Indiana BMV Permit Practice Test 17
- Questions50
- Correct to pass40
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age15 years
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1. About how much alcohol can the body eliminate per hour?
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Answer A: About one standard drink
The liver removes alcohol at a nearly fixed rate of roughly one standard drink per hour. Drinking faster than that raises the blood alcohol level, and nothing speeds the process.
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2. A raised area crosses the roadway and carries a series of white markings on its face. What are those markings for?
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Answer A: To make the hump visible so drivers slow for it
Speed hump markings warn drivers that the pavement rises, which matters most at night or when the hump is in shadow.
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3. Where in the United States may a motorcycle ride between lanes of traffic?
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Answer C: Only where a state has specifically authorized it
Riding between lanes is prohibited in most states and permitted only where a state law expressly allows it, so a rider must know the rule for the state being ridden in.
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4. You have turned right into the nearest lane but you need the left lane soon. When should you move over?
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Answer A: After the turn is finished, once you have checked mirrors and blind spot
Complete the turn in the proper lane first, then make a normal lane change with mirror and blind spot checks once you are established on the new street.
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5. Your right-turn lane shows a green arrow while the through lanes face a red ball. What does that mean?
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Answer C: Only the right turn is allowed, and it is protected while the arrow lasts
A green arrow gives a protected movement in that direction only; the red ball still stops the through traffic in the other lanes.
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6. How does alcohol affect a driver's ability to handle several things at once?
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Answer B: It cuts the ability to divide attention between tasks
Driving means watching the road, the mirrors and the instruments together, and alcohol narrows attention so that one of those tasks is dropped without the driver noticing.
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7. What is the safest way to deal with the situation this sign announces?
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Answer B: Match the speed of the other traffic stream and open a gap so vehicles can blend without hard braking
Blending works when speeds are matched and gaps are opened, so nobody has to brake hard or swerve where the two streams come together.
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8. You and an opposing driver reach a four-way stop at the same time and both of you are turning right. What should happen?
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Answer C: Both may turn at the same time into their own lanes
Two opposing right turns take drivers into different lanes without crossing, so both can proceed together once pedestrians are clear.
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9. What must a driver be ready to do along the stretch of road where this sign is posted?
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Answer D: Slow down and stop for a child who steps into the roadway
Children misjudge speed and distance and act without warning, so the driver reduces speed, covers the brake and scans the sidewalks and parked vehicles.
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10. Once you are moving, which way of using a navigation device costs you the least attention?
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Answer B: Listening to the spoken directions
Voice guidance lets you keep your eyes on the road, while anything that needs the screen takes glances that add up over a trip.
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11. You brake hard in a vehicle with antilock brakes and feel the pedal pulsing under your foot. What should you do?
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Answer A: Keep firm, steady pressure on the pedal and steer where you need to go
The pulsing is the system releasing and reapplying the brakes so the wheels keep rolling, which is what lets you steer while braking. Pumping the pedal defeats it.
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12. You are on a two-lane road where a broken yellow line runs on your side of the center. What does that pattern allow?
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Answer C: Passing when the way ahead is clear and it is otherwise legal
A broken yellow center line marks a stretch where passing is permitted for traffic on that side when it can be completed safely.
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13. A rectangular red sign with the white words WRONG WAY means that
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Answer C: the driver is already traveling against the legal flow and must not continue
The wrong way sign uses a white legend and border on red and addresses a driver who has entered a ramp or one-way roadway in the wrong direction, who should stop and turn around safely.
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14. When is a driver at the highest risk of falling asleep at the wheel?
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Answer B: Late at night, early morning and mid afternoon
The body clock produces its deepest dips in alertness in the small hours and again in the middle of the afternoon, and crash records follow those dips.
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15. You notice at night that one of your headlights has burned out. What should you do?
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Answer B: Get it replaced promptly, because other drivers may take you for a motorcycle
A single light makes your vehicle look narrower and further away, so other drivers misjudge you, and one light is also illegal.
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16. You are approaching a narrow bridge where the road has one lane in each direction and no shoulder. What should you do about passing?
