MD Permit Practice Test 1

All 20 questions in test 1

Every question below comes from the Maryland 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 penalty does Maryland list for leaving the scene of a crash that causes serious injury?

   1. Three points
   2. A $100 fine
   3. License revocation, up to 5 years in prison and a fine up to $5,000
   4. A 30 day suspension
   Show answer

   License revocation, up to 5 years in prison and a fine up to $5,000. If you leave the scene of a crash that results in serious injury, your license will be revoked and you could go to prison for up to 5 years and be fined up to $5,000. Leaving a crash where someone dies is a felony punishable by up to 10 years and $10,000. Stay, call 911, give the location, and exchange information with the other drivers.

2. 2. How fast does the Maryland manual say experienced bicyclists may ride?

   1. No more than 10 mph
   2. As fast as 35 mph, so they may be closer than you think
   3. Bicycles cannot exceed 5 mph
   4. About 15 mph at most
   Show answer

   As fast as 35 mph, so they may be closer than you think. Experienced bicyclists often ride very fast, as fast as 35 mph, and may be closer than you think. A bicycle may also come from an unexpected direction, including a sidewalk or trail. Never make a right turn from a through lane immediately after passing a bike on the shoulder or in a bike lane, and check that no bicycles are beside you before turning.

3. 3. When may a Maryland minor register as an organ donor?

   1. At any age without consent
   2. At least 16 years old with a parent or guardian's written consent
   3. Never until 21
   4. Only at 18
   Show answer

   At least 16 years old with a parent or guardian's written consent. Anyone 18 years old or older may be an organ donor, and minors at least 16 years old may be organ donors if a parent or guardian consents in writing. Checking yes on the license application forwards your information to the Maryland Organ Donor Registry, and you can choose to have the license show that you are a donor. The decision can be changed later.

4. 4. When an emergency vehicle approaches using its siren and flashing lights, what is the Maryland driver's immediate duty?

   1. Continue at the same speed if your lane is clear
   2. Speed up to reach the next intersection first
   3. Move near the road edge and remain stopped until it passes
   4. Pass the emergency vehicle before pulling over
   Show answer

   Move near the road edge and remain stopped until it passes. A police car, ambulance, or fire engine using its signals has the right-of-way. Move as close as possible to the road edge, stay out of intersections, and remain stopped until the emergency vehicle passes. Speeding toward an intersection can trap the vehicle where responders need a clear path. A clear lane does not cancel the duty to yield, and passing the emergency vehicle is prohibited when traveling in the same direction unless it stops or an officer directs you to pass. Treat the siren and flashing lights as an immediate instruction to yield.

5. 5. What must a Maryland driver caught drinking and driving install in the vehicle?

   1. A dashboard camera that records every trip
   2. A speed governor set at 55 mph
   3. A GPS tracker monitored by the court
   4. A breathalyzer car lock that prevents starting the vehicle if alcohol is detected
   Show answer

   A breathalyzer car lock that prevents starting the vehicle if alcohol is detected. Maryland warns that a driver caught drinking and driving will have to install a breathalyzer car lock, which stops the vehicle from starting if it detects alcohol. This device is often called an ignition interlock. A dashboard camera, a speed governor, and a court GPS tracker are not the device the manual describes for alcohol offenses. The lock goes with a vehicle, so drinking first and then trying to drive leaves the car unable to start.

6. 6. An adult Maryland Provisional License holder reaches a third moving violation. What can happen?

   1. A second driver improvement program only
   2. A 30-day suspension followed by a 90-day restriction
   3. Up to a 180-day suspension or revocation of the license
   4. A $110 fine and one point only
   Show answer

   Up to a 180-day suspension or revocation of the license. For provisional drivers 18 or older, a third or later moving violation conviction or probation before judgment can bring up to a 180-day suspension or revocation of the license. A repeat improvement program alone is too light, because the program is the first offense penalty. A 30-day suspension followed by a 90-day restriction is the second offense penalty for drivers under 18. The $110 fine with one point is the Move Over Law penalty, not a provisional license sanction.

7. 7. How does a crash on a Maryland road with a speed limit above 50 mph compare with one on a road posted at 40 mph or lower?

   1. About the same
   2. Half as likely to be fatal
   3. Twice as likely to be fatal
   4. Nearly five times as likely to result in death
   Show answer

   Nearly five times as likely to result in death. A crash on a high speed road is more than twice as likely to result in death than one on a road posted at 45 or 50 mph, and nearly five times as likely as a crash on a road with a speed limit of 40 mph or lower. The manual's Be the Slow Down Driver message urges obeying speed limits, because speed is what turns a fender bender into a fatality.

