ME Permit Practice Test 5

All 20 questions in test 5

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. What is unlawful when following a fire truck responding to a fire alarm?

   1. Following within 500 feet of it
   2. Remaining more than 500 feet behind it
   3. Pulling to the right and stopping for it
   4. Clearing an intersection before pulling over
   Show answer

   Following within 500 feet of it. Maine makes it unlawful to follow within 500 feet of a fire truck that is responding to a fire alarm. The distance rule protects the emergency vehicle's operating space and keeps a following driver from being drawn into a hazardous response path. Staying farther back is not the prohibited conduct. Pulling right, stopping, and clearing an intersection are actions the manual requires when yielding to emergency vehicles, not violations. The numeric cue is 500 feet: once the truck has passed, do not close the gap and trail it closely. Continue only with ample separation and normal caution.

2. 2. How far ahead do headlights let you see clearly, according to the Maine handbook?

   1. About one mile
   2. About 1,000 feet
   3. About 50 feet
   4. Only about 250 feet
   Show answer

   Only about 250 feet. Headlights will let you see clearly only about 250 feet ahead, so at night you must drive slowly enough to stop within that distance. Maine law requires headlights whenever visibility is too dim to see 1,000 feet ahead, whenever the wipers are in constant use, and when it begins to get dark. Use high beams only when no vehicle is approaching.

3. 3. What must a Maine driver do when an emergency vehicle approaches with its siren and flashing light on?

   
   1. Stop in the middle of the intersection so it can go around
   2. Continue through the intersection before stopping in the next lane
   3. Follow the emergency vehicle closely to use its cleared path
   4. Pull to the road edge, stop, and avoid blocking an intersection
   Show answer

   Pull to the road edge, stop, and avoid blocking an intersection. An emergency vehicle needs a clear path, so move to the edge of the road and stop. If you are in an intersection, clear it first, then pull over. The choice about following within the vehicle's path is unsafe and separately restricted for fire trucks. Stopping in the intersection creates the obstruction the manual tells drivers to avoid. Check mirrors, signal if needed, and remain stopped until the vehicle passes.

4. 4. After stopping at a steady red traffic light, when may a driver make a right turn?

   1. Whenever the driver slows enough to check for traffic
   2. After stopping, unless the turn is posted as prohibited, while yielding to traffic and pedestrians
   3. Only after another vehicle waves the driver through
   4. Before stopping if the right lane appears empty
   Show answer

   After stopping, unless the turn is posted as prohibited, while yielding to traffic and pedestrians. Maine permits a right turn on red only after the driver has stopped, and the turn is not allowed when a sign prohibits it. The turning driver must yield to pedestrians and all vehicle traffic. Merely slowing is insufficient because the manual specifically requires a stop before entering the intersection. A wave from another driver does not replace the legal duties, and an empty-looking lane does not justify turning before stopping. The sequence is simple: stop behind the line or crosswalk, check every conflict, obey any posted restriction, yield, then turn when the movement is safe.

5. 5. How close to a crosswalk may you not park under the rules listed in the Maine handbook?

   1. Within 5 feet
   2. Within 10 feet
   3. Within 15 feet
   4. Within 30 feet
   Show answer

   Within 15 feet. Parking within 15 feet of a crosswalk is not allowed. The same 15 foot distance applies to the driveway entrance of a fire station or directly across from it. Ten feet is the fire hydrant distance. Five feet is too close, and 30 feet is not a Maine parking distance for crosswalks. The handbook also lists entrances to schools, churches, theaters, hotels, hospitals and public places during designated hours as places not to park.

6. 6. A driver is convicted of a first OUI in Maine with an alcohol level of 0.10, took the test when asked, and had no other aggravating factor. What is the minimum fine?

   1. $250
   2. $500
   3. $600
   4. $1,000
   Show answer

   $500. For a first OUI conviction with an alcohol level of 0.08 to 0.14, Maine sets a mandatory fine of at least $500. The minimum rises to $600 when the driver refused a test, which is why $600 does not fit a driver who took the test. Two hundred fifty dollars is below the minimum. One thousand dollars is not the stated minimum. The same conviction also brings a license loss of at least 150 days, a reinstatement fee, and an alcohol and drug program.

7. 7. What does a red circle with a red slash across a symbol mean on a regulatory sign?

   
   1. The action shown by the symbol is prohibited
   2. The action shown is required after a complete stop
   3. The sign marks a service area for that activity
   4. The road is reserved for commercial vehicles
   Show answer

   The action shown by the symbol is prohibited. A red circle with a red slash means the activity shown by the symbol is not allowed. The symbol supplies the specific prohibition, so a driver should identify what is crossed out and avoid that action. It is not a command to perform the activity after stopping, a marker for a service area, or a designation for commercial traffic. A useful driving cue is to treat the slash as a clear no symbol and look for another lawful movement when the sign blocks the intended maneuver.

