MD Permit Practice Test 11

All 20 questions in test 11

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. Your 11-year-old asks to ride in the front seat of your Maryland car on a short trip. What does the manual advise?

   1. The front is fine for short trips
   2. Ride in front with the seat pushed back
   3. Ride buckled up in a rear seat
   4. Ride in front with a lap belt only
   Show answer

   Ride buckled up in a rear seat. Maryland's air bag guidance says children under age 13 should ride buckled up in a rear seat, in a child safety seat or with a seat belt. An 11-year-old is under 13, so the back seat is the place to ride, and the length of the trip does not change that. Pushing the front seat back or using only a lap belt is not the advice given. Everyone in the car must be buckled, and air bags work best with the lap and shoulder belt.

   Study this in the handbook: Supervising drivers, insurance, seat belts and child seats

2. 2. You are behind a slow tractor on a two-lane Maryland road. The center has a solid yellow line on your side and a broken line on the other side, and the road ahead looks clear. May you pass?

   1. Yes, if the road ahead looks clear
   2. No, passing is not allowed from the solid-line side
   3. Yes, if you finish before the next curve
   4. Yes, if the tractor driver waves you around
   Show answer

   No, passing is not allowed from the solid-line side. Where a solid yellow line runs beside a broken one, passing is permitted in only one direction. Careful passing is allowed for traffic on the side of the broken line and not allowed for traffic on the side of the solid line. With the solid line on your side, you may not pass, even if the road looks clear or the slow driver waves you on. Stay back, use emergency flashers if you must follow for a while, and pass only where the markings allow it.

   Study this in the handbook: Lines and pavement markings

3. 3. You drive a four-wheel drive vehicle on an icy Maryland road. What should you remember about grip?

   1. Four-wheel drive prevents sliding on ice entirely
   2. They can slide on ice and snow too
   3. Extra driven wheels remove the need to slow down
   4. Ice affects only rear-wheel drive vehicles
   Show answer

   They can slide on ice and snow too. Extra driven wheels can help you get moving, but they do not create grip where the surface offers almost none. Braking and turning still depend on tire contact with ice, so sliding remains possible for every vehicle type. Rear-wheel drive is not the only layout at risk. Confidence from the drivetrain becomes dangerous when it replaces slower speeds and gentler inputs. Treat every icy stretch as unpredictable, leave large gaps, and make steering, braking, and acceleration changes slowly and early.

   Study this in the handbook: Bad weather, skids and hydroplaning

4. 4. On a two-lane Maryland road, the car ahead stops with its left signal on, waiting to turn left. There is paved room on its right within the road. What may you do?

   1. Honk until the car completes its turn
   2. Pass on the right using the shoulder if needed
   3. Pass on the left by crossing the center line
   4. Pass on the right if it is safe and you stay on the road
   Show answer

   Pass on the right if it is safe and you stay on the road. Generally you pass on the left, but passing on the right is acceptable when it is safe to do so, you stay on the road, and the other vehicle is about to make a left turn. Here the car ahead is waiting to turn left and there is paved room on its right, so a careful pass on that side fits the rule. Passing on the shoulder is never allowed, and swinging across the center line around a car turning left puts you in its path. Honking only adds pressure.

   Study this in the handbook: Passing rules and parking

5. 5. You see the pictured warning sign while driving on a Maryland divided highway. What does it tell you?

   
   1. A lane is added on the right ahead
   2. The divided road ends ahead
   3. Two roads merge into one ahead
   4. A narrow bridge is ahead
   Show answer

   The divided road ends ahead. Warning signs give notice of conditions that might not be readily apparent. A divided highway has a guardrail, strip of land, or other barrier between traffic traveling in each direction. The Divided Road Ends Ahead sign tells you that this separation is about to end, so traffic going the other way will soon be on the other side of a center line. Keep right and watch for the change in markings. Road Divides Ahead shows the opposite change, and Two Roads Merging warns of joining traffic.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory, warning and guide signs

6. 6. An overhead signal above your lane shows a green arrow pointing down. What does it allow in Maryland?

   1. Use of that lane for travel
   2. Travel only while changing lanes
   3. Use of the lane for parking
   4. Travel in the opposite direction
   Show answer

   Use of that lane for travel. Lane use signals sit above reversible lanes and show which lanes are open for your direction. A green arrow pointing down over your lane means you may drive in that lane. A red X closes a lane, while a yellow X tells you to leave it soon. Checking the signal above your own lane, rather than a neighboring lane, keeps you out of a lane that may carry opposing traffic at another hour.

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

7. 7. You are driving after dark on a lit street in town in Maryland. Which beam setting fits ordinary travel there?

