MN Permit Practice Test 10

All 20 questions in test 10

Every question below comes from the Minnesota 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 making a turn in Minnesota, how far before turning should you activate your signal?

   1. At least 10 feet before turning
   2. Only after entering the intersection
   3. At least 100 feet before turning
   4. Only when another driver is nearby
   Show answer

   At least 100 feet before turning. The manual sets a clear advance warning for turns: activate the signal at least 100 feet before turning, then keep signaling until the turn or lane change is complete. Waiting until the intersection or until another driver appears removes useful time for pedestrians and traffic to respond. Ten feet is far shorter than the stated distance and does not give the same warning. Signaling is not optional just because the road looks empty. A practical cue is to begin the signal before the final approach, then cancel it only after the maneuver has finished.

2. 2. What must you do before entering a roundabout?

   1. Stop inside the circle before selecting an exit
   2. Yield to vehicles already circulating from the left
   3. Enter first because circulating traffic must yield
   4. Change lanes after entering to reach any exit
   Show answer

   Yield to vehicles already circulating from the left. Entering traffic must yield to vehicles already in the roundabout and wait until traffic from the left has cleared. Once inside, drive counterclockwise toward your exit. Stopping in the circle interrupts traffic, and circulating vehicles do not yield to a vehicle that has not entered. Lane changes within the roundabout are also prohibited, so choose the needed lane before arrival when the design has multiple lanes. Scan left, reduce speed, and be prepared to stop at the entry line if a circulating vehicle has priority.

3. 3. What happens to a vehicle when its tires hydroplane?

   1. The vehicle's brakes automatically engage on wet pavement
   2. The tires gain extra traction because water cools them
   3. Water lifts the tires off the road and they lose contact
   4. The tires become more firmly attached to the road surface
   Show answer

   Water lifts the tires off the road and they lose contact. Hydroplaning occurs when water collects under the tires and lifts them off the road surface. With the tires no longer contacting the pavement, the driver can lose the ability to brake, accelerate, or change direction. Cooling the tires does not create traction, and wet pavement does not activate the brakes. The choice “The tires become more firmly attached to the road surface” describes the opposite of the danger. The immediate cue is a loss of tire feel or control in standing water: take the foot off the gas, avoid abrupt inputs, and reduce speed on wet roads to lower the risk.

4. 4. What should a driver do after seeing a No Passing Zone sign on the left side of a two-way highway?

   1. Cross the center line whenever the road appears clear
   2. Pass quickly before reaching the next curve
   3. Use the shoulder to pass if the lane is busy
   4. Continue in your lane without passing in the no-passing zone
   Show answer

   Continue in your lane without passing in the no-passing zone. The No Passing Zone sign warns that the beginning of a no-passing zone is ahead, and the manual places this sign on the left side of a two-way highway. A driver should remain behind the vehicle ahead rather than rush to pass before a curve. The shoulder is not a passing lane, and an apparently clear road does not cancel the posted restriction. Use the sign as an advance cue to maintain position, manage following distance, and wait until the restriction ends and the markings permit a lawful pass. Patience is part of the required maneuver here.

5. 5. What does Minnesota's posted speed limit represent?

   1. The minimum speed required in every condition
   2. The maximum speed allowed on that road
   3. A recommended speed that may be exceeded when traffic is light
   4. A speed that applies only when no warning signs are present
   Show answer

   The maximum speed allowed on that road. Minnesota describes a posted speed limit as the maximum speed allowed on that road. It is not merely a suggestion that can be exceeded when traffic is light, and it does not become a minimum requirement. The basic speed law still requires a reasonable speed for weather, traffic, and road conditions, so the posted number is an upper boundary rather than a promise that the road is safe at that pace. A driver should scan for a lower posted limit, then reduce speed when conditions worsen. The practical cue is maximum allowed speed, not automatic safe speed.

6. 6. What does a WRONG WAY sign indicate about your vehicle's direction?

   
   1. A rough surface begins beyond the sign
   2. You are approaching a permitted passing zone
   3. The lane is reserved for trucks during daylight
   4. You have entered a lane of oncoming traffic
   Show answer

   You have entered a lane of oncoming traffic. A WRONG WAY sign indicates that the vehicle has entered a lane of oncoming traffic and is traveling in the wrong direction. The choice “You are approaching a permitted passing zone” gives the opposite message by treating the sign as a passing instruction. The truck and rough-surface choices describe restrictions or road conditions that this sign does not communicate. Treat the sign as an immediate safety warning: stop or pull over in a safe location, look for traffic, and contact the roadway direction before attempting to turn around. Do not continue forward hoping the lane will correct itself.

7. 7. What reinstatement fee comes with an alcohol-related license revocation in Minnesota?