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Answer B: Do not pass on or near the bridge
A narrow bridge gives neither vehicle anywhere to go, so passing is prohibited there in the same way as on a hill or in a tunnel.
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17. How long must an Indiana learner's permit be held before a driver's license may be issued to an applicant under 18?
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Answer B: At least 180 days
Indiana requires a valid learner's permit to be held for at least 180 days before a probationary driver's license is issued to an applicant under 18.
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18. Is dictating a message by voice a safe alternative to typing one?
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Answer C: No, it still takes attention from driving
Composing and checking a spoken message loads the mind and usually pulls the eyes to the screen anyway, so research finds it no safer than other phone use.
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19. Two drivers each have three drinks, one over three hours and one in half an hour. What is the difference?
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Answer C: The fast drinker reaches a higher peak level
The liver removes alcohol at a steady rate, so drinking faster than the body can clear it pushes the blood alcohol level much higher.
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20. What do zero tolerance laws mean for a driver who is under 21?
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Answer B: They commit a violation at an alcohol level far below the adult limit
Drivers under 21 may not legally drink, so every state sets a limit far below the adult one and treats even a trace reading as a violation. The exact figure is set by each state, and the penalty usually includes losing the license.
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21. What should a driver expect a short distance beyond this sign?
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Answer C: Another road crossing the one being traveled
Traffic may enter or cross from either side at the intersection ahead, so the driver should ease off, cover the brake and check both approaches.
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22. Why must you never leave the engine running in a closed garage?
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Answer B: Because carbon monoxide builds up and can kill within minutes
Exhaust gas contains carbon monoxide, which has no smell or color and can reach fatal levels in an enclosed space very quickly.
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23. Which of these makes you unpredictable to other drivers?
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Answer B: Changing lanes suddenly without signaling, to save a moment
An unsignalled, sudden lane change gives nobody time to react and is a common cause of sideswipe collisions.
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24. Your vehicle has a backup camera. What is the right way to use it?
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Answer C: Use it as an aid, but still turn and look behind you
A camera has a limited field of view and can be dirty or wet, so it supplements looking over your shoulder and using the mirrors rather than replacing them.
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25. How can you check that you are keeping a safe following distance?
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Answer A: Count at least three seconds between the vehicle ahead passing a fixed object and your reaching it
Pick a fixed roadside object, start counting when the vehicle ahead passes it and make sure at least three seconds elapse before you reach it, adding more time in poor conditions.
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26. Crossing a parking lot on a hot day, you see a young child alone in a locked car. What should you do?
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Answer A: Call 911 right away and stay with the vehicle
The inside of a parked car can reach lethal temperatures within minutes, so a child left alone in one is an emergency.
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27. Your low beams light about 250 feet of road, but at your speed you would need more than that to stop. What is that called?
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Answer D: Overdriving your headlights
When your stopping distance is longer than the stretch of road your headlights show, you cannot react to anything you finally see. Slow down until you can.
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28. An arrow panel in a work zone shows four flashing lamps in caution mode instead of an arrow. What does that display mean?
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Answer A: Warning only, so pass the work area with caution in your current lane
Caution mode gives a general warning without directing a lane change, so drivers stay alert and pass the activity with care.
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29. You are driving on a two-lane road approaching the crest of a hill. Where should you position your vehicle?
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Answer D: Toward the right side of your lane, in case an oncoming vehicle is over the center line
You cannot see what is beyond a crest, and oncoming drivers sometimes drift across the center. Keeping right and slowing gives you a margin.
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30. How many points does Indiana assess for disregarding a stop sign or a yield sign?
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Answer A: Four points
Disregarding a stop sign or a yield sign is a four point violation on Indiana's point schedule.
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31. At an intersection where turning right on red is permitted and no sign prohibits it, what must you do before turning?
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Answer A: Come to a complete stop and yield to pedestrians and cross traffic
A right turn on red is allowed only after a full stop, and the turning driver must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk and to traffic already using the intersection.
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32. Why are sign shapes and colors standardized across the whole country?
