PA Permit Practice Test 5

All 20 questions in test 5

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. What does the WINDING ROAD warning sign indicate?

   1. A rough pavement section with repeated bumps
   2. A place where strong crosswinds are expected
   3. Three or more curves in a row are ahead
   4. A single curve followed by a long straightaway
   Show answer

   Three or more curves in a row are ahead. The WINDING ROAD sign means at least three curves occur in succession on the road ahead. The bumpy-road choice concerns pavement condition, and the high-wind choice confuses the word winding with wind. Treat the sign as a speed-management warning for a continuing sequence, not a single bend that ends immediately. Reduce speed before the first curve and keep the vehicle under control through the series. A practical cue is to count the repeated changes in direction represented by the symbol and avoid accelerating between them.

2. 2. How should a driver approach the intersection types shown by the pictured warning signs?

   1. With extra caution, searching ahead and preparing to slow if necessary
   2. At full speed because warning signs control no traffic
   3. By stopping on the roadway before every intersection
   4. By moving left immediately to avoid crossing traffic
   Show answer

   With extra caution, searching ahead and preparing to slow if necessary. Pennsylvania's intersection warning signs show how roads join and warn about possible problems with other vehicles' movements. The manual directs drivers to approach all of these intersection types with extra caution, search ahead, and prepare to slow down if necessary. The signs are not permission to maintain full speed, a command to stop before every crossing, or an instruction to move left. Scan both sides, identify the joining roadway, and adjust speed early enough to respond to entering traffic.

3. 3. Where does the pennant-shaped NO PASSING ZONE sign mark the beginning of a restriction?

   1. At the end of a no-passing zone beside a picnic area
   2. At the start of a divided highway on the right side
   3. At the beginning of a no-passing zone on the left side of the road
   4. At a school crossing where passing is encouraged
   Show answer

   At the beginning of a no-passing zone on the left side of the road. The pennant is the distinctive warning sign that marks the beginning of a no-passing zone, and it faces drivers from the left side of the road. The end-of-zone choice reverses the message, while the picnic and divided-highway descriptions belong to other roadway information. Passing becomes unsafe where sight distance or another condition is restricted, so the sign should prompt the driver to remain behind the vehicle ahead. The recognition cue is unusual shape and placement together: a pennant on the left means the restriction is starting.

4. 4. When a school bus is stopped with red lights flashing and its stop arm extended, when may opposing traffic continue?

   1. When no children are visible near the bus
   2. When the driver can pass at less than 15 mph
   3. When traveling on the opposite side of a divided highway
   4. When following traffic is close behind
   Show answer

   When traveling on the opposite side of a divided highway. The school-bus stopping rule has one exception. If the bus is on the opposite side of a divided highway separated by a concrete or metal barrier, guide rail, or a median such as grass, the approaching driver does not have to stop. The driver must still reduce speed and continue with caution. Visibility of children, a low passing speed, or pressure from following traffic does not create an exception. First identify the flashing red lights and extended arm, then look for a physical separation between roadways.

5. 5. What share of people in Pennsylvania crashes in 2017 were wearing seat belts, and which age group used them least?

   1. 80.2 percent, with drivers ages 16 to 24 having the lowest use and the most unbuckled injuries
   2. 99 percent, with seniors lowest
   3. 50 percent, with children lowest
   4. 25 percent, with truck drivers lowest
   Show answer

   80.2 percent, with drivers ages 16 to 24 having the lowest use and the most unbuckled injuries. In 2017, 80.2 percent of people involved in Pennsylvania crashes were wearing seat belts, and drivers ages 16 to 24 had the highest number of unbuckled injuries and fatalities of any age group and the lowest seat belt use. The belt is the single most effective protection in a crash, and the state's seat belt, child restraint and air bag rules are in Chapter 5.

6. 6. Under Pennsylvania's Move Over Law, what should you do when an amber-lit maintenance vehicle blocks part of your lane?

   1. Ignore the vehicle because amber lights have no legal meaning
   2. Stop in the travel lane until the maintenance work ends
   3. Reduce speed to at least 20 mph below the posted limit if moving over is impossible
   4. Use the shoulder to pass at the posted speed
   Show answer

   Reduce speed to at least 20 mph below the posted limit if moving over is impossible. Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law asks drivers to move into a lane that is not next to an emergency response area or disabled vehicle. If congestion, weather, or another condition makes that lane change impossible, the fallback is substantial speed reduction: at least 20 miles per hour below the posted limit. Ignoring the warning fails to protect workers, and stopping in the travel lane creates a new obstruction. First look for a safe lane change; if none exists, reduce speed by the stated amount.

7. 7. How often must a Pennsylvania vehicle receive a safety inspection at an authorized inspection station?