   1. Low beams for ordinary night driving
   2. Use high beams to overpower the streetlights
   3. Drive with parking lights only between streetlights
   4. Alternate beams at every intersection
   Show answer

   Low beams for ordinary night driving. On lit streets, the dimmer setting gives enough light for ordinary travel without throwing glare into the eyes and mirrors of nearby drivers. The brighter setting is meant for roads without streetlights where you need longer reach. Parking lights alone leave you dim and hard to judge. Alternating beams confuses others and adds distraction. Match beam choice to the setting, keep lights clean, and remember that courtesy to other eyes is part of staying visible and predictable after dark in town traffic.

   Study this in the handbook: Lines and pavement markings

8. 8. You see flashing green lights on a vehicle in and before a Maryland work zone. What kind of vehicle should you expect?

   1. A police car making a traffic stop
   2. A school bus loading children
   3. An ambulance heading to a hospital
   4. A highway maintenance or service vehicle
   Show answer

   A highway maintenance or service vehicle. Maryland's work zone guide lists three kinds of flashing lights. Flashing amber or yellow lights mean an active work zone with workers present, flashing blue lights mean speed cameras are active, and flashing green lights may be found on highway maintenance vehicles or service equipment in and before work zones. When you see green lights, expect slow equipment that may merge back into traffic, give it room, and follow the work zone signs and any flagger.

   Study this in the handbook: Railroads, work zones, roundabouts, highways and processions

9. 9. You see the pictured warning sign on a Maryland road. What should you expect?

   
   1. Traffic from another road joining yours
   2. A sharp right turn in the road
   3. Your road splitting into two directions
   4. A lane for buses only beginning
   Show answer

   Traffic from another road joining yours. This warning sign shows two roads merging, telling you that traffic from another road will join the road you are on. Watch for vehicles moving into your lane and be ready to adjust your speed or position so they can merge safely. If you are the one entering a highway, drivers already on the highway have the right-of-way. Road Divides Ahead shows the opposite change, and a sharp turn has its own arrow symbol.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory, warning and guide signs

10. 10. How does the Maryland manual describe driving over the speed limit?

    1. A minor issue when traffic is light
    2. Safe if you are running late
    3. Legal on highways with wide lanes
    4. One of the most common causes of crashes
    Show answer

    One of the most common causes of crashes. Maryland's manual calls driving over the speed limit one of the most common causes of vehicle crashes. Excessive speed decreases your ability to recognize and react to a hazard, makes it harder for others to judge your distance, and increases the force of a crash, which more likely results in serious injuries and deaths. Running late, light traffic, or a wide highway does not make speeding legal or safe, since the posted limit is the maximum legal speed under ideal conditions.

    Study this in the handbook: Defensive driving and who goes first

11. 11. A tanker truck carrying hazardous materials ahead of you stops at a Maryland railroad crossing, though no train is coming. Why did it stop?

    1. Its driver must have seen a train you missed
    2. Its driver is required to stop before every crossing
    3. It is waiting for a flagger to wave it across
    4. It broke down and needs help from behind
    Show answer

    Its driver is required to stop before every crossing. In Maryland, buses, school buses, and trucks carrying hazardous materials must stop before every railroad crossing, whether or not a train is in sight. Drivers behind them should expect these stops and leave room instead of trying to pass. Use the pause to look for trains yourself, since trains can come from either direction and may be closer and faster than they appear. Passing is also not allowed within 100 feet of a railroad grade crossing.

    Study this in the handbook: Bad weather, skids and hydroplaning

12. 12. The motorcycle ahead of you in Maryland slows down, but its brake light never comes on. Why can that happen?

    1. The motorcycle's brake light must be broken
    2. Motorcycles are not required to have brake lights
    3. Riders often slow in ways that do not light the brake light
    4. The rider is signaling a lane change to the left
    Show answer

    Riders often slow in ways that do not light the brake light. Motorcycles may need to slow down for road hazards like gravel, wet roads, or railroad crossings that do not affect cars the same way, and motorcyclists often reduce speed in ways that do not cause their brake lights to come on. That is why Maryland says to stay alert, leave plenty of space around motorcycles, and keep at least a 3 to 4-second following distance behind one. A dark brake light does not mean the bike is broken or that the rider is signaling.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, emergency vehicles and school buses

13. 13. Children are riding bicycles near driveways and parked cars in a Maryland neighborhood. How should you drive?

    1. Assume children will stop at every driveway
    2. Drive at the posted limit regardless of activity
    3. Honk at each driveway to clear children away
    4. Expect sudden direction changes without warning
    Show answer

    Expect sudden direction changes without warning. Young riders are small, hard to spot, and prone to darting into the road or changing direction with no signal. Slowing in school zones and residential streets buys the seconds needed when a child rolls out from between parked cars. Assuming stops, holding the posted limit, or honking at driveways cannot match that margin. Scan yards, sidewalks, and gaps between parked cars as carefully as you scan the lane directly ahead.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and mopeds

14. 14. Your vehicle is disabled on railroad tracks in Maryland. Where can you find information for reporting the emergency at the crossing?

