NY Permit Practice Test 17

All 20 questions in test 17

Every question below comes from the New York 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 do solid edge lines indicate?

   1. Lane centers
   2. Where the travel lane ends and the shoulder begins
   3. Parking spaces
   4. Speed limits
   Show answer

   Where the travel lane ends and the shoulder begins. Edge lines mark pavement limits: solid side lines show where the travel lane ends and the shoulder begins. Centers, parking, and speed readings each misread the boundary keeping traffic on the road. Crossing them is illegal except by officer direction or official sign. Angling centerward, they warn the road narrows ahead. Crossing edge lines is illegal except by officer direction or sign.

   Study this in the handbook: Sign shapes and colors

2. 2. What license action follows a first New York conviction for driving while ability impaired by alcohol (DWAI) for a driver 21 or older?

   1. A minimum six-month revocation
   2. A minimum one-year revocation
   3. A 90-day suspension
   4. No license action, only a fine
   Show answer

   A 90-day suspension. New York's lowest alcohol offense, DWAI, applies when a driver's ability is impaired by alcohol, which includes a BAC above .05 up to .07. A first conviction brings a 90 day suspension and a fine of $300 to $500. The six-month minimum revocation is for DWI at .08 or higher, and the one-year minimum revocation is for aggravated DWI at .18 or higher. DWAI is a traffic infraction, but it still takes the license; a fine alone is not the whole penalty. A driver who was under 21 when arrested faces a minimum one-year revocation instead.

   Study this in the handbook: Points, suspensions and probation

3. 3. What happens to a New York driver under 21 who commits a second Zero Tolerance violation?

   1. Revocation for at least one year or until age 21, whichever is longer
   2. Another six-month suspension
   3. A 90-day suspension
   4. A $125 fine with no license action
   Show answer

   Revocation for at least one year or until age 21, whichever is longer. The first Zero Tolerance violation suspends a young New York driver for six months, but a second one leads to revocation. The license is revoked for at least one year or until the driver turns 21, whichever period is longer. A 19-year-old would therefore wait until 21, while someone who is 20 and a half would still serve the full year. Repeating the six-month suspension or a 90 day suspension describes lighter penalties, and a fine alone ignores the license action entirely.

   Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and DWI

4. 4. A New York vehicle has driver-assistance sensors. Which condition can interfere with those safety features?

   1. A dry road with clear lane markings
   2. A clean windshield on a straight road
   3. A fully charged phone in the cabin
   4. Fog, snow, or a curve
   Show answer

   Fog, snow, or a curve. New York treats driver assistance as help for an attentive driver, not as a substitute for observation. Rain, snow, ice, fog, hills, and curves can prevent sensors or related systems from working properly. A clean windshield or a charged phone does not remove those environmental limits. The practical cue is changing conditions: keep scanning with mirrors and head checks, maintain control yourself, and be ready to respond when an alert is late, absent, or inaccurate.

5. 5. What is the minimum tire tread depth required by New York law?

   1. 2/32 of an inch
   2. 1/32 of an inch
   3. 4/32 of an inch
   4. 6/32 of an inch
   Show answer

   2/32 of an inch. New York requires at least 2/32 of an inch of tire tread. Wear bars across the grooves can show when a tire reaches that minimum. The handbook also describes checking with a penny: if all of Lincoln’s head is visible in the deepest-looking groove, the tire is too worn and should be replaced. One thirty-second is below the required depth; four or six thirty-seconds is not the minimum specified by this rule.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed limits, space cushion and work zones

6. 6. How do you snug closer to the curb?

   1. Alternate forward and back, steering curbward then straight
   2. Ram the curb once
   3. Give up and double-park
   4. Stay far from the curb
   Show answer

   Alternate forward and back, steering curbward then straight. Closing the last gap uses a shuffle: alternately pull forward and back up, steering first toward the curb then quickly straight again. Ramming, surrendering, and staying-wide readings each fail where the patient shuffle succeeds. Each cycle walks the car sideways inches closer without striking the concrete. Repeat until the wheels rest within a foot, straight and even. Patience with the shuffle beats strength against the curb.

   Study this in the handbook: Parallel parking and where you cannot park

7. 7. Do all intersections use three-color signals?

   1. Yes, always three colors
   2. No, some use lone single-color lights
   3. Only arrows exist
   4. No signals exist
   Show answer

   No, some use lone single-color lights. Signal heads vary by intersection: some locations use lone red, yellow, or green lights instead of the standard three-color stack. Always-three, arrows-only, and none readings each deny the variety the manual describes. Some lights run steady while others flash; some are round and some are arrows. Read each head as installed. Read each signal head exactly as it is installed there.