8. 8. Which Maryland children must ride in a child safety seat?

   1. All children under age 4 only
   2. All children under age 8, unless the child is 4 feet 9 inches or taller
   3. Only children who weigh under 40 pounds
   4. All children under age 12 regardless of height
   Show answer

   All children under age 8, unless the child is 4 feet 9 inches or taller. All children under age 8 must ride in a child safety seat unless the child is 4 feet 9 inches or taller, and children younger than 2 must ride rear facing until they reach the seat's height or weight limit. Follow the instructions from both the seat maker and the vehicle maker. Families who cannot afford a seat can contact the Kids In Safety Seats program at the Maryland Department of Health.

9. 9. What does a flashing yellow X over a reversible lane allow?

   1. Use of the lane for a left turn
   2. Travel in the lane only to pass a slower vehicle
   3. Travel in the lane in either direction without checking traffic
   4. Stopping in the lane until a green arrow appears
   Show answer

   Use of the lane for a left turn. A flashing yellow X, like two-way left-turn arrows, identifies a lane that may be used for a left turn. Traffic from the opposite direction may also be turning into that shared space, so the driver must use care. The passing choice invents a permission the signal does not provide. A reversible lane is not automatically open in both directions, and stopping for a green arrow confuses this indication with a different lane signal. The practical cue is to treat the lane as a shared left-turn area and watch for opposing traffic.

10. 10. What is the minimum practice driving requirement for an applicant younger than 25 with a learner's permit?

    1. At least 60 hours with a supervising driver
    2. At least 14 hours, all during daylight
    3. At least 45 hours with no supervising driver
    4. At least 18 hours after receiving a provisional license
    Show answer

    At least 60 hours with a supervising driver. Applicants younger than 25 must practice driving at least 60 hours with a supervising driver while holding the Learner's Instructional Permit. The 14-hour figure applies to applicants who are 25 or older, and the manual also requires nighttime or early morning practice within the applicable total. A permit holder does not satisfy the rule by practicing alone, and hours after a provisional license do not replace the permit requirement. The cue is to pair the applicant's age group with its own total: under 25 means 60 supervised hours.

11. 11. At a stop sign with no stop line or crosswalk, where must the driver stop?

    1. At the stop sign, even if it blocks the crosswalk
    2. In the crosswalk to see around traffic
    3. Before entering the intersection
    4. After entering the intersection to check for vehicles
    Show answer

    Before entering the intersection. A stop sign demands a complete stop. Maryland's stopping sequence uses the stop line first, the crosswalk next, and the intersection itself when neither is marked. Stopping after entering the intersection places the vehicle where cross traffic may need to travel. The practical cue is to scan for a line and crosswalk as the sign approaches, then stop before the intersection if both are absent. Yield to vehicles and pedestrians already there before continuing.

12. 12. At an intersection, which vehicle should you yield to when it arrived before you?

    1. The vehicle already at or arriving before you
    2. The vehicle that is traveling fastest
    3. The vehicle with the newest license plate
    4. The vehicle approaching from behind you
    Show answer

    The vehicle already at or arriving before you. Maryland's right-of-way guidance gives priority to the driver who is at or arrives before you at an intersection. Yield means let that vehicle move ahead or cross before you proceed. Speed, plate age, and a vehicle behind you do not determine this particular priority. Even with a rule in your favor, keep checking the whole intersection because another road user may act unexpectedly. A simple arrival-order cue helps: if the other vehicle got there first, wait and let it clear.

13. 13. At an unsignalized street crossing, when must a driver stop for a pedestrian?

    1. Only when a crossing guard is present
    2. Only when the crosswalk has painted stripes
    3. Only after the pedestrian makes eye contact
    4. When the pedestrian is in a marked or unmarked crosswalk
    Show answer

    When the pedestrian is in a marked or unmarked crosswalk. Without a traffic signal, Maryland requires drivers to stop for pedestrians in either a marked or unmarked crosswalk. Paint is not what creates the crossing, and eye contact or a crossing guard is not a prerequisite. Approach crossings attentively, anticipate people who may be difficult to see or hear, and remain stopped long enough for the pedestrian to cross safely. The practical cue is to treat the intersection as a crosswalk even when markings are absent.

14. 14. What does a posted speed limit represent under ideal road conditions?

