MS Permit Practice Test 22

All 20 questions in test 22

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. What is the first rule for every right-of-way situation?

   1. Insist on your right whenever the law assigns it
   2. Always use common sense in right-of-way situations
   3. Let the largest vehicle decide every conflict point
   4. Memorize the order and ignore unusual circumstances
   Show answer

   Always use common sense in right-of-way situations. Common sense heads the right-of-way rules, because no priority assignment is worth forcing when another driver behaves unpredictably. Insisting on a legal claim can win an argument inside a crash, and rigid memorization fails the odd situations judgment handles. Yielding a claim you own costs seconds; defending it can cost far more. Common sense is the manual's first instruction before the more detailed priority rules.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of Way at Intersections

2. 2. After a flat tire, how should the brakes be applied?

   1. Apply the brakes suddenly to stop before rim damage
   2. Pump the brakes rapidly ten times in quick succession
   3. Apply the brakes slowly and cautiously after easing off the accelerator
   4. Avoid braking entirely and steer into a roadside ditch
   Show answer

   Apply the brakes slowly and cautiously after easing off the accelerator. A flat tire calls for lifting off the accelerator, then braking slowly and cautiously so the damaged tire does not seize control. Sudden braking can yank the car toward the flat side, and ditching trades a manageable stop for rollover and fixed-object risk. Grip firmly, coast down, and let gentle braking finish what drag begins. Gentle braking follows the accelerator release after a flat tire.

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

3. 3. If you must park along a highway, from how far must your car be visible?

   1. At least 50 feet in the direction you were traveling
   2. At least 500 feet, but only toward oncoming traffic
   3. At least 200 feet in both directions along the road
   4. Only far enough that headlights find it at night
   Show answer

   At least 200 feet in both directions along the road. A highway-parked car must be visible from at least two hundred feet in both directions so drivers get warning whichever way they approach. Fifty feet at highway speed vanishes in under a second, and one-direction visibility ignores traffic approaching from behind your car. Avoid crests and curves; if drivers cannot see you early, choose another stopping place. Two hundred feet of visibility in both directions gives approaching drivers time to react.

   Study this in the handbook: Parking Rules

4. 4. What makes an area a business or residential district in the glossary?

   1. Mostly houses or businesses along the road for three hundred feet
   2. Any single store building standing along the roadway
   3. A posted sign is the only way a district begins
   4. Land used for houses along one hundred feet of road
   Show answer

   Mostly houses or businesses along the road for three hundred feet. A business or residential district exists where most land along the road for three hundred feet or more serves houses or businesses. One store does not create a district, and one hundred feet falls short of the three-hundred-foot stretch the definition requires. A posted sign alone does not begin such a district under this definition. District status changes parking and speed duties, so read the roadside land use. The three-hundred-foot land-use measure is part of the glossary definition.

5. 5. Where does Mississippi forbid passing another vehicle?

   1. On a straight road with a broken yellow line
   2. In a legal passing zone on a level highway
   3. On hills and curves, and near bridges or crossings
   4. On a multi-lane road with clear sight distance
   Show answer

   On hills and curves, and near bridges or crossings. Passing is forbidden on hills and curves, and within one hundred feet of bridges, viaducts, overpasses, and railroad crossings. Those places hide oncoming traffic or narrow the escape space if a pass goes wrong. A straight road with a broken yellow line, a legal passing zone on a level highway, and a multi-lane road with clear sight distance describe places where a lawful pass may be made when it is safe. Wait for sight distance you can verify before pulling out.

   Study this in the handbook: Signals, Lanes and Passing

6. 6. How long is the officer's receipt valid as a temporary permit after refusal?

   1. Only forty-five days from when it is issued
   2. A full year while your case awaits final review
   3. Only ten days from when it is issued to you
   4. Ninety days, matching the added suspension period
   Show answer

   Only forty-five days from when it is issued. After a refusal, the officer receipt works as a temporary permit for only forty-five days while the Commissioner reviews the case. Ten days cuts the window short, and a full year stretches a temporary paper far beyond its stated legal life. Ninety days names the refusal suspension length, not the life of the receipt in your pocket. Mark day forty-five; driving after it without reinstatement compounds the original problem. The forty-five-day period is shorter than the suspension and applies only to the receipt.

   Study this in the handbook: DUI and Implied Consent

7. 7. What insurance protection must every motor vehicle operated in Mississippi have?

   1. Liability insurance
   2. Collision insurance
   3. Uninsured motorist insurance
   4. Roadside assistance coverage
   Show answer

   Liability insurance. Mississippi's Safety Responsibility Act requires every motor vehicle operated in the state to have liability insurance. Liability coverage addresses responsibility for harm the vehicle may cause to other people or property. Collision coverage, uninsured motorist coverage, and roadside assistance may appear in some policies, but the quoted requirement does not make them mandatory for every vehicle. The question asks for the required type of financial responsibility, not for every coverage a policy might include.

