MA Permit Practice Test 10

All 20 questions in test 10

Every question below comes from the Massachusetts 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. According to the Massachusetts manual, can you be ticketed for driving 40 mph in a heavy rainstorm on a highway posted at 50 mph?

   1. No, because you are under the posted limit
   2. Only if you are also following too closely
   3. Yes, for driving too fast for conditions
   4. Only on a divided highway
   Show answer

   Yes, for driving too fast for conditions. The posted number is not a guarantee of safety. Massachusetts uses exactly this example: 40 mph in a heavy rainstorm on a 50 mph highway can draw a ticket because the speed is not reasonable and proper for the conditions. Being under the limit is not a defense, no second violation is required, and the road type does not matter. In rain, fog, snow or heavy traffic the law expects you to choose a speed that lets you stop within the distance you can see, whatever the sign says.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and the dangers of speeding

2. 2. What does a STOP sign always mean in Massachusetts, and to whom does it apply?

   1. Slow to a crawl, and only the first vehicle in line must stop
   2. Come to a complete halt, and it applies to each vehicle that comes to the sign
   3. Stop only if cross traffic is present
   4. Yield, unless the intersection is clear
   Show answer

   Come to a complete halt, and it applies to each vehicle that comes to the sign. A stop sign never softens into a yield. The manual says it always means come to a complete halt, and the duty applies to each vehicle that reaches the sign, so the second and third cars in line stop at the sign in turn rather than following the leader through. Stopping only when cross traffic is visible misses the pedestrians and the cars hidden by parked vehicles. Stop before the line or crosswalk, look both ways, and go only when the way is clear.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic sign colors and types

3. 3. When must Massachusetts drivers use their headlights and taillights because of the weather?

   1. Only after sunset
   2. Only in snow
   3. Whenever they use their windshield wipers
   4. Only when visibility drops below 100 feet
   Show answer

   Whenever they use their windshield wipers. Massachusetts ties lights to wipers: if the weather makes you run the wipers, the law requires headlights and taillights as well. That covers rain, mist, sleet and snow, not snow alone, and it applies in daylight, not only after sunset. There is no visibility measurement to make; the wiper switch is the trigger. Lights in the rain are less about seeing than about being seen by drivers looking through a wet windshield.

   Study this in the handbook: Stopping distance, headlights, night and bad weather

4. 4. You approach a horse and rider on a Massachusetts road. What should you do?

   1. Slow down, be careful, and give the animal the right of way
   2. Pass as closely as possible to save time
   3. Speed up to get by before the horse reacts
   4. Sound the horn so the rider knows you are there
   Show answer

   Slow down, be careful, and give the animal the right of way. Animals are easily scared by motor vehicles, so the manual tells you to always give the right of way to an animal that someone is leading, riding or driving, and to be careful and slow down near it. Stop if the animal is coming toward you or crossing your path, allow plenty of room when passing one traveling your way, and do not honk your horn or make a loud noise. If the animal you are passing looks scared, you must pull to the side and stop. Passing close, speeding up and honking are the opposite of these steps. Proceed only when it is safe.

5. 5. Your tire blows out on a Massachusetts road. What does the manual tell you to do first?

   1. Brake as hard as you can
   2. Grip the steering wheel tightly and slowly remove your foot from the gas pedal
   3. Turn sharply toward the shoulder
   4. Shift into park
   Show answer

   Grip the steering wheel tightly and slowly remove your foot from the gas pedal. For a flat tire, a blowout or a lost wheel, the manual's first step is to grip the steering wheel tightly and slowly remove your foot from the gas pedal. Then gently apply the brakes; if you begin to skid, turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid and gently straighten the car, and do not use the brake until you have the vehicle under control. Braking as hard as you can, turning sharply toward the shoulder and shifting into park are not part of that sequence. Pull your car off the road as soon as it is safe.

   Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles, skids, brake failure and breakdowns

6. 6. How many people died in drowsy driving crashes in 2020, according to the Massachusetts manual?

   1. 633
   2. About 10,000
   3. About 5
   4. About 10
   Show answer

   633. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 633 people died in 2020 from drowsy driving related crashes. The manual says these crashes most often happen between midnight and 6 a.m. or in the late afternoon, involve a single driver with no passengers, and occur on rural roads and highways. The only true protection is to get enough sleep and not drive when you feel tired; coffee or a nap in a safe place helps only for a short time. Alcohol can also increase drowsiness.

   Study this in the handbook: Stopping distance, headlights, night and bad weather

7. 7. What suspension does a Massachusetts driver under 18 face for a chemical test showing 0.02 or higher?