   1. Every 12 months
   2. Every 24 months
   3. Only when ownership changes
   4. Only after a police citation
   Show answer

   Every 12 months. A Pennsylvania vehicle needs a safety inspection every 12 months at an authorized inspection station. The two-year choice stretches the inspection interval beyond the manual’s requirement, while ownership transfer is not the event that alone determines the recurring due date. A citation can expose faulty equipment, but waiting for police action would leave an ordinary vehicle overdue. Check the date on the inspection sticker and plan service before that date arrives. The recurring annual sticker date is the practical memory cue.

8. 8. When must Pennsylvania drivers use headlights in a posted work zone?

   1. Only after sunset
   2. Only when workers are standing in the travel lane
   3. Only during rain or snow
   4. At any time of day while traveling through the work zone
   Show answer

   At any time of day while traveling through the work zone. Pennsylvania makes headlight use mandatory throughout every posted work zone, regardless of whether the visit occurs during daylight or darkness. The sunset choice is too narrow, and waiting until workers occupy the lane misunderstands the purpose of advance visibility. Rain is another trigger elsewhere in the law, but it is not required for this work-zone rule. Turn the headlights on before entering the signed area and keep them on until the work-zone roadway ends. The cue is simple: posted work zone means lights on.

9. 9. What should a driver do when approaching an intersection under a steady yellow light?

   1. Accelerate to beat the red signal
   2. Slow down and prepare to stop, continuing only if stopping is unsafe
   3. Treat yellow exactly like a green light
   4. Stop inside the intersection before turning
   Show answer

   Slow down and prepare to stop, continuing only if stopping is unsafe. A steady yellow light means a steady red light will soon appear. A driver approaching the intersection should slow and prepare to stop, while a driver already inside or too close to stop safely may continue through carefully. Accelerating encourages a race against the signal, and treating yellow as green ignores the warning phase. Judge distance, traffic, and traction before braking. The practical cue is to cover the brake and look for a safe stopping point before the crosswalk or stop line.

10. 10. Which Pennsylvania roadway area is marked by the five-sided SCHOOL sign?

    1. A railroad crossing with a protected pedestrian path
    2. A hospital entrance used by school buses
    3. A recreational area with a picnic shelter
    4. An approaching school zone, or its crosswalk when an arrow is shown
    Show answer

    An approaching school zone, or its crosswalk when an arrow is shown. Pennsylvania uses the five-sided SCHOOL sign to announce an approaching school zone. A downward-pointing arrow with that sign identifies the school-zone crosswalk. The railroad, hospital, and recreation choices assign the pentagon to unrelated locations. After recognizing it, reduce attention to distractions, watch for children, and be ready to stop. School-zone signals and posted times can also activate a 15 mph limit, so the shape should trigger both a pedestrian scan and a speed check.

11. 11. When must a Pennsylvania driver turn on headlights because of weather-related wiper use?

    1. Only when the wipers have been running for 30 minutes
    2. Whenever the vehicle's wipers are in continuous or intermittent use
    3. Only when driving after sunset
    4. Only when high beams are selected
    Show answer

    Whenever the vehicle's wipers are in continuous or intermittent use. Pennsylvania’s headlight and windshield-wiper rule links the two controls whenever weather requires continuous or intermittent wiper use. The driver must turn on headlights during that period, and daytime running lights alone are not enough because the tail lights must also be illuminated. Sunset is a separate trigger, not a waiting period, and high beams are not required. When rain or another weather condition starts the wipers, use the headlights at the same time and verify the rear lights are on.

12. 12. At highway speeds on dry pavement, what following distance does the manual recommend?

    1. At least four seconds
    2. Exactly one car length
    3. Two seconds regardless of speed
    4. No set distance if the driver is alert
    Show answer

    At least four seconds. The manual’s four-second rule provides a space cushion that gives a driver time to steer or brake around a hazard on a dry highway. A fixed one-car-length answer changes with speed and is not a reliable measure. Two seconds is shorter than the stated highway guideline, while alertness alone cannot remove stopping distance. Use a roadside mark to measure the gap: when the vehicle ahead passes it, count to four before your front bumper reaches the same point. Add more room in rain, downhill travel, or behind large vehicles.

13. 13. According to the Pennsylvania manual, how often does a teenager dialing a cell phone miss an important event on the road?

    1. 5 percent of the time
    2. The same as an adult
    3. 53 percent of the time, compared with 13 percent for an adult
    4. Never, if the call is short
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    53 percent of the time, compared with 13 percent for an adult. An adult dialing a cell phone misses the same driving event 13 percent of the time, but a teenager dialing a cell phone misses it 53 percent of the time. Inexperience makes distraction far more costly, which is why Pennsylvania restricts phone use for young drivers and bans texting for everyone. Driver distraction adds up to roughly 1.2 million crashes a year.

14. 14. When following a horse-drawn vehicle in Pennsylvania, what spacing practice is important?