    1. On a small mile marker sign posted along the interstate shoulder
    2. On a route marker sign showing the number and type of road
    3. On the blue and white Emergency Notification System sign
    4. On the white crossbuck blades mounted above the tracks
    Show answer

    On the blue and white Emergency Notification System sign. If you have an emergency on or near a railroad crossing, Maryland says to get out of the vehicle and move away from the tracks first. Then report emergencies and safety problems at the crossing using the information on the blue and white Emergency Notification System sign, known as the ENS sign. Mile markers give locations along interstate highways, route markers identify numbered roads, and the crossbuck only identifies where a railroad crossing is located, so none of them carries the reporting details.

    Study this in the handbook: Bad weather, skids and hydroplaning

15. 15. In heavy rain on a Maryland highway, your steering suddenly feels light as your tires ride up on water. What should you do?

    1. Brake hard to slow the car down quickly
    2. Ease off the gas, keep straight, and do not brake
    3. Steer sharply toward the shoulder to escape
    4. Speed up to push through the standing water
    Show answer

    Ease off the gas, keep straight, and do not brake. When water lifts your tires off the road, the vehicle is hydroplaning, and you can lose some or all control. Maryland's steps are to take your foot off the gas, not apply the brakes, keep the vehicle going straight, and slow down until you get control back. Hard braking and sharp steering are not part of those steps. Speeding up does the opposite of what you need, since higher speed on a wet road is what leads to riding on a sheet of water.

    Study this in the handbook: Bad weather, skids and hydroplaning

16. 16. You are waiting to turn left across a Maryland road, and a bicyclist is coming toward you from what looks like a long way off. What should you keep in mind?

    1. Bicycles cannot go faster than 15 mph
    2. A distant rider will always slow down for you
    3. Riders must stop for turning cars
    4. A fast rider may be closer than you think
    Show answer

    A fast rider may be closer than you think. Maryland reminds drivers that a bicycle may come from an unexpected direction and that experienced bicyclists often ride very fast, as fast as 35 mph, so they may be closer than you think. When you are turning across a rider's path, the rider going straight has the right-of-way and you must yield. Do not turn left immediately in front of a bicycle. Judge the gap carefully and wait if there is any doubt that the rider can pass first.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and mopeds

17. 17. You counted your drinks and the total seems low. What does that count tell you in Maryland?

    1. It proves your reading is below the limit
    2. It shows exactly when driving becomes safe again later
    3. Drink count alone cannot show how alcohol affects you
    4. It matters only for drivers under 21
    Show answer

    Drink count alone cannot show how alcohol affects you. Counting drinks feels precise, but bodies process alcohol at different rates. Weight, body fat, food timing, and food amount all shift the result. Fatigue, mood, and medicines add further variation that a simple count cannot capture. Two evenings with the same drink total can therefore produce different levels of impairment. The count also says nothing about how vision or reaction time has changed. Treating the tally as a safety certificate is the error to avoid.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and driving

18. 18. A large truck ahead of you in Maryland moves left in its lane before an intersection. You think it is changing lanes and want to pass on its right. What does the manual advise?

    1. Wait to see whether the truck is planning to turn before passing
    2. Pass quickly on the right before it moves any further
    3. Pass on the right only after you sound your horn
    4. Move up beside its rear wheels to stay out of its way
    Show answer

    Wait to see whether the truck is planning to turn before passing. Large trucks often move left before making a right turn, so you may think they are changing lanes. Maryland warns that passing any truck on the right can be risky and says to wait and see whether the truck is planning to turn before passing. A truck that swings right as you pull alongside can leave you caught between the truck and the curb. Sounding a horn does not make the pass safe.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, emergency vehicles and school buses

19. 19. As you approach a Maryland traffic circle, a person is walking across the crosswalk at your entry. What should you do?

    1. Enter the circle ahead of the person
    2. Sound the horn so the person hurries
    3. Yield to the person in the crosswalk
    4. Wait for cars, but not for walkers
    Show answer

    Yield to the person in the crosswalk. As you come to a traffic circle, Maryland says to reduce your speed, keep to the right of the island, and watch for and yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk. Then approach the yield line cautiously and wait for a gap in the traffic already in the circle. A person crossing at the entry should be allowed to finish before you move up. Honking or slipping in ahead of them ignores that duty and puts the person at risk.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroads, work zones, roundabouts, highways and processions

20. 20. You are parking along a Maryland street that has a curb. Where should your vehicle end up?

    1. As close to the curb as possible
    2. Two to three feet out from the curb
    3. Centered between the curb and the lane line
    4. Close to traffic so the driver's door opens easily
    Show answer

    As close to the curb as possible. You are responsible for making sure your parked vehicle is not a hazard. When parking along the road, Maryland says to park as far away from traffic as possible, and if there is a curb, to park as close to it as possible. Leaving a gap from the curb or parking near the lane puts your vehicle and your door closer to passing traffic. Then set the parking brake, check your mirrors and traffic before opening the door, and take your keys with you.

    Study this in the handbook: Passing rules and parking