MA Permit Practice Test 18

All 20 questions in test 18

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. When may you drive across an unprotected fire hose?

   1. Only when directed by a firefighter or public safety official
   2. Whenever no water is flowing through it
   3. Whenever your vehicle can clear it slowly
   4. After the fire engine has left the intersection
   Show answer

   Only when directed by a firefighter or public safety official. An unprotected hose is not something a driver may cross by making an independent judgment about speed or water flow. The handbook requires direction from a firefighter or public safety official. The separate rule about staying eight hundred feet from a fire does not replace the hose instruction. If a hose lies across the route, follow the authorized direction rather than treating it as an ordinary road obstacle to roll over.

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

2. 2. What happens to a Massachusetts driver who does not hold a Junior Operator license and is found guilty of three speeding violations within a 12 month period?

   1. A written warning is issued
   2. The license is suspended for one year
   3. The driver must retake the road test
   4. The license is suspended automatically for 30 days
   Show answer

   The license is suspended automatically for 30 days. Three speeding violations within a 12 month period trigger an automatic 30 day license suspension for a Massachusetts driver who does not hold a Junior Operator license, and the 12 month period starts when the driver either pays or is found guilty for the first citation. A warning is not part of the system at that point, a one year suspension is what a Junior Operator faces for a later speeding citation, and retaking the road test is not the penalty. Speeding violations are also surchargeable events, and three such events within two years bring a required driver retraining course.

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

3. 3. Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving is called what, and what should you do instead?

   1. It is called feathering, and it is encouraged
   2. It is called riding your brakes; do not let your foot rest on the brake pedal while driving
   3. It is called trailing, and it saves brake wear
   4. It has no name and causes no concern
   Show answer

   It is called riding your brakes; do not let your foot rest on the brake pedal while driving. Letting a foot rest on the brake pedal while driving is called riding your brakes. The manual says not to do this. The manual calls this riding your brakes and says not to rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving. Feathering praises the habit that the rule names riding your brakes and tells drivers to avoid. The habit has a name, riding the brakes, and it does warrant concern.

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

4. 4. A Massachusetts driver cleared an out of state suspension and brings a reinstatement letter to the RMV. How recent must that letter be?

   1. It may be up to ninety days old
   2. It may be up to sixty days old
   3. It cannot be over 30 days old
   4. It has no age limit if it is signed
   Show answer

   It cannot be over 30 days old. Once an out of state suspension is cleared, a Massachusetts driver must bring either a reinstatement letter or a current driving record from that state, and the document cannot be over 30 days old. Ninety days sounds plausible because other RMV duties use that span, but it would let stale proof reach the counter. Sixty days also exceeds the freshness limit set for this paperwork. A signature alone does not cure age, since the rule caps how old the document may be. Check the date printed on the letter before traveling to a service center.

5. 5. When does the RMV strongly recommend arriving for an Ignition Interlock Device hearing?

   1. Any time before closing
   2. Only after 4:00 p.m.
   3. Prior to 4:00 p.m.
   4. At noon exactly
   Show answer

   Prior to 4:00 p.m.. The RMV strongly recommends arriving prior to 4:00 p.m. for an Ignition Interlock Device hearing. The stated recommendation is to arrive prior to 4:00 p.m., rather than simply before closing. No exact noon appointment is stated; the guidance sets a before four target. After four is the opposite of the recommended arrival window. The cited passage states the point directly: The RMV strongly recommends that you arrive prior to 4:00 p.m. for an Ignition Interlock Device hearing.

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

6. 6. About what share of highway deaths in the United States does alcohol cause each year?

   1. About 10 percent
   2. About 30 percent
   3. About 20 percent
   4. About 50 percent
   Show answer

   About 30 percent. Each year in the United States, alcohol causes about 30 percent of all highway deaths, a figure that sits alongside thousands of serious injuries and permanent disabilities among drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. Ten percent shrinks the toll far below the stated national share. Twenty percent also falls short, though it may sound cautious enough to accept without checking. Fifty percent overshoots the share and would mean every other highway death involves alcohol. Recall the pairing of alcohol with roughly three in ten highway deaths when judging how widespread impaired driving remains.

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

7. 7. You are entering a Massachusetts highway from an entrance ramp. How should you handle your speed?

   1. Enter slowly and let highway traffic adjust around you
   2. Increase your speed to match vehicles already on the road
   3. Stop at the end of the ramp and wait for a large gap
   4. Enter at ramp speed and speed up only after merging
   Show answer

   Increase your speed to match vehicles already on the road. When entering a highway, yield the right-of-way to drivers already on it and increase your speed to match vehicles already on the road. The stated entry procedure is to yield and increase speed to match highway traffic, rather than routinely stop at the end of the ramp. The manual tells entering drivers to match highway traffic speed and yield to vehicles already on the highway.