   1. $30
   2. $275
   3. $1,000
   4. $680
   Show answer

   $680. Penalties for an alcohol-related revocation include a $680 reinstatement fee, a new license application, and possibly the Ignition Interlock Device Program. Thirty dollars is the fee after an insurance revocation. Two hundred seventy-five dollars is the extra fine for repeat texting. One thousand dollars is the fine for a first DWI offense or for driving uninsured, not the reinstatement fee. Criminal penalties are added on top of these administrative sanctions.

8. 8. What response is required when this railroad-crossing warning appears?

   
   1. Slow down, look both ways, and be prepared to stop
   2. Accelerate so you clear the tracks before a train arrives
   3. Stop only if the crossing gate is fully lowered
   4. Follow the vehicle ahead without checking the tracks
   Show answer

   Slow down, look both ways, and be prepared to stop. An advance railroad warning gives the driver time to prepare before reaching the tracks. Slow down, look carefully to the left and right, and be ready to stop because a train may be approaching and cannot stop quickly. Accelerating turns the warning into a race, while waiting for a fully lowered gate ignores crossings that use other devices or no active gate. A vehicle ahead cannot replace your own view. Reduce distractions and confirm that the crossing is clear before entering it.

9. 9. Below 0.08 percent, when can a Minnesota driver of a regular car still be arrested for DWI?

   1. At 0.04 percent or more, if an officer can prove alcohol caused driving errors
   2. Never below 0.08 percent
   3. Only at exactly 0.07 percent
   4. Only if the car is parked
   Show answer

   At 0.04 percent or more, if an officer can prove alcohol caused driving errors. Minnesota's DWI line is 0.08 percent, or 0.04 percent in a commercial vehicle. The manual adds that if an officer can prove alcohol caused the driver to commit driving errors, the driver can be arrested for DWI with an alcohol concentration as low as 0.04 percent. Saying never below 0.08 ignores this. A single exact number or a parked car is not the condition. The law also covers off-road recreational vehicles and motorboats.

10. 10. What score must an applicant earn to pass Minnesota's Class D written test?

    1. 70 percent
    2. 75 percent
    3. 80 percent
    4. 90 percent
    Show answer

    80 percent. The Class D written test requires a score of 80 percent to pass. The 70 and 75 percent choices set the bar too low, while 90 percent demands more than the manual specifies. This score requirement is separate from the test format, identification check, and daily testing limit. Prepare for both traffic laws and road signs, then use 80 percent as the number to remember when evaluating the result.

11. 11. What restriction accompanies a solid yellow centerline beside your lane?

    
    1. Passing is prohibited in that direction
    2. Passing is required before the next intersection
    3. Traffic may cross it whenever the road is empty
    4. The lane is reserved for emergency vehicles
    Show answer

    Passing is prohibited in that direction. A solid yellow line marks a no-passing condition for the traffic beside it. The restriction applies even when the driver sees no immediate opposing vehicle, because the marking reflects limited sight distance or another roadway hazard. Crossing it to pass is illegal, so an empty-looking road does not create an exception. The emergency-vehicle choice confuses a centerline with a special-use lane. When the yellow line is solid on your side, stay behind the slower vehicle until a lawful passing opportunity is indicated.

12. 12. If windshield wipers fail during heavy rain, what should the driver do?

    1. Brake hard in the lane and leave the vehicle there
    2. Slow down, turn on hazard warning lights, and pull off to a safe location
    3. Speed up so the rain passes over the windshield faster
    4. Turn off all lights and continue at the posted speed
    Show answer

    Slow down, turn on hazard warning lights, and pull off to a safe location. Wiper failure during heavy rain removes a major part of the driver’s view, so speed should come down immediately. Hazard warning lights alert nearby traffic while the driver looks for a safe place away from the travel path. Sudden braking can create a rear-end collision, particularly when vehicles are following. Increasing speed does not restore visibility and makes any hidden obstacle harder to handle. Treat the loss of wipers as a visibility emergency: warn others, reduce pace, and leave the roadway when a safe location is available.

13. 13. When does a Minnesota Under 21 license expire?

    1. On the driver's 21st birthday, and then every four years on the birthday
    2. At age 25
    3. Every year
    4. Never until surrendered
    Show answer

    On the driver's 21st birthday, and then every four years on the birthday. If you are under 21 you receive a license marked Under 21, which expires on your 21st birthday and then expires every four years on your birthday. The marking helps officers and retailers identify young drivers. Renewing on time keeps the record clean, and a clean provisional record earns a $3.50 credit at the first upgrade. Renewal notices go to the address on file.

14. 14. If a Minnesota driver does not have insurance information at a crash scene, when must it be provided?

