PA Permit Practice Test 21

All 20 questions in test 21

Every question below comes from the Pennsylvania 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. After adjusting your seat, how should the side mirrors be set in Pennsylvania's guidance?

   1. So the whole side of the car fills each mirror without leaning
   2. So when you lean left or right you can just barely see the side of your vehicle
   3. So both mirrors show only the lane behind you, never the car body
   4. Once at the factory, since mirrors never need driver adjustment
   Show answer

   So when you lean left or right you can just barely see the side of your vehicle. Adjust the mirrors after adjusting your seat. Set the rearview mirror to show traffic directly behind you. Set the side mirrors so that when you lean left or right, you can just barely see the side of your vehicle. The manual says mirror adjustments may need to differ for each driver to remove blind spots. The passage behind this item: The side mirror(s) should be set so when you lean left/right you can just barely see the side of your vehicle. Set the mirrors after you adjust your seat.

   Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and the anti-texting law

2. 2. Who rides in the vehicle while a Pennsylvania Road Test is underway?

   1. The examiner and the licensed driver who accompanied the applicant
   2. The examiner plus a parent or guardian in the back seat
   3. A third-party observer chosen by the applicant
   4. The examiner as the only passenger
   Show answer

   The examiner as the only passenger. The examiner will be your only passenger during the Road Test. The examiner tells you where to drive and what maneuvers to make, and observes your vehicle control, signaling, and response to signs and traffic lights. Cited handbook wording: The examiner will be your only passenger during the Road Test. When the Road Test begins, you will be told where. That wording points to "The examiner as the only passenger."

   Study this in the handbook: Learner's permit, knowledge test and road test

3. 3. Four vehicles reach a four-way stop in Pennsylvania at different times, and each stops. Which vehicle should move forward first?

   1. The largest vehicle
   2. The vehicle that stopped with the most momentum
   3. The first vehicle to reach the intersection
   4. The driver on the left in every case
   Show answer

   The first vehicle to reach the intersection. At a four-way stop, all vehicles must stop, and the first vehicle to reach the intersection should move forward first. If two arrive at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. If facing one another, both may proceed with caution while watching for turns. Drivers must still yield or stop as necessary to avoid a crash.

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

4. 4. A driver of legal drinking age wants to manage drinking responsibly before driving. What pace does Pennsylvania's guidance set?

   1. One drink every 30 minutes
   2. No more than one drink per hour
   3. Two drinks per hour with food
   4. Any amount that keeps BAC under .08
   Show answer

   No more than one drink per hour. Responsible pacing means no more than one drink per hour for a person of legal drinking age, because a body of average weight needs at least one hour to process the alcohol in every drink. Doubling that pace outruns processing and pushes blood alcohol upward. Food alongside two hourly drinks does not restore the one drink ceiling either. Chasing a BAC estimate under .08 ignores how age, weight, gender, physical condition, food and medications shift alcohol concentration between people. Smaller bodies and women drinking equally with same-weight men can still reach higher levels, so the hourly cap is a ceiling, never a guarantee.

   Study this in the handbook: DUI, chemical tests and zero tolerance

5. 5. You parked beside traffic and are about to open your door toward bicyclists. What does the Dutch Reach method tell you to do?

   1. Open the door quickly with the hand nearest the door
   2. Open the door with your far hand (the hand farther from the door)
   3. Sound the horn, then swing the door fully open
   4. Ask a passenger to watch while you open without turning
   Show answer

   Open the door with your far hand (the hand farther from the door). The Dutch Reach means opening the door with the hand farther from it. This forces your body to turn, better allowing you to see approaching bicyclists, and prevents the door from opening too fast. The manual suggests checking the rear-view mirror, then the side-view mirror, then opening with the far hand. It also advises bicyclists to ride at least three feet from parked cars.

   Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and the anti-texting law

6. 6. Before taking the Road Test, a Pennsylvania driver under 18 must complete 65 hours of behind-the-wheel skill-building. How must part of those hours be split?

