NY Permit Practice Test 4

All 20 questions in test 4

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. The red circle with a white horizontal bar on this sign tells a New York-bound driver:

   1. Only trucks may enter from this approach
   2. Parking is prohibited but travel is allowed
   3. The road ends ahead after the next block
   4. Do not enter the roadway or ramp from this direction
   Show answer

   Do not enter the roadway or ramp from this direction. The red circle and white bar identify a DO NOT ENTER sign. A driver facing it must not proceed into that roadway or ramp from the displayed direction, commonly because the approach leads to opposing traffic or the exit of a one-way facility. The parking choice addresses a different restriction, and a dead end does not prohibit entry by itself. Stop before the sign, reassess the route, and find the lawful direction rather than crossing the sign to save time.

2. 2. What information do regulation signs provide?

   1. The distance to destinations only
   2. The names of nearby emergency responders
   3. Weather forecasts and road temperatures
   4. Rules for traffic direction, lane use, turns, speed, parking, and other requirements
   Show answer

   Rules for traffic direction, lane use, turns, speed, parking, and other requirements. Regulation signs communicate enforceable roadway rules, including traffic direction, lane use, turns, speed, parking, and other special requirements. A destination sign gives direction and distance to locations, so that choice describes a different sign category. Weather information and emergency contacts are not the purpose listed for regulation signs. When reading a sign, first identify whether it controls an action or provides guidance to a place. The red rectangular image is a regulation-style warning about roadway direction, so look for the rule the sign imposes rather than treating it as a route marker.

3. 3. What traffic direction does the black-and-white ONE WAY sign with an arrow establish?

   1. Traffic must turn around at the next signal
   2. The lane is reserved for buses and emergency vehicles
   3. Traffic may travel only in the arrow's direction
   4. The street carries two-way traffic until a stop sign
   Show answer

   Traffic may travel only in the arrow's direction. A ONE WAY sign establishes the direction in which traffic may travel, and its arrow shows that direction. It is not a turn-on-red instruction, a bus-lane sign, or a warning that two-way traffic continues until the next control. Entering against the arrow can place a vehicle in opposing traffic. Before turning onto the street, read the arrow, check for people and bicycles, and align the vehicle with the permitted flow from the start.

4. 4. A red circle with a slash over a U-shaped arrow means the driver must not:

   1. Turn left at the next intersection
   2. Pass a slower vehicle on a two-lane road
   3. Make a U-turn at that location
   4. Enter a railroad crossing
   Show answer

   Make a U-turn at that location. The crossed-out U-shaped arrow identifies a no U-turn restriction, so the driver must continue without reversing direction at that point. A left-turn prohibition would show a left-facing arrow, while a passing restriction concerns lane movement rather than a turning maneuver. The railroad choice describes a separate warning symbol and has no connection to the slash over the arrow. Use the arrow itself as the cue: identify the movement pictured, then treat the red slash as a ban on that movement.

5. 5. What movement is forbidden by the red-slash sign showing a left-turn arrow?

   1. Turning left where the sign is posted
   2. Driving straight through the intersection
   3. Changing lanes before the intersection
   4. Turning right after stopping at a red light
   Show answer

   Turning left where the sign is posted. The sign depicts a left turn with a red slash, so that particular movement is prohibited at the posted location. It does not automatically ban a right turn, straight travel, or a lane change unless another sign, signal, or marking imposes those restrictions. The shape of the arrow matters more than the general presence of red. Read the pictured direction first, then apply the slash to that movement. A driver should choose a permitted route rather than turning left and hoping cross traffic is absent.

6. 6. A red-slash sign with a right-facing arrow tells a New York driver to avoid:

   1. Driving straight in the marked lane
   2. Turning right at the posted location
   3. Parking beside the right curb
   4. Using a right-side mirror
   Show answer

   Turning right at the posted location. A right-facing arrow crossed by red identifies a no-right-turn restriction. The prohibition applies to the pictured turn, not to straight travel, curbside parking, or ordinary mirror use. A driver must choose another legal movement and should not assume that a clear intersection makes the turn permissible. The manual explains that regulatory signs communicate rules for traffic direction, lane use, turns, speed, and parking. Here the arrow supplies the specific rule, while the slash signals that the turn is barred.

7. 7. What kind of New York sign is the white rectangular speed-limit sign shown?

   1. A yellow warning sign for a roadway hazard
   2. A green destination sign giving directions
   3. A blue service sign for a facility
   4. A regulatory sign stating a traffic rule
   Show answer

   A regulatory sign stating a traffic rule. New York classifies the white rectangular speed-limit display as a regulation sign. Regulation signs communicate rules that govern traffic, unlike yellow warning signs, green destination signs, or blue service signs. The posted number sets a legal maximum, but a driver still needs to reduce speed when weather, visibility, traffic, or road surface makes that limit unsafe. The visual cue is the plain white rectangle with dark lettering or symbols. Treat it as an instruction to obey, not merely advice about a possible hazard.

