The Maine manual warns that the vehicle ahead could stop suddenly while you are checking behind. Looking over your shoulder is necessary for a lane change, but the glance should be brief because the road ahead still needs attention. A larger gap behind you is not guaranteed, and looking away does not make the vehicle ahead easier to see or keep the lane clear. Make lane-change checks quickly and return your eyes to the traffic ahead between checks.

   Study this in the handbook: Intersections, lane changes, expressways and school buses

8. 8. What does total stopping distance measure for a moving vehicle?

   1. Braking distance only
   2. Tire roll after brakes lock
   3. Perception time only
   4. Realizing need through full stop
   Show answer

   Realizing need through full stop. Stopping distance bundles thinking and braking into one number. Total stopping distance is the distance from the time you realize you must stop until your vehicle is completely stopped, covering perception, reaction, and braking travel together. Braking distance alone forgets the ground covered while the brain decides. Perception time measures delay, not distance traveled. Know the full figure at your speed and keep at least that much clear road ahead.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and school zones

9. 9. A Maine driver involved in a crash where someone is likely to die refuses the required chemical test. What is the license penalty?

   1. A 30 day suspension
   2. A one year suspension
   3. A 90 day suspension
   4. No penalty if the driver was not at fault
   Show answer

   A one year suspension. Every driver in a fatal crash, or a crash where a death is likely, must submit to a chemical test, and failing to do so brings a one year license suspension. Thirty and 90 days are shorter than the stated penalty. The duty applies to every driver involved, so being not at fault is no excuse. If the Secretary of State finds an impaired driver negligently caused a death, a separate suspension of at least one year follows, consecutive to the refusal suspension.

   Study this in the handbook: OUI law, implied consent and penalties

10. 10. Crossing an open bridge grating or steel bridge, what speed, spacing, and grip adjustments apply?

    1. Slower, farther, firm grip
    2. Speed up, tailgate, relax grip
    3. Normal speed, one hand driving
    4. Stop on the grating to check
    Show answer

    Slower, farther, firm grip. Open bridge gratings and steel bridges require three linked adjustments. Reduce speed, increase following distance, and keep a firm grip on the steering wheel while crossing. A faster pace ignores the instruction to reduce speed, while tailgating does the opposite of increasing space. Normal speed with one hand does not supply the listed slower pace, greater distance, and firm grip. Stopping on the grating is not one of the adjustments named for this situation. Use the bridge surface as the cue to slow, leave more room, and hold the wheel firmly.

    Study this in the handbook: Night, rural, winter and wet weather driving

11. 11. In a bad rainstorm, at what speeds may tires lose all contact with the road surface?

    1. At 50 to 60 mph
    2. At 20 to 30 mph
    3. Only above 80 mph
    4. Hydroplaning never fully lifts tires
    Show answer

    At 50 to 60 mph. The manual separates the beginning of hydroplaning from complete loss of contact. In most cars, hydroplaning may begin at speeds as low as 30 to 40 mph, while a bad rainstorm can let the tires lose all contact with the road at 50 to 60 mph. The lower range is not the total-liftoff figure, and waiting for a very high speed is unsafe. Wet roads require reduced speed because steering and braking depend on tire contact.

    Study this in the handbook: Night, rural, winter and wet weather driving

12. 12. Who inside a Maine vehicle must ride with a fastened safety belt or child safety seat?

    1. Only back seat passengers
    2. Only front seat passengers
    3. Passengers older than twelve
    4. Everyone in the vehicle
    Show answer

    Everyone in the vehicle. Belt duty covers the whole cabin. Everyone in your vehicle must have a fastened safety belt or child safety seat, not only riders in one row. A back seat only rule leaves the driver and front passengers unrestrained. A front seat only rule abandons rear riders, who can be thrown forward and injure others in a crash. Age twelve creates no exemption either, because younger children still need a belt or a child safety seat. Count the clicks before rolling and wait until the last belt is fastened.

    Study this in the handbook: Seat position, seat belts and child safety

13. 13. Three lanes run in your direction. Why does the Maine manual favor the middle lane for through travel?

    1. It is reserved for vehicles that are passing
    2. It gives the shortest route to an exit
    3. It carries only traffic entering the road
    4. It usually has the smoothest flow
    Show answer

    It usually has the smoothest flow. On a road with three or more lanes in one direction, the center lane or lanes generally carry the steadiest traffic. The left lane is meant for passing and left turns, while the right lane serves slower vehicles and traffic entering or leaving. Choosing the middle reduces the stop and start pattern and preserves following distance. The passing lane is not a through lane, and an exit route is not chosen by lane position alone. Cue: on a busy multi-lane road, settle into the center and leave the outside lanes for turns.

