MS Permit Practice Test 7

All 20 questions in test 7

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 should a driver use the lower headlight beam at night?

   1. When following another car or driving where street lights are present
   2. Only on an empty rural road with no nearby vehicles
   3. Whenever the road has no painted center line
   4. Only after an oncoming driver flashes headlights
   Show answer

   When following another car or driving where street lights are present. The manual calls for the lower beam when driving where street lights are present, when following another car, and in fog during night or day. The open-country choice describes a setting where high beam may be used, not the required dimming situations. A missing center line and another driver's signal do not determine the beam rule. Lower the beams early enough to avoid blinding others, and remember that fog can make high beams reduce visibility rather than improve it.

2. 2. What should you do when an emergency vehicle is parked along a four-lane highway with its lights or siren activated?

   
   1. Pass on the shoulder without checking traffic
   2. Drive beside it at the same speed
   3. Stop in the lane nearest the emergency vehicle
   4. Merge into the lane away from it when safe
   Show answer

   Merge into the lane away from it when safe. When an emergency vehicle is parked beside a four-lane highway with its lights or siren active, the manual directs drivers to merge into the lane away from it when that move is safe. Staying beside the vehicle exposes people at the roadside, and stopping in the adjacent lane may create another hazard. The shoulder is not a shortcut for passing. Check mirrors and the next lane, move over when clear, and slow down or prepare to stop if a safe merge cannot be made.

3. 3. How far from the outer rail must certain required-stop vehicles stop at every railroad crossing?

   1. Within 5 to 10 feet
   2. At least 100 feet away
   3. Within 50 to 100 feet
   4. Within 10 to 50 feet
   Show answer

   Within 10 to 50 feet. A school bus carrying even one child, a passenger vehicle for hire, or a vehicle carrying explosives or flammable liquids must stop within 50 to 10 feet of the outer rail. The range is expressed from the farther distance toward the nearer stopping point. The 5-to-10-foot choice places the vehicle too close, while the larger ranges leave it farther away than the stated requirement. After stopping, the driver must check both directions for a train before proceeding, regardless of whether lights are flashing.

4. 4. Which mufflers are illegal in Mississippi?

   1. Straight, gutted, Hollywood, glass packed or any muffler allowing excessive noise or smoke
   2. Only mufflers on vehicles built before 1970
   3. Factory mufflers on trucks
   4. None, mufflers are unregulated
   Show answer

   Straight, gutted, Hollywood, glass packed or any muffler allowing excessive noise or smoke. Straight, gutted, Hollywood, glass packed or any other types of mufflers which allow excessive noise or smoke are illegal in Mississippi. The muffler is one of the equipment items checked along with brakes, lights, horn, tires and windshield. A vehicle must be properly equipped and maintained to be driven legally on public roads, and an officer may cite a loud exhaust on sight.

5. 5. How close to the curb must a parallel parked vehicle be in Mississippi?

   
   1. Within 3 feet
   2. Any distance if the wheels are straight
   3. Within 24 inches
   4. Within 12 inches
   Show answer

   Within 12 inches. For vehicles parked parallel, the tires should be within 12 inches of the curb. Follow the parallel parking steps in the manual, then align the car within 12 inches, put the transmission in park or low gear, set the parking brake firmly and turn off the ignition. A car parked farther out narrows the lane and invites a sideswipe, and on a hill the wheels must be turned as well.

6. 6. How does the Mississippi manual define a business or residential district?

   1. Any area inside city limits
   2. Any road with a sidewalk
   3. A place where most of the land along the road for 300 feet or more is used for houses or businesses
   4. Any area with a posted 25 mph limit
   Show answer

   A place where most of the land along the road for 300 feet or more is used for houses or businesses. The manual defines a business or residential district as any place where most of the land along the road for 300 feet or more is used for houses or places of business. The definition matters because lower default speed limits and parking rules apply in such districts even without a posted sign. Watch for driveways, pedestrians and parked cars in these areas.

7. 7. How much clearance should a driver leave when passing a bicycle?

   
   1. At least three feet between the vehicle and bicycle
   2. One foot if the driver sounds the horn first
   3. Six inches when the bicycle stays near the edge
   4. No set space if the passing vehicle uses the next lane
   Show answer

   At least three feet between the vehicle and bicycle. Mississippi's bicycle guidance calls for at least three feet between the motor vehicle and bicycle during a pass. The space protects the rider from wind effects, steering mistakes, and uneven pavement, and drivers should move into another lane when possible rather than squeeze beside the bicycle. A horn does not replace clearance, and a smaller gap is not made safe by the rider's position. Slow down and wait if the full space is unavailable.

