MA Permit Practice Test 4

All 20 questions in test 4

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. Unless posted otherwise, what is the Massachusetts statutory speed threshold on an undivided highway outside a thickly settled or business district?

   1. 30 mph
   2. 50 mph
   3. 40 mph
   4. 55 mph
   Show answer

   40 mph. An unposted, undivided highway outside a thickly settled or business district has a 40 mph statutory threshold in Massachusetts, measured over at least one-quarter mile. The corresponding divided-highway threshold is 50 mph. Open country alone does not make an undivided road a 50 mph road. A posted speed limit controls where signs establish one, and drivers must slow further when rain, limited sight distance, or other conditions require it.

2. 2. You damage a parked vehicle in Massachusetts and the owner is not present. What must you do?

   1. Try to locate the owner to report the crash, or notify the local police
   2. Leave the scene if the damage looks minor
   3. Wait ten minutes, then drive away
   4. Report it only if the damage exceeds $5,000
   Show answer

   Try to locate the owner to report the crash, or notify the local police. Hitting an unattended vehicle or other property does not end when you drive away. The manual requires you to try to find the owner and report the crash, and if you cannot, to notify the local police. Leaving because the damage seems small is the definition of leaving the scene, waiting a fixed time is not a substitute for reporting, and there is no dollar threshold below which the duty disappears. A note with your information is the practical way to make the report.

3. 3. What do yellow and fluorescent yellow-green warning signs tell a Massachusetts driver?

   1. That there are hazards or changes in conditions ahead
   2. The distance to the next exit
   3. That the road is closed
   4. That a law is being stated that you must obey
   Show answer

   That there are hazards or changes in conditions ahead. Yellow, including the bright fluorescent yellow-green used near schools, is the warning color. These signs announce a hazard or a change in conditions ahead: the road layout may shift, a school zone may be coming, or a special situation may lie around the bend. Regulatory signs, which state laws, are white with black or red, guide signs with distances are green, and a closed road is marked with orange work zone devices and barricades. Read yellow as a prompt to slow and look.

4. 4. A school bus in Massachusetts has its lights flashing and its stop sign extended. What must you do?

   
   1. Slow to 10 mph and pass carefully
   2. Pass on the left if the road is clear
   3. Stop only if children are visible
   4. Stop
   Show answer

   Stop. When the red lights flash and the stop sign swings out, Massachusetts requires every driver approaching from either direction to stop. There is no slow and pass option, and you do not get to judge whether children are visible; the ones you cannot see are the reason for the rule. Passing on the left is the classic school bus violation. The single exception is a bus stopped on the far side of a divided highway with a barrier between the travel directions.

5. 5. How far before a turn must a Massachusetts driver signal on an ordinary road, and on a highway?

   1. At least 50 feet everywhere
   2. At least 500 feet on a road and 100 feet on a highway
   3. Only when another vehicle is close enough to be affected
   4. At least 100 feet on a road and at least 500 feet on a highway
   Show answer

   At least 100 feet on a road and at least 500 feet on a highway. The signal has to reach other drivers early enough to matter, so the manual sets 100 feet on ordinary roads and 500 feet on a highway, where speeds are higher. Fifty feet is too late at any speed, and the road and highway numbers are not reversed. Signaling only when someone is nearby fails because the vehicle you did not see is the one that needed the warning. Signal before you brake so your intention is known first.

6. 6. You park facing uphill against a curb in Massachusetts. Which way should the front wheels point?

   
   1. Inward, toward the curb
   2. Outward, toward the travel lane
   3. Straight ahead
   4. Toward the sidewalk
   Show answer

   Outward, toward the travel lane. Uphill against a curb is the one case where the wheels turn outward. If the brake fails the car rolls backward, the back of the front tire meets the curb, and the curb stops it. Turning inward would let the car roll back into the street, straight wheels give no protection, and the sidewalk is the wrong direction for a backward roll. Downhill against a curb reverses the answer, with the wheels turned inward toward the curb, and with no curb the wheels always turn toward the road edge.

7. 7. A Massachusetts traffic signal shows a steady yellow light as you approach. What should you do?