    Study this in the handbook: Lane markings, lane use and special lanes

14. 14. When is a three-point turnaround the appropriate choice in Maine?

    1. On any road when traffic is light
    2. On a two-lane road too narrow for a U-turn
    3. On a divided highway where a median break allows it
    4. On a one-way street with two lanes
    Show answer

    On a two-lane road too narrow for a U-turn. Maine reserves the three-point turnaround for a two-lane road where a U-turn will not fit, and even then suggests going around the block when possible. Light traffic does not make the maneuver suitable on a wider road, a divided highway with a median opening has its own turning pattern, and a one-way street does not allow reversing direction that way. Cue: choose the three-point turn only after confirming the road has two lanes and no room to loop around.

15. 15. Riding a bicycle, how far ahead should you scan for drain grates, potholes, tracks, and debris?

    1. 10 to 20 feet ahead
    2. 200 to 300 feet ahead
    3. 50 to 100 feet ahead
    4. Only at your front wheel
    Show answer

    50 to 100 feet ahead. Bicycle wheels snag on hazards car tires roll over. Always scan the road 50 to 100 feet ahead for road hazards like drain grates, potholes, railroad tracks crossed at right angles, puddles hiding potholes, or road debris, leaving time to steer around without swerving into traffic. Wheel watching discovers ruts at impact moment. Hundreds of feet overshoots useful detail for surface flaws. The middle distance gives hands and eyes a shared planning horizon.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles and large vehicles

16. 16. What do colored curb markings indicate in Maine?

    1. The edge of a school walking route
    2. Where fire hydrants are buried
    3. Parking bans or limits
    4. Lanes reserved for buses
    Show answer

    Parking bans or limits. Painted curbs use color to communicate parking rules that a sign may not repeat. A driver should read the curb before leaving the car, since the marking can prohibit stopping entirely or limit it to certain hours. School routes are marked by signs and crosswalk paint, a hydrant is located by its above ground body rather than burial, and bus lanes are identified by signs and pavement legends. Cue: colored curb means check the rule before you park.

17. 17. Bicyclists should ride with traffic direction. How should drivers search for them regardless?

    1. Look only on the right shoulder
    2. Look for them riding anywhere on the road
    3. Check only bike lanes
    4. Assume riders obey perfectly
    Show answer

    Look for them riding anywhere on the road. Rules describe ideal riders; defense assumes real ones. Although bicyclists are required to ride in the direction of traffic, you should look for them riding anywhere on the road, including wrong way approaches on shoulders and side streets. Shoulder only or lane only scanning misses riders exactly where violations place them. Perfect obedience is the one assumption traffic punishes most. Scan the whole roadway width for narrow silhouettes before turning or pulling out.

18. 18. Which place appears on the manual's list of spots a municipal ordinance may close to parking?

    1. A marked parking space
    2. A private garage
    3. A loading zone
    4. A toll plaza
    Show answer

    A loading zone. Maine notes that municipal ordinances may ban parking in particular places, and a loading zone is one example on that list. The space is needed for deliveries and for vehicles that must stop briefly, so a parked car creates a hazard and can be ticketed. A marked space is meant for parking, a private garage is not a public restriction, and a toll plaza has its own traffic controls rather than a parking rule. Cue: check the curb and signs before leaving a car in front of a business.

19. 19. Your traffic light is red as you approach on a Maine road. Where must you wait until it turns green?

    1. Creeping into the crosswalk
    2. Beside the stop line, on its left
    3. Inside the intersection, ready to go
    4. Behind any stop line or crosswalk
    Show answer

    Behind any stop line or crosswalk. Red lights draw a clear waiting boundary. You must wait behind any stop line or crosswalk until the light turns green, keeping pedestrian space empty and sight lines open. Creeping into the crosswalk squeezes walkers toward traffic. Waiting inside the box blocks cross traffic if the light cycle shifts. Plant the car behind the line and let the green, not impatience, release the brake.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals, arrows and lane lights

20. 20. You plan to turn left while a bicyclist approaches from the opposite direction. When may you turn?

    1. Only when the turn can be made safely without interfering with the cyclist
    2. Immediately, since bikes yield to cars
    3. After honking to claim the turn
    4. Whenever your light is green, regardless of the cyclist
    Show answer

    Only when the turn can be made safely without interfering with the cyclist. Left turns cross the path of oncoming riders at full speed. Motor vehicle operators turning left must yield to bicycle and roller ski operators approaching from the opposite direction, and may not turn unless they can do so safely and without interfering. A green light grants permission to proceed carefully, not ownership of the cyclist lane. Honking announces intent without creating safety. Wait for the rider to pass, then turn behind with room to spare.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections and highways