   1. 30 days plus an additional one year
   2. 60 days
   3. Until age 21
   4. 30 days only
   Show answer

   30 days plus an additional one year. Massachusetts has a zero tolerance standard for drivers under 21, who face administrative sanctions for a chemical test with a BAC as low as 0.02. Drivers age 18 to 21 lose the license for 30 days plus an additional 180 days, and drivers under 18 lose it for 30 days plus an additional one year. For a first operating under the influence case, the one year can be reduced to 180 days upon entry into an approved alcohol education program. The added time is designed to get youths into alcohol education, whatever happens in court.

   Study this in the handbook: Zero tolerance and under 21 alcohol laws

8. 8. A Massachusetts driver does not respond to a traffic citation within 20 days. What happens?

   1. The citation is dismissed
   2. The driver is found responsible and charged a large late fee
   3. A hearing is scheduled automatically
   4. The fine is cut in half
   Show answer

   The driver is found responsible and charged a large late fee. Ignoring a citation does not make it go away. After 20 days without a response, Massachusetts treats the driver as responsible for the offense and adds a large late fee on top of the fine, and the responsibility goes on the driving record as if the driver had paid. The citation is never dismissed for silence, no hearing is scheduled without a request, and the fine grows rather than shrinks. Pay or request a hearing inside the 20 days.

   Study this in the handbook: Citations, surchargeable events and suspensions

9. 9. When entering a Massachusetts roundabout and choosing a lane, which rules does the manual say to follow?

   1. The rules for a four-way stop
   2. The rules for a divided highway merge
   3. The rules for a parking lot
   4. The same rules as for a rotary
   Show answer

   The same rules as for a rotary. Massachusetts treats a roundabout as a modern rotary: enter with a right turn, travel counter-clockwise, yield to vehicles already circulating and to pedestrians, and use your signals for the exit. Lane choice follows the signs on the approach, and once inside you keep the lane you chose. A four-way stop, a highway merge and a parking lot each have different rules. Look for the lane signs early so you are positioned before you reach the yield line.

   Study this in the handbook: Turns, right of way and rotaries

10. 10. How close may you drive to a Massachusetts trolley's passenger step while riders are getting on or off?

    1. No closer than two feet
    2. No closer than 15 feet
    3. No closer than eight feet
    4. No closer than 25 feet
    Show answer

    No closer than eight feet. State law says you must not drive closer than eight feet to a trolley passenger step when the trolley is letting passengers on or off. Two feet would put people stepping off the trolley in danger. Fifteen feet is the distance for stopping at a railroad signal or gate, and 25 feet is not a Massachusetts trolley figure. Drivers should also look for oncoming trolleys before crossing tracks.

    Study this in the handbook: Turns, right of way and rotaries

11. 11. How close to an intersection may you park in Massachusetts?

    1. No closer than 10 feet
    2. No closer than 30 feet
    3. No closer than 50 feet
    4. No closer than 20 feet
    Show answer

    No closer than 20 feet. Massachusetts bans parking within 20 feet of an intersection. Ten feet is the hydrant and fire lane distance, and thirty and fifty feet are not part of this Massachusetts rule. The same list of places you may not park includes a crosswalk, the space in front of a driveway or a handicap access ramp, a posted loading zone, a bus stop and a bicycle lane. Fines for most of these violations are set by city or town ordinance, and unpaid parking tickets can stop you from renewing your license or registration.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking rules and hills

12. 12. This crossroad warning sign marks an intersection ahead. In Massachusetts, who yields when a driver on a two-lane road reaches an intersection with a roadway of three or more lanes?

    
    1. The driver on the larger roadway
    2. Whoever arrives second
    3. Nobody, because the larger road always has a stop sign
    4. The driver on the two-lane road
    Show answer

    The driver on the two-lane road. Massachusetts gives the bigger road the priority at this kind of crossing. A driver on a single or two-lane road who reaches a divided highway or a roadway with three or more lanes must yield to the traffic on the larger road. The driver on the larger road does not yield, arrival order is the rule for equal roads or four-way stops, and the larger road often has no stop sign at all. The crossroad sign is your prompt to slow and prepare to yield.

    Study this in the handbook: Turns, right of way and rotaries

13. 13. What does the RMV approved driver education and training program for a Massachusetts JOL applicant include?

    1. 10 hours of classroom instruction and 40 hours behind the wheel
    2. 30 hours of classroom instruction, 12 hours behind the wheel, and six hours observing other student drivers
    3. 20 hours of classroom instruction and a written exam only
    4. A single eight hour online course
    Show answer

    30 hours of classroom instruction, 12 hours behind the wheel, and six hours observing other student drivers. The program has three parts: 30 classroom hours, 12 hours of in car training behind the wheel, and six hours in the car observing other students drive. The 40 hour figure that people mix in here is the separate supervised practice a parent certifies, not part of the course. There is no eight hour shortcut and no classroom only version. Completing the program is one of the conditions for the Junior Operator License, along with holding the permit for six months and passing the road test.

    Study this in the handbook: The Junior Operator License (ages 16 1/2 to 18)

14. 14. How does Massachusetts require parking brakes to be tested for a road test vehicle?

