MO Permit Practice Test 14

All 20 questions in test 14

Every question below comes from the Missouri 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. You are turning left on a green arrow at a Missouri intersection when it changes to a steady yellow arrow. What should you be ready to do?

   1. Speed up, since you still have priority
   2. Turn anyway, because oncoming cars must wait
   3. Back up out of the turn lane
   4. Yield to oncoming traffic or stop
   Show answer

   Yield to oncoming traffic or stop. A steady yellow arrow appears after a green arrow. Missouri says it tells you the green arrow is about to change to a circular green light, a flashing yellow arrow, or a red light, and you must be ready to yield the right-of-way to oncoming traffic or to stop. Your protected turn is ending, so do not assume oncoming cars will keep waiting for you.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights, arrows and officers

2. 2. You arrive at a Missouri four-way stop just after another car has stopped at the cross street. Who goes first?

   1. Whichever car is bigger or moving faster
   2. You, if you plan to go straight across
   3. The other car, since it stopped first
   4. You, because your car is to its right
   Show answer

   The other car, since it stopped first. At a Missouri four-way stop, every driver must come to a complete stop, and the driver who reaches the intersection first may proceed before the others. Since the other car stopped first, it goes first and you wait. Going straight, being on the right, or driving a bigger vehicle does not let you jump ahead of a driver who arrived earlier.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections and roundabouts

3. 3. A Missouri driver has a legal medical marijuana card. May the driver drive while under the influence of marijuana?

   1. No, it is never legal to drive while impaired by it
   2. Yes, the card makes driving under its effects legal
   3. Yes, as long as the driver stays under the speed limit
   4. Yes, if the marijuana was used more than an hour ago
   Show answer

   No, it is never legal to drive while impaired by it. Missouri voters approved medical marijuana effective in 2020, but the guide is clear that it is never legal or safe to drive while under the influence of marijuana. Marijuana can impair judgment of time and distance, decrease coordination, and slow reaction time, and it is the second most cited drug in car crashes after alcohol. Mixing it with alcohol makes impairment even worse.

4. 4. What is unusual about driving through a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) in Missouri?

   1. You must come to a full stop at the center of the bridge
   2. All left turns are banned at the interchange
   3. You drive on the left side of the road for a short way
   4. Traffic circles the interchange as in a roundabout
   Show answer

   You drive on the left side of the road for a short way. A Diverging Diamond Interchange is a newer design drivers may meet in Missouri. While going through it, you travel on the left side of the roadway for a short distance before crossing back. The guide notes that directional signs on all interchanges help you figure out where you need to go, so read them early instead of driving by habit. The design simply shifts traffic to the opposite side for a brief stretch.

   Study this in the handbook: Highway driving, merging and breakdowns

5. 5. On Missouri signs, which type of sign usually has a vertical rectangle shape?

   1. A warning sign
   2. A regulatory sign
   3. A school sign
   4. A guide sign
   Show answer

   A regulatory sign. Shape is one of the clues Missouri signs give before you can read them. A vertical rectangle is used for regulatory signs, such as speed limit signs, which tell you about a rule you must follow. A horizontal rectangle is used for guide signs, a diamond for warnings, and a pentagon for school signs. Recognizing the shape early gives you more time to react to what the sign requires.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights, arrows and officers

6. 6. What does a steady yellow traffic light tell you is about to happen?

   1. The light is about to turn green again
   2. The light is changing from green to red
   3. The signal is broken and acts as a stop sign
   4. Cross traffic is about to get a green arrow
   Show answer

   The light is changing from green to red. A steady yellow light in Missouri tells you the signal is changing from green to red. The guide says to stop for it unless you are already within the intersection or so close that you cannot stop safely before entering. It is not a signal to speed up, and it is not the same as a dark or broken signal, which works like a four-way stop. Plan to stop when you see the yellow ahead.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights, arrows and officers

7. 7. You are driving past a Missouri school at 3 p.m. and see this sign. What should you do?

   
   1. Slow down and watch for children
   2. Keep your speed, since school is over
   3. Stop and wait until a bus arrives
   4. Honk to warn children to stay back
   Show answer

   Slow down and watch for children. This yellow-green, five-sided sign marks a school crossing in Missouri. The guide says to slow down and watch for children crossing the road. Children may run into the road without looking, especially near schools, so be extra careful at any time of day. Where lights flash or children are present, a slower school zone limit applies, and you must stop if a crossing patrol member signals you.

