MS Permit Practice Test 13

All 20 questions in test 13

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. Besides sunset to sunrise, when does the Mississippi manual say to use headlights?

   1. Only in rain
   2. Only on interstates
   3. Whenever parking lights would do
   4. Any time you cannot see clearly ahead for 500 feet
   Show answer

   Any time you cannot see clearly ahead for 500 feet. Headlights should be used between sunset and sunrise and any other time you cannot see clearly ahead for 500 feet. Rain is one such condition, but the rule is not limited to rain or to interstates. The manual specifically says not to drive with only parking lights on; if you need lights, use your headlights. This visibility rule matches the 500 foot low beam distances.

   Study this in the handbook: Night Driving, Rain and Skids

2. 2. Before backing toward the curb in step two, what must you confirm?

   1. That your backing will not interfere with oncoming traffic
   2. That oncoming traffic will stop and wave you into place
   3. That the car behind has left its space for you to use
   4. That your front tires already align with the rear car bumper
   Show answer

   That your backing will not interfere with oncoming traffic. Step two backing begins only after confirming your path will not interfere with oncoming traffic approaching in the adjacent lane. Expecting oncoming drivers to stop and wave transfers your duty to them, and bumper alignment describes a later positioning check entirely. Turn and look for approaching headlights before the rear of your car swings out. The check is about traffic coming toward the vehicle before the wheels begin backing.

   Study this in the handbook: Parking Rules

3. 3. What load security step applies to the rear doors of a truck?

   1. Leave rear doors unlocked for roadside inspection access
   2. Chain doors open slightly to ventilate cargo on trips
   3. Rear doors may rely on cargo weight to stay closed
   4. Make certain to keep the rear doors of the truck locked
   Show answer

   Make certain to keep the rear doors of the truck locked. The load-protection section tells a truck driver to keep the rear doors locked. Locking them helps prevent cargo from falling or spilling onto the roadway and keeps the load secured during travel. The manual does not make roadside inspection access a reason to travel with unlocked doors, and it does not permit propping doors open for ventilation. Cargo weight is not a substitute for a locked door. The required step is to secure the rear doors before moving the truck.

4. 4. Vehicles are entering from ramps while you cruise the right lane. What helps them enter safely?

   1. Speed up so entering vehicles must fall in behind you
   2. Hold lane and speed regardless of ramp traffic merging
   3. Merge left when safe to open the right lane for entering vehicles
   4. Flash lights to tell ramp drivers to stop and wait
   Show answer

   Merge left when safe to open the right lane for entering vehicles. Moving left when safe opens the right lane for ramp traffic accelerating to merge, smoothing the interstate entry for both streams. Speeding up closes the gap ramp drivers aim for, and telling them to stop strands them at the acceleration lane end. Glance left early near interchanges; a lane of courtesy prevents hard braking. Moving left, when safe, leaves the right lane available for merging traffic.

   Study this in the handbook: Following Distance and Stopping

5. 5. What does it mean to over-drive your headlights at night?

   1. Leaving the high beams on while following traffic
   2. Driving with a burned-out headlight
   3. Aiming both beams above the road
   4. Driving faster than you can stop within the lighted distance
   Show answer

   Driving faster than you can stop within the lighted distance. Over-driving headlights means the vehicle is moving faster than the beam can support. If an obstacle appears at the edge of the lighted area, the driver needs more room to stop than the light gives, so the safe speed is the one that lets the car halt within the distance actually visible. The high-beam option describes a glare problem, the burned-out option describes an equipment failure, and the aim option describes a maintenance fault; none of them captures the speed-versus-sight mismatch. At night, slow down enough that the far edge of the beam is beyond your stopping point.

   Study this in the handbook: Night Driving, Rain and Skids

6. 6. What should a driver watch for when passing a row of parked cars?

   1. Pedestrians stepping out from between the cars
   2. Doors opening only on the driver's side
   3. Cars that are legally parked at the curb
   4. Bicycles riding on the sidewalk
   Show answer

   Pedestrians stepping out from between the cars. Parked cars hide people until they are already in the travel lane. The manual warns drivers to watch for pedestrians exiting parked cars or walking between them, and those people may step out without looking. The door option narrows the hazard to one side and misses passengers who open the curb-side or street-side doors, the parked-car option states the normal condition rather than a hazard, and the sidewalk option looks away from the roadway. Scan the gaps between vehicles and give yourself room to stop when a row of parked cars limits your view.

   Study this in the handbook: School Buses and Pedestrians

7. 7. How long is a Regular Learner's Permit valid in Mississippi?