   1. Speed up to beat the red
   2. Stop only if there is a pedestrian
   3. Turn left without yielding
   4. Stop if you can do so safely, because the signal is changing from green to red
   Show answer

   Stop if you can do so safely, because the signal is changing from green to red. Yellow is the start of the stop, not a sprint signal. The steady yellow means the light is changing from green to red, so you stop if you can do so safely, and if you are already stopped at the intersection or the stop line you may not proceed. Accelerating on yellow is what lands cars in the intersection when cross traffic gets green. Pedestrians are not the only trigger for stopping, and no turn is free of yielding on a yellow.

8. 8. Under Massachusetts law, what is the fine for tailgating, and why does the manual call it dangerous?

   1. Up to $500, and it damages the road
   2. Up to $25, and it wastes fuel
   3. Up to $100, and it is the main cause of rear-end crashes
   4. There is no fine
   Show answer

   Up to $100, and it is the main cause of rear-end crashes. Tailgating is illegal in Massachusetts and can cost up to $100, but the manual's real point is that following too closely is the main cause of rear end crashes. The $25 figure is the adult safety belt fine, and $500 is the fine for a third or later offense under the adult hands-free phone law, not for tailgating. There is certainly a fine. Use the three second rule so a sudden stop ahead leaves you room to react, and add a second or more at night, in rain, or behind a motorcycle.

9. 9. Beyond driver education, how many supervised driving hours must a Massachusetts JOL applicant normally complete if the applicant has not completed a qualifying driver skills development program?

   1. At least 40 hours
   2. At least 12 hours
   3. At least 6 hours
   4. At least 100 hours
   Show answer

   At least 40 hours. Driver education alone does not qualify a teen for a Massachusetts license. On top of the classroom and in car training, the applicant must log at least 40 hours of supervised driving, and a parent or guardian certifies those hours in a signed statement. Twelve hours is the in car training figure from the driver education program and six hours is the observation requirement, so both are easy to confuse with the practice total. One hundred hours is more than the state requires. The RMV accepts 30 supervised hours instead when the teen completes a driver skills development program.

10. 10. A Massachusetts driver has a green arrow for a turn. What should be true of pedestrians and oncoming vehicles at that moment?

    1. They have the right of way and you must wait
    2. They should be stopped for red lights
    3. Only pedestrians may cross
    4. They may proceed at the same time
    Show answer

    They should be stopped for red lights. A green arrow is the protected turn. While it shows, the signal holds pedestrians and oncoming vehicles on red so the turn can be made without crossing anyone's path. That is different from a circular green, where oncoming traffic also has green and you must yield. Still look before you turn, because a red light runner or a pedestrian who ignores the signal can be in the crosswalk, and the arrow protects you only from those who obey it.

11. 11. What must a Massachusetts driver do for a blind pedestrian crossing a street with a white cane or guide dog?

    1. Stop completely
    2. Slow down and go around
    3. Sound the horn to warn them
    4. Yield only if they are in a marked crosswalk
    Show answer

    Stop completely. The White Cane Law gives blind pedestrians a stronger protection than ordinary yielding: when a person with a white cane or a guide dog is crossing, you must stop completely. Going around them or honking can frighten and disorient someone who is navigating by sound, and the law is not limited to marked crosswalks. Wait until the pedestrian has fully cleared your path, then proceed. The white cane and the guide dog are the legal signals to look for.

12. 12. Where does this white X-shaped crossbuck stand, and what does the small sign beneath it show when present?

    
    1. One mile before the crossing; the train speed
    2. At the point where the tracks cross the road; the number of tracks
    3. On the train; the railroad's name
    4. At the station; the schedule
    Show answer

    At the point where the tracks cross the road; the number of tracks. The crossbuck is mounted at the crossing itself, marking the exact point where the rails cross the road. When more than one track crosses, a small sign under the crossbuck gives the number, which matters because a second train can be hidden behind the first. Advance warning comes from the round yellow sign well before the crossing. The crossbuck also carries the Emergency Notification System number to call if a vehicle is stuck on the tracks.

13. 13. This white sign with black words states a speed limit. According to the Massachusetts manual, how do SPEED LIMIT signs convey their message?

    
    1. They always use an image of a speedometer
    2. They may include only words
    3. They use a red circle and slash
    4. They are always yellow
    Show answer

    They may include only words. Massachusetts sorts signs by how they speak. Some, like NO U-TURN, use only an image; some combine words and images; and some, like SPEED LIMIT signs, may include only words. There is no speedometer picture, the red slash is reserved for prohibitions, and yellow is the warning color rather than the regulatory white. Speed limit signs can also carry flashing yellow lights or apply only during posted hours, so read the whole sign, not just the number.

