MA Permit Practice Test 19

All 20 questions in test 19

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. A driver passes the vision screening only while wearing glasses. What restriction lands on the license?

   1. Corrective lenses, code letter B, worn whenever driving
   2. Daylight driving only, with no lens requirement
   3. A mechanical aid restriction for adaptive equipment
   4. No restriction, since screening staff saw the glasses
   Show answer

   Corrective lenses, code letter B, worn whenever driving. Passing vision screening through glasses or contacts earns a Corrective Lenses restriction, code letter B, obliging lens use behind the wheel. Daylight only tempts because weaker corrected vision between 20/50 and 20/70 can qualify someone for that narrower privilege, a different rung on the vision ladder. Medical Affairs weighs such cases individually and may request physician letters. Visualize the letter B printed on the card beside your photo; each glance at that code before starting the engine prompts a quick tap checking frames sitting firmly on your nose.

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

2. 2. Unless a different limit is posted, which threshold does the manual list for unreasonable speed on a highway outside a thickly settled or business district?

   1. Over 30 mph
   2. Over 40 mph
   3. Over 50 mph
   4. Over 65 mph
   Show answer

   Over 50 mph. Unposted limits rise as roads open up beyond built up areas. Outside a thickly settled or business district the benchmark is 40 mph, and on a highway outside such a district it rises to 50 mph. Choosing 40 mph imports the non-highway benchmark onto a highway, which mixes two separate rows of the unposted list. Sixty five mph belongs to posted limited-access roads, not to an unposted highway. Check whether a sign is present before falling back on the 50 mph figure.

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

3. 3. How full should you keep your gas tank during Massachusetts winter driving, and why?

   1. Nearly empty, so cold fuel circulates faster
   2. Exactly one quarter full at all times
   3. Full only after snow has already started falling
   4. At least half full, to keep the gas line from freezing
   Show answer

   At least half full, to keep the gas line from freezing. During winter driving, keep your gas tank at least half full to prevent the gas line from freezing. A nearly empty tank or a tank only one quarter full does not meet that guidance. The manual also recommends keeping a blanket, flashlight, and small shovel in the trunk. A nearly empty tank does not meet the recommendation to keep the tank at least half full to prevent the gas line from freezing.

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

4. 4. Another vehicle begins passing you on a Massachusetts road. What must you do?

   1. Slow down and stay to the right, allowing the other driver to pass safely, and do not speed up
   2. Speed up to keep the pass short
   3. Move left to block the pass
   4. Honk continuously until the pass ends
   Show answer

   Slow down and stay to the right, allowing the other driver to pass safely, and do not speed up. If another vehicle is passing you, you must slow down and stay to the right. Allow the other driver to pass safely, and do not speed up. When being passed, slow down, stay to the right, and allow the other driver to pass safely. Do not speed up. The cited passage states the point directly: If you are being passed by another vehicle, you must slow down and stay to the right. Allow the other driver to pass safely. Do not speed up.

   Study this in the handbook: Passing, school buses and the move over law

5. 5. What defines a moped (motorized bicycle) in Massachusetts?

   1. Top speed up to 45 mph with a 100 cubic centimeter motor
   2. Maximum speed of 30 mph or lower, cylinder capacity of 50 cubic centimeters or lower, with an automatic transmission
   3. Any bicycle fitted with a helper motor of any size
   4. A pedal bicycle that must be driven faster than 25 mph
   Show answer

   Maximum speed of 30 mph or lower, cylinder capacity of 50 cubic centimeters or lower, with an automatic transmission. Vehicle class follows measured limits, not appearance. A moped is a pedal bicycle with a helper motor, or a non pedal bicycle with a motor, whose maximum speed stays at thirty miles per hour or lower and whose cylinder capacity stays at fifty cubic centimeters or lower, with an automatic transmission. Forty five mph and 100 cubic centimeters both exceed those ceilings. Any helper motor of any size ignores the capacity cap entirely. Requiring speed above 25 mph confuses the separate rule that caps moped driving at 25 mph. Riders need a valid license or permit of any class.