    1. Within 30 days
    2. Within 72 hours
    3. Immediately or never
    4. Within one year
    Show answer

    Within 72 hours. At a crash you give the investigating officer your insurance carrier and agent, and if you do not have the information with you, you must provide it within 72 hours. A crash with property damage only does not require notifying law enforcement, but a disabled vehicle should be towed promptly. Owners of vehicles driven on public roads must carry no fault and liability insurance.

15. 15. What is Vanessa's Law in Minnesota?

    1. A law about school bus stop arms
    2. A law setting the 0.08 limit
    3. A law requiring child seats
    4. A law passed after a 15 year old unlicensed driver's crash killed a passenger, tightening consequences for underage driving violations
    Show answer

    A law passed after a 15 year old unlicensed driver's crash killed a passenger, tightening consequences for underage driving violations. Vanessa Weiss was killed before her 16th birthday in May 2003 as a passenger in a vehicle driven by an unlicensed 15 year old, and Vanessa's Law was passed a year later in her memory. It applies to drivers under 18 who commit crash related or other serious violations, withholding or canceling their driving privileges and requiring them to meet reinstatement conditions and retest at 18.

16. 16. When must a driver stop for a school bus with flashing red lights?

    1. Only when the bus is on an undivided highway
    2. Only when the stop arm swings out and traffic is behind the bus
    3. Even when the stop arm does not swing out
    4. Only when children are visible in the roadway
    Show answer

    Even when the stop arm does not swing out. Minnesota requires a driver to stop for flashing red school bus lights even if the stop arm does not swing out. The arm is an additional warning device, not a condition that must appear before the stopping rule begins. Waiting for children to become visible creates an unsafe delay, and the highway or traffic direction does not erase the general warning. A separate exception applies on a divided highway when you are traveling in the opposite direction. The practical cue is to respond to the red lights first, then remain stopped as required until the bus has finished loading or unloading.

17. 17. At a stop sign, where should you remain stopped before proceeding?

    1. Until pedestrians and vehicles with the right of way have cleared the intersection
    2. Only until your vehicle’s front wheels reach the crosswalk
    3. Until the driver behind you honks
    4. Only long enough to check traffic on the left
    Show answer

    Until pedestrians and vehicles with the right of way have cleared the intersection. A stop sign requires a complete stop and continued waiting until road users with the right of way have cleared. If there is a marked stop line, stop before it, and if there is a pedestrian crosswalk, stop before entering it. The choice about reaching the crosswalk reverses the safety boundary, while a horn from behind has no legal effect. Look in every relevant direction and yield before moving. The cue is stop before the line or crosswalk, wait for priority users to clear, then proceed with caution.

18. 18. What does a solid white line beside your lane generally tell you?

    1. Change lanes immediately before the line ends
    2. Opposing traffic is directly beside you
    3. Avoid changing lanes across the line
    4. Passing is required in that lane
    Show answer

    Avoid changing lanes across the line. White lines separate lanes moving in the same direction, and a solid white line means you should not change lanes across it. It can also mark a crosswalk, stop line, parking stall, or roadway edge, so consider the surrounding layout before moving. It does not divide opposing traffic, which is the role of yellow lines. A solid boundary is not an instruction to cross before it ends. Treat the line as a lane boundary and remain positioned until a legal opening or broken marking permits a move.

19. 19. A Minnesota applicant under 18 has no living parents or guardian. Who may sign the license application?

    1. A close family member, an employer, or a spouse who is at least 18
    2. Only a court-appointed guardian named later
    3. A 16 year old sibling
    4. Nobody, so the teen must wait until 18
    Show answer

    A close family member, an employer, or a spouse who is at least 18. Normally a parent, court-appointed guardian, county foster parent or transitional living program director approves a minor's application. If the teen has no living parents or guardian, or is married or legally emancipated, a close family member, an employer or a spouse at least 18 may sign. A 16 year old sibling is not an adult signer. Waiting until 18 is not required, and a guardian need not be appointed first. The signer may later withdraw approval.

20. 20. Once a teen is reinstated under Vanessa's Law, how long must the new Minnesota instruction permit be held?

    1. Six months with a 50 hour log
    2. 90 days, while completing six hours of behind-the-wheel driver education
    3. Two weeks
    4. A full year
    Show answer

    90 days, while completing six hours of behind-the-wheel driver education. Reinstatement under Vanessa's Law usually means serving the withdrawal period, passing the Class D written test, paying the $680 reinstatement fee, completing a 30-hour classroom course that cannot be taken online, and applying for a permit. Once reinstated, the permit must be held for 90 days, and six hours of behind-the-wheel driver education are completed during that time. Six months with a log describes the normal GDL route. Two weeks and one year are not in the rule.