8. 8. At 20 miles per hour, how far must a Mississippi vehicle's foot brake be able to stop the vehicle?

   1. Within 15 feet
   2. Within 55 feet
   3. Within 30 feet
   4. Within 100 feet
   Show answer

   Within 30 feet. Mississippi requires the foot brake to be strong enough to stop the vehicle within 30 feet when traveling 20 miles per hour. The 55-foot figure belongs to the parking brake, so choosing it confuses two separate equipment standards. A driver can remember the distinction by pairing the shorter distance with the foot-operated brake and the longer distance with the parking brake. This is an equipment requirement, not a recommendation about normal following distance or a promise that every vehicle will stop in exactly that distance on every road.

9. 9. A yellow diamond sign is used for which kind of message?

   1. A mandatory speed rule printed for ideal conditions
   2. A warning about an existing or possible roadway hazard
   3. A guide to fuel, lodging, or other motorist services
   4. A route marker identifying a state highway
   Show answer

   A warning about an existing or possible roadway hazard. The yellow diamond is the standard warning shape for an existing or possible hazard on or beside the roadway. It asks the driver to anticipate a change and adjust attention or speed. A speed rule belongs to a regulatory sign, services use blue guidance signs, and route identification uses route markers. Read the symbol or message inside the diamond and prepare before reaching the condition it describes.

10. 10. How should a driver approach a crosswalk in Mississippi?

    1. Accelerate across it before pedestrians arrive
    2. Approach with care and never stop on any part of it
    3. Stop in the middle of it to wait for traffic
    4. Ignore it unless the paint is freshly visible
    Show answer

    Approach with care and never stop on any part of it. The manual directs drivers to approach crosswalks with care and never stop on any part of a crosswalk. The choice “Accelerate across it before pedestrians arrive” encourages rushing, while stopping in the marked area can obstruct pedestrians and other traffic. The absence of fresh paint is not a reason to ignore a crossing, because crosswalks can be associated with regular pedestrian movement. Reduce speed early, scan both sides, and keep the vehicle clear of the crossing while yielding as required to people in your path.

11. 11. A Mississippi driver refuses a breath test and surrenders the license to the officer. How long is the officer's receipt valid as a temporary permit to drive?

    1. 45 days
    2. 10 days
    3. 90 days
    4. One year
    Show answer

    45 days. After a refusal, the driver must hand over the license immediately, and the officer's receipt serves as a temporary driving permit valid for only 45 days. Ninety days is the length of the administrative suspension for refusing, not the temporary permit. Ten days and one year are not in the manual. A driver who takes the test and fails it gets a receipt good for 30 days instead.

12. 12. A Mississippi driver under 21 commits a second Zero Tolerance DUI within five years. What license suspension applies?

    1. 120 days
    2. 1 year
    3. 90 days
    4. 5 years
    Show answer

    1 year. A second Zero Tolerance offense within five years carries a fine of not more than $500 and a one year license suspension. One hundred twenty days is the first offense suspension, 90 days is the refusal suspension, and five years is the look back window rather than a suspension length. A third offense leads to suspension for the full sentence and a three year interlock-restricted license.

13. 13. What is the minimum age for Mississippi's Temporary Learner's Permit, which is tied to a school driver education course?

    1. 12
    2. 16
    3. 15
    4. 14
    Show answer

    14. The Temporary Learner's Permit is for high school students at least 14 years old who are enrolled in an approved driver education course. It is valid only while the student is enrolled, and it allows driving only a driver education vehicle with the instructor. Fifteen is the minimum for the Regular Learner's Permit, 16 is a license age, and 12 is below any Mississippi permit.

14. 14. What conditions are Mississippi posted speed limits intended for?

    1. Only congested traffic
    2. Heavy rain and poor visibility
    3. Ideal driving conditions
    4. Emergency road closures
    Show answer

    Ideal driving conditions. The manual describes posted speed limits as limits intended for ideal conditions. That means a driver must use judgment when rain, fog, curves, congestion, or a narrow roadway makes the situation less favorable. The poor-visibility choice describes a reason to slow down, not the condition assumed by the posted number. Congestion does not make the limit apply only to that situation, and an emergency closure may impose separate temporary controls. Read the sign, then adjust below the posted limit whenever conditions require safer operation.

