MS Permit Practice Test 12

All 20 questions in test 12

Every question below comes from the Mississippi 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 following a large vehicle at night, what should you do with headlights?

   1. Dim your headlights so glare does not blind its driver
   2. Raise high beams so the truck driver sees you clearly
   3. Flash beams repeatedly to mark your position behind
   4. Turn lights off briefly so mirrors stop reflecting glare
   Show answer

   Dim your headlights so glare does not blind its driver. Behind a large vehicle at night, dim headlights keep glare out of its oversized mirrors and preserve that driver forward vision. High beams multiply mirror glare exactly where the trucker checks, and darkening your lights hides your vehicle from everyone. Dim early, keep left in your lane at stops, and stay visible without blinding. Dim lights reduce the glare reflected into the large vehicle's mirrors.

   Study this in the handbook: Bicycles and Large Vehicles

2. 2. What warning does the manual give about pedestrians and other drivers at intersections?

   1. A driver may proceed whenever a signal is lit
   2. A pedestrian must yield whenever a vehicle is nearby
   3. A driver can ignore pedestrians outside marked crosswalks
   4. Do not assume that pedestrians or other drivers understand your intentions
   Show answer

   Do not assume that pedestrians or other drivers understand your intentions. The manual warns drivers not to assume that pedestrians or other drivers understand their intentions. A lit signal does not remove the need to observe the intersection, and a nearby vehicle does not automatically make a pedestrian yield. The warning also does not permit ignoring a pedestrian because the crosswalk markings are absent. The point is to avoid relying on another road user's understanding of what the driver plans to do.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of Way at Intersections

3. 3. Speed limits may change along a route. What must a driver do?

   1. Adjust your speed based on the situation and conditions present
   2. Hold the first limit posted for the whole route
   3. Use the highest limit seen anywhere on the route taken
   4. Limits change only inside city limits in Mississippi
   Show answer

   Adjust your speed based on the situation and conditions present. Speed must adjust to the situation and conditions, because posted limits change and even a stable limit can exceed what conditions allow. The first or highest limit seen does not govern later segments, and rural conditions change limits and safe speeds alike. Every new sign and every weather shift restarts your speed decision. The posted number is only one input; the conditions determine whether that speed is safe.

   Study this in the handbook: Mississippi Speed Limits

4. 4. What examination must a person pass to be eligible for a Regular Learner's Permit?

   1. The computerized exam
   2. A vision screening only
   3. A motorcycle skills test
   4. No exam at age fifteen
   Show answer

   The computerized exam. The license section says an applicant must pass the same Computerized Exam required for a Regular Driver's License to be eligible for a Regular Learner's Permit. A vision screening is also part of the licensing process, but it is not the examination identified by this permit requirement alone. The manual does not substitute a motorcycle skills test, and being fifteen does not remove the examination requirement. The tested permit-stage requirement is the computerized exam.

   Study this in the handbook: Learner's Permits and the Regular License

5. 5. What should a driver do after missing an interstate exit?

   1. Stop on the shoulder and back up to the exit
   2. Continue to the next exit
   3. Turn around at the median crossover
   4. Wait for a break in traffic and reverse
   Show answer

   Continue to the next exit. A missed exit is corrected ahead, not behind. The manual says not to stop and back up and to continue to the next exit; it also warns against stopping, backing up, or turning around on an exit ramp. The shoulder-backup option puts a reversing vehicle in a high-speed environment, the median-crossover option uses a gap meant for emergency or maintenance use, and the traffic-break option still requires reversing on an interstate. Accept the extra distance, stay with the flow of traffic, and use the next exit to turn around safely.

6. 6. Two vehicles reach a four-way stop at different times. Which driver has the right-of-way?

   1. The driver traveling straight through
   2. The driver on the left
   3. The driver closest to the stop line
   4. The driver who arrived first
   Show answer

   The driver who arrived first. At a four-way stop, arrival order decides who goes first, so the vehicle that reached the stop earliest has the right-of-way. Position matters only when two vehicles arrive simultaneously, and then the driver on the right takes priority. A driver who chooses the left-hand vehicle is applying the wrong tie-breaker to a situation that is not a tie. Approaching a busy four-way stop, note who stopped before you and move only after that vehicle clears the intersection.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of Way at Intersections

7. 7. When a broken yellow line runs beside a solid yellow line, what does it mean if the solid line is closest to your lane?

   1. Passing is forbidden next to the solid line
   2. Passing is allowed whenever the oncoming lane is clear
   3. The road is one-way in your direction
   4. You may cross only to make a left turn
   Show answer

   Passing is forbidden next to the solid line. The position of the lines tells each direction what it may do. If the broken line is closest to your lane, you may pass with caution; if the solid line is closest, passing is forbidden next to that line. The clear-lane option ignores the solid line, the one-way option misreads a two-way center marking, and the left-turn option invents a permission that the line does not grant. Look at the line nearest your wheels rather than the pair as a whole, because the other direction may have the opposite rule.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement Markings and Lanes

8. 8. With a Temporary Learner's Permit, what vehicle may the student drive?

