MA Permit Practice Test 20

All 20 questions in test 20

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. You approach a Massachusetts rotary. Which way does traffic travel, and who must you let go first?

   1. Counter-clockwise, yielding to vehicles already in the rotary and to pedestrians
   2. Clockwise, letting entering drivers go first
   3. Clockwise on single lane rotaries only
   4. Either way, since rotaries have no set direction
   Show answer

   Counter-clockwise, yielding to vehicles already in the rotary and to pedestrians. Traffic travels counter-clockwise in a rotary. Yield to vehicles already in the rotary unless signs or police officers direct otherwise, and yield to pedestrians. Use turn signals as at other intersections and signal right when ready to exit. Rotary traffic travels counter-clockwise, and entering drivers yield to vehicles already in it unless directed otherwise. Direction stays counter-clockwise regardless of lane count. A set direction exists, so choosing either way is wrong.

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

2. 2. Before crossing green pavement, what must a Massachusetts driver do?

   1. Stop on the green pavement and wait for bicyclists to pass behind
   2. Speed up to clear the bicycle area quickly
   3. Treat green pavement as a parking area
   4. Pay close attention and look for bicyclists before crossing green pavement
   Show answer

   Pay close attention and look for bicyclists before crossing green pavement. Green pavement is used where motor vehicles and bicycles could have road-sharing conflicts. Pay close attention and look for bicyclists before crossing it. At a red light, do not stop on green pavement. The manual calls for close attention and looking for bicyclists before crossing green pavement, not speeding up. Waiting on the green surface blocks bicycle movement rather than watching for riders before crossing.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and special lanes

3. 3. You fail the RMV vision screening at the counter. What paper can you bring instead to show your eyes meet the standard?

   1. A note from any eyeglass shop clerk describing your frames
   2. A photocopy of an eye chart from a drugstore
   3. An original Vision Screening Certificate completed by your ophthalmologist or optometrist
   4. A signed statement from your driving sponsor
   Show answer

   An original Vision Screening Certificate completed by your ophthalmologist or optometrist. If you fail the RMV vision screening, you may submit an original RMV Vision Screening Certificate completed by your ophthalmologist or optometrist. The RMV may accept it in place of its screening to demonstrate that you meet the minimum vision standards. The required alternative is an original Vision Screening Certificate completed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist, not a sponsor’s statement. A clerk note about frames never substitutes for a completed professional certificate.

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

4. 4. What maximum penalty applies for leaving the scene of a crash that caused a death without properly identifying yourself?

   1. Up to two hundred dollars or up to two years imprisonment
   2. Up to one thousand dollars and up to two years imprisonment
   3. Up to five hundred dollars and six months imprisonment
   4. Up to five thousand dollars, plus up to two and one half years in jail or up to ten years in state prison
   Show answer

   Up to five thousand dollars, plus up to two and one half years in jail or up to ten years in state prison. For leaving the scene after a crash causing a death without properly identifying yourself, the manual lists maximum penalties of up to $5,000 and up to two and one-half years in jail or up to ten years in state prison. It lists lower maximum penalties for property damage and for injury not resulting in death. That tier prices property damage only, without injury. Six months understates both jail and prison exposure.

5. 5. According to the Massachusetts manual, which statement about getting alcohol out of your body is correct?

   1. Drinking black coffee speeds the process
   2. Only time removes alcohol from the body
   3. Taking a cold shower speeds the process
   4. Exercising speeds the process
   Show answer

   Only time removes alcohol from the body. Alcohol is processed by the liver and kidneys, and this takes time. Black coffee, a cold shower, exercise, or eating might make you feel more alert, but none affects how quickly alcohol leaves your body. Only time will rid you of the effects of alcohol. A cold shower might make you feel more alert, but it does not affect how quickly alcohol leaves your body.

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

6. 6. About what share of all motor vehicle fatalities involve speeding?

   1. About one out of every ten fatalities
   2. About one out of every five fatalities
   3. About one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities
   4. About one out of every two fatalities
   Show answer

   About one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities. Speeding shapes how deadly a crash becomes. About one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities involve speeding, and higher speed also makes injuries more severe. A claim that only one out of every ten deaths involves speed understates that share and shrinks the risk. Drivers moving fast also see less, need more ground to stop, and lose control more easily. Picture the share as roughly one death in three tied to speed.

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

7. 7. You convert a license from Canada to Massachusetts. How old may your original certified driving record be when you submit it?

   1. No more than 60 days old
   2. No more than 90 days old
   3. No more than 30 days old
   4. Up to one year old
   Show answer

   No more than 30 days old. For conversion from Canada, Mexico, or a U.S. territory, submit an original certified driving record from the home country or territory. The record must be no more than 30 days old. Sixty days is twice the allowed age; the record must be within 30 days. A year old record is far too old; only records within 30 days qualify. Ninety days exceeds the maximum record age of 30 days.

