MD Permit Practice Test 8

All 20 questions in test 8

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 color is used for school, pedestrian, and bicycle signs?

   1. Brown
   2. Fluorescent yellow-green
   3. Blue
   4. Black
   Show answer

   Fluorescent yellow-green. Maryland identifies fluorescent yellow-green as the color used for school, pedestrian, and bicycle signs. Blue is used for services such as food, gas, and rest areas, brown marks recreation and cultural interest areas, and black is used for one-way signs and signs that change messages. The color cue helps a driver recognize that a sign concerns vulnerable road users or a school area. When this bright color appears, scan for people walking, riding, or entering the roadway and be prepared to adjust speed.

2. 2. You are turning while a bicyclist continues straight. What is your duty?

   
   1. Yield to the bicyclist
   2. Turn first because motor vehicles have priority
   3. Sound the horn and make the bicyclist stop
   4. Pass the bicyclist inside the intersection
   Show answer

   Yield to the bicyclist. A bicyclist going straight has priority when a motor vehicle is turning across the bicycle’s path. The manual treats the bicycle as a road user entitled to proceed, not as an obstacle that must clear for the turning car. Check the right side and blind spot before turning, yield fully, and turn only after the bicyclist has passed. A horn does not replace yielding.

3. 3. How must a Maryland child younger than 2 ride?

   1. In a rear facing child safety seat meeting federal guidelines, until reaching the seat's height or weight limit
   2. Forward facing with a harness
   3. In a booster seat
   4. In an adult belt in the back seat
   Show answer

   In a rear facing child safety seat meeting federal guidelines, until reaching the seat's height or weight limit. Children younger than 2 must ride in a rear facing child safety seat that meets federal guidelines until they reach the height or weight specified by the manufacturer. All children under 8 must ride in a child safety seat unless they are 4 feet 9 inches or taller, and a rear facing seat must never go in front of an active passenger air bag. Follow both the seat maker's and the vehicle maker's instructions.

4. 4. On a wet road, what braking practice helps reduce the risk of a skid?

   1. Brake hard and turn sharply to regain traction
   2. Avoid slamming on the brakes; pump them if the vehicle lacks ABS
   3. Keep braking firmly until the tires begin to slide
   4. Release the steering wheel and let the vehicle choose its path
   Show answer

   Avoid slamming on the brakes; pump them if the vehicle lacks ABS. On wet or otherwise inclement roads, Maryland advises avoiding a hard brake application because it can cause a skid. A vehicle without anti-lock brakes should have its brakes pumped to help prevent skidding. The choice calling for maximum repeated braking in every vehicle ignores the ABS distinction. The practical cue is smooth control: increase following space, reduce speed, and use the braking technique suited to the vehicle's equipment.

5. 5. Where does the Maryland driving skills test take place?

   1. Only on a closed course with no public-road driving
   2. Inside an MVA office using a simulator
   3. Only in the applicant's neighborhood
   4. On public roads and a special course at the testing location
   Show answer

   On public roads and a special course at the testing location. Maryland's skills test checks practical driving in two settings: public roads and a special course at the testing location. It is not limited to a simulator, an applicant's neighborhood, or a closed course that excludes traffic-road skills. Prepare for both ordinary roadway decisions and the controlled exercises required at the test site. This combination tests both everyday traffic judgment and precise vehicle control.

6. 6. What penalty does Maryland list for littering on state roads?

   1. A $25 fine
   2. Community service only
   3. A warning for a first offense
   4. A fine up to $1,500 or 30 days in prison
   Show answer

   A fine up to $1,500 or 30 days in prison. Highway workers remove over two million pounds of litter from Maryland state roads each year, and fines for littering can cost up to $1,500 or 30 days in prison. Trash thrown from a vehicle also endangers the crews who pick it up along high speed roads. Keep a bag in the car and secure any load so nothing blows out.

7. 7. At the pictured stop sign, where must you stop if a stop line is present?

   
   1. Only beside the intersection
   2. After entering the crosswalk
   3. At the stop line
   4. At least one car length beyond the line
   Show answer

   At the stop line. A Maryland stop sign requires a complete stop at the marked stop line. If there is no stop line, stop before the crosswalk; if neither exists, stop before entering the intersection. After stopping, yield to vehicles and pedestrians in the intersection and remain stopped until it is safe to proceed. Rolling through because the road appears empty is still a violation. The visual cue is the wide line painted across your lane, which identifies the first stopping point before the crossing area.