   Study this in the handbook: Signaling, lane use and highway driving

8. 8. Where is the safest place for a child to sit, and which way must infant seats face?

   1. Back seat is safest, back middle is best, and infant seats must face the back of the vehicle
   2. Front seat, facing forward
   3. Back side seat, facing sideways
   4. Any seat, facing either direction
   Show answer

   Back seat is safest, back middle is best, and infant seats must face the back of the vehicle. The safest place for a child is the back seat, and the back middle seat is best. Infant seats must face the back of the vehicle. Never put a back-facing child safety seat in the front passenger seat if that seat has an air bag. The back seat is safest for children, and infant seats must face the back of the vehicle. Seats are ranked, with the back middle best, so any placement is not equally safe.

   Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and safe following distance

9. 9. A solid white or yellow line on a Massachusetts road turns into short dotted dashes at an intersection. What does that change mean?

   1. The line ends and lane control stops there
   2. The line continues through the intersection or interchange
   3. The lane ahead is closed to traffic
   4. Passing becomes allowed through the intersection
   Show answer

   The line continues through the intersection or interchange. A change in dash length does not end lane control. A solid white or solid yellow line that turns into a dotted line (short dashes) is a continuation of the line through an intersection or highway interchange. Saying the line ends there wrongly suggests markings vanish mid-crossing. Drivers still stay between lane lines unless turning, exiting, or changing lanes. Treat short dashes at a crossing as the same line carried across.

   Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings and work zones

10. 10. Why should a Massachusetts driver never assume a pedestrian or bicyclist has heard the car approaching?

    1. Pedestrians always wear headphones near roads
    2. Horns carry poorly in Massachusetts weather
    3. Bicyclists are exempt from hearing traffic sounds
    4. One out of every five individuals of driving age is Deaf or Hard of Hearing
    Show answer

    One out of every five individuals of driving age is Deaf or Hard of Hearing. The manual says one out of every five individuals of driving age is Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers may not hear you, especially in crosswalks and parking lots. Driving defensively includes giving the right-of-way to prevent unsafe traffic situations. Headphones are not the stated reason; hearing loss itself affects many road users. Bicyclists share traffic duties; the point is that some cannot hear your car.

11. 11. You are returning from active duty outside the United States with a license issued by a branch of the Armed Forces based in another country. How long may you drive with that license in Massachusetts?

    1. Up to 30 days after returning
    2. Up to 60 days after returning
    3. Up to 45 days after returning
    4. Up to 90 days after returning
    Show answer

    Up to 45 days after returning. Service abroad creates a narrow exception tied to the kind of license held. A license issued by a branch of the Armed Forces based in another country may be used in Massachusetts for up to 45 days after returning from active duty outside the United States. Thirty days cuts that window short. Sixty days belongs to a different military situation involving an expired Massachusetts license after discharge. Ninety days appears nowhere in this exception. Associate the 45 day figure with the Armed Forces license from overseas service, not with discharge paperwork.

    Study this in the handbook: The learner's permit and permit exam

12. 12. Which pair of problems will the RMV cite when refusing to renew a license?

    1. A library fine plus an expired inspection sticker
    2. A missed toll in another New England state only
    3. An old address plus a faded license photo
    4. Unpaid parking violation fines plus citations for abandoned vehicles
    Show answer

    Unpaid parking violation fines plus citations for abandoned vehicles. The RMV lists unpaid parking fines and abandoned-vehicle citations as reasons to refuse license renewal. Other listed reasons include unpaid local excise tax, outstanding court warrants, unpaid Massachusetts, Maine, or New Hampshire E-ZPass/Fast Lane toll violations, and unpaid Tobin Bridge violations. Official release forms must show that fines and taxes are paid or warrants satisfied. Toll violations can block renewal, but limiting refusal to one out of state toll omits parking fines and abandoned vehicle citations.

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

13. 13. After completing a turn or lane change, what should you do with the turn signal?

    1. Change it to the opposite direction
    2. Leave it on until the next intersection
    3. Turn it off
    4. Replace it with emergency flashers
    Show answer

    Turn it off. A signal tells nearby people what movement you intend to make. Once that movement is finished, the handbook says to turn the signal off. Leaving it running until the next intersection continues displaying a movement that is no longer planned. Switching to the opposite signal or to emergency flashers is not the instructed follow-up. Check the signal after completing the maneuver so the vehicle is no longer announcing the finished move.