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

6. 6. Your brakes fail and you are slowing the vehicle with the parking brake in Massachusetts. How should you handle the parking brake?

   1. Pull it hard and lock it in place until the vehicle stops
   2. Pump it rapidly like a service brake pedal
   3. Leave it fully applied while steering sharply toward the shoulder
   4. Apply it gently and hold the brake release in case the vehicle starts to skid
   Show answer

   Apply it gently and hold the brake release in case the vehicle starts to skid. Apply the parking brake gently and hold the brake release in case the vehicle starts to skid. The brake-failure instructions also say to downshift to a lower gear, working down to the lowest gear if necessary. If you cannot slow the vehicle, sound your horn and flash your lights to warn others. The parking-brake instruction is to apply it gently and hold the release. Rapid pumping is described for the service-brake pedal on vehicles without antilock brakes.

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

7. 7. After a Massachusetts license suspension hearing, how long may the Hearings Officer take before making a decision?

   1. Up to twenty days
   2. Up to thirty days
   3. Up to ninety days
   4. Up to ten business days
   Show answer

   Up to ten business days. Following a Massachusetts suspension hearing, the Hearings Officer may take up to ten business days before making a decision, after reviewing the driving record plus the laws and regulations that apply. Twenty days echoes the window for answering a civil citation, which is a different deadline in this chapter. Thirty days appears in several alcohol suspension periods, so it sounds familiar but belongs elsewhere. Ninety days matches the retraining completion window after three surchargeable events. When the topic is a hearing outcome, anchor on ten business days rather than citation or course calendars.

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

8. 8. Under the general lane-use rule in the Massachusetts manual, which lane should you use on a roadway with two or more lanes in your direction?

   1. The right lane, unless passing, turning left, or it is blocked
   2. The left lane, so faster traffic can pass on the right
   3. Whichever lane feels clear, with no default lane
   4. The center lane on every multi-lane roadway
   Show answer

   The right lane, unless passing, turning left, or it is blocked. The general lane-use rule is to use the right lane unless passing, turning left, or the right lane is blocked. The manual separately says that on an expressway with three or more lanes in your direction, the far right lane is for slower driving, the middle lane for faster driving, and the far left lane for passing. The general lane-use rule on page 94 specifies the right lane, with exceptions for passing, turning left, or a blocked right lane.

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

9. 9. How can a single alcoholic drink within an hour affect a Massachusetts driver?

   1. It can affect driving, and the effect can be worse when tired, upset, or without food
   2. It affects driving only when combined with another drink
   3. It affects driving only on an empty stomach
   4. It has no effect until a second drink is finished
   Show answer

   It can affect driving, and the effect can be worse when tired, upset, or without food. Even one alcoholic drink in an hour can affect your driving in Massachusetts, and the impact can be much worse if you are tired, emotionally upset, or have not eaten. A response requiring a second drink before any effect begins understates what a single serving does to judgment and reaction. An empty stomach can worsen matters, yet food absence is not the sole condition for impairment. Waiting until another drink is finished ignores the warning attached to the very first one. Treat one drink as enough reason to hand the keys to someone sober.

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

10. 10. Which instruction does the Massachusetts manual specifically give for the flashing bottom yellow light at a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon?

    1. Prepare to stop before the crosswalk
    2. Stop and wait for pedestrians to cross
    3. Slow down
    4. Speed up and clear the crosswalk quickly
    Show answer

    Slow down. The manual says to slow down when the bottom yellow light flashes. When that light is solid yellow, prepare to stop. When the top two red lights are solid, stop for pedestrians. Prepare to stop is the instruction specifically given for the solid bottom yellow light. Stop for pedestrians is the instruction specifically given for the solid top red lights. Speeding up through a crosswalk zone contradicts the caution a flashing yellow demands.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and pedestrian signals

11. 11. You sit for your RMV photo while wearing your everyday prescription glasses. What happens?