   Study this in the handbook: Sign shapes and colors

8. 8. How many crashes occur yearly in New York?

   1. About 30,000
   2. About 100,000
   3. More than 300,000
   4. Almost none
   Show answer

   More than 300,000. New York crashes number in the hundreds of thousands: more than three hundred thousand traffic crashes occur statewide each year. Thirty-thousand, hundred-thousand, and almost-none readings each shrink a toll that touches every county. Even careful drivers meet others' errors and unplanned events. Obey the law, drive defensively, and stay ready to act responsibly at any scene. Three hundred thousand yearly crashes demand constant readiness.

   Study this in the handbook: What to do after a crash

9. 9. What should you do while being passed on the left?

   1. Speed up to block
   2. Slow slightly and stay centered in your lane
   3. Swerve left
   4. Brake hard
   Show answer

   Slow slightly and stay centered in your lane. Being passed calls for steadiness: when another vehicle passes on the left, decrease speed slightly and stay centered in the lane. Blocking, swerving, and hard-braking readings each fight a maneuver that cooperation completes safely. Once the passer clears ahead, resume normal speed. If many pass on the right, move right and let the left pass properly. If many pass you on the right, move right and let the left pass properly.

   Study this in the handbook: Passing on the left and the right

10. 10. What does this deer warning sign mean?

    
    1. A zoo ahead
    2. An area with frequent deer-vehicle collisions
    3. A hunting zone
    4. A farm stand
    Show answer

    An area with frequent deer-vehicle collisions. Deer signs mark proven crossings: areas with many deer-vehicle collisions get deer-crossing signs. Zoo, hunting, and farm-stand readings each invent attractions the warning never promises. Dawn, dusk, and October-through-December raise the risk most. See the leaping deer, slow down and scan roadsides. See the leaping deer, slow down, scan both roadsides well. Dawn, dusk, and fall months raise deer risk the most.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings, expressways, night and bad weather

11. 11. A curb in New York is posted with a NO PARKING sign. What may a driver still do there?

    1. Leave the car for up to 15 minutes
    2. Nothing; the vehicle may not stop for any reason
    3. Make a temporary stop to load or unload merchandise or passengers
    4. Park overnight if the meter is paid
    Show answer

    Make a temporary stop to load or unload merchandise or passengers. New York divides what people call parking into three categories: parking, standing and stopping. Of the three posted signs, NO PARKING allows the most. It means you can make a temporary stop to load or discharge merchandise or passengers, such as dropping off a rider or unloading a delivery. Leaving the vehicle there for any other purpose is parking, which the sign forbids. Stricter signs, NO STANDING and NO STOPPING, take away more of these choices.

    Study this in the handbook: Parallel parking and where you cannot park

12. 12. A drowsy driver has stopped in a safe area away from traffic. What nap length does New York recommend?

    1. 2 to 5 minutes
    2. 15 to 45 minutes
    3. 5 to 10 minutes
    4. 60 to 90 minutes
    Show answer

    15 to 45 minutes. For a driver showing fatigue symptoms, the handbook recommends pulling into a safe area away from traffic and taking a brief nap lasting fifteen to forty-five minutes. It also warns against relying on the radio, an open window, or similar tricks to remain awake. A two-minute or five-minute pause is not the nap described. The location matters along with the duration: first leave the traffic stream and stop in a safe area.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits, space cushion and work zones

13. 13. How many points does New York assess for driving 15 mph over the posted limit?

    1. 3
    2. 6
    3. 8
    4. 4
    Show answer

    4. New York's point table rises with the amount over the limit. Speeding 1 to 10 mph over is 3 points, 11 to 20 mph over is 4 points, 21 to 30 mph over is 6 points, 31 to 40 mph over is 8 points, and more than 40 mph over is 11 points. Fifteen over falls in the 11 to 20 band. Three points is only for the lowest band, and 6 or 8 points require going more than 20 or 30 mph over. Eleven points within 24 months brings a suspension notice.

    Study this in the handbook: Points, suspensions and probation

14. 14. How many points does New York assess for passing a stopped school bus?