   1. No less than 10 hours of nighttime driving and five hours of bad weather driving
   2. No less than five hours of nighttime driving and 10 hours of bad weather driving
   3. No less than 10 hours of nighttime driving and 10 hours of bad weather driving
   4. All 65 hours in daylight, with night driving left until after licensing
   Show answer

   No less than 10 hours of nighttime driving and five hours of bad weather driving. Drivers under 18 must complete at least 65 hours of behind-the-wheel skill-building before the Road Test, including no less than 10 hours of nighttime driving and five hours of bad weather driving. The option reversing these figures gives too few nighttime hours. Ten bad weather hours exceeds the stated minimum, and daylight-only practice omits the required nighttime driving. Manual wording for this rule: If you are under the age of 18, you are required to complete at least 65 hours of behind-the-wheel skill-building including no less than 10 hours of nighttime driving and five (5) hours of bad weather driving.

   Study this in the handbook: Learner's permit, knowledge test and road test

7. 7. According to the Pennsylvania manual, how far does a loaded truck at 65 mph need to stop, compared with a passenger vehicle?

   1. About 200 feet, the same as a car
   2. 400 feet, compared with 600 feet for a car
   3. At least 600 feet, compared with 400 feet for a passenger vehicle
   4. 1,000 feet, compared with 100 feet for a car
   Show answer

   At least 600 feet, compared with 400 feet for a passenger vehicle. The Pennsylvania manual says a loaded truck with good tires and brakes at 65 mph on a clear, dry road needs at least 600 feet to stop, compared with 400 feet for a passenger vehicle. Trucks with air brakes need more room, not the same or less, so the equal and reversed choices are wrong. One thousand and 100 feet are not the manual's figures. Avoid changing lanes in front of a large vehicle.

   Study this in the handbook: School buses, emergency vehicles and the Move Over law

8. 8. You want a copy of your Pennsylvania driving record from PennDOT's website. Which items must you provide?

   1. Only your name and license plate number
   2. A notarized letter and your insurance policy number
   3. Your full Social Security number and a utility bill
   4. Your driver's license number, date of birth, last four digits of your Social Security number, and your credit card information
   Show answer

   Your driver's license number, date of birth, last four digits of your Social Security number, and your credit card information. To obtain a driving record through PennDOT’s website, the manual says you need your driver’s license number, date of birth, last four digits of your Social Security number, and credit card information. Cited handbook wording: Record on our website at www.dmv.pa.gov. You will need your driver’s license number, date of birth, last four digits of your Social Security number and your credit card information.

   Study this in the handbook: Points, insurance and crash duties

9. 9. A hostile driver gestures and shouts at you on a Pennsylvania road. Which responses does the road rage guidance prescribe?

   1. Avoid eye contact, ignore gestures, and do not gesture back
   2. Gesture back so the driver backs down
   3. Slow down beside the driver to talk it out
   4. Follow the driver until police arrive
   Show answer

   Avoid eye contact, ignore gestures, and do not gesture back. Avoid eye contact with a hostile driver, ignore gestures and do not gesture back. Make every attempt to get out of the aggressive driver’s way and do not block the passing lane. If pursued, go to a police station, convenience store or another location with help and witnesses, rather than home. Controlling manual language: Avoid eye contact with a hostile driver. Ignore gestures, and do not gesture back.

   Study this in the handbook: Skids, blowouts, floods and brake trouble

10. 10. You pulled over for one Pennsylvania emergency vehicle and it just passed you. What must you check before driving again?

    1. Whether your flashers are still on
    2. Whether traffic behind you has stopped
    3. Whether the roadside is wet or dry
    4. Whether another emergency vehicle is coming
    Show answer

    Whether another emergency vehicle is coming. Before driving again after an emergency vehicle passes, make sure another emergency vehicle is not coming. When you resume, keep at least 500 feet away from the emergency vehicle that passed. Controlling manual language: Make sure another emergency vehicle is not coming. That wording points to "Whether another emergency vehicle is coming." By contrast, vehicles behind you will follow your lead, so your check protects them as well.