8. 8. When this keep-right sign appears beside a divider, what should the driver do?

   1. Cross left of the divider before reaching it
   2. Pass to the right of the divider or obstruction
   3. Use the shoulder as a permanent travel lane
   4. Stop and wait for a traffic officer
   Show answer

   Pass to the right of the divider or obstruction. The arrow beside the divider directs traffic to keep right of the median or obstruction. It does not tell drivers to abandon the right side, use the shoulder continuously, or stop when no officer is present. The movement should be completed smoothly while the roadway remains clear, with attention to nearby vehicles and pedestrians. The manual's sign list describes this symbol as keep right of divider. The practical cue is the barrier shown next to the arrow: go around its right side, not through or left of it.

9. 9. At a railroad crossing, what does the X-shaped crossbuck require of a driver?

   1. Speed up so the train cannot reach the crossing
   2. Yield, look and listen, and cross only when it is safe
   3. Stop on the tracks until the next signal changes
   4. Drive around a lowered gate if no train is visible
   Show answer

   Yield, look and listen, and cross only when it is safe. A crossbuck marks the railroad crossing itself. The driver must yield, look and listen for trains, and proceed only after the tracks and the far side are safe. Speeding toward the rails reduces the time available to react, while stopping on the tracks creates a direct hazard. A lowered gate must never be bypassed, even when the train is not immediately visible. Use the white X and railroad wording as the cue to treat the crossing like a yield point for trains.

10. 10. What hazard does the round yellow sign with an X and RR warn a driver about?

    1. A railroad crossing ahead
    2. A circular traffic pattern at the next junction
    3. A mandatory stop at a weigh station
    4. A bicycle lane beginning ahead
    Show answer

    A railroad crossing ahead. The yellow circle with the railroad X and RR letters is advance warning that tracks are ahead. It is not a bicycle instruction, a roundabout marker, or a weigh-station command. Once the warning appears, reduce speed, scan both directions, and be prepared to stop before reaching the rails. Trains can approach from either direction and cannot stop quickly. The round shape and RR lettering are the key visual cues that distinguish this warning from ordinary yellow diamond signs.

11. 11. Near this school crossing sign, when must a New York driver yield to pedestrians?

    1. Only at crossings with a crossing guard
    2. Only when a signal shows WALK
    3. Only when the crosswalk is painted
    4. At all crosswalks and intersections, whether marked or unmarked, including when turning
    Show answer

    At all crosswalks and intersections, whether marked or unmarked, including when turning. The pentagon school crossing sign marks a place where children cross, and the manual's pedestrian rule is broader than paint: pedestrians have the right of way at all crosswalks, and you must yield to pedestrians when making right or left turns and at all crosswalks and intersections, whether marked or unmarked. A crossing guard's signal must be obeyed, but the duty to yield does not depend on one, on paint, or on a WALK signal.

12. 12. A yellow sign with a walking figure warns a driver to expect:

    1. Pedestrians crossing ahead
    2. A sidewalk maintenance crew only
    3. A roadway where pedestrians are prohibited
    4. A bus lane that cannot be crossed
    Show answer

    Pedestrians crossing ahead. The walking figure warns that pedestrians may be crossing ahead. It does not prohibit people from the area, limit the message to construction workers, or create a bus-only lane. The driver should lower speed, search both sides of the roadway, and prepare to yield or stop. New York gives legally crossing pedestrians priority at marked and unmarked crossings, so the warning should change the driver's scan and readiness before the person enters the lane. The human figure is the cue to anticipate movement, not just a fixed object.

13. 13. What should a driver anticipate after seeing the yellow traffic-signal symbol?

    1. A traffic signal ahead
    2. A streetlight outage
    3. A police checkpoint
    4. A railroad gate inspection
    Show answer

    A traffic signal ahead. The yellow diamond with a traffic-light symbol warns that a signalized intersection is ahead. A driver should ease off the accelerator, check lane position, and be ready for a red, yellow, or green indication. The sign does not report broken streetlights, announce a police checkpoint, or identify railroad equipment. Advance warning is especially useful when the signal is difficult to see from a distance or lies beyond a curve. The miniature signal on the yellow diamond is the recognition cue.

14. 14. What do yellow warning signs tell drivers?

