MA Permit Practice Test 22

All 20 questions in test 22

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. Your gas pedal sticks while driving in Massachusetts. What does the manual say to do first?

   1. Turn off the ignition immediately
   2. Put the car in neutral and press the brake pedal to slow down
   3. Pull the parking brake hard
   4. Open the door and jump out
   Show answer

   Put the car in neutral and press the brake pedal to slow down. For a stuck gas pedal, the manual's first step is to put the car in neutral and press the brake pedal to slow down. Then try to free the gas pedal with your foot, reapply the brakes if it does not release, keep your eyes on the road, and when safe pull to the side of the road and stop. Turning off the ignition, pulling the parking brake hard and jumping out are not part of that sequence. Neutral lets the brakes slow the car even while the engine is still racing.

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

2. 2. A Massachusetts driver leaves the scene of a crash that caused personal injury without death and without identifying himself. What maximum penalty applies?

   1. Up to $200 or up to two years imprisonment, or both
   2. Up to $500 and up to six months imprisonment
   3. Up to $5000 and up to 10 years in state prison
   4. Up to $1000 and imprisonment of up to two years
   Show answer

   Up to $1000 and imprisonment of up to two years. Massachusetts sets the ceiling for leaving after an injury crash without death at a $1000 fine and imprisonment of up to two years. The $200 figure belongs to leaving after damage to another vehicle or other property, where no person was hurt. The $5000 and ten year figures belong to a crash where personal injury resulted in death, a graver category than injury alone. Match the penalty tier to whether harm was property only, injury, or death.

3. 3. In Massachusetts, when may flashing or strobe emergency lights be fitted to a private passenger vehicle?

   1. Whenever the owner wants extra visibility at night
   2. Only on vehicles driven outside city limits
   3. Only after getting a permit from the RMV
   4. Whenever a licensed mechanic installs the lights
   Show answer

   Only after getting a permit from the RMV. Massachusetts bars flashing, rotating, oscillating, and strobe emergency lights on a vehicle unless the owner gets a permit from the RMV. Extra visibility on its own gives no permission, and neither darkness nor rural roads changes that permit condition. A version claiming any owner may add such lights for nighttime visibility fails because it drops the RMV permit requirement entirely. Professional installation also cannot substitute for state permission. Before switching on any added emergency style lamp, picture the RMV permit in the glove box as the green light to proceed.

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

4. 4. How large a share of motor vehicle deaths in Massachusetts involve a pedestrian?

   1. One in four
   2. About one in twenty
   3. About half
   4. Nearly all
   Show answer

   One in four. The manual states that one in four motor vehicle deaths involve a pedestrian. It advises taking extra care to look for pedestrians, especially those distracted by cell phones or headphones. One in twenty badly understates the stated share of deaths involving pedestrians. About half overstates the fraction given for pedestrian deaths. Nearly all is much greater than the stated one-in-four share. The cited passage states the point directly: One in four motor vehicle deaths involve a pedestrian.

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

5. 5. Entering a single lane rotary from a multi lane approach, which lanes must you use?

   1. Enter from the right lane of your road and exit onto the right lane of the road you will travel
   2. Enter from the left lane and exit left
   3. Enter from any lane and exit from the center
   4. Enter right and exit onto the left lane
   Show answer

   Enter from the right lane of your road and exit onto the right lane of the road you will travel. For a single-lane rotary, enter from the right lane of the road you are coming from and exit onto the right lane of the road you intend to travel on. Use your right turn signal when ready to exit. Left entry fits three quarter turns in a multi lane rotary; exit must be onto the right lane, not left. The single-lane rotary rule requires entry from the right lane and exit onto the right lane.

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

6. 6. What does a double solid white line prohibit?

   1. Driving in either lane
   2. Crossing the double solid white line
   3. Parking on the right edge
   4. Passing on the left in all roads
   Show answer

   Crossing the double solid white line. A double solid white line separates two lanes of traffic going in the same direction. Crossing it is not allowed. The restriction is on crossing the lines, not traveling within the lanes. A double solid white line prohibits crossing between same-direction lanes; it is not a parking designation. Vehicles may travel in either lane; crossing the paired lines is what is banned. White lines separate same direction traffic, unlike yellow opposing lane rules.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and special lanes

7. 7. What is the only true protection against drowsy driving?

   1. Coffee before every trip
   2. Opening a window for cold air
   3. Getting enough sleep and not driving when you feel tired
   4. A short nap that guarantees hours of alertness
   Show answer

   Getting enough sleep and not driving when you feel tired. The only true way to protect yourself from drowsy driving is to get enough sleep and not drive when you feel tired. Coffee and pulling over to a safe place for a nap can help temporarily, but only for a short time. When possible, avoid driving between midnight and 6 a.m. The manual identifies enough sleep and not driving when tired as the only true protection; opening a window is not the stated protection.