8. 8. What is the minimum age to apply for a Massachusetts Commercial Driver License in Class A, B, or C?

   1. At least 16 years old
   2. At least 18 years old
   3. At least 16 and a half years old
   4. At least 21 years old
   Show answer

   At least 18 years old. Commercial classes start later than passenger and motorcycle permits. An applicant must be at least 18 years old to apply for a Class A, B, or C Commercial Driver License. Sixteen is the entry age for a Class D or Class M learner permit, so importing that number confuses two different tracks. Sixteen and a half concerns receiving a passenger license after permit time and driver education. Twenty one appears in sponsor and supervisor rules, not as the commercial application floor. When the vehicle is commercial, remember eighteen as the first gate.

9. 9. What tire condition makes a vehicle unusable for a Massachusetts road test?

   1. One tire replaced by a donut limited use spare tire
   2. Properly inflated, undamaged tires with adequate tread
   3. All season tires in summer
   4. A spare tire carried in the trunk
   Show answer

   One tire replaced by a donut limited use spare tire. A vehicle cannot be used for a road test if one tire has been replaced by a donut, or limited-use spare, tire. The vehicle must also be safe, properly inspected, and equipped with seating for the examiner beside the driver and the sponsor behind the driver. The specific spare-tire restriction concerns a tire installed for driving, not an unused spare carried in the trunk.

   Study this in the handbook: The road test

10. 10. What interior items are prohibited because of visibility in a Massachusetts vehicle?

    1. Nothing inside the vehicle, on the dashboard, on the windshield, or hanging from the rear view mirror may block your view forward or through mirrors
    2. Items stored in the trunk
    3. Only items larger than a phone are banned
    4. Mirror hangings are allowed if they swing freely
    Show answer

    Nothing inside the vehicle, on the dashboard, on the windshield, or hanging from the rear view mirror may block your view forward or through mirrors. Nothing inside the vehicle, on the dashboard or windshield, or hanging from the rearview mirror may block your view ahead or through the mirrors. An object’s size or ability to swing does not excuse blocking your view. Trunk items do not block the forward windshield or mirror sightlines addressed here. An item hanging from the mirror may not block your view, whether or not it swings.

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

11. 11. A police officer may arrest you and you may face criminal charges if you refuse to do which of these during a Massachusetts traffic stop?

    1. Refusing to answer questions by phone later
    2. Declining a vehicle search request
    3. Refusing to sign your name in front of the officer
    4. Asking why you were stopped
    Show answer

    Refusing to sign your name in front of the officer. Certain roadside cooperation duties carry criminal exposure when refused. A police officer may arrest a driver, who may face criminal charges, for refusing actions that include signing a name in front of the officer. Later phone questions do not belong to that roadside list. Search consent and asking the reason for a stop are different interactions and are not the refusal named here. The listed group also covers giving names and addresses and showing license and registration. Keep documents ready and complete the signature step when directed, since that small act sits inside an arrest eligible category.

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

12. 12. What does a solid white line allow, and when may you cross it?

    1. Traffic on both sides moves in opposite directions, and crossing is always allowed
    2. Crossing is required at every intersection
    3. It marks a bicycle-only road closed to cars
    4. It marks the right edge of the roadway or separates same-direction lanes; you should cross it only to avoid danger.
    Show answer

    It marks the right edge of the roadway or separates same-direction lanes; you should cross it only to avoid danger.. A solid white line keeps same direction traffic sorted. Travel flows the same way on both sides, aside from the shoulder, yet you should not cross unless crossing is needed to avoid danger. Opposite direction flow belongs to yellow lines, so that pairing misreads the color system entirely. The line does not close a road to cars by itself, nor does any junction order you across it. Stay put unless danger, not convenience, pushes you over.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and special lanes

13. 13. After driving through a large puddle, how should you restore wet brakes?

    1. Pump the horn and speed up
    2. Apply your brakes lightly as soon as you can to dry them until they feel normal again
    3. Hit the brakes hard at once
    4. Avoid braking for the rest of the trip
    Show answer

    Apply your brakes lightly as soon as you can to dry them until they feel normal again. Avoid driving through puddles because wet brakes do not work right. If you drive through a large puddle, apply the brakes lightly as soon as you can to dry them, continuing until they feel normal again. The manual says to apply the brakes lightly as soon as you can, not avoid using them for the rest of the trip. Apply the brakes lightly, rather than hitting them hard, until they work normally again.

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

14. 14. Your car stalls on railroad tracks, will not restart, and no train is coming. What should you try next?