    1. The maximum legal speed you can travel on that road
    2. The minimum speed allowed on that road
    3. A recommended speed that may always be exceeded by 10 mph
    4. A target speed that applies only when traffic is light
    Show answer

    The maximum legal speed you can travel on that road. A posted speed limit is the maximum legal speed for that road when conditions are ideal. It is not a suggested floor, and a driver cannot treat the number as permission to add extra miles per hour. Poor weather, traffic, curves, pedestrians, or other hazards may require a slower speed. A useful cue is to read the sign as an upper boundary, then ask whether the road and visibility make an even lower speed necessary.

15. 15. Which movement is permitted across double solid yellow center lines?

    1. Only traffic next to the lines may pass without checking
    2. Passing is permitted for traffic on both sides when clear
    3. Passing is prohibited in both directions, but a permitted left turn may cross
    4. The roadway is one way and the lines may be ignored
    Show answer

    Passing is prohibited in both directions, but a permitted left turn may cross. Double solid yellow lines separate opposing traffic where passing is not allowed in either direction. They do not create an absolute barrier, because a driver may cross them for a left turn, such as turning into a driveway. The two passing choices incorrectly treat the markings as permission, and the one-way choice misunderstands yellow center lines, which divide opposing directions. The cue is double solid yellow means no passing, with the narrow exception of a lawful left-turn movement across the lines.

16. 16. What should a driver do when a road condition makes the posted speed unsafe?

    1. Maintain the posted limit regardless of conditions
    2. Reduce speed below the posted limit
    3. Increase speed to leave the hazard faster
    4. Drive faster than the limit if other traffic does
    Show answer

    Reduce speed below the posted limit. The posted limit assumes ideal conditions, so it does not guarantee that the same speed is safe in every situation. Maryland’s manual directs drivers to recognize adverse conditions and reduce speed when needed. Curves, hills, slippery roads, pedestrians, heavy traffic, and railroad crossings are examples that may call for extra caution. Read the roadway ahead, choose a speed that leaves time to react, and never use surrounding traffic as permission to exceed the limit.

17. 17. What fine does Maryland list for failing to keep insurance on a vehicle?

    1. $100 per vehicle
    2. $50 per month
    3. No fine, only registration cancellation
    4. Up to $3,500 per vehicle each year
    Show answer

    Up to $3,500 per vehicle each year. It is against the law to drive without vehicle insurance in Maryland, and if you do not keep insurance on all vehicles you will be fined up to $3,500 per vehicle each year. Coverage must stay in force for as long as the vehicle is registered; return the plates before letting a policy lapse. Uninsured driving also exposes you to the full cost of any crash.

18. 18. What do vertical rectangular signs usually provide?

    
    1. Warnings about every railroad crossing
    2. Instructions or rules of the road
    3. Only recreation information
    4. A guarantee that no traffic is present
    Show answer

    Instructions or rules of the road. Maryland explains that vertical rectangular signs usually give instructions or tell drivers the rules of the road. They are not limited to railroad warnings, recreation information, or assurances about traffic. A driver should read the sign and obey the instruction at the location where it is posted. The shape helps classify the message, but the words and symbols provide the specific rule. Slow enough to identify the sign before acting, especially where a regulatory instruction changes lane use, turns, parking, or speed.

19. 19. What should a driver do after seeing a warning sign?

    
    1. Be ready to take appropriate action, including slowing if needed
    2. Ignore it unless another vehicle is present
    3. Accelerate before reaching the condition
    4. Stop in every case at the sign
    Show answer

    Be ready to take appropriate action, including slowing if needed. Maryland explains that warning signs identify special conditions or hazards ahead and that a driver may have to slow down, so the driver should be ready to take appropriate action. The sign does not require ignoring the road, accelerating, or stopping in every situation. Look beyond the sign to find the actual curve, merge, crossing, or other condition, then choose a speed and lane position that leave room to respond. The key cue is preparation: a warning is advance notice, not permission to continue without checking.

20. 20. What do Maryland warning signs tell drivers to expect?

    
    1. The end of all intersection controls
    2. A guaranteed clear roadway
    3. A mandatory vehicle inspection
    4. Special conditions or hazards ahead
    Show answer

    Special conditions or hazards ahead. Maryland says warning signs provide notice of a situation that might not be readily apparent, and that they warn of special conditions or hazards ahead. They do not guarantee a clear roadway, announce a mandatory vehicle inspection, or cancel other traffic controls. Treat a warning sign as advance information: check the road farther ahead, reduce speed when needed, and prepare for the condition before reaching it. The sign gives time to respond smoothly, which is safer than waiting until the hazard is directly in front of the vehicle.