PA Permit Practice Test 9

All 20 questions in test 9

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 should a driver do after missing a highway exit in Pennsylvania?

   1. Stop and back up on the highway
   2. Cross the median and turn around
   3. Swerve across lanes at the last second
   4. Take the next exit
   Show answer

   Take the next exit. If you miss an exit, Pennsylvania directs you to take the next one. Stopping or backing on the highway, crossing the median, or swerving across several lanes can cause a high-speed collision and is illegal or hazardous. Continue with the traffic flow, maintain control, and use the next exit to reroute. The cue is simple: a missed ramp is a navigation problem, not an emergency that justifies reversing or making a sudden cross-lane maneuver.

2. 2. When parking beside a curb in Pennsylvania, how close must your vehicle be?

   1. No more than 3 feet from the curb
   2. No more than 12 inches from the curb
   3. At least 24 inches from the curb
   4. Only close enough for the tires to touch
   Show answer

   No more than 12 inches from the curb. Pennsylvania says a vehicle parked on a street with a curb should be as close to the curb as possible, but no more than 12 inches away. Three feet leaves the vehicle exposed in the travel area, and moving the tires against the curb is not the stated parking method. If there is no curb, pull as far off the roadway as possible instead. Use the curb distance as a final check before leaving the vehicle, alongside the parking brake and traffic scan.

3. 3. If a Pennsylvania street has a curb, how far from it should a driver park?

   1. At least 24 inches away
   2. No more than 3 feet away
   3. At least 6 feet away
   4. No more than 12 inches away
   Show answer

   No more than 12 inches away. On a street with a curb, Pennsylvania instructs the driver to park as close to the curb as possible, but no more than 12 inches away. The larger distances in the other choices leave the vehicle farther from the edge than the manual permits. This rule concerns the vehicle's lateral position after stopping, not a minimum gap to create beside the curb. Approach parallel to the curb, leave enough room for passing traffic, and check the final position before securing the vehicle.

4. 4. In a review of 12,000 crashes cited by the Pennsylvania manual, how many drivers took no action to avoid the crash?

   1. 2 percent
   2. 37 percent
   3. 90 percent
   4. None
   Show answer

   37 percent. In a review of 12,000 crashes, 37 percent of the drivers took no action to avoid the crash, which means more than a third never braked or steered before impact. Scanning far ahead, keeping a space cushion, and deciding in advance where you would go in an emergency give you the time to act. Steering around a hazard is often possible when stopping is not.

5. 5. At a railroad crossing with more than one track, when should a Pennsylvania driver start across after a train passes?

   1. Immediately when the first train clears
   2. When one track is visibly empty
   3. After getting a clear view down both tracks
   4. After following the vehicle ahead without checking
   Show answer

   After getting a clear view down both tracks. After a train passes at a crossing with multiple tracks, Pennsylvania says to wait until you have a clear view down both tracks before starting. Another train may be approaching on the track hidden by the first train. Moving immediately, checking only one track, or blindly following another vehicle removes the needed second look. Remain stopped, scan both directions, and proceed only when the entire crossing and the route beyond it are clear.

6. 6. What should you do if traffic ahead leaves you without enough room to clear a railroad crossing?

   1. Wait before driving onto the tracks
   2. Enter and stop on the tracks
   3. Follow the vehicle ahead onto the crossing
   4. Use the shoulder to bypass the queue
   Show answer

   Wait before driving onto the tracks. A driver must have enough room to get completely across the tracks before entering a railroad crossing. If traffic slows ahead, wait for it to clear rather than becoming trapped. Stopping on the tracks or blindly following another vehicle creates a direct collision risk, and using the shoulder is not a safe workaround. Look beyond the rails, judge the available exit space, and move only when your vehicle can leave the crossing without stopping.

7. 7. After passing a bicyclist in Pennsylvania, what should you avoid doing immediately?

   1. Checking the rearview mirror
   2. Maintaining a steady course
   3. Slowing or stopping quickly
   4. Leaving room before returning
   Show answer

   Slowing or stopping quickly. Pennsylvania warns drivers not to slow down or stop quickly immediately after passing a bicyclist. The cyclist may still be close behind and could collide with the vehicle when its speed changes suddenly. Checking mirrors, holding a steady course, and leaving space are compatible with a safe pass. Once clear, continue smoothly long enough for the bicyclist to regain a safe following distance, then make any needed speed change gradually.