15. 15. What share of accidents do drivers cause, according to the Mississippi manual?

    1. 85 percent
    2. 50 percent
    3. 10 percent
    4. Nearly 100 percent, with none from equipment or weather
    Show answer

    85 percent. Drivers cause 85 percent of all accidents, which is why the safe driving basics focus on attitude, attention and habits rather than the vehicle. Keep the left hand at 9 o'clock and the right hand at 3 o'clock on the wheel, avoid distractions such as cellphone use, and stay alert to the road ahead. Equipment and weather account for the small remainder of crashes.

16. 16. What information should you provide when reporting an emergency traffic situation on a Mississippi highway?

    1. Your preferred route for the next trip
    2. The emergency and the highway or mile marker location
    3. Only the vehicle's license plate color
    4. A request for routine traffic information
    Show answer

    The emergency and the highway or mile marker location. The manual says a caller using *HP should be prepared to state the emergency and give the location, such as the highway and or mile marker. A travel route and plate color do not tell the dispatcher what help is needed or where to send it. Routine traffic questions are outside the instruction to report actual emergencies only. Make the call specific: describe the immediate danger first, then identify the roadway and marker as accurately as possible.

17. 17. What should a driver do when weather or visibility is poor?

    1. Accelerate so the vehicle spends less time in poor visibility
    2. Keep the posted speed because it covers every condition
    3. Slow down to match the reduced conditions
    4. Use parking lights alone instead of headlights
    Show answer

    Slow down to match the reduced conditions. Poor weather or limited visibility calls for a lower speed, allowing more time to see and respond. The posted-limit choice overlooks that posted speeds are intended for ideal conditions, not every possible roadway environment. Accelerating reduces reaction margin, and parking lights alone are not the manual's lighting instruction. A practical cue is to compare what you can see with the space needed to stop: when visibility shrinks, reduce speed and use the vehicle lighting required for the situation.

18. 18. Who may apply directly for a Mississippi Regular Driver's License without a previous permit or license?

    1. A person who is fourteen and enrolled in driver education
    2. A person who is at least seventeen years old
    3. Any person who has passed a vision screening
    4. Only a person who has held a permit for two years
    Show answer

    A person who is at least seventeen years old. The Class R eligibility section allows an applicant aged seventeen or older to apply directly for a Regular Driver's License, regardless of previous permits or licenses. Fourteen describes the Temporary Learner's Permit route, and vision screening alone is only one requirement. The permit validity period is two years, but holding it for two years is not the direct eligibility rule. Remember the distinction between starting age and the separate testing, documentation, and affidavit requirements that still apply to the license application.

19. 19. What does the access lane or ramp merge warning sign indicate?

    
    1. The lane beside you will disappear immediately at the sign
    2. Your lane is reserved for buses until the next intersection
    3. All merging is prohibited on the roadway ahead
    4. An access lane or ramp will merge into the roadway from the right
    Show answer

    An access lane or ramp will merge into the roadway from the right. This warning identifies an access lane or ramp merging into the roadway from the right. Give yourself time to observe entering traffic, adjust speed, and preserve a safe gap instead of making a sudden move. The sign does not reserve a lane for buses, prohibit every merge, or promise that the neighboring lane ends exactly at the sign. Check mirrors and blind spots before changing position. The important cue is traffic joining the roadway, which calls for awareness and space.

20. 20. What does a TWO-WAY TRAFFIC warning sign indicate?

    
    1. A median will separate all opposing traffic
    2. Passing is permitted on both sides of a divided highway
    3. The road is becoming one-way in the arrow's direction
    4. Traffic will travel in both directions ahead
    Show answer

    Traffic will travel in both directions ahead. The two-way traffic warning means opposing traffic will share the roadway ahead. It does not promise passing permission, announce a one-way street, or indicate that a median will separate the directions. Reduce speed as needed, keep to your side, and watch carefully for vehicles approaching from ahead. The warning may appear where a divided or one-way section ends, so the driver should expect a changed traffic pattern before the opposing lane becomes active. The paired arrows are the recognition cue: two directions now require mutual lane discipline.