    1. The photo is taken with glasses on, since you wear them daily
    2. Only sunglasses are barred, while clear glasses may stay on
    3. Glasses may stay on if the frames are thin
    4. Glasses are not allowed in the photo, even if you normally wear them
    Show answer

    Glasses are not allowed in the photo, even if you normally wear them. Eyeglasses, including reading or prescription glasses, are not allowed in the RMV photo even if you normally wear them. Sunglasses are also unacceptable. The photo must show all facial features clearly. Daily wear does not create an exception, since prescription glasses must still come off for the photo. Frame thickness changes nothing, because glasses of any kind must be removed. Clear prescription glasses are barred too, not only tinted sunglasses.

12. 12. When can a Massachusetts road test appointment be canceled or moved without an extra fee?

    1. With exactly 24 hours notice
    2. With more than 72 hours notice
    3. At any time before the examiner calls your name
    4. Only when severe weather closes the service center
    Show answer

    With more than 72 hours notice. There is no additional fee if you cancel or reschedule with more than 72 hours notice. If you cancel or reschedule with less than 72 hours notice, you are charged the road test fee. The manual also charges the fee for failing, missing, or arriving late for the test. When the RMV cancels for weather, a new test may be scheduled at no additional fee; the 72 hour rule governs applicant cancellations and reschedules.

    Study this in the handbook: The road test

13. 13. Before making any left turn, which road users must you yield to first?

    1. Only trucks approaching from the opposite direction
    2. Oncoming vehicles, vehicles already in the intersection, and pedestrians or bicyclists crossing your intended path
    3. Only pedestrians who have stepped off the near curb
    4. Drivers behind you who flash their headlights
    Show answer

    Oncoming vehicles, vehicles already in the intersection, and pedestrians or bicyclists crossing your intended path. Before making a left turn, yield to oncoming vehicles, vehicles already in the intersection, and pedestrians or bicyclists crossing your intended path. The left-turn rule requires yielding to oncoming vehicles, vehicles already in the intersection, and pedestrians or bicyclists crossing your path. Bicyclists and pedestrians farther along your path also count, not near curb walkers alone. Cars and motorcycles approaching head-on also claim yield, not trucks alone.

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

14. 14. When is changing lanes in the middle of an intersection allowed in Massachusetts?

    1. Whenever the intersection has no stop line
    2. Only during a green arrow phase
    3. Only for motorcycles and bicycles
    4. Never; it is illegal and dangerous
    Show answer

    Never; it is illegal and dangerous. Never change lanes in the middle of an intersection; the manual says it is illegal and dangerous. On roads with two or more lanes in your direction, use the right lane unless passing, making a left turn, or the right lane is blocked. Follow marked turn lanes. Motorcyclists must not ride along pavement lines between traffic lanes and must ride no more than two abreast.

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

15. 15. How likely are drivers under 21 to be involved in alcohol related crashes compared with other drivers?

    1. Half as likely
    2. Twice as likely
    3. About equally likely
    4. Ten times as likely
    Show answer

    Twice as likely. Drivers under age 21 are twice as likely as other drivers to be involved in alcohol-related crashes. The manual identifies this as one reason laws are stronger for drivers under 21. Under 21 drivers face higher alcohol crash involvement, not half the risk. Ten times exaggerates the stated comparison, which is twice as likely. Risk is doubled rather than equal to other drivers. The cited passage states the point directly: Drivers under age 21 are twice as likely as other drivers to be involved in alcohol-related crashes.

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

16. 16. How is a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon activated, and what must you do while it flashes?