    1. They are not tested
    2. By rolling downhill
    3. By pulling the lever while parked on flat ground
    4. By accelerating the motor to 1,200 to 1,300 RPM with the vehicle in the lowest gear
    Show answer

    By accelerating the motor to 1,200 to 1,300 RPM with the vehicle in the lowest gear. Massachusetts regulation 540 CMR 4.04(4) requires that parking brakes be tested by accelerating the motor to 1,200 to 1,300 RPMs with the vehicle in the lowest gear, and the examiner tests the brake before the road test. The examiner will not let the test proceed if the parking brake does not work as the law requires. The brake must also be accessible so the examiner can make an emergency stop, which is why the manual recommends a centrally located parking brake, and a vehicle registered out of state must show insurance equal to the Massachusetts minimum limits.

    Study this in the handbook: The road test

15. 15. What happens to a Massachusetts Under 21 license when the holder turns 21?

    1. It expires on the 21st birthday
    2. It must be replaced within 30 days
    3. It remains valid until its expiration date
    4. It becomes invalid for driving
    Show answer

    It remains valid until its expiration date. Vertical licenses and identification cards printed with the words Under 21 are issued to anyone who obtains or renews a license or ID while under 21, and the card remains valid to its expiration date even after the holder turns 21. A horizontal license may be obtained after the 21st birthday, while a driver who renews before turning 21 receives another vertical card. A license or ID can be renewed up to one year before its expiration date.

16. 16. After a Massachusetts driver with an Ignition Interlock requirement gets the license reinstated, how long must the device stay in use?

    1. 30 more days
    2. Two more years
    3. Six more months
    4. No time, it comes out at reinstatement
    Show answer

    Two more years. The device must be used for the whole time a hardship license is held and for two more years after the license is reinstated. Removing it at reinstatement ignores that extra period. Thirty days and six months are far shorter than the rule. The device is required for drivers with two or more OUI offenses and is paid for by the driver.

    Study this in the handbook: Operating under the influence and chemical tests

17. 17. This five-sided school sign marks a school zone. What is the Massachusetts speed limit on roads near schools?

    
    1. 20 mph
    2. 25 mph
    3. 30 mph
    4. 15 mph
    Show answer

    20 mph. The pentagon means children, and near schools Massachusetts sets the limit at 20 mph. Fifteen is lower than the state uses, twenty five is a city option for thickly settled areas, and thirty is the thickly settled default that the school zone reduces. The manual tells you to look closely for signs saying you are approaching or entering a school zone, since the limit may be shown with flashing yellow lights or posted for certain hours, and to watch for children crossing the street or riding bicycles.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and the dangers of speeding

18. 18. What does a solid white line separate on a Massachusetts road?

    1. Lanes of traffic moving in opposite directions
    2. The right edge of the roadway, or lanes of traffic traveling in the same direction, including bicycle lanes
    3. The road from a railroad crossing
    4. Nothing, it is decorative
    Show answer

    The right edge of the roadway, or lanes of traffic traveling in the same direction, including bicycle lanes. White lines are for traffic going the same way. A solid white line marks the right edge of the roadway or separates same direction lanes, including bicycle lanes, and the manual notes you can go in the same direction on both sides of it, except the shoulder, but should not cross it unless you need to avoid danger. Opposite directions are separated by yellow, railroad crossings are marked by crossbucks and warning signs rather than this line, and no line is decorative. A broken white line, by contrast, may be crossed to change lanes when it is safe.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and special lanes

19. 19. What is the Massachusetts penalty for a second offense of using a hand-held mobile device while driving?

    1. A $250 fine plus a distracted driving educational program
    2. A $100 fine only
    3. A $500 fine and an insurance surcharge
    4. A warning letter
    Show answer

    A $250 fine plus a distracted driving educational program. The hand-held device penalties climb with each offense. The first is a $100 fine. The second is a $250 fine plus mandatory completion of a distracted driving educational program. The third and later offenses bring a $500 fine, an insurance surcharge and the program. So $100 is the first step and $500 with a surcharge is the third. A warning letter is not part of the schedule.

    Study this in the handbook: Hands free law and distracted driving

20. 20. A Massachusetts driver gets three surchargeable events within two years. What does the RMV require?

    1. An automatic 60-day suspension
    2. Nothing until seven events
    3. A Driver Retraining course within 90 days, or the license is suspended
    4. A new road test within 30 days
    Show answer

    A Driver Retraining course within 90 days, or the license is suspended. Three surchargeable events, meaning moving violations and at-fault crashes, within a two-year period lead the RMV to order a Driver Retraining course. It must be completed within 90 days or the license is suspended until it is done. The automatic 60-day suspension is for seven events in three years. No new road test is required, and waiting for seven events ignores the earlier threshold.

    Study this in the handbook: Citations, surchargeable events and suspensions