NY Permit Practice Test 6

All 20 questions in test 6

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 fine can a New York driver face for failing to wear a seat belt?

   1. Up to $500
   2. Up to $25
   3. Up to $50
   4. There is no fine, only points
   Show answer

   Up to $50. Under New York's occupant restraint law the driver must be properly restrained by a seat belt, and a driver who fails to buckle up can face a fine of up to $50. A law enforcement officer can issue a ticket for the violation, and the law applies to visitors from outside the state as well. The larger and smaller figures are not the manual's number, and a restraint violation involving a passenger under 16 also adds points.

2. 2. Traffic is backed up beyond an intersection, but your signal is green. May you enter?

   1. No, not unless you can clear the intersection completely
   2. Yes, because a green light always permits entry
   3. Yes, if you stop in the crosswalk while waiting
   4. Only if you turn on hazard lights first
   Show answer

   No, not unless you can clear the intersection completely. New York prohibits entering an intersection when traffic ahead is backed up and you cannot get completely through. A green signal does not excuse blocking the crossing, and stopping in a crosswalk makes the obstruction worse. Hazard lights do not create permission. Wait before the intersection until space opens beyond it. Look past the signal before proceeding, because the availability of the exit is part of the decision.

3. 3. Where is a New York driver prohibited from making a U-turn because visibility may be limited?

   1. On a straight road with visibility of 1,000 feet
   2. Near the top of a hill or a curve where visibility is under 500 feet
   3. At any intersection controlled by a green arrow
   4. Only beside a parked vehicle
   Show answer

   Near the top of a hill or a curve where visibility is under 500 feet. A U-turn is prohibited near a hilltop, curve, or other location where drivers cannot see your vehicle from 500 feet in either direction. A straight visible road is not automatically barred by this visibility rule, and a green arrow may permit a U-turn when otherwise legal. A parked vehicle alone is not the stated test. Check both sight lines and choose a location where approaching traffic can see you.

4. 4. From which part of the road may a New York driver make a U-turn?

   1. From the right lane when it is clear
   2. From the shoulder
   3. From any lane after signaling
   4. Only from the left portion of the lane nearest the centerline, never from the right lane
   Show answer

   Only from the left portion of the lane nearest the centerline, never from the right lane. The manual allows a U-turn only from the left portion of the lane nearest to the centerline of the roadway, never from the right lane. Starting from the right lane or the shoulder would cut across other traffic during the turn. Where turning around is necessary, the manual prefers using a parking lot or driveway and re-entering the road moving forward. Signs, school zones, curves and hills add further U-turn restrictions.

5. 5. When may a driver pass another vehicle on the right?

   1. Only in certain circumstances, when necessary and safe
   2. Whenever the shoulder is wider than the travel lane
   3. Whenever the driver wants to avoid a solid yellow line
   4. Whenever traffic behind the vehicle is moving faster
   Show answer

   Only in certain circumstances, when necessary and safe. New York allows passing on the right only in certain circumstances, and the maneuver must be necessary and safe. A wide shoulder does not automatically become a passing lane, and avoiding a solid yellow line is not a free pass to use the right side. Faster traffic behind you also creates no permission to overtake there. Check the roadway, the vehicle being passed, pedestrians, and vehicles entering from the right before considering the maneuver. If necessity or safety is uncertain, remain behind the vehicle.

6. 6. How must a driver overtake a bicyclist traveling ahead?

   1. Pass immediately on the right using the shoulder
   2. Share the bicycle's lane space while remaining beside it
   3. Pass on the left at a safe distance until the bicycle is cleared
   4. Sound the horn and pass without changing position
   Show answer

   Pass on the left at a safe distance until the bicycle is cleared. When overtaking a bicyclist from behind, New York requires passing on the left at a safe distance until the bicycle has been cleared. The shoulder is not a substitute lane, and remaining beside the bicycle in the same space leaves too little room. A horn can warn but does not satisfy the passing rule. Wait for a safe opening, give lateral space, and remain left until fully past before returning.

7. 7. Flashing red lights and a lowered gate are active at a railroad crossing. How far back must you stop?

   1. At least 15 feet from the tracks
   2. At least 3 feet from the tracks
   3. At least 30 feet from the tracks
   4. With the front bumper over the first rail
   Show answer

   At least 15 feet from the tracks. Flashing red lights, a lowered gate, or a bell at a railroad crossing requires stopping at least 15 feet from the tracks. Three feet is too close, while 30 feet is not the minimum stated here. Extending the bumper over a rail puts the vehicle in the crossing area. Stop before the marked line when one exists, keep clear of the rails, and wait until the signals stop and the gates are completely raised before moving.