8. 8. A school bus is stopped with flashing red lights. How far away must a following driver stop?

   
   1. At least 50 feet from the back of the bus
   2. At least 5 feet from the back of the bus
   3. At least 10 feet from the back of the bus
   4. At least 20 feet from the back of the bus
   Show answer

   At least 20 feet from the back of the bus. A driver approaching the rear of a stopped school bus with flashing red lights must stop at least 20 feet from the bus. The stopping distance is measured from the back when you are behind it, not from the nearest child or the front bumper. Stay stopped until the bus moves or turns off its flashing red lights. The 20-foot cue applies to both directions, with the reference point changing to the front for oncoming traffic.

9. 9. A driver with a license from another country wants a Maryland license. Besides the vision, knowledge and skills tests, what else is required?

   1. 60 hours of logged supervised practice
   2. A 9 month learner's permit period
   3. A three-hour roadway safety driving education program approved by the MVA
   4. A 30 day wait after moving to Maryland
   Show answer

   A three-hour roadway safety driving education program approved by the MVA. Maryland asks holders of a license from another country to pass a vision screening, the knowledge test and the driving skills test, and also to complete a three-hour roadway safety driving education program approved by the MVA. The 60 hour practice log and the 9 month permit period belong to new drivers under the graduated system. The manual lists no 30 day waiting period. A license not in English must also be translated or backed by an International License.

10. 10. During some Maryland suspensions the MVA may issue a restricted license. What does it allow?

    1. Driving anywhere during daylight hours
    2. Driving with any licensed passenger
    3. Driving only on interstate highways
    4. Driving only for a specific purpose, like getting to and from work and school
    Show answer

    Driving only for a specific purpose, like getting to and from work and school. A suspension is a temporary loss of the privilege to drive, but in some cases the MVA may provide a restricted license. That license lets the driver operate a vehicle only for a specific purpose, and the manual gives getting to and from work and school as the example. It is not a general daylight license, it does not depend on having a licensed passenger along, and it has nothing to do with the type of road. Driving outside the stated purpose breaks the restriction.

11. 11. What kind of information does a yellow traffic sign generally provide?

    1. A service location such as a gas station
    2. A general warning about what to expect ahead
    3. A legal speed limit for the road
    4. A destination and distance
    Show answer

    A general warning about what to expect ahead. Maryland uses yellow as the main background color for a general warning of what to expect ahead. That color helps drivers recognize that a condition may require attention or a speed adjustment. Blue identifies services, white commonly carries speed limits, and green gives destinations, so those choices describe other sign categories. A useful scan is color first, then shape and wording, allowing the driver to anticipate a hazard before reaching the sign's subject.

12. 12. A Maryland teen lies about age to buy alcohol. Besides criminal fines or prison, what can happen to the driver's license?

    1. It may be suspended
    2. Nothing, because the offense did not involve driving
    3. It is automatically canceled forever
    4. It is converted to a Type 2 permit
    Show answer

    It may be suspended. The manual says it is against the law to lie about your age to purchase, possess or acquire alcohol, and that in addition to the fines or prison allowed under federal and state law, your driver's license may be suspended. The license can be affected even though no vehicle was involved. Permanent cancellation is not the listed outcome here, and the Type 2 permit is a licensing product for adding a vehicle class, not a penalty.

13. 13. What should a driver do first if a Maryland vehicle begins to skid?

    1. Look away from the direction of travel
    2. Brake as hard as possible and turn sharply
    3. Release the accelerator or brake pedal being used
    4. Shift immediately into reverse
    Show answer

    Release the accelerator or brake pedal being used. The first skid response is to release the accelerator or brake pedal that is being used so the tires can regain traction. The manual also advises steering in the direction of the skid and waiting to brake until grip returns. Hard braking and a sharp turn can prolong the slide, while looking away removes the visual target needed for recovery. Stay calm, look where you want the vehicle to go, and make small steering inputs as the tires reconnect with the road.

14. 14. What is the first required action at a flashing red signal?

    1. Slow down and continue without stopping
    2. Make a complete stop before the stop line or crosswalk
    3. Proceed if no vehicle is visible, then stop in the intersection
    4. Stop only when a pedestrian is waiting
    Show answer

    Make a complete stop before the stop line or crosswalk. A flashing red signal is treated as a stop requirement. Stop completely at the stop line; if there is no line, stop before the crosswalk and before entering the intersection. After stopping, yield to traffic and pedestrians, then proceed only when the way is clear. Slowing without stopping is the rule for a flashing yellow signal, not a flashing red one. An empty-looking roadway does not remove the stop duty, and the requirement does not depend on seeing a pedestrian. The cue is red means full stop first.