    1. They identify services such as hospitals and fuel stations
    2. They mark the end of all stopping restrictions
    3. They indicate an approaching hazardous location or a location with a special rule
    4. They authorize drivers to ignore a posted speed limit
    Show answer

    They indicate an approaching hazardous location or a location with a special rule. Yellow warning signs alert drivers to a hazardous location or to a location with a special rule. They are advance information, so the driver should scan ahead, adjust speed when needed, and look for the specific condition shown by the symbol. Service information uses a different sign category, and a warning sign never cancels a speed limit or parking rule. Treat the yellow color as a prompt to prepare for a changed roadway situation before reaching the hazard.

15. 15. What traffic condition does the yellow merging-arrow sign warn about?

    1. The next lane is reserved for parked vehicles
    2. The right lane is ending immediately at the sign
    3. All merging is prohibited on the roadway
    4. Traffic entering from the right may merge ahead
    Show answer

    Traffic entering from the right may merge ahead. The merging-arrow warning indicates that traffic from the right may enter the roadway ahead. The driver should watch the joining lane, maintain a cooperative speed, and leave room for vehicles that are already moving toward the travel lane. It does not say that the right lane ends at the sign, ban all merging, or create a parking lane. The arrow joining the main path is the cue: expect another stream of traffic and reassess the gap before continuing.

16. 16. What roadway change is shown by the yellow sign with the right edge narrowing inward?

    1. The roadway becomes narrower ahead
    2. The right lane becomes a parking lane
    3. The shoulder becomes a separate highway
    4. A new lane begins on the right
    Show answer

    The roadway becomes narrower ahead. When the edge line angles toward the center, the roadway is narrowing ahead. The driver should check mirrors, signal, and merge when safe rather than assuming a new lane will appear. The sign does not create a parking lane or turn the shoulder into a separate highway. Nor does it guarantee that the left side is open without a traffic check. The inward-sloping edge is the key cue: space is decreasing, so select the continuing lane before the boundary closes.

17. 17. What does the yellow sign with two opposing arrows tell a driver?

    1. Passing is automatically allowed in both directions
    2. Two-way traffic is ahead or begins here
    3. The roadway is divided by a median
    4. Only trucks may use the opposite lane
    Show answer

    Two-way traffic is ahead or begins here. Opposing arrows indicate two-way traffic, so vehicles may be approaching from the other direction. The sign does not grant passing permission, announce a median, or reserve the opposite lane for trucks. Keep to the proper side, watch for oncoming vehicles, and follow any separate pavement markings that govern passing. The paired arrows are the visual cue that the roadway's traffic flow is no longer one-directional. A driver leaving a one-way section should adjust expectations before meeting opposing traffic.

18. 18. What roadway arrangement is represented by arrows separating around a center divider?

    1. A three-way intersection with no median
    2. A permission to cross the median for a U-turn
    3. A divided highway, with traffic moving in separate directions
    4. A temporary lane reserved for bicycles
    Show answer

    A divided highway, with traffic moving in separate directions. Arrows that separate around a center area represent a divided highway, where opposing directions travel on distinct roadways. The image does not describe a three-way junction, authorize a median crossing, or create a bicycle lane. On an expressway, traffic normally moves in one direction on two or more lanes, and a driver should remain on the correct side of the divider. Treat the median as a physical separation, not an opening for an improvised turn or shortcut.

19. 19. What condition does the yellow skidding-car symbol warn a driver to expect?

    1. A designated racing surface
    2. A slippery roadway, especially when wet
    3. A gravel-only road with no pavement
    4. A lane where hard braking is required
    Show answer

    A slippery roadway, especially when wet. The skidding-car symbol warns that the pavement may be slippery, particularly after rain, snow, ice, or wet leaves. Reduce speed, increase following distance, and make steering and braking inputs smoothly. It does not identify a racing area or prove that the road is gravel, and hard braking can worsen a loss of traction. The pictured skid is the cue to manage grip before the tires slide. If heavy rain is present, remember that hydroplaning can remove steering control at higher speeds.

20. 20. What should a driver do when a yellow curved-arrow sign warns of a curve ahead?

    1. Treat the arrow as a mandatory turn at an intersection
    2. Accelerate until the vehicle reaches the curve
    3. Reduce speed before the curve and steer smoothly
    4. Stop in the travel lane for a work-zone escort
    Show answer

    Reduce speed before the curve and steer smoothly. A curved arrow is a warning about the roadway's path, not an instruction to turn at a junction. The driver should reduce speed before entering, maintain control through the bend, and avoid abrupt braking or steering once committed to the curve. Accelerating removes the margin needed for the changing direction, while a work-zone escort is unrelated. New York specifically advises extra care on curves, turns, and expressway ramps. The arrow's bend is the cue to prepare early rather than react late.