8. 8. How much space must Pennsylvania drivers allow a motorcycle to use?

   1. One complete lane
   2. Half a lane
   3. Only the shoulder
   4. The center line and half a lane
   Show answer

   One complete lane. Pennsylvania law requires a motorcyclist or moped driver to be allowed one complete lane. A motorcycle’s smaller size does not make it a half-lane vehicle, and drivers must not crowd it or share its lane. The shoulder is not a substitute for the motorcycle’s roadway space. Treat the motorcycle as a full vehicle, maintain a safe position, and change lanes only after checking that the entire adjacent lane is clear.

9. 9. What following distance should a Pennsylvania driver allow behind a motorcycle or moped?

   1. Exactly one second
   2. At least four seconds, or more in poor conditions
   3. Two car lengths in every condition
   4. The same distance as a parked vehicle
   Show answer

   At least four seconds, or more in poor conditions. Pennsylvania advises allowing the same four-second following distance or more behind a motorcycle or moped, with extra space when road or weather conditions are bad. A fixed one-second gap or two car lengths does not account for speed, surface, or the rider’s need to maneuver. Use a stationary roadside object to count four seconds after the motorcycle passes it, then increase the count when rain, ice, or another hazard reduces traction.

10. 10. If a truck is passing you in Pennsylvania, how should you manage your speed?

    1. Increase it to stay beside the truck
    2. Brake hard immediately
    3. Move into the truck’s blind spot
    4. Reduce it slightly and then keep it steady
    Show answer

    Reduce it slightly and then keep it steady. When a truck passes, Pennsylvania recommends reducing speed slightly and then keeping it steady. Increasing speed prolongs the truck’s pass and can trap your vehicle beside it. Hard braking may create a conflict for traffic behind you, and moving into a blind spot removes the truck driver’s view. Stay toward the far side of your lane, maintain a calm speed, and leave the truck room to complete the maneuver before changing position.

11. 11. When following a truck, how can a Pennsylvania driver tell whether the truck driver can see the car?

    1. If you can see the truck’s side mirrors
    2. If the truck’s brake lights are on
    3. If you are close enough to read its plate
    4. If you cannot see the truck’s front
    Show answer

    If you can see the truck’s side mirrors. When following a truck or bus, Pennsylvania explains that if you cannot see its side mirrors, the large-vehicle driver cannot see you. Staying visible in those mirrors also gives you a better view ahead and more time to react. Reading a plate or judging the truck’s brake lights does not answer the visibility question. Drop back or reposition until the mirrors are visible, while maintaining enough distance for the truck’s longer stopping needs.

12. 12. How long can a Pennsylvania driver's privilege be suspended for refusing a chemical test and then being found guilty of DUI?

    1. 30 days
    2. Six months
    3. Up to two and a half years, depending on the BAC at arrest
    4. Ten years
    Show answer

    Up to two and a half years, depending on the BAC at arrest. If you refuse to take a chemical test and you are found guilty of DUI, your driving privilege may be suspended for two and a half years depending on your BAC level at the time of arrest. A chemical test refusal restoration fee also applies, $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second and $2,000 for a third or later, on top of the regular restoration fee.

13. 13. What is Pennsylvania's chemical test refusal restoration fee for a second offense?

    1. $1,000, compared with $500 for a first and $2,000 for a third
    2. $100
    3. $250
    4. There is no fee
    Show answer

    $1,000, compared with $500 for a first and $2,000 for a third. The chemical test refusal restoration fee is $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second offense, and $2,000 for a third or subsequent offense, and it is charged in addition to the restoration fee required under the Vehicle Code. Refusal can also mean a suspension of up to two and a half years if you are convicted of DUI. A judge may add up to 150 hours of community service.

14. 14. What must a Pennsylvania driver do when approaching an emergency scene, police stop, or tow truck?

    1. Stop in the adjacent lane
    2. Speed past without changing position
    3. Move into a nonadjacent lane if possible
    4. Use the shoulder regardless of traffic
    Show answer

    Move into a nonadjacent lane if possible. At an emergency scene, police stop, or disabled-vehicle tow operation, Pennsylvania says the driver must move into a nonadjacent lane. That creates a buffer for people and vehicles working near the roadway. Stopping beside the scene or speeding past keeps the vehicle in the danger area, and using the shoulder regardless of traffic may create another conflict. Check mirrors early, signal, move over when safe, and if that cannot be done, apply the required speed reduction instead.