    1. Three
    2. Five
    3. Eight
    4. Eleven
    Show answer

    Eight. Passing a stopped school bus is an 8 point violation in New York, higher than reckless driving at 5 points. Three passing a stopped school bus violations within three years lead to a revocation of at least six months, and owners of vehicles caught by school bus stop arm cameras also face a $250 penalty for a first violation. Three points is the value for ordinary right of way or signal violations. Eleven points is the value for an alcohol or drug related incident or speeding more than 40 mph over. Drivers must stop at least 20 feet from a bus showing flashing red lights.

    Study this in the handbook: Points, suspensions and probation

15. 15. A New York driver with a full license and no probation talks on a hand-held phone while driving for the first time. What penalty can apply?

    1. A fine up to $200 and five license points
    2. A $50 fine and no points
    3. Two points and no fine
    4. Nothing, if the call was short
    Show answer

    A fine up to $200 and five license points. Holding a phone to talk or listen while driving is a traffic infraction in New York. A first offense can bring a fine of up to $200 and five points, and the point table lists the same five points for phone or portable device use. A hands-free phone, which needs neither hand, may be used at any time, and the phone may be held briefly to start or end a call. A $50 fine is the seat belt figure, not the phone penalty. A short call is still a violation.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits, space cushion and work zones

16. 16. A stopped hazard vehicle occupies the shoulder of a New York interstate. When is changing lanes not required?

    1. Whenever the driver is running late
    2. Whenever the stopped vehicle is on the shoulder
    3. When traffic or another hazard prevents a safe lane change
    4. Only when a police officer waves traffic through
    Show answer

    When traffic or another hazard prevents a safe lane change. The lane-change part of New York's Move Over rule is conditioned on safety. A driver must leave the lane beside the stopped emergency or hazard vehicle on a multilane controlled-access road unless traffic or another hazard makes that maneuver unsafe. Being late is not an exception, and the shoulder location is precisely why caution is needed. A police officer need not provide a signal. Reduce speed, assess the opening, and stay put only when moving over would create greater danger.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way, turns and U-turns

17. 17. May you stop inside an intersection?

    1. Only if signs or meters permit
    2. Always allowed
    3. Never under any condition
    4. Only on Sundays
    Show answer

    Only if signs or meters permit. Intersections generally forbid halts: no parking, stopping, or standing unless signs or parking meters permit it. Always, never, and Sundays readings each miss the conditional ban that meters and signs can lift. Intersection stops block sight lines and turning paths from every direction. Read the curb hardware; silence means keep moving. Intersection hardware speaks; curb silence means keep the wheels rolling.

    Study this in the handbook: Parallel parking and where you cannot park

18. 18. What happens when tires hydroplane in heavy rain?

    1. Tires riding on road water, risking total loss of traction and steering
    2. Engine flooding
    3. Brake failure
    4. Tire melting
    Show answer

    Tires riding on road water, risking total loss of traction and steering. Hydroplaning floats tires off the road: in heavy rain, tires can ride on the water film above the pavement, causing complete loss of traction and steering control. Engine-flood, brake-fail, and melt readings each misname a traction failure. Higher speeds invite it, as do worn or underinflated tires. Slow down in downpours before the tires start surfing. Slow down in downpours well before the tires start surfing water.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings, expressways, night and bad weather

19. 19. What is a driver prohibited from doing in a New York dedicated bicycle lane or bike box?

    1. Checking for bicycles before turning across it
    2. Reducing speed near the marked area
    3. Yielding to a cyclist using the space
    4. Operating in the dedicated space
    Show answer

    Operating in the dedicated space. New York's manual says drivers are prohibited from operating in dedicated bicycle spaces, including bicycle lanes and bike boxes. Checking, yielding, and slowing are safety actions that help a driver cross or turn near the feature without entering it as a travel lane. The green paint increases visibility but does not make the area available for passing or waiting. Use the marking as a boundary: scan for cyclists, yield as needed, and cross only when the maneuver is lawful and safe.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles and trucks

20. 20. How should a New York driver approach an intersection controlled by a flashing yellow signal?

    1. Stop and wait for a green signal
    2. Slow down and proceed with caution
    3. Treat it as a solid red light
    4. Accelerate before cross traffic arrives
    Show answer

    Slow down and proceed with caution. A flashing yellow signal tells the driver to slow down and proceed with caution. It does not require the automatic stop associated with a red signal, but it also does not invite acceleration. Waiting for green would misread the signal, while treating it as solid red would apply the wrong control. Scan for cross traffic, pedestrians, and turning vehicles, then enter only when the intersection is clear. The yellow flash is a warning to reduce speed and be ready to yield.

    Study this in the handbook: Sign shapes and colors