    Study this in the handbook: School buses, emergency vehicles and the Move Over law

11. 11. You see a pilot vehicle with special signs and lights ahead on a Pennsylvania road. What is it warning you about, and what should you do?

    1. A funeral procession; join the line of vehicles
    2. A school bus stop; prepare to stop 10 feet away
    3. An oversized load or slow moving vehicle; take extra caution
    4. A work zone flagger; stop until waved on
    Show answer

    An oversized load or slow moving vehicle; take extra caution. Pilot vehicles use special signs and lights to warn of oversized loads or slow-moving vehicles. Take extra caution. Oversized loads usually stay within prescribed lanes, but obstacles on the berm can cause them to cross a yellow or white line because of their width. Treat them using the same rules as trucks. Controlling manual language: Are required to have special signs and lights to help identify them as such, and drivers should be aware that when they are seen they are approaching an oversized vehicle. When you see these vehicles, please take extra caution.

    Study this in the handbook: School buses, emergency vehicles and the Move Over law

12. 12. When changing lanes to pass a slower vehicle on a Pennsylvania highway, how should the lane changes be made?

    1. Cross two lanes in one smooth sweep when both look empty
    2. Signal once for a double lane change
    3. Move first and signal as you cross the line
    4. Only change lanes one lane at a time, use your turn signal every time, and turn it on in plenty of time for other drivers to see it
    Show answer

    Only change lanes one lane at a time, use your turn signal every time, and turn it on in plenty of time for other drivers to see it. Passing a slower vehicle on a highway calls for changing only one lane at a time. Use your turn signal for every lane change, turning it on early enough for other drivers to see it. Cited handbook wording: Only change lanes one (1) lane at a time, use your turn signal every time you change lanes, and turn it on in plenty of time for other drivers to see it.

    Study this in the handbook: Signaling, turning, U-turns and passing

13. 13. What does the Driver's License Compact's one driver record concept require?

    1. A separate record in every state where you drive
    2. That a complete driver record be maintained in your state of residence
    3. That out-of-state convictions stay hidden from your home state
    4. That you hold one license plate for every member state
    Show answer

    That a complete driver record be maintained in your state of residence. Member states maintain one complete driver record in the driver's state of residence, and that record determines eligibility at home as well as the non-resident operating privilege elsewhere. Scattering records state by state defeats the single record idea. Hiding out-of-state convictions contradicts the companion duty to report convictions and suspensions to the home agency. License plates play no part in this record keeping concept. Together with the one license rule, the system treats offenses committed in other member states as though they occurred at home. Your home record is therefore the file that follows you.

    Study this in the handbook: DUI, chemical tests and zero tolerance

14. 14. Signs at a signalized intersection in Pennsylvania read NO LEFT TURN and ALL TURNS FROM RIGHT LANE, and the road has a jughandle. How do you make the left turn?

    1. Turn left across oncoming traffic anyway
    2. Make a U-turn past the intersection
    3. Use the right turn lane curving back to the major road, then turn left at the light
    4. Stop in the center lane and wait for a gap
    Show answer

    Use the right turn lane curving back to the major road, then turn left at the light. To make a left turn using a jughandle, use the right turn lane that curves back to intersect the major road at a traffic light, then turn left. The manual describes these roads as having a physical divider and signs saying NO LEFT TURN or NO U-TURN and ALL TURNS FROM RIGHT LANE. Manual wording for this rule: With jughandles for making left turns. Instead of making a left turn directly across oncoming traffic, you will use a right turn lane curving back to intersect the major road at a traffic light then turn left.

15. 15. How do traffic fatality rates at night compare with daylight rates in Pennsylvania's manual?

    1. Three to four times higher at night
    2. About the same at night and in daylight
    3. Twice as high in daylight
    4. Higher in daylight because traffic is heavier
    Show answer

    Three to four times higher at night. The manual says traffic fatality rates are three to four times higher at night than in daylight. Night driving limits vision, headlight glare may temporarily blind drivers, and more tired or impaired drivers are likely to be on the road. Distance judgment, color vision and side vision are reduced. Clean headlights at least weekly, because dirty headlights may provide only half their intended light.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed, night driving and bad weather

16. 16. On a Pennsylvania divided highway, what does a solid yellow line along the left edge tell you?