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

8. 8. Before license renewal with an outstanding court warrant, what document must you present?

   1. Any letter saying the warrant will be handled
   2. A police station receipt alone
   3. A notarized personal promise to appear
   4. A recall notice from the court; no other documents will be accepted
   Show answer

   A recall notice from the court; no other documents will be accepted. Warrant clearance requires court paper in a specific form. Before renewal after fines, taxes, or warrants blocked the way, official release forms must show obligations satisfied. For an outstanding court warrant, a recall notice from the court is required, and no other documents will be accepted by the RMV. A casual letter about future handling shows intent rather than clearance. Police receipts and personal promises, even notarized, substitute the wrong issuer for the court. Obtain the recall notice first and bring that exact document; renewal clerks cannot trade it for explanations.

9. 9. How should front seats be positioned relative to the dashboard for air bag safety?

   1. As close to the dashboard as possible
   2. Move the driver and front passenger seats as far back from the dashboard as you can
   3. Only the passenger seat moves back
   4. Seat position makes no safety difference
   Show answer

   Move the driver and front passenger seats as far back from the dashboard as you can. Move the driver’s seat and front passenger seat as far back from the dashboard as you can. The manual says this is safer and makes driving easier. Air bags work with safety belts, so always wear both lap and shoulder belts. Position matters because dashboard distance changes air bag safety for front occupants. The manual says to move both front seats as far back from the dashboard as you can.

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

10. 10. You reach a Massachusetts intersection with no signs or signals controlling traffic. What should you do as you approach?

    1. Speed up slightly so you clear the intersection before side traffic arrives
    2. Stop completely in every case and wait for a driver on the left to wave you on
    3. Enter at normal speed if no vehicle is directly in front of you
    4. Slow down, look left and right for oncoming traffic, and proceed only if the way is clear
    Show answer

    Slow down, look left and right for oncoming traffic, and proceed only if the way is clear. At an intersection lacking signs or signals, reduce speed before entering the crossing area. Scan toward both sides for approaching vehicles before committing your car to the junction. Move ahead solely when the path across is clear of conflicting traffic. Entering at ordinary pace merely because nothing sits directly ahead of you skips the side scans entirely. That gap in checking leaves cross traffic from either direction unnoticed until a collision becomes likely. Treat every uncontrolled crossing like a yield in motion: ease off, sweep both approaches, then roll only through open space.

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

11. 11. Your gas pedal sticks while you are driving. What should you do first?

    1. Turn the ignition off while moving at speed
    2. Reach down and pull the pedal up by hand while steering
    3. Accelerate briefly to shake the pedal loose
    4. Put the car in neutral and press the brake pedal to slow down
    Show answer

    Put the car in neutral and press the brake pedal to slow down. Put the car in neutral and press the brake pedal to slow down. Try to free the gas pedal with your foot. If it does not release, reapply the brakes. Keep your eyes on the road, and pull over and stop when safe. The first step is to put the car in neutral and press the brake pedal to slow down. Use your foot to try to free the pedal, and keep your eyes on the road.

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

12. 12. A driver age 18 to 21 refuses a chemical test in a first OUI case. What can waive the added 180 day suspension?

    1. Paying the reinstatement fee early
    2. Entry into a Department of Public Health approved alcohol education program
    3. Winning a parking ticket appeal
    4. Waiting thirty days without driving
    Show answer

    Entry into a Department of Public Health approved alcohol education program. For drivers age 18 to 21 in the manual’s refusal table, the additional 180-day suspension is intended to encourage alcohol education. In a first OUI case, that added suspension can be waived upon entry into a Department of Public Health-approved alcohol education program. The stated basis for a waiver is entry into an approved alcohol education program in a first OUI case, not simply waiting 30 days.

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

13. 13. In Massachusetts, how is a speeding fine calculated once a driver goes more than ten miles per hour over the speed limit?

    1. A flat $10 charge replaces the entire fine
    2. An extra $5 for each mph above the first ten
    3. An extra $10 total regardless of speed
    4. An extra $10 for each mph above the first ten
    Show answer

    An extra $10 for each mph above the first ten. Once a Massachusetts driver travels more than ten miles per hour over the speed limit, the fine adds an extra $10 for each mph above the first ten, on top of the surcharge which is added to all speeding violations. A flat $10 charge replacing the whole fine ignores that the amount grows mile by mile beyond ten over. Five dollars per mile halves the stated increment and would undercount faster violations. A single extra $10 regardless of speed also fails, because each additional mile raises the total. Count the miles past ten and multiply by ten dollars.