15. 15. How much can hosting a drinking party for 17 teenagers cost a Pennsylvania adult, according to the manual's example?

    1. $500
    2. $41,000
    3. $1,700
    4. Nothing, if no one drives
    Show answer

    $41,000. The Zero Tolerance law establishes serious consequences for drivers under 21 with any measurable alcohol, and adults who furnish alcohol to minors face fines per minor; the manual's example is that a party with 17 drinking teenagers in your home could cost you $41,000. Under 21, Pennsylvania law does not permit driving with any measurable alcohol in your system, and the license suspension applies even for a first offense.

16. 16. What should a Pennsylvania driver do during heavy fog?

    1. Use high beams and continue at the normal speed
    2. Stop in the travel lane with no lights
    3. Follow the vehicle ahead more closely
    4. Pull off the road if possible and wait for visibility to improve
    Show answer

    Pull off the road if possible and wait for visibility to improve. Pennsylvania recommends getting off the road, preferably into a parking lot, and waiting when fog makes travel unsafe. Continuing at normal speed with high beams can worsen glare and shorten the usable view, while stopping unlit in a lane creates a collision target. Following closely removes stopping space. If you must continue briefly, slow enough to stop within what you can see, use low beams, and choose a safe place to wait rather than pressing into dense fog.

17. 17. How many hours of Alcohol Highway Safety School does a Pennsylvania DUI offender attend?

    1. 2 hours
    2. 12 and a half hours
    3. 40 hours
    4. 100 hours
    Show answer

    12 and a half hours. A DUI offender must participate in 12 and a half hours of Alcohol Highway Safety School, may be ordered to complete up to 150 hours of community service, and faces license suspension, fines and possible jail depending on BAC tier and prior offenses. Refusing the chemical test does not avoid these penalties and adds a refusal restoration fee and a longer suspension.

18. 18. If a Pennsylvania vehicle drifts onto a soft shoulder, how fast should it be traveling before returning to the pavement?

    1. At the original highway speed
    2. At least 45 mph
    3. Fast enough to match traffic before steering back
    4. Very slowly, less than 25 mph and preferably closer to 10 mph
    Show answer

    Very slowly, less than 25 mph and preferably closer to 10 mph. For a vehicle that has drifted off the pavement, Pennsylvania says to continue slowing gradually until traveling very slowly, less than 25 mph and preferably closer to 10 mph, before easing back onto the road. Returning at highway speed can cause a sharp sideways whip, especially when the shoulder is soft or wet. Do not brake suddenly or jerk the wheel. Keep the vehicle parallel, check behind, signal, and reenter gently when the lane is clear.

19. 19. What should a Pennsylvania driver do if another vehicle approaches head-on in the driver’s lane?

    1. Swerve left immediately
    2. Close the eyes and hold the lane
    3. Honk and try to escape to the right
    4. Accelerate toward the other vehicle
    Show answer

    Honk and try to escape to the right. If another vehicle is coming head-on in your lane, Pennsylvania says to honk first to attract attention and, if needed, try to escape to the right. Swerving left can place both vehicles on the same path if the other driver corrects, while closing your eyes or accelerating removes control. Keep scanning for an open escape route. If a collision cannot be avoided, brake firmly and steadily, since every reduction in speed lessens the impact.

20. 20. About how many motorcycle crashes happen on Pennsylvania roads each year, and what causes nearly 40 percent of them?

    1. About 4,000, with nearly 40 percent caused by another vehicle turning left in front of the motorcyclist
    2. About 100, mostly from speeding
    3. About 50,000, mostly from weather
    4. About 400, mostly from brake failure
    Show answer

    About 4,000, with nearly 40 percent caused by another vehicle turning left in front of the motorcyclist. Approximately 4,000 motorcycle crashes occur on Pennsylvania roads each year, and nearly 40 percent were caused by the other vehicle turning left in front of the motorcyclist. Motorcycles are narrow and easy to lose in a quick glance, and their speed is hard to judge. Before turning left, look specifically for a motorcycle and wait for it to pass, since its distance is easy to underestimate.