14. 14. Your rear tires begin to skid to the left on a Massachusetts road. What should you do with the steering wheel?

    1. Turn it to the right, away from the skid
    2. Hold it perfectly straight
    3. Turn it to the left, the direction of the skid
    4. Let go and brake
    Show answer

    Turn it to the left, the direction of the skid. Steer into the skid. If the rear is sliding left, turn the wheel left so the front tires point where the car is actually going, which lets them regain grip and straighten the car. Steering away sends the rear the other way in a fishtail, holding straight does nothing, and braking makes the skid worse. Ease off the gas, shift to neutral if you can, and make small corrections as the tires catch.

15. 15. This winding-road sign warns of a series of curves. What is the Massachusetts manual's rule for any curve or place where you cannot see clearly ahead?

    
    1. Accelerate through to maintain control
    2. Always slow down
    3. Use the left lane for a better line
    4. Turn on hazard lights
    Show answer

    Always slow down. A winding road strings several blind curves together, and the rule for each one is the same: slow down before it. Accelerating through curves is a track technique that assumes a clear road, the left lane belongs to oncoming traffic, and hazard lights are for a stopped or disabled vehicle. Set a speed you can hold through the whole sequence rather than braking hard inside each bend, and keep to the right so an oncoming driver who drifts wide has room.

16. 16. Why does Massachusetts add a 180 day suspension for drivers ages 18 to 21 who refuse a chemical test when charged with OUI?

    1. To give the court time to schedule a trial
    2. Because refusal is treated as a guilty plea
    3. To allow the RMV to retest the driver's vision
    4. To get those youths to undergo alcohol education, regardless of the court outcome
    Show answer

    To get those youths to undergo alcohol education, regardless of the court outcome. The extra 180 days for an under 21 driver who refuses the test is not about the court case at all. The manual says it exists to make sure the young driver completes alcohol education, and it applies even if the OUI charge is later won. It is not a scheduling device and it is not a plea; refusal is a separate act with its own suspension. Vision testing has nothing to do with it. For drivers under 18 the same logic produces an additional year rather than 180 days.

17. 17. When passing a bicycle or moped in Massachusetts, what does the manual list first?

    1. Pass as closely as possible to save time
    2. Sound the horn repeatedly
    3. Lower your speed
    4. Speed up to shorten the pass
    Show answer

    Lower your speed. The manual's checklist for passing a bicycle or moped begins with lowering your speed. A slower pass gives you time to judge the space, gives the rider less wind blast, and lets you stop if the bike swerves around a pothole. Repeated horn use startles riders, passing close is the crash the rule prevents, and speeding up removes your margin. After lowering speed, give the rider room and do not cut back to the right until you are safely past.

18. 18. Under Massachusetts law, for how long can the RMV suspend a license for using a false ID, even without a conviction?

    1. Up to six months
    2. Up to 30 days
    3. Up to five years
    4. It cannot act without a conviction
    Show answer

    Up to six months. Chapter 90, section 22(e) lets the RMV suspend a license for up to six months for a false or altered license or ID, and no conviction is required. If there is a conviction, the suspension is one year. Saying the RMV cannot act without a conviction is exactly backward. Thirty days is too short and five years too long. Penalties can apply even if the person never tried to buy alcohol.

19. 19. A Massachusetts Junior Operator is convicted of drag racing for the first time. How long is the license suspended?

    1. A 60-day suspension
    2. A 90-day suspension
    3. A three-year suspension
    4. A one-year suspension
    Show answer

    A one-year suspension. A first drag racing citation suspends a Junior Operator license for one year, and a later one brings a three-year suspension. Ninety days is the first speeding penalty for a Junior Operator, and 60 days is the first passenger or night restriction penalty. Three years is the repeat drag racing term, not the first. Reinstatement requires a new permit exam, a retraining course and a new road test.

20. 20. How much instruction on the driver education curriculum must a parent or guardian of a Massachusetts JOL applicant take?

    1. Thirty minutes
    2. Six hours
    3. Two hours
    4. Twelve hours
    Show answer

    Two hours. A parent or guardian must take part in two hours of instruction on the driver education curriculum, unless they did so within the past five years. Six and twelve hours are student figures, the six hours of observing other drivers and the twelve hours behind the wheel. Thirty minutes is short of the rule. The parent also certifies the 40 hours of supervised driving.