15. 15. When may a driver pass where a solid yellow line is on the driver's side?

    
    1. The driver may not pass in that location
    2. The driver may pass whenever the road appears empty
    3. The driver may pass if the vehicle ahead is moving slowly
    4. The driver may pass after checking only the rear-view mirror
    Show answer

    The driver may not pass in that location. Maryland lists a solid yellow line in the middle of the road on your side among places where passing is not allowed. An empty-looking road does not cancel the pavement restriction, and hazard lights do not create a passing exception. The line separates opposing traffic and marks a no-passing condition for that side. Read the center marking before considering an overtake, especially where sight distance or opposing traffic makes a mistake dangerous.

16. 16. What is the main purpose of defensive driving in Maryland?

    1. To make other drivers yield whenever you signal
    2. To keep the vehicle at the posted speed in every condition
    3. To avoid crashes by controlling the vehicle and responding to risks
    4. To watch only the road directly in front of the vehicle
    Show answer

    To avoid crashes by controlling the vehicle and responding to risks. Defensive driving means controlling the vehicle so risks are identified early and a crash can be avoided. The manual connects this approach with searching ahead, watching the front, sides, and rear, and being ready to change speed or lane. The speed-only choice ignores changing road conditions, while signaling does not give you automatic priority over another driver. Watching only the front leaves important hazards outside your view. A useful cue is to scan continuously and leave yourself time to respond before a problem becomes urgent.

17. 17. What is a common effect of driving over Maryland's speed limit?

    1. It guarantees a shorter stopping distance
    2. It increases the likelihood of decisions that put people at risk
    3. It makes hazards easier to recognize
    4. It eliminates the need to adjust speed for conditions
    Show answer

    It increases the likelihood of decisions that put people at risk. The manual identifies speeding as a common cause of crashes and warns that excessive speed leads to decisions that put people at risk. More speed does not guarantee a shorter stop or better hazard recognition. It can reduce the time available to notice a problem and respond, while increasing the consequences of a collision. Drivers must still account for weather, traffic, visibility, and roadway design. A practical cue is to treat extra speed as lost reaction time, not saved travel time, especially when a hazard may appear with little warning.

18. 18. From how far away must a bicycle's headlight and rear reflector be visible at night in Maryland?

    1. At least 100 feet
    2. At least one mile
    3. At least 50 feet
    4. At least 600 feet
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    At least 600 feet. When riding at night, Maryland law requires a white headlight on the front of the bicycle and a red reflector on the back, and they must be visible from at least 600 feet away. Bright clothing by day and reflective clothing at night are recommended. Drivers should expect bicycles after dark and watch for that small white light, especially at intersections and driveways.

19. 19. When a crosswalk signal is telling pedestrians to cross, what should drivers do?

    1. Stop beyond the crosswalk so pedestrians can pass behind you
    2. Yield only after the pedestrian reaches the middle of the road
    3. Stop and allow pedestrians to cross safely
    4. Proceed if the driver has already slowed without stopping
    Show answer

    Stop and allow pedestrians to cross safely. The manual describes the crosswalk signal as a device that stops traffic for a safe pedestrian crossing. A driver must yield to people in the crossing and must not use the opening to enter or pass around another stopped vehicle. Honking does not replace the duty to yield. The useful cue is a person in or entering the crosswalk: hold the vehicle back, keep the crossing unobstructed, and wait for a safe opportunity to continue.

20. 20. What information does a white traffic sign background commonly identify?

    
    1. Speed limits, keep-right instructions, and some guide information
    2. Construction and maintenance work areas
    3. Food, fuel, and rest area services
    4. Recreation and cultural interest areas
    Show answer

    Speed limits, keep-right instructions, and some guide information. Maryland uses white backgrounds for speed limits, keep-right instructions, and some guide signs. The pictured sign is therefore part of a category that communicates a rule or roadway information, rather than a work-zone warning or a service listing. Orange identifies construction and maintenance areas, blue identifies services, and brown identifies recreation or cultural sites. When reading a white sign, inspect its words, numbers, or arrows for the particular instruction. The background narrows the sign's function, but the complete message controls what you do next.