8. 8. When approaching this YIELD sign, what must you do before entering or crossing the road?

   
   1. Accelerate to enter before other traffic arrives
   2. Stop every time, even when the road is empty
   3. Slow down and yield to traffic or pedestrians with the right-of-way
   4. Continue without looking because the sign gives priority
   Show answer

   Slow down and yield to traffic or pedestrians with the right-of-way. A yield sign tells the driver to slow and wait for traffic to clear on the road being entered or crossed. The driver must yield to traffic or pedestrians that have the right-of-way before proceeding. A complete stop may be needed, but the sign does not require stopping in every empty-road situation. Accelerating or proceeding without checking reverses the sign's purpose. A good visual habit is to reduce speed early, scan both directions, and stop if the available gap is not safe.

9. 9. Under current Maine law, which child must ride in a belt positioning seat or other child restraint system?

   1. A child weighing 80 pounds or more who is 12 years old
   2. Any child under 18 who is taller than 57 inches
   3. A child under 8 who weighs less than 80 pounds and is less than 57 inches tall
   4. Any passenger age 18 or older riding in the rear seat
   Show answer

   A child under 8 who weighs less than 80 pounds and is less than 57 inches tall. Maine requires a child who is younger than 8, weighs less than 80 pounds and is shorter than 57 inches to be secured in a belt positioning seat or other child restraint system, following the seat and vehicle instructions. All three conditions must match. Older handbooks describe a 55 to 80 pound range, but Maine amended the law in 2019; younger and lighter children now fall under separate harness and rear facing rules. A first violation carries a fine that the court may not suspend.

10. 10. A 16 year old got a Maine license last month and wants to drive a school friend home. When may the friend ride along?

    1. Only if a licensed operator at least 20, licensed for 2 years, sits beside the driver
    2. Any time during daylight hours
    3. Only if the friend is 18 or older
    4. Only if a parent signs a permission note
    Show answer

    Only if a licensed operator at least 20, licensed for 2 years, sits beside the driver. During the restricted period a Maine licensee under 18 may carry only immediate family members, unless a licensed operator rides in the seat beside the driver. That operator must be at least 20, must have held a valid license for 2 years, and must be licensed for the class of vehicle being driven. Daylight does not lift the passenger rule, and neither does the friend's age or a parent's note. Immediate family includes parents, siblings, grandparents, stepfamily, a spouse, and certain foster, exchange student, and ward relationships.

11. 11. What happens in Maine when a driver refuses a lawfully requested alcohol test?

    1. The driver receives only a parking ticket
    2. The refusal has no administrative consequence
    3. The driver's license is immediately suspended
    4. The license is renewed for a shorter term
    Show answer

    The driver's license is immediately suspended. Maine treats a refusal as an administrative license suspension, and the suspension can occur without waiting for court action. The no consequence option overlooks the implied consent rule, while a parking ticket or shortened renewal has nothing to do with the refusal penalty. The manual says the driver is not physically forced to take the test, but choosing not to take it carries a serious licensing consequence. Remember the sequence: operating in Maine implies consent, refusal leads to immediate suspension, and separate OUI consequences may still follow from the officer's testimony or other evidence.

12. 12. What suspension period does the Maine handbook list for a conviction of operating after suspension?

    1. 30 days
    2. 60 days
    3. 90 days
    4. One year
    Show answer

    60 days. A person convicted of operating after suspension may have the license suspended for 60 days. Thirty days is the period for offenses such as passing a stopped school bus or loaning a license. Ninety days is the upper limit for eluding an officer, passing a roadblock, or street racing. One year is not the listed period for this conviction. The handbook lists this period separately from the 30 day and 90 day groups.

13. 13. What alcohol level do over half of fatally injured drivers have, according to the Maine handbook?

    1. .06 grams per 100 milliliters of blood or 210 liters of breath
    2. Zero
    3. .02
    4. .20 or higher
    Show answer

    .06 grams per 100 milliliters of blood or 210 liters of breath. Over 50 percent of all fatally injured drivers have an alcohol level of .06 grams per 100 milliliters of blood or 210 liters of breath, below Maine's .08 limit, which shows impairment starts well before the legal line. Alcohol and drugs contribute to about 40 percent of fatal crashes. There is no safe amount of drinking before driving, and a driver under .08 can still be charged if impaired.