   Study this in the handbook: Accidents, Breakdowns and Insurance

8. 8. When crossing lights activate, at minimum how soon can a train reach the crossing?

   1. At least two minutes after the warning lights activate
   2. As little as twenty seconds after the warning lights activate
   3. Trains always take five minutes from light activation
   4. Twenty minutes, giving ample time to move a vehicle
   Show answer

   As little as twenty seconds after the warning lights activate. A train can arrive as little as twenty seconds after warning lights activate, the minimum escape window at a grade crossing. Two or five minutes fabricate comfort that does not exist, and twenty minutes would make every warning a false urgency. Twenty seconds is your whole budget: leave the vehicle, not belongings. Twenty seconds is the minimum warning-to-arrival interval stated for the crossing.

   Study this in the handbook: Railroad Crossings

9. 9. When should a driver move into the proper lane for an upcoming turn?

   1. Only after entering the intersection
   2. As soon as possible before the turn
   3. After completing the turn
   4. Only when another driver signals first
   Show answer

   As soon as possible before the turn. The manual says to get into the correct lane as soon as possible when preparing for a turn. Waiting until the intersection can force a sudden lane change, while moving after the turn is too late to set up the maneuver. Another driver's signal does not determine your lane position. Enter the proper lane early enough to check traffic, signal, and make the turn without a last-minute movement.

10. 10. What should the rearview mirror show after adjustment?

    1. Only the rear seat headrests and back window shelf
    2. The lane beside you, replacing any need for side mirrors
    3. Your own face, to check alertness while driving along
    4. The roadway behind you, with side mirrors also adjusted
    Show answer

    The roadway behind you, with side mirrors also adjusted. The rearview mirror should frame the roadway behind, complemented by side mirrors adjusted to cover the flanks of the vehicle. Headrests and shelf waste the mirror purpose, and using it as a vanity check steals forward attention without adding information. Adjust mirrors after the seat; seat position changes every mirror angle. The rearview mirror is set for the roadway behind, while side mirrors cover adjacent areas.

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

11. 11. Why is it dangerous to drive alongside another vehicle on the interstate?

    1. Aerodynamic suction always pulls vehicles together there
    2. The left lane is legally closed beside any vehicle
    3. Your mirrors stop working when vehicles travel paired
    4. You linger in the other vehicle’s blind spot beside it
    Show answer

    You linger in the other vehicle’s blind spot beside it. Cruising beside another vehicle parks you in its blind spot, where a lane change by that driver leaves you nowhere visible. Suction claims exaggerate wind into inevitability, and paired mirrors keep working; the danger is human vision, not equipment failure. Either complete the pass or drop back; beside a vehicle is borrowed space. Blind-spot time is dangerous because the other driver may not know the car is there.

    Study this in the handbook: Following Distance and Stopping

12. 12. Which action does the manual specifically forbid after a vehicle is stranded on an interstate?

    1. Stand beside the vehicle
    2. Stay inside with the doors locked
    3. Wait for reliable help inside the vehicle
    4. Turn on the emergency flashers
    Show answer

    Stand beside the vehicle. The manual specifically says not to stand beside a stranded vehicle on the interstate. It directs the driver to stay inside, lock the doors, and wait for reliable help. Staying inside and waiting are protective actions, while turning on the emergency flashers is one way to alert approaching drivers after a breakdown. The prohibited action in this question is standing beside the vehicle, where interstate traffic can strike a person.

    Study this in the handbook: Following Distance and Stopping

13. 13. What is named a main reason for collisions on the interstate?

    1. Driving exactly at the posted minimum speed limit
    2. Changing lanes more than twice in ten miles travel
    3. Tailgating another vehicle too closely at highway speed
    4. Using the left lane only for passing other vehicles
    Show answer

    Tailgating another vehicle too closely at highway speed. Tailgating ranks as a main cause of interstate collisions because high speed consumes short gaps before brakes can matter. Minimum-speed driving and disciplined left-lane passing are lawful behaviors, and lane-change counts alone do not create rear-end impacts. If you can read the lead car plate easily at seventy, you are too close. Tailgating removes the time and distance needed to respond to traffic changes.

    Study this in the handbook: Following Distance and Stopping

14. 14. A solid yellow light appears as you approach. What does it mean?