   1. Any vehicle, including a family car
   2. A commercial vehicle with an adult passenger
   3. A driver education vehicle
   4. A motorcycle during daylight hours
   Show answer

   A driver education vehicle. A Temporary Learner's Permit allows the student to drive only a driver education vehicle. The manual also requires the student to be accompanied by the driver education instructor, so the permit is not a general authorization to use a family car or to drive alone. A commercial vehicle and a motorcycle are not the vehicle category named for this permit. The restriction is tied to the approved driver education course and its vehicle, not simply to daylight or to having an adult nearby.

   Study this in the handbook: Learner's Permits and the Regular License

9. 9. What interior condition helps a driver stay alert on long trips?

   1. Keep the cabin warm so muscles stay fully relaxed
   2. Close all vents so outside noise cannot enter cabin
   3. Keep the interior of the car as cool as possible
   4. Dim every interior light including the instrument panel
   Show answer

   Keep the interior of the car as cool as possible. A cool cabin helps sustain alertness on long trips, while warmth encourages the drowsiness that erodes attention mile by mile. A warm relaxed cabin works against vigilance, and closing vents to block noise also blocks the fresh air keeping you awake. Cool air on your face is a mild alarm clock between scheduled rest stops. A cool cabin is recommended to help prevent drowsiness during extended driving.

   Study this in the handbook: Seat Belts, Child Seats and Distractions

10. 10. On a multi-lane street, which lane is the default travel lane?

    1. The extreme left lane, except to pass on the right
    2. The center lane for all through travel at all times
    3. Whichever lane has the fewest markings painted on it
    4. The extreme right lane, except to pass or turn left
    Show answer

    The extreme right lane, except to pass or turn left. With several lanes going your way, cruise in the extreme right lane and move left only to pass or prepare a left turn. Camping in the left lane blocks faster traffic and invites right side passes, while the emptiest lane rule ignores lane purpose markings. After passing, drift back right once the passed car shows fully in your mirror. Use the right lane until a pass or left turn gives you a reason to move.

    Study this in the handbook: Signals, Lanes and Passing

11. 11. What conditions do the manual braking distance figures assume?

    1. Wet pavement with worn tires and a tired driver at night
    2. A loaded trailer on gravel with brakes needing service
    3. Good tires, good brakes, and dry pavement in ideal conditions
    4. Ideal conditions apply only to thinking distance, not braking
    Show answer

    Good tires, good brakes, and dry pavement in ideal conditions. Chart stopping distances rest on good tires, good brakes, and dry pavement, so real distances grow when any of those supports weakens. Wet pavement with worn tires stretches every segment of stopping, and limiting the ideal label to thinking distance understates the whole chart basis. In rain or on worn rubber, add following space well before you need to test the brakes.

    Study this in the handbook: Following Distance and Stopping

12. 12. How does marijuana affect a person who then drives?

    1. It slows reflexes and impairs judgment, making driving dangerous and illegal
    2. It sharpens reflexes and makes driving safer
    3. It affects judgment only after several hours have passed by
    4. It has no measurable effect on driving related skills
    Show answer

    It slows reflexes and impairs judgment, making driving dangerous and illegal. Marijuana slows reflexes and impairs judgment much like alcohol, so driving after use is both dangerous and illegal in Mississippi. Sharper reflexes claim invents a benefit the manual denies, and delayed-only effects ignore impairment that begins with use itself. Treat cannabis like alcohol in planning: if you use it, someone else drives home. Impaired reflexes and judgment make marijuana use incompatible with safe driving.

    Study this in the handbook: DUI and Implied Consent

13. 13. A pavement arrow points right in your lane. What must you do?

    1. Continue straight if turning right looks busy
    2. Turn right if you travel in this marked lane
    3. Turn left across the arrow if traffic is clear
    4. Use the lane for any turn you prefer
    Show answer

    Turn right if you travel in this marked lane. A right-pointing pavement arrow binds the lane: travel there and you must turn right at the intersection ahead. Continuing straight contradicts the lane assignment, and a left turn across it compounds the violation against turning traffic. Using the lane for any turn you prefer ignores the direction the arrow assigns. If you do not want that turn, change lanes before the arrow, not over it. The arrow assigns the lane to a right turn rather than optional straight travel.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement Markings and Lanes

14. 14. What driving response is appropriate when this curve warning sign appears?