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

14. 14. A 17 year old applies for a Massachusetts permit. Whose written consent can the RMV accept besides a parent?

    1. A driving school instructor
    2. Any licensed driver over age 21
    3. A legal guardian, a social worker, or a boarding school headmaster
    4. A family friend who knows the applicant
    Show answer

    A legal guardian, a social worker, or a boarding school headmaster. Applicants under 18 need written consent from a parent, legal guardian, social worker, or boarding school headmaster. If the signer is not a parent, documentation of guardian status must be shown as specified by the manual. Being a driving instructor alone is not one of the listed qualifications to provide consent. Being over 21 with a license does not create consent authority for someone else's child.

15. 15. How long does a driver have to pay a civil motor vehicle infraction fine or ask for a hearing?

    1. 10 days
    2. 20 days
    3. 60 days
    4. Six months
    Show answer

    20 days. Civil citations allow 20 days either to pay the fine or to request a hearing disputing it. Ten days pulls people toward the separate appeal window following a denied permit or license application, a neighboring deadline easy to confuse under stress. Missing the 20 day mark brings a responsibility finding plus a large late fee, and unpaid amounts then threaten the license itself. Circle the citation date on a wall calendar and count forward; treating that circled deadline like a utility shutoff notice keeps a modest ticket from snowballing into suspension trouble.

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

16. 16. A Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon shows its top two red lights flashing after pedestrians have crossed. What must a Massachusetts driver do?

    1. Stop, then proceed with caution if clear
    2. Drive through without stopping
    3. Speed up before the lights change
    4. Treat the beacon as broken and ignore it
    Show answer

    Stop, then proceed with caution if clear. A Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon operates when activated by a pedestrian. Dark lights mean proceed with caution; a flashing bottom yellow means slow down; a solid bottom yellow means prepare to stop. Solid top red lights mean stop for pedestrians. Flashing top red lights mean stop, then proceed with caution if clear. Speeding up through a pedestrian beacon endangers people finishing the crossing. The flashing stage is a normal working stage with a stop then caution rule.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and pedestrian signals

17. 17. Your new Massachusetts license has not arrived by mail within 30 days. What should you do?

    1. Wait a full year before asking
    2. Retake the road test at once
    3. Call the RMV Contact Center
    4. Apply for a duplicate and pay again
    Show answer

    Call the RMV Contact Center. Mailing timelines come with a clear follow up point. A permanent photo license is generally manufactured and mailed after a service center visit, with a receipt serving as a temporary license in the meantime, though that receipt is not valid for identification with airlines or cruise lines. If your permanent license does not arrive in the mail within 30 days, you should call the RMV Contact Center. Waiting a year leaves you without the card far too long. Retesting answers a driving question nobody asked, and paying for a duplicate skips the inquiry step.

    Study this in the handbook: The road test

18. 18. On a long Massachusetts highway drive, how often should you stop and stretch?

    1. Every two hours or every 100 miles
    2. Every four hours or 200 miles
    3. Only when fuel runs low
    4. Once per day is enough
    Show answer

    Every two hours or every 100 miles. If you plan to drive far, stop and stretch every two hours or every 100 miles. If you have been driving a long time and feel tired, get off the highway at the next exit, rest stop, or service area. Four hours or 200 miles is twice the recommended interval; waiting only for fuel or a once-daily break does not follow the stated schedule.

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

19. 19. On a multiple lane Massachusetts highway, which lanes may trucks and buses use?

    1. Any lane, including the far left
    2. Only the far left lane
    3. Only the two right hand lanes, using the far right for normal travel and the second for passing
    4. Only the breakdown lane
    Show answer

    Only the two right hand lanes, using the far right for normal travel and the second for passing. On a multiple-lane highway, trucks and buses can only use the two right-hand lanes. They use the far right lane for normal travel and the second lane for passing. If you travel in the second lane, stay with traffic flow and do not drive below the minimum speed. Move over when safe to allow a truck or bus to pass.

20. 20. You fail a Massachusetts road test or miss your scheduled appointment. How long must you wait before taking another test?

    1. At least 14 days
    2. At least 7 days
    3. At least 30 days
    4. No wait is required
    Show answer

    At least 14 days. If you fail a road test or miss your scheduled test, you must wait at least 14 days before taking another test. All fees must be paid before scheduling a new test. Seven days is shorter than the required wait, and 30 days is longer. A late applicant will not be tested and must pay the road test fee. Thirty days is longer than the stated minimum waiting period of 14 days.

    Study this in the handbook: The road test