   1. Six months
   2. Two years
   3. Until the driver turns seventeen
   4. Until the next license renewal
   Show answer

   Two years. The Regular Learner's Permit is valid for two years. That period is separate from the one-year holding period used by a sixteen-year-old who wants to move from a permit to a Regular Driver's License. Turning seventeen does not automatically end the permit, and the manual does not tie its validity to the next license renewal. The six-month choice is also not the permit period stated in the license section. The duration asked here is the life of the Regular Learner's Permit itself.

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

8. 8. What must a driver not do when passing a bicyclist?

   1. Reduce speed before passing the bicyclist
   2. Try to share the lane with the bicyclist when passing
   3. Move into the next lane to pass when possible
   4. Leave plenty of room while passing the bicyclist
   Show answer

   Try to share the lane with the bicyclist when passing. A driver must not try to share the lane with a bicyclist while passing. The safe pattern is the normal passing pattern used for a motor vehicle: reduce speed, move into the next lane when possible, and leave plenty of room while going by. Sharing the lane leaves the rider no escape space if a gust, a pothole, or a door opening forces a swerve. Wind from a close pass can itself make a bicyclist lose control, so width is protection, not courtesy alone.

   Study this in the handbook: Bicycles and Large Vehicles

9. 9. A yellow solid arrow appears for your turn lane. What is it equivalent to?

   1. The same as a solid yellow light, changing soon to red
   2. A protected turn that will last until traffic clears
   3. Permission to turn without yielding to oncoming cars
   4. A flashing arrow that requires yielding, but never stopping
   Show answer

   The same as a solid yellow light, changing soon to red. A yellow solid arrow carries the solid yellow meaning: the phase is ending toward red, so prepare to stop rather than start. Protected time is not extended by amber, and unprotected flashing arrows, not solid ones, govern the yield-and-turn pattern. Solid amber arrow, foot moving to brake, same as any yellow lamp. The solid yellow arrow carries the same ending phase as a solid yellow light.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic Signals and Arrows

10. 10. When should a commercial driver check tires, lights, brakes, and load?

    1. Check equipment only at the start of the work week
    2. Check all equipment during each stop along the trip
    3. Only when a warning light appears on the dashboard
    4. At destination, before unloading the cargo for delivery
    Show answer

    Check all equipment during each stop along the trip. Tires, lights, brakes, and load all get checked during each stop, catching heat, wear, and shifting before the next road segment. Weekly checks miss failures that develop in a single day, and destination-only inspection discovers problems after they endanger the trip. Every stop is an inspection opportunity; walk the rig before climbing back. The check is repeated at every stop so a developing defect is not missed.

11. 11. According to the following-distance chart, what gap is listed for 30 mph?

    1. The chart lists at least three car lengths.
    2. The chart lists at least one car length.
    3. The chart lists at least four car lengths.
    4. The chart lists at least five car lengths.
    Show answer

    The chart lists at least three car lengths.. The chart lists at least three car lengths at 30 mph. Its general rule is one car length for each ten miles per hour, which produces three lengths at that speed. One length belongs to 10 mph, while four and five lengths are the chart's figures for 40 and 50 mph. The question asks for the chart's 30 mph figure, so a larger number from a faster speed is not the listed answer. Leave the stated three-length gap before the vehicle ahead.

    Study this in the handbook: Following Distance and Stopping

12. 12. Which device does Mississippi say is illegal on a vehicle?

    1. A working horn
    2. A red taillight
    3. A siren, exhaust whistle, or spark whistle
    4. Two headlights on a passenger vehicle
    Show answer

    A siren, exhaust whistle, or spark whistle. Mississippi's required-equipment section makes sirens, exhaust whistles, and spark whistles illegal noise-making devices on a vehicle. A working horn, a red taillight, and two headlights are ordinary equipment described elsewhere in the same section. The question is about the kind of device, not whether a vehicle may make any sound at all. The prohibited group is the set of devices that create an unauthorized siren or whistle noise.

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

13. 13. On a multi-lane roadway, where should a bicyclist ride?

    1. Straddling the line between two lanes
    2. Weaving from lane to lane looking for open space
    3. Within a single lane
    4. Against traffic in the left lane
    Show answer

    Within a single lane. On a multi-lane roadway a bicyclist should ride within a single lane, holding a predictable line that drivers can pass with room. Straddling a lane line puts the rider between two streams of traffic, weaving from lane to lane breaks that steady line, and riding against traffic in the left lane closes head-on at combined speed. A steady lane position lets following drivers plan a wide pass. Riders who need to move left for a turn should signal and check traffic first, just as a driver would before changing lanes.

14. 14. After one train passes, what hidden danger must you check for?

    1. A second train following close behind the first train
    2. A gate that rises and falls without any train near
    3. Pedestrians who may be walking alongside the first train
    4. Loose gravel that always covers tracks after a train
    Show answer

    A second train following close behind the first train. A first train can mask a second following close behind, so tracks are checked carefully before any vehicle rolls forward again. Loose gravel is routine track dressing, and gates cycling without trains would be a malfunction, not the standard hidden danger. Wait until you can see down every track in both directions after the cars pass. A second train can be hidden by the first and remain a danger after the first passes.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad Crossings

15. 15. What does a pentagon-shaped sign warn about?