    
    1. Reduce speed before the curve and enter it under control
    2. Accelerate until the vehicle reaches the posted maximum
    3. Move across the center line to create a wider path
    4. Stop in the travel lane until another driver waves you through
    Show answer

    Reduce speed before the curve and enter it under control. A curve warning calls for an earlier speed adjustment, not a last-second maneuver. The manual specifically places curves among the conditions requiring reduced speed, because a bend limits what you can see and leaves less room to recover from an error. Accelerating would increase the risk of running wide, and crossing the center line creates a conflict with oncoming traffic. Ease off the accelerator before the bend, maintain your lane, and keep steering inputs smooth through the turn.

    Study this in the handbook: Mississippi Speed Limits

15. 15. In Mississippi's penny test, what does it mean when tread covers part of Lincoln's head?

    1. The tire is worn and needs replacement
    2. The tread is deep enough to be safe
    3. The tire has too much air pressure
    4. The test cannot be used on radial tires
    Show answer

    The tread is deep enough to be safe. The penny test uses Lincoln's head as a depth gauge. Place the penny upside down in a groove with his head pointing down; if tread covers any part of the head, the tire still has a safe amount of tread. If the head stands clear, the grooves are too shallow and grip in wet or slick conditions drops sharply. The worn-tire option reverses the result, the pressure option confuses a tread check with an inflation check, and the radial option invents a restriction. Run the test at several points around each tire, since wear is often uneven across the tread.

    Study this in the handbook: Required Equipment, Tags and Tint

16. 16. Where must a Mississippi license plate be mounted on a vehicle?

    1. On the front bumper, centered
    2. Inside the rear window, facing out
    3. On the rear of the vehicle
    4. On the driver's side door frame
    Show answer

    On the rear of the vehicle. Mississippi requires the license plate to be mounted on the rear of the vehicle, where it can be read by traffic behind and by enforcement. The front-bumper option places it where the state does not require one, the rear-window option puts glass and glare between the plate and a reader, and the door-frame option puts it at an angle that is not the rear. Keep trailer hitches, frames, and decorations from covering any letter or numeral, because the whole tag must remain legible. A quick walk around the back of the car confirms the plate is flat, visible, and lit.

    Study this in the handbook: Required Equipment, Tags and Tint

17. 17. After parallel parking, from which side should you unload your vehicle?

    1. From the street side, into traffic
    2. From either side, whichever is faster
    3. From the rear, standing behind the car
    4. From the curb side
    Show answer

    From the curb side. Unloading should happen from the curb side of a parallel parked vehicle, away from moving traffic. The manual pairs that rule with using extreme care when exiting from the street side, where doors open into the lane. Unloading into traffic, choosing speed over side, or standing behind the car all put a person where drivers may not expect one. Move bags and passengers to the sidewalk side, then close the doors before stepping away from the vehicle.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking Rules

18. 18. The gates at a railroad crossing are lowered and no train is visible. What may you do?

    1. Drive around the gates slowly if the road looks clear
    2. You may not drive around lowered gates
    3. Cross on the shoulder if the gates block only one lane
    4. Cross after flashing your headlights twice
    Show answer

    You may not drive around lowered gates. Driving around lowered gates at a railroad crossing is against the law, even when no train can be seen. A train may approach faster than it appears, on a second track, or from a direction blocked from view. Using the shoulder and flashing headlights both keep the car moving past a device that orders a stop, so neither is a lawful substitute. Stay behind the gates until they rise and the lights stop, then check both directions before crossing.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad Crossings

19. 19. Why can passing a bicycle too closely cause a crash?

    1. Bicycle tires grip better when vehicles pass closely
    2. The cyclist is required to wobble when cars approach
    3. Wind from the passing vehicle can make the cyclist lose control
    4. A close pass makes the cyclist move faster
    Show answer

    Wind from the passing vehicle can make the cyclist lose control. The manual warns that wind effects from a moving vehicle can cause a bicyclist to lose control when the pass is too close. The moving vehicle's air disturbance can upset the bicycle, so a driver should slow down and leave extra lateral room. Close traffic does not improve a bicycle's grip, a cyclist is not required to wobble, and speed is not the stated result of a close pass. The specific hazard is loss of control caused by passing air.

    Study this in the handbook: Bicycles and Large Vehicles

20. 20. A driver wants to leave a car parked on a sidewalk while running inside a shop. What does Mississippi say?

    1. Parking on a sidewalk is allowed for fifteen minutes
    2. Parking on a sidewalk is prohibited
    3. Parking on a sidewalk is allowed at night
    4. Parking on a sidewalk is allowed if a wheel stays on the street
    Show answer

    Parking on a sidewalk is prohibited. Sidewalks appear on Mississippi's prohibited parking list, so a driver may not stop and leave a vehicle parked and unattended there. A car on the walk forces people on foot, including children and wheelchair users, out into the street. Fifteen minutes, nighttime, and keeping one wheel on the pavement are not exceptions in that list. The crosswalk entries beside the sidewalk rule point the same way: space built for walking stays clear of parked vehicles. Use a legal curb space instead.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking Rules