8. 8. When may you proceed across railroad tracks if traffic is stopped beyond the crossing?

   1. As soon as the crossing signals stop, even if the exit is blocked
   2. When your front wheels reach the first rail
   3. Only when there is room for your entire vehicle on the other side
   4. After entering halfway and waiting on the tracks
   Show answer

   Only when there is room for your entire vehicle on the other side. A driver must not enter railroad tracks unless there is room for the entire vehicle to clear the crossing. A quiet signal does not guarantee a clear exit, and stopping halfway exposes the vehicle to a train. Reaching the first rail is not a safety threshold. Look beyond the tracks before proceeding. If vehicles occupy the far side, remain back until the route is open from approach to exit.

9. 9. You miss your intended expressway exit. What does the manual advise?

   1. Back up on the exit ramp to reach it
   2. Stay on the expressway until the next exit
   3. Cross the median immediately if traffic is light
   4. Stop in the travel lane and wait for a gap
   Show answer

   Stay on the expressway until the next exit. If a driver enters an expressway in the wrong direction or misses the intended exit, New York advises staying on the expressway until the next exit. Backing on a ramp, crossing a median, or stopping in a travel lane creates a conflict with faster traffic. Use the next exit to reorient and, if needed, re-enter in the proper direction. A missed exit is solved at the next legal exit, never by reversing.

10. 10. When must high beams be changed to low beam for an oncoming vehicle?

    1. When it is within 100 feet
    2. Only after it flashes its headlights
    3. When it is within 1,000 feet, regardless of direction
    4. When the oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet
    Show answer

    When the oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet. New York requires low beams when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet. The 100-foot option gives less warning, and waiting for a headlight flash is not the rule. The 1,000-foot choice confuses this figure with another visibility requirement. Dim early enough to avoid glare, look toward the right edge if needed, and restore high beams only after the opposing vehicle has passed and the roadway is clear.

11. 11. About how far ahead do New York headlights cover during night driving?

    1. About 100 feet
    2. About 350 feet
    3. About 500 feet
    4. About 1,000 feet
    Show answer

    About 350 feet. The manual says headlights cover about 350 feet ahead and advises driving at a speed that allows a stop within that distance. One hundred feet understates the visible range, while 500 and 1,000 feet overstate it. This is driving within the range of the headlights. At night, especially on an unfamiliar or curving road, choose a speed that leaves enough pavement inside the illuminated area for a controlled stop.

12. 12. What should you do immediately after a tire blowout?

    1. Brake hard before the vehicle begins to drift
    2. Turn sharply toward the shoulder
    3. Accelerate to keep the tire rotating
    4. Hold the wheel tightly and slowly release the accelerator
    Show answer

    Hold the wheel tightly and slowly release the accelerator. After a tire blows out, New York advises holding the steering wheel tightly and slowly taking your foot off the gas pedal. Hard braking or a sharp turn can worsen a skid before control is regained, while acceleration increases forces on the damaged tire. Keep the vehicle steady, avoid the brake until controlled, and leave the roadway only when safe. A thumping sound is a cue to check the tires before failure.

13. 13. A gas pedal remains stuck after you try to free it. What should you do?

    1. Turn off the ignition while moving at speed
    2. Shift into park immediately on the highway
    3. Shift into neutral, brake, and move off the road
    4. Press the accelerator harder to reset it
    Show answer

    Shift into neutral, brake, and move off the road. For a stuck gas pedal, New York advises trying to hook a shoe under it first. If it cannot be freed, shift into neutral, use the brake to slow, and get off the road. Turning off the ignition can remove steering control or lock the steering wheel. Selecting park at highway speed can damage the drivetrain, and pressing harder increases acceleration. Neutral separates engine power from the wheels while braking controls the slowdown.

14. 14. A steady yellow light appears as you approach a New York intersection. What should you do?

    1. Be prepared to stop for the red light
    2. Accelerate so the light cannot turn red before you enter
    3. Treat it as a flashing red and stop, then proceed
    4. Turn only if no pedestrian is waiting
    Show answer

    Be prepared to stop for the red light. A steady yellow signal means the green phase is ending and the light will change to red. The driver should prepare to stop, judging whether a safe stop is possible before the intersection. Accelerating to beat the change turns a warning into a risky maneuver, while a flashing red has the separate meaning of a stop sign. A useful cue is the color change itself: yellow is a transition warning, not permission to maintain speed regardless of distance. Check mirrors, ease off the accelerator, and stop before the line when stopping can be done safely.