    1. Follow closely so the driver can see your headlights
    2. Sound the horn repeatedly to keep the horse moving
    3. Pass immediately before the vehicle reaches a hill
    4. Leave plenty of room because the vehicle may roll backward after stopping
    Show answer

    Leave plenty of room because the vehicle may roll backward after stopping. The manual advises leaving plenty of room behind a horse-drawn vehicle because it can roll backward after stopping. Following closely reduces the other driver’s ability to see you and leaves little room to pass safely. Repeated horn use can frighten the horse, and passing before a hill is not a general safety rule. Keep a generous gap, approach quietly, and wait for a clear opportunity if passing is permitted. The cue is the possibility of backward movement after a stop.

15. 15. If an oncoming vehicle suddenly enters your lane and a crash cannot be avoided, what does the manual advise?

    1. Swerve left toward the other vehicle
    2. Brake firmly and steadily
    3. Accelerate to reduce the time of impact
    4. Release the steering wheel and close your eyes
    Show answer

    Brake firmly and steadily. When an oncoming driver occupies your lane, the manual says to try escaping to the right when possible. If impact cannot be avoided, brake firmly and steadily. Swerving left can place both vehicles on the same path, and acceleration increases impact speed rather than protecting the occupants. Releasing control abandons the driver’s best chance to reduce harm. Sound the horn, look for a right-side escape, and keep braking in a controlled line if no route remains.

16. 16. How should a driver treat an intersection controlled by a non-functioning traffic signal?

    1. Treat it as a flashing yellow signal
    2. Give priority to the largest roadway
    3. Proceed without stopping if no light is visible
    4. Treat it as a four-way STOP sign
    Show answer

    Treat it as a four-way STOP sign. Pennsylvania directs drivers to treat a non-functioning traffic signal as though it were a four-way STOP sign. Every approach must stop and then proceed only after checking for conflicting traffic and pedestrians. The flashing-yellow choice would call for caution without the all-way stop treatment, while the largest-roadway choice invents a priority rule. Do not assume a dark signal means unrestricted movement. Approach as an all-way stop, establish the order of travel, and enter only when the intersection is clear.

17. 17. What action is required when an emergency vehicle approaches with flashing red or red-and-blue lights?

    1. Continue in the lane because the emergency vehicle can pass
    2. Pull to the curb or side of the road and stop, staying clear of intersections
    3. Stop in the center of the intersection
    4. Follow the emergency vehicle closely after it passes
    Show answer

    Pull to the curb or side of the road and stop, staying clear of intersections. When an emergency vehicle approaches with flashing red or red-and-blue lights, Pennsylvania drivers must pull toward the curb or roadside and stop. They should drive parallel and as near to the curb as possible, remain clear of intersections, and wait until the vehicle passes. Stopping in an intersection blocks the emergency route, while following closely violates the required 500-foot gap after passage. Notice the lights early, signal your move, and stay stopped until the route is clear.

18. 18. What does an advisory speed sign placed with a diamond-shaped warning sign communicate?

    1. A legally binding minimum speed for every vehicle
    2. The distance to the next fuel station
    3. The highest speed recommended for the warned condition
    4. A school-zone penalty that applies regardless of location
    Show answer

    The highest speed recommended for the warned condition. An advisory speed sign gives the highest speed a driver should use around the warned feature, such as a sharp curve. It is paired with a diamond-shaped warning sign to help drivers select a safer speed for that condition. The minimum-speed choice changes a recommendation into a requirement, and the fuel-station and school-zone choices describe unrelated information. Treat the number as a cautionary ceiling for the curve, then reduce farther if rain, darkness, traffic, or visibility makes the roadway more demanding.

19. 19. Being awake for 18 hours impairs driving about as much as what blood alcohol level, according to the Pennsylvania manual?

    1. .05 percent
    2. .02 percent
    3. .10 percent
    4. It has no measurable effect
    Show answer

    .05 percent. Being awake for 18 hours impairs your driving about as much as a blood alcohol level of .05 percent. Falling asleep while driving causes at least 100,000 crashes a year nationally, killing 1,500 people and injuring 40,000, and almost half of those crashes involve drivers between 15 and 24. When tired you react slower and your judgment and vision suffer.

20. 20. When driving behind a large vehicle that blocks your view ahead, what should you do?

    1. Move close to the rear bumper to improve your view
    2. Pass immediately without checking oncoming traffic
    3. Allow extra following distance so you can see and react
    4. Use the shoulder to create a wider gap
    Show answer

    Allow extra following distance so you can see and react. A truck, bus, van, or vehicle pulling a trailer can hide hazards and may stop suddenly without knowing you are behind it. The manual therefore calls for more space than usual when a large vehicle blocks the view ahead. Following close reduces reaction time, and an immediate pass may expose the driver to unseen traffic. Stay centered in your lane, enlarge the gap, and use the extra distance to see around the vehicle without tailgating. The cue is blocked view, which means added space.