    1. A railroad crossing a short distance ahead
    2. A hospital quiet zone beginning at the sign
    3. A school crossing or school zone ahead of you
    4. A bicycle crossing used by students only mornings
    Show answer

    A school crossing or school zone ahead of you. The five-sided pentagon marks school crossings and warns of school zones ahead, cueing slower speeds and child watchfulness. Railroad crossings use round and crossbuck shapes, while hospital zones carry no such pentagon assignment in the shape code. Five sides should drop your speed and lift your scan for small pedestrians. The pentagon reserves a recognizable shape for school warnings; it is not used for general hazard messages.

    Study this in the handbook: Sign Shapes and Colors

16. 16. A vehicle is stranded on tracks. Which sign helps you summon help for that exact crossing?

    1. The round yellow advance warning sign gives the crossing's emergency phone number
    2. The blue Emergency Notification System sign at every highway-rail grade crossing
    3. The white crossbuck is the sign that lists the emergency phone number
    4. A route marker gives the crossing number and emergency phone number
    Show answer

    The blue Emergency Notification System sign at every highway-rail grade crossing. The blue Emergency Notification System sign is placed at each highway-rail grade crossing and supplies the crossing-specific information needed to summon help. The round advance warning sign only warns that tracks are ahead. The crossbuck identifies the crossing, but it is not the emergency notification sign, and a route marker does not provide the crossing's emergency number. If a vehicle is stranded on the tracks, use the blue sign's information when calling. The blue ENS sign provides the crossing-specific number needed to summon help.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad Crossings

17. 17. Another driver stops and waves you through at an intersection. What should you do?

    1. Sound the horn and edge forward slowly
    2. Wave the other driver on and refuse to move
    3. Wait for a police officer to direct traffic
    4. Proceed immediately if the way is clear
    Show answer

    Proceed immediately if the way is clear. When another driver yields the right-of-way to you, the manual says to proceed immediately rather than hesitate or wave the favor back. The courtesy is already settled, and refusing it can confuse the traffic behind both vehicles. Waiting for an officer is unnecessary where the intersection is otherwise clear, and a horn blast adds noise without resolving anything. Check that the path is truly clear, then move promptly and predictably so the other driver can go.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of Way at Intersections

18. 18. What effect does the Mississippi manual attribute to drinking even two beers before driving?

    1. A slight improvement in night vision
    2. A marked decrease in reflexes and reaction time
    3. A reduced need to check the mirrors
    4. A shorter stopping distance in traffic
    Show answer

    A marked decrease in reflexes and reaction time. Alcohol begins affecting the skills a driver needs most before any outward sign of intoxication appears. The handbook warns that two beers can markedly decrease both reflexes and reaction time, so a driver who feels fine may still respond too late to a brake light or a child in the road. The vision and mirror options invert the problem: alcohol does not sharpen night vision or reduce the need to scan mirrors, and it never shortens stopping distance. A practical cue is to arrange a sober ride before the first drink, because the impairment starts earlier than the buzz suggests.

    Study this in the handbook: DUI and Implied Consent

19. 19. You enter a lane marked with a pavement arrow for a turn you do not want to make. What should you do?

    1. Back up until you can change lanes
    2. Stop and wait for the lane to clear
    3. Continue in that lane until it is safe to turn off
    4. Cross the painted island into the next lane
    Show answer

    Continue in that lane until it is safe to turn off. A pavement arrow commits the lane to a direction, so the driver who chooses the wrong one must follow it for the moment. The manual says to keep going in that lane until it is safe to turn off and get back on the correct route. Backing up is dangerous and usually illegal, stopping in a live lane creates a rear-end hazard, and crossing a painted island cuts across traffic that has the right-of-way. Complete the turn, then use the next safe intersection or driveway to correct the route.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement Markings and Lanes

20. 20. A driver leaves the car standing inside an intersection while running an errand. What does Mississippi law say?

    1. The car may stay if the hazard lights flash
    2. The car may stay for up to ten minutes
    3. The car may stay if no sign forbids it
    4. The car is illegally parked and must be moved
    Show answer

    The car is illegally parked and must be moved. Parking inside an intersection is prohibited, and leaving a vehicle there blocks turning paths and cross traffic. Hazard lights do not convert a prohibited space into a legal one, and the manual grants no ten-minute grace period. The absence of a no-parking sign also does not help, because the prohibition comes from the list of forbidden places rather than from posted notice. Keep the intersection clear and use a legal space, even for a short errand.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking Rules