    1. It runs on a timer, and drivers may proceed slowly
    2. A pedestrian activates it by push button or detection, and you must stop for pedestrians when the beacon is flashing
    3. Only police officers can activate it
    4. It flashes for road work, and drivers should change lanes
    Show answer

    A pedestrian activates it by push button or detection, and you must stop for pedestrians when the beacon is flashing. Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons give pedestrians a way to call attention at crossings without full traffic signals, often at unsignalized intersections or mid block crosswalks. Pedestrians activate them manually by a push button or through a pedestrian detection system, and amber lights then flash in an irregular pattern. While that flashing runs, you must stop for pedestrians. A timer does not drive the device, and slow rolling replaces a required stop with a hazard. Police only activation misses the pedestrian push button design, and the beacon serves crossings rather than lane shift work zones.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and pedestrian signals

17. 17. When renewing a license or ordering a duplicate online in Massachusetts, what optional 2 dollar choice may be added to the fee?

    1. A second photo card for a family member
    2. Expedited mailing of the license
    3. A donation to the Organ and Tissue Donor Registration Fund
    4. A printed copy of the driving record
    Show answer

    A donation to the Organ and Tissue Donor Registration Fund. Renewal screens include a small charitable option tied to donation. When you renew your license or ID online at Mass.Gov/RMV, or order a duplicate license or ID, you can choose to give 2 dollars to the Organ and Tissue Donor Registration Fund, and that amount is added to the renewal or duplicate fee. A family photo card is not sold through this choice. Expedited mailing is not what the 2 dollars buys. Driving records carry their own separate prices, with attested copies at 20 dollars and unattested online copies at 8 dollars.

18. 18. Parking spaces on a Massachusetts street are marked by white road lines. How must you position your vehicle?

    1. You may cover parts of two spaces when your vehicle is long
    2. You may angle across one line when traffic is light
    3. Park between the lines and do not take part of two spaces
    4. Park on a line so the next driver can see the boundary
    Show answer

    Park between the lines and do not take part of two spaces. Parking spaces are often marked by white road lines. You must park between these lines and may not take part of two spaces. Angling across a line still takes part of another space, even in light traffic. Parking on the boundary line itself intrudes into the adjoining space. Covering two spaces is prohibited regardless of vehicle length. The cited passage states the point directly: You must park your vehicle between these lines. You may not take part of two spaces.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking rules and hills

19. 19. You are involved in a motor vehicle crash. Which outcomes require a report to the RMV, and by when?

    1. A crash causing death or injury, or one thousand dollars or more in property damage, with a written report within five days
    2. Any crash with five hundred dollars of damage, within ten days
    3. Only crashes where police respond at the scene
    4. Reporting to your insurance company alone satisfies the duty
    Show answer

    A crash causing death or injury, or one thousand dollars or more in property damage, with a written report within five days. Death, injury, or property damage reaching one thousand dollars triggers a written crash report filed with the RMV within five days. Just reporting a crash to an insurance company is not enough to meet that filing duty. Halving the threshold to five hundred dollars sweeps in minor scrapes beyond the stated trigger, while stretching the deadline to ten days misses the filing window. If a required report is not filed, the driver can be fined and the license can be suspended or revoked. Cue: write RMV and five days on the same sticky note as the claim number.

20. 20. From a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise in Massachusetts, what reflective gear must a bicycle have, and how far away must it be visible?

    1. A white front lamp visible from up to 500 feet only
    2. A rear light visible from up to 300 feet with no pedal reflectors
    3. A reflector on each pedal or on the ankles, or reflective material on the rider or bicycle, visible up to 600 feet from all sides
    4. Reflectors visible from up to 400 feet from the front only
    Show answer

    A reflector on each pedal or on the ankles, or reflective material on the rider or bicycle, visible up to 600 feet from all sides. During the period starting a half hour after sunset and ending a half hour before sunrise, a bicycle must have a reflector on each pedal or the rider's ankles, or reflective material on the rider or bicycle. The reflectors must be visible up to 600 feet from all sides. A front lamp alone does not meet this reflective-equipment requirement. A rear light visible for 300 feet does not meet the separate requirement for reflectors or reflective material visible up to 600 feet from all sides.