    Study this in the handbook: Signaling, lane use and highway driving

14. 14. About how long does it take a driver to react to a situation and step on the brake pedal?

    1. One-tenth of a second
    2. Three-quarters of a second
    3. Three seconds
    4. Five seconds
    Show answer

    Three-quarters of a second. The handbook estimates about three-quarters of a second for reacting and reaching the brake pedal. The vehicle continues moving during that interval before braking distance begins. This reaction time is only one part of total stopping distance, so it should not be confused with the entire time needed to stop. Looking far ahead helps provide time to recognize trouble. Road, weather, and vehicle conditions also affect the complete stopping distance.

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

15. 15. For a Class M license, what must an applicant do after failing two road tests?

    1. Enroll in and finish a beginner rider course before booking again
    2. Wait 14 days and simply book a third attempt
    3. Switch to a Class D test for the same appointment slot
    4. Ride for one year on the permit before booking again
    Show answer

    Enroll in and finish a beginner rider course before booking again. After failing two Class M road tests, you must enroll in and successfully complete a beginner rider course before scheduling another test. The general rule also requires waiting at least 14 days after a failed road test before taking another. Successfully completing an approved MREP course waives the RMV Class M road test. Fourteen days is the general wait after a failed test, but two Class M failures additionally require a beginner rider course first.

    Study this in the handbook: The road test

16. 16. On which surfaces is parking banned under the Massachusetts parking list?

    1. On any gravel shoulder outside town
    2. In a marked space between white lines
    3. In a permitted parking space with the parking brake set
    4. On a sidewalk, curb, center traffic island, or median
    Show answer

    On a sidewalk, curb, center traffic island, or median. The manual prohibits parking on a sidewalk, curb, center traffic island, or median. Where parking spaces are marked by white lines, you must park between the lines without taking part of two spaces. The listed rural-area prohibition concerns parking on the roadway; it does not name every gravel shoulder as a prohibited surface. A marked space between white lines is where parking spaces are marked, not a banned surface.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking rules and hills

17. 17. At an uncontrolled intersection, you must yield to a vehicle that has entered from which direction?

    1. Whichever approach has the wider lane
    2. Your left only
    3. The opposite approach only
    4. Your right
    Show answer

    Your right. At an intersection without signs or signals, the handbook requires yielding to a vehicle already entering from the right or approaching from the right. Slow down and look in both directions before proceeding. Even when another driver should yield, make sure that driver actually does so. The useful cue here is the absence of traffic controls and the other vehicle’s approach from your right.

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

18. 18. Which limits come with a Massachusetts Class M learner permit?

    1. Passengers allowed at night only
    2. Passengers allowed if the motorcycle has a windshield
    3. No passenger may be carried, riding only during daylight hours between sunrise and sunset, with a US DOT standard helmet
    4. Night riding allowed with any helmet
    Show answer

    No passenger may be carried, riding only during daylight hours between sunrise and sunset, with a US DOT standard helmet. With a Class M learner’s permit, you may not carry a passenger and may drive only between sunrise and sunset. You must wear a US DOT standard helmet. You must also wear eyeglasses, goggles, or a protective face shield unless the motorcycle has a windshield or screen. A windshield does not change the passenger restriction, and a helmet does not permit night riding.

    Study this in the handbook: The learner's permit and permit exam

19. 19. What helmet rule applies to people riding a moped in Massachusetts?

    1. Driver and passenger must wear helmets meeting or exceeding the US DOT standard
    2. Only the driver needs a helmet
    3. Any bicycle helmet satisfies the rule
    4. Helmets are required only above twenty five miles per hour
    Show answer

    Driver and passenger must wear helmets meeting or exceeding the US DOT standard. Moped drivers and passengers must wear helmets that meet or exceed the US DOT standard. This requirement is not limited to riding above 25 mph; the manual separately prohibits driving a moped faster than 25 mph. The helmet must meet or exceed the US DOT standard; merely being a bicycle helmet does not establish that it qualifies. The helmet requirement applies to both the driver and passenger.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles and mopeds

20. 20. A bicyclist under what age must wear an approved helmet on a public way or bicycle path?

    1. Under 16
    2. Under 12
    3. Under 18
    4. Under 21
    Show answer

    Under 16. The bicycle helmet age threshold is under sixteen, and it covers both operators and passengers. The helmet must meet the stated safety approval and be secured to the person’s head. The handbook gives an exception for a passenger secured in an enclosed trailer that protects the head. Do not substitute the age thresholds used for driver licensing or alcohol rules. For this bicycle rule, focus on sixteen and the protected-trailer exception.