15. 15. How must a driver respond to a flashing red traffic light in New York?

    1. Slow slightly and continue without yielding
    2. Stop, yield, and continue only when it is safe
    3. Wait for a green arrow before moving straight
    4. Treat it as a steady yellow signal
    Show answer

    Stop, yield, and continue only when it is safe. New York assigns a flashing red signal the same operational meaning as a STOP sign. Come to a complete stop, yield the right-of-way, and proceed only after checking that the movement is safe. Merely reducing speed leaves the stop requirement unmet, and a green arrow is not required for ordinary movement after the stop. Remember the sequence as stop, yield, go when safe. Look for pedestrians and cross traffic before releasing the brake, even when the intersection initially appears empty.

16. 16. Smoke starts coming from under your New York vehicle's hood. What should you do?

    1. Open the hood immediately and pour water on the engine
    2. Keep driving until you reach a repair shop
    3. Remain in the vehicle with the engine running
    4. Pull off, turn off the ignition, get away, and call the fire department
    Show answer

    Pull off, turn off the ignition, get away, and call the fire department. The manual treats an under-hood fire as an emergency requiring distance and professional help. Pull off the road and park, turn off the ignition, move away from the vehicle, and call the fire department. Opening the hood or trying to fight the flames yourself can expose you to heat and accelerate the danger. Continuing to a repair shop keeps the hazard moving through traffic. The concrete cue is smoke under the hood: stop in a safe place, shut down, evacuate, and summon firefighters.

17. 17. A red left arrow is illuminated at a New York traffic signal. What is prohibited?

    1. Turning left after stopping and yielding
    2. Moving left until the arrow is replaced by a green signal or arrow
    3. Turning left only when pedestrians are absent
    4. Proceeding left if the lane beside you is clear
    Show answer

    Moving left until the arrow is replaced by a green signal or arrow. A red arrow controls movement in the arrow's direction more specifically than a general red light. Do not move left until the red arrow turns off and a green light or arrow appears. Stopping first does not create a red-arrow exception, and an empty lane or empty crosswalk does not change the signal. The key visual cue is the illuminated arrow: wait for a green indication pointing in the permitted direction before beginning the turn.

18. 18. What does a red octagonal STOP sign require in New York?

    1. A rolling stop if the intersection is clear
    2. A stop only when another vehicle is visible
    3. A yield without stopping when no line is painted
    4. A full stop and yielding before proceeding safely
    Show answer

    A full stop and yielding before proceeding safely. The octagonal shape identifies a STOP sign, and New York requires a complete stop before the stop line when one is present. If there is no line, stop before the crosswalk, or before entering the intersection when neither marking exists. Yield to vehicles and pedestrians in or approaching the intersection, then go when safe. An empty-looking roadway does not convert the sign into a yield sign. The cue is the red octagon, followed by the stopping location marked on the pavement.

19. 19. In New York, when may a vehicle stop within 15 feet of a fire hydrant?

    1. Only if a licensed driver remains in the vehicle to move it in an emergency
    2. Never, for any reason
    3. When the hydrant is on the opposite side of the street
    4. When hazard lights are on
    Show answer

    Only if a licensed driver remains in the vehicle to move it in an emergency. You cannot park, stop or stand within 15 feet, about 5 meters, of a fire hydrant unless a licensed driver remains in the vehicle to move it in an emergency. That exception is the only one, and it requires a licensed driver at the wheel, not just flashing hazard lights. The same list bans double parking, stopping on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk, and stopping in an intersection unless signs or meters permit it.

20. 20. What is the purpose of a New York bike box at an intersection?

    1. It marks a lane reserved for parked motorcycles
    2. It tells drivers to accelerate before the cross street
    3. It gives bicyclists extra space ahead of the required vehicle stop
    4. It replaces the crosswalk for people on foot
    Show answer

    It gives bicyclists extra space ahead of the required vehicle stop. A bike box is a marked area at an intersection positioned ahead of where motor traffic must stop. Its purpose is to provide extra space for bicyclists, helping them position visibly before traffic moves. It is not a motorcycle parking area and does not invite drivers to enter early. Nor does it eliminate a pedestrian crosswalk. When the painted box is visible, stop behind the required line and scan for cyclists before turning or proceeding. The roadway marking itself is the cue to leave that space available.