    1. Stay seated and keep cranking the engine for ten minutes
    2. Lock the doors and wait inside for a tow truck
    3. Shift to neutral and try to push the vehicle off the tracks
    4. Leave the car in gear so it cannot roll
    Show answer

    Shift to neutral and try to push the vehicle off the tracks. If no train is coming, listen for a train and try to start the engine. If it will not start, shift to neutral and try to push the vehicle off the tracks. If you cannot move it, call the ENS number on the crossbuck or nearby metal box, give the crossing locator number, and follow the dispatcher’s instructions. The manual says to shift to neutral before trying to push the vehicle off the tracks.

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

15. 15. A motorcyclist rides near one side of a wide lane. May you move into the same lane beside the motorcycle?

    1. Yes, whenever the lane looks wide enough
    2. Yes, if you stay below twenty five miles per hour
    3. Only while preparing to turn at the next corner
    4. No. Never share the lane; crowding a motorcycle in its lane is illegal and dangerous
    Show answer

    No. Never share the lane; crowding a motorcycle in its lane is illegal and dangerous. Motorcycles have the right to use the full width of a lane. Never move into the same lane space as a motorcycle, even if the lane is wide and the rider is near one side. Riders need space for maneuvers and to avoid debris, potholes, and oil. Crowding a motorcycle in its lane is illegal and dangerous. Lane width does not permit sharing space with a motorcycle.

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

16. 16. You park on a hill in Massachusetts where there is no curb. Which way should you turn your front wheels?

    1. Outward, toward the travel lane
    2. Inward, toward the edge of the road
    3. Straight ahead, with only the parking brake set
    4. Inward only when snow covers the road edge
    Show answer

    Inward, toward the edge of the road. Hill parking calls for the parking brake plus wheels angled so a brake failure cannot send the vehicle rolling downhill. With a manual gearbox the car stays in gear, and with an automatic the selector goes to park. Where no curb exists, point the front wheels inward toward the road edge. Aiming outward toward the travel lane would steer a rolling car into moving traffic instead of away from it. Before walking away, tug your mental image toward the roadside: wheels toward the edge, brake firmly set.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking rules and hills

17. 17. You approach a Massachusetts work zone in your lane. What must you do before anything else?

    1. Slow down and look for guidance through the area
    2. Watch the roadwork activity inside the zone
    3. Merge into the next lane right away
    4. Follow the vehicle ahead at its speed
    Show answer

    Slow down and look for guidance through the area. Entering a work zone starts with cutting speed. When approaching a work zone, the FIRST thing you must do is SLOW DOWN and look for guidance on how to safely travel through the area. Watching the roadwork activity inside the zone pulls attention away from the road, which drivers are told to avoid. Signs, devices, officers, and flaggers then direct the path. Ease off early and let posted guidance set your route.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings and work zones

18. 18. Your vehicle makes a high pitched noise each time you turn the wheel. What should you do in Massachusetts?

    1. Have the power steering inspected
    2. Ignore it if the car still steers
    3. Turn the wheel faster to clear the noise
    4. Stop checking steering fluid levels
    Show answer

    Have the power steering inspected. If your vehicle makes a high-pitched noise when you turn, have the power steering inspected. The steering wheel should not feel loose, and the tires should respond without delay when you turn it. Check power steering fluid regularly. The manual calls for a power steering inspection when turning produces a high-pitched noise, not faster wheel movement. A recurring turn noise is a warning sign that calls for inspection, not neglect.

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

19. 19. Any one of the standard drinks listed in the manual can raise an average person's BAC by how much, and what happens with more than one drink in an hour?

    1. About 0.05, and BAC then stays level for the hour
    2. About 0.02, and BAC will rise with more than one drink in an hour
    3. Exactly 0.08 from any single drink, regardless of size
    4. Nothing for beer and wine; only hard liquor raises BAC
    Show answer

    About 0.02, and BAC will rise with more than one drink in an hour. The manual lists a 12-ounce beer, a five-ounce glass of wine, and a one-and-a-half-ounce serving of 80-proof liquor as containing about the same amount of alcohol, about half an ounce. Any one can raise an average person’s BAC by 0.02. More than one drink in an hour will raise BAC. BAC also depends on factors such as body weight, food intake, drinking time, and how quickly the body processes alcohol. Only time removes alcohol’s effects.

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

20. 20. Between which hours may a Massachusetts Class D permit holder under 18 not drive, and who must accompany the driver then?

    1. Between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., with any licensed driver
    2. Between 12:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., with a sibling who holds a license
    3. No night limits apply on a permit
    4. Between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who is a validly licensed operator with at least one year of driving experience
    Show answer

    Between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who is a validly licensed operator with at least one year of driving experience. A Class D permit holder under 18 may not drive between midnight and 5:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who is a validly licensed operator with at least one year of driving experience. A 10:00 p.m. start is not the stated restriction. The 12:30 a.m. start applies to the separate junior operator license restriction. Being a licensed sibling alone does not establish that the required parent or legal guardian is present.

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