   Study this in the handbook: Road signs by shape and color

8. 8. On a Missouri city street with two wide, clear lanes in each direction, a slower car is in the left lane. May you pass it on the right?

   1. Yes, this is one of the allowed cases
   2. No, passing on the right is never allowed
   3. Yes, but only by using the shoulder
   4. No, unless the car is turning right
   Show answer

   Yes, this is one of the allowed cases. Missouri allows passing on the right on a city street with unobstructed pavement wide enough for two or more lines of vehicles in each direction. Other allowed cases include a vehicle making a left turn, a one-way street, and a highway outside a city marked for four or more lanes. In every case the pass must stay on the paved, main traveled roadway, never on the shoulder.

   Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections and roundabouts

9. 9. You need to pull over briefly on a Missouri road just past a Soft Shoulder sign. What does the sign advise?

   1. Pull onto the shoulder, since it is extra wide
   2. Do not drive off the pavement here
   3. Use the shoulder only below 25 mph
   4. Drive on the shoulder to let others pass
   Show answer

   Do not drive off the pavement here. A Soft Shoulder sign warns that the shoulder on the side of the road ahead is soft, and Missouri's guide says not to drive off the pavement there. Wait for a spot farther on where you can stop safely off the roadway. If your wheels ever do drop off the pavement edge, hold the wheel tightly, ease off the gas without hitting the brakes, and steer back only after slowing.

   Study this in the handbook: Road signs by shape and color

10. 10. On a two-lane Missouri road, the center line on your side is broken, the road ahead is clear, and a slow truck is in front of you. May you cross the line to pass?

    1. Yes, if it is otherwise safe to pass
    2. No, crossing a center line is illegal
    3. No, only solid white lines may be crossed
    4. Yes, but you must honk twice first
    Show answer

    Yes, if it is otherwise safe to pass. Missouri pavement markings use broken lines to show where crossing is allowed during a passing maneuver, and solid lines to show where it is not. A broken yellow center line on your side means you may cross it to pass when the road ahead is clear and passing is otherwise safe. You still need enough clear distance to finish before any no passing zone, curve, or hill.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and lane use

11. 11. It starts raining just as you pass this sign on a Missouri road. What should you do?

    
    1. Drive carefully and slow down
    2. Turn on cruise control to hold speed
    3. Pump the brakes to test them
    4. Speed up to get through before it gets wet
    Show answer

    Drive carefully and slow down. The Slippery When Wet sign warns that the road ahead becomes unusually slippery in wet weather and tells drivers to drive carefully in those conditions. Missouri also says not to use cruise control on wet pavement, since it keeps powering the tires if you lose traction. Slow down, leave more following distance, and avoid sudden braking or steering. Rain mixing with oil on the road makes the first wet minutes especially slick.

    Study this in the handbook: Road signs by shape and color

12. 12. The only open seat for a baby in a rear-facing car seat is the front passenger seat, which has an air bag. What does the Missouri guide say?

    1. It is fine if the seat is pushed all the way back
    2. It is fine for trips under ten minutes
    3. It is fine if the baby is over one year old
    4. Do not put the infant seat in that front seat
    Show answer

    Do not put the infant seat in that front seat. Missouri's guide says never to put a rear-facing infant restraint in the front seat of a vehicle with a front passenger air bag. A deploying air bag can seriously injure or kill an occupant who is not properly restrained. The guide also says children 12 and under should always ride properly restrained in a rear seat. Seat position, trip length, or age do not change this warning.

    Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and following distance

13. 13. According to the Missouri guide, what is the one proper reason to use your horn?

    1. To show a slow driver you are upset
    2. To warn other drivers of a danger
    3. To greet a friend you pass on the road
    4. To tell the car ahead the light is green
    Show answer

    To warn other drivers of a danger. Missouri says there is only one reason to use your horn: to warn other drivers. Needless honking may distract other drivers and cause a crash, and the horn should never be used to show anger or frustration. Beeping the horn is even listed among road rage behaviors. Save it for moments when another driver needs to know about a danger right away.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and minimum speeds

14. 14. Driving a car without anti-lock brakes on a very slippery Missouri road, how does the guide say to brake?