    1. Yellow lines mark only the right edge of rural roads
    2. Yellow lines mark parking lane boundaries in cities
    3. Yellow lines mark the left edge of divided highways, one-way streets and ramps
    4. Yellow lines mark bicycle lanes on shared streets
    Show answer

    Yellow lines mark the left edge of divided highways, one-way streets and ramps. Yellow lines separate traffic moving in opposite directions and mark the center of two-lane roads. They also mark the left edge of divided highways, one-way streets and ramps. Solid white lines mark the right edge of the road. Controlling manual language: Yellow lines are used to mark the center of two-lane roads, and to mark the left edge of divided highways, one-way streets and ramps.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and lane use signs

17. 17. What does a WEAVE AREA sign warn a Pennsylvania driver about?

    1. Loose gravel will cover both lanes
    2. A drawbridge opens for boat traffic ahead
    3. School buses load on both sides of the road
    4. You will merge with another roadway while some traffic exits and crosses your path
    Show answer

    You will merge with another roadway while some traffic exits and crosses your path. A WEAVE AREA sign warns that you will merge with another roadway while some traffic exits and crosses your path. In a highway weaving lane, entering traffic must yield to exiting traffic. Manual wording for this rule: This sign is used to warn that you will be merging with another roadway as some traffic is exiting and crossing your path. That wording points to "You will merge with another roadway while some traffic exits and crosses your path."

18. 18. A ROAD ENTERING CURVE sign is posted in Pennsylvania. What layout does it describe?

    1. The main road ends and becomes a parking lot entrance
    2. The main road curves to the left with a side road entering from the right
    3. A side road curves to the right with the main road entering from the left
    4. Two main roads merge at a tunnel portal
    Show answer

    The main road curves to the left with a side road entering from the right. The sign describes a main road curving left with a side road entering from the right. Approach with extra caution: a driver entering from the side road may not see you around the curve and may pull out in front of you, leaving little room to avoid a crash if you are traveling too fast. The cited manual passage: The main road curves to the left with a side road entering from the right. Approach the intersection with extra caution.

19. 19. Which group does the manual specifically identify as needing a Pennsylvania driver’s license to operate a non-military vehicle?

    1. A member of the United States Armed Forces whose legal address is in Pennsylvania, including reserve members stationed in Pennsylvania
    2. A visitor holding a valid foreign license for two years after entry
    3. A new resident who keeps another state license for six months
    4. Any tourist passing through Pennsylvania for a weekend
    Show answer

    A member of the United States Armed Forces whose legal address is in Pennsylvania, including reserve members stationed in Pennsylvania. The manual specifically identifies people in the United States Armed Forces whose legal address is in Pennsylvania, including reserve component members stationed in Pennsylvania, as needing a Pennsylvania license to operate a non-military vehicle. Controlling manual language: People in the United States Armed Forces whose legal address is in Pennsylvania - this includes members of the reserve components stationed in Pennsylvania, who must get a driver’s license to operate a non-military vehicle.

    Study this in the handbook: Learner's permit, knowledge test and road test

20. 20. Which driving behavior does the guidance associate with cocaine or methamphetamine use?

    1. Aggressive and reckless driving
    2. Steady speeds with longer following gaps
    3. Improved distance judgment on curves
    4. Drowsiness identical to opioid effects
    Show answer

    Aggressive and reckless driving. Cocaine or methamphetamine can cause aggressive and reckless driving. The manual separately says marijuana can slow reaction time and impair judgment of time and distance, certain sedatives can cause dizziness and drowsiness, and opioids can cause drowsiness and slow reaction time. The passage behind this item: Marijuana can slow reaction time, impair judgment of time and distance, and decrease coordination. Cocaine or methamphetamine can cause a driver to be aggressive and reckless when driving.

    Study this in the handbook: DUI, chemical tests and zero tolerance