14. 14. What maximum speed applies when passing a school during recess in Maine, unless a different limit is posted?

    1. 35 miles per hour
    2. 25 miles per hour
    3. 15 miles per hour
    4. 45 miles per hour
    Show answer

    15 miles per hour. Maine sets a 15 mile per hour maximum when a driver passes a school during recess, or when children are traveling to or from school during opening or closing hours. The 25 mile per hour figure belongs to business, residential, and built-up areas, so it is the most plausible but incorrect substitute here. A posted limit still controls when one is lower or otherwise specific. The practical cue is the school setting and the timing: slow to 15 mph during recess or the listed arrival and departure periods, and use extreme care when the exact period is uncertain.

15. 15. What does a steady green arrow pointing upward permit?

    1. Drive in any direction without checking
    2. Turn left after yielding
    3. Stop until the arrow turns red
    4. Proceed straight ahead
    Show answer

    Proceed straight ahead. A steady green arrow pointing upward permits movement straight ahead. The arrow applies to the direction it displays, so it does not authorize a left turn or every possible movement at the intersection. Drivers must still watch for pedestrians and obey any other signal or officer directing traffic. A red arrow requires the indicated turning traffic to stop, but that is a different signal state. Follow the lane under the arrow and continue with ordinary intersection caution.

16. 16. Which group contains Maine regulatory sign examples?

    1. No left turn, no U-turn, and left turn only
    2. Animal crossing, slippery road, and curve ahead
    3. Hospital, restaurant, and service station
    4. Route 1, Interstate 95, and county road
    Show answer

    No left turn, no U-turn, and left turn only. Maine lists common regulatory signs that include no-left-turn, no-right-turn, left-turn-only, no-U-turn, and straight-or-turn-right movements. These examples show that regulatory signs control a driver's permitted path rather than merely describing the roadway. Read the displayed symbol and follow the movement it allows or forbids. A no-U-turn sign does not prohibit every turn, and a left-turn-only sign does not authorize going straight. Match the maneuver to the specific sign before entering the intersection.

17. 17. At what demerit point level does the Maine Secretary of State issue a warning to a driver?

    1. 3 points
    2. 6 points
    3. 8 points
    4. 12 points
    Show answer

    6 points. Under the Maine point system, a driver who reaches 6 points receives a warning from the Secretary of State. Three and 8 points are not the stated warning level. Twelve points is the level at which the license is suspended, not the warning level. Points are erased from the record once they are one year old. A driver who keeps adding points after the warning moves toward the 12 point suspension level.

18. 18. On a gravel rural road, which adjustment does the manual recommend?

    1. Drive on the shoulder to gain traction
    2. Keep highway speed and shorten the gap
    3. Brake sharply at every curve
    4. Slow down and increase following distance
    Show answer

    Slow down and increase following distance. Gravel and dirt provide less traction than a paved surface, so the manual calls for slower travel and more space behind the vehicle ahead. The larger gap gives the driver additional time to brake gently if the surface causes a skid. Maintaining highway speed or following closely reduces that margin, while sudden braking can make a loss of traction worse. Keep the vehicle centered in its lane, make smooth inputs, and treat loose pavement as a reason to reduce speed before a problem develops.

19. 19. What must a Maine driver do when school children are crossing a street?

    1. Yield only when a crossing guard is present
    2. Always yield the right-of-way
    3. Proceed if the driver reached the street first
    4. Honk and continue at reduced speed
    Show answer

    Always yield the right-of-way. Maine requires drivers to always yield the right-of-way to school children crossing a street. The rule does not depend on a crossing guard, the driver's arrival time, or a warning horn. Children can move unpredictably, so the safest response is to slow, stop as needed, and wait until the crossing is clear. This pedestrian rule appears with other situations requiring a yield, including marked crosswalks and cars crossing sidewalks. The key cue is the child's presence in the crossing path: priority belongs to the child, and the driver must not press forward simply because traffic conditions seem favorable.

20. 20. What information do guide signs commonly provide about roads and destinations?

    1. A warning that every nearby lane is closed
    2. Only the distance required for an emergency stop
    3. The exact tire pressure for the vehicle ahead
    4. Intersecting roads, cities, towns, and points of interest
    Show answer

    Intersecting roads, cities, towns, and points of interest. Guide signs help a driver navigate by identifying intersecting roads, directing travel toward cities and towns, and marking points of interest. Their purpose is orientation and route guidance, not tire maintenance, universal lane closures, or emergency stopping distances. Green, brown, and blue can all be used for this sign category, so the message should be read together with the color and surrounding roadway. Check the sign early enough to choose a route without a sudden lane movement.