    1. Slam the brakes hard all at once
    2. Press and hold the pedal as firmly as you can
    3. Pump the brakes gently several times
    4. Use the parking brake instead of the pedal
    Show answer

    Pump the brakes gently several times. On snow or ice, Missouri says to apply the brakes gently and smoothly and never to slam on them, because that may cause a skid. On very slippery surfaces, pump the brakes by gently pushing down and letting up several times. Drivers whose cars have anti-lock brakes should follow their owner's manual instead, since the guide says not to pump brakes equipped with ABS.

    Study this in the handbook: Night driving, rain, snow, fog and skids

15. 15. Your headlights go out at night, and the dimmer and headlight switches do not bring them back. What should you do?

    1. Keep driving slowly toward home in the dark
    2. Follow closely behind another car's lights
    3. Use parking lights or flashers and pull off the road
    4. Stop in your lane and turn off the engine
    Show answer

    Use parking lights or flashers and pull off the road. If your headlights fail, Missouri says to try the dimmer switch or headlight switch first. If that does not work, put on the parking lights, emergency flashers, or turn signals, then pull off the road and leave the emergency flashers on. Driving on in the dark or trailing another car's lights leaves you unable to see hazards, and stopping in a lane makes you hard for others to see.

    Study this in the handbook: Brake failure, blowouts and other emergencies

16. 16. You see a bicyclist riding near the left curb of a one-way street in Missouri. Is that allowed?

    1. No, bicyclists must always ride at the right edge
    2. No, bicycles are not allowed on one-way streets
    3. Yes, but only if the rider walks the bike at crossings
    4. Yes, riders may keep as far left as is safe there
    Show answer

    Yes, riders may keep as far left as is safe there. Bicyclists in Missouri have the same rights and responsibilities as other vehicle operators and must ride with traffic. When slower than traffic, they generally keep as far right as is safe, but on a one-way street they may choose to ride as far left as is safe instead. A rider near the left curb of a one-way street is following the rules. Give the rider room and pass with a full lane width.

17. 17. You find an open space along the left curb of a two-way street in a Missouri town. May you park there?

    1. Yes, if your car fits fully within the painted space
    2. Yes, but for no more than 15 minutes at a time
    3. No, the left side of a two-way street is off limits
    4. Yes, if you leave your hazard lights flashing
    Show answer

    No, the left side of a two-way street is off limits. Missouri lists the left side of a two-way street among the places you may not park. A car parked there would sit facing against traffic, which is also on the list of illegal parking. Fitting inside the space, keeping it short, or using hazard lights does not change the rule. Find a space on the right side, the side your traffic is moving on, or use a designated parking area.

18. 18. In a severe rainstorm, at what speed does the Missouri guide say your tires can lose all contact with the road?

    1. 35 mph
    2. 55 mph
    3. 45 mph
    4. 70 mph
    Show answer

    55 mph. Hydroplaning happens when tires ride on water instead of the pavement, causing loss of traction and control. Missouri says it can begin at any speed over 35 mph, and in a severe rainstorm the tires can lose all contact with the road at 55 mph. Good tires with deep tread, proper inflation, and slower speeds in rain all help prevent it, and cruise control should stay off.

    Study this in the handbook: Night driving, rain, snow, fog and skids

19. 19. No markings prohibit passing on a two-lane Missouri road, but you cannot tell whether the road is clear far enough ahead. What should you do?

    1. Pass, since no marking forbids it
    2. Pass if you honk before starting
    3. Pass quickly at the highest speed you can
    4. Wait until you can see it is clear
    Show answer

    Wait until you can see it is clear. On any two-lane road, Missouri says never to pass if you cannot see that the road is clear for the distance you need to make a pass, even if there is no marking on the roadway. The lack of a solid yellow line does not prove the road ahead is empty. Wait until you can see far enough, and then pass without exceeding the speed limit.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and lane use

20. 20. You have just entered a Missouri roundabout when you hear a siren behind you. Your exit is three exits away. What should you do?

    1. Stop where you are inside the circle
    2. Stay in the circle until your own exit
    3. Pull onto the truck apron and wait
    4. Leave at the next exit and pull to the right
    Show answer

    Leave at the next exit and pull to the right. Missouri says that if an emergency vehicle approaches while you are in a roundabout, exit immediately and pull to the right. That means taking the next exit even if it is not the one you planned. Never stop while inside a roundabout, and do not use the truck apron, which is not meant for cars. Once the emergency vehicle has passed, you can head back toward your exit.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections and roundabouts