    1. The light will soon turn green for cross traffic
    2. You should accelerate to clear before it changes color
    3. Pedestrians gain the right to enter against your lane
    4. The light will soon turn red, so slow and prepare to stop
    Show answer

    The light will soon turn red, so slow and prepare to stop. Solid yellow warns that red is imminent, so approaching drivers slow down and prepare to stop at the intersection line. Accelerating to beat the change risks entering on red, and cross traffic green timing is not what your yellow announces. If you can stop comfortably before the line, yellow is your instruction to do so. Yellow is a transition warning, not permission to accelerate into the intersection.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic Signals and Arrows

15. 15. A driver wants to pass on the right. Which action is prohibited?

    1. Use a paved lane traveling in the same direction when it is safe
    2. Drive onto the shoulder to get past the other vehicle
    3. Pass a vehicle that is making a left turn on the paved roadway
    4. Pass on an interstate with multiple lanes in the same direction
    Show answer

    Drive onto the shoulder to get past the other vehicle. A right-side pass must stay on the pavement. Driving onto the shoulder to get around another vehicle is prohibited even when traffic is slow or the shoulder appears wide. Passing a vehicle that is turning left and passing on an interstate with multiple lanes in your direction are listed situations in which passing on the right may be allowed, provided it is safe. The forbidden action is leaving the paved roadway to make the pass.

    Study this in the handbook: Signals, Lanes and Passing

16. 16. At a two-way stop, who holds the right-of-way?

    1. The first driver who reaches a stop sign, always
    2. The driver on the left of the intersection pair
    3. The cross traffic that faces no stop signs
    4. Any driver who flashes headlights before entering
    Show answer

    The cross traffic that faces no stop signs. At a two-way stop, traffic crossing without stop signs keeps right-of-way, and stopped drivers wait for a completely clear way. First arrival at a stop sign still yields to unstopped cross flow, and headlight flashes create no legal priority at all. Stop, then watch both directions twice; a rolling cross car has no duty to brake for you. Unstopped cross traffic has priority over drivers facing the two stop signs.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of Way at Intersections

17. 17. At a four-way stop, what does the manual say about racing to be the first vehicle to stop?

    1. Do not slam on the brakes to stop first
    2. Sound the horn to claim the right-of-way
    3. Speed up so you arrive before the others
    4. Wave the other drivers through, then go
    Show answer

    Do not slam on the brakes to stop first. Arrival order sets priority at a four-way stop, but the manual does not want drivers competing for it. It specifically warns against slamming on the brakes to stop first and says to yield to the driver on the right when vehicles arrive together. A sudden stop can cause a rear-end crash, and trying to beat another car turns a routine intersection into a contest. If two vehicles do arrive at the same moment, let the one on the right go first; if the other driver clearly waves you ahead, proceed only after checking that the way is clear.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of Way at Intersections

18. 18. Outside a business or residential district, what must a driver do with a parked vehicle?

    1. Park half on the shoulder and half in the lane
    2. Pull it all the way off the roadway
    3. Angle it into the traffic lane
    4. Stop in the median strip
    Show answer

    Pull it all the way off the roadway. Outside business and residential districts, the manual requires parking off the roadway, and it adds that the car should be pulled all the way off. Leaving half the car in the lane puts it directly in the path of traffic, while angling into the lane or stopping in the median creates an obvious hazard. The point is to separate the parked car from traffic that may be moving at highway speed. Choose a pullout or wide shoulder, then check that no part of the car intrudes on the lane.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking Rules

19. 19. A truck and trailer combination is traveling on a two-lane U.S. highway in clear weather. What top speed does the Mississippi table allow?

    1. 45 miles per hour
    2. 65 miles per hour
    3. 70 miles per hour
    4. 55 miles per hour
    Show answer

    55 miles per hour. Truck and truck-trailer combinations are capped at 70 miles per hour on interstates but only 55 miles per hour on all other highways, which includes this two-lane U.S. route. The 65 miles per hour figure is the passenger car maximum for a four-lane state or U.S. highway, so it does not apply to a loaded truck on a two-lane road. The 45 miles per hour number is the truck ceiling when weather or visibility turns bad, and conditions here are clear. Check the posted limit and remember the lower truck cap on non-interstate roads.

    Study this in the handbook: Mississippi Speed Limits

20. 20. When overhead lane-control signals are operating, which lane may a driver use?

    1. Any lane with a white pavement arrow
    2. A lane marked by a yellow flashing light
    3. The center lane regardless of its signal
    4. Only a lane marked by a green light
    Show answer

    Only a lane marked by a green light. Lane-control signals assign the lanes themselves, so the pavement arrows do not override them. The manual says a driver may travel only in a lane marked by a green light and must never travel in a lane marked with a red light. The white-arrow option treats a painted direction as permission, the flashing-yellow option substitutes a caution signal for lane permission, and the center-lane option ignores the signal entirely. Check the overhead signals before committing to a lane, especially where a red X closes a lane that was open on an earlier trip.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic Signals and Arrows