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Answer D: So a driver knows the kind of message before reading it
Uniform shapes and colors let a driver classify a sign as regulatory, warning or guide from a distance, before the legend can be read.
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33. Permanent signs must be retroreflective or lighted so that
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Answer A: they show the same shape and color at night as by day
Retroreflective sheeting throws headlight light back to the driver, so a sign keeps its daytime shape and color after dark.
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34. Some crosswalks are marked with two transverse lines and others with a row of wide bars laid along the direction of travel. Why is the second pattern used?
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Answer B: It is far easier for an approaching driver to see
Longitudinal bar patterns are used where extra visibility is wanted, such as an uncontrolled crossing or one near a school, because they show up much better from a car.
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35. Your navigation device tells you to turn where a road sign says the turn is closed. What should you do?
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Answer B: Follow the signs and what you can see
A device works from stored data that can be out of date, while signs and the road in front of you show the situation now, so the road wins every time.
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36. How many points does Indiana assess for driving 1 to 15 miles per hour over the speed limit?
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Answer B: Two points
Indiana's point schedule assesses two points for exceeding the posted limit by 1 to 15 miles per hour.
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37. You are turning left out of a driveway onto a busy two-way street. What must you do?
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Answer D: Wait for a gap in both directions before you start to move
The turn crosses one direction of traffic and joins the other, so you need a gap in both before leaving the driveway rather than stopping across a lane.
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38. What is a microsleep?
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Answer D: A few seconds of sleep, sometimes with the eyes open
A microsleep is an involuntary lapse of a few seconds during which the driver is asleep and the vehicle travels blind, often without the driver knowing.
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39. What does a marked crosswalk tell a driver approaching a corner?
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Answer D: Where pedestrians are expected to cross and must be given way
Crosswalk markings show pedestrians where to cross and warn drivers to yield to anyone using the crossing.
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40. A driver on the street this sign governs is preparing to turn left at the next corner. Which lane should the vehicle be in beforehand?
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Answer A: The lane closest to the left curb
All the traffic here runs the same way, so nothing is coming toward the driver and the turn is taken from the extreme left lane rather than from beside the middle of the roadway.
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41. You are in the right-hand of two left-turn lanes and the vehicle beside you starts to drift toward your lane during the turn. What should you do?
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Answer B: Slow slightly, keep to your own lane and give the other vehicle room
Drivers commonly drift wide in dual turn lanes, so hold your own line, ease off and leave space rather than racing or crowding the other vehicle.
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42. On a rural two-lane road you pass small blue signs, each naming one business with an arrow and a distance. What are they?
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Answer D: Tourist-oriented directional signs for traveler businesses
Tourist-oriented directional signs carry a white legend on blue and are used on rural conventional roads to guide travelers to eligible businesses.
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43. Your car begins to lose power on a freeway and you must stop. Where should you try to bring it to a halt?
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Answer A: As far off the right side of the road as you can get, beyond the edge line
A disabled vehicle should be moved completely clear of the travel lanes, on the right, so that traffic can pass without changing course.
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44. What is the first thing to do once your disabled vehicle is stopped on the shoulder?
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Answer A: Switch on the hazard warning lights so other drivers can see the vehicle
Hazard lights are the fastest way to make a stopped vehicle visible, and everything else can follow once traffic has been warned.
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45. Is it acceptable to drive with your vehicle straddling the line between two lanes?
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Answer D: No, you must drive as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane
A vehicle astride the line takes up two lanes and leaves the drivers around it unable to predict where it will go.
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46. Your loaded vehicle weighs more than the figure shown on a posted weight limit sign. What must you do?
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Answer D: Find another route, because crossing is not permitted
A posted weight limit is a legal maximum, not advice, so an overweight vehicle has to take a different route.
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47. Driving at night you notice that the raised markers along the line beside you are throwing back red light. What does that tell you?
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Answer C: You are facing traffic and must get off that roadway
Red retroreflection is shown only toward traffic that should not be there, so a red return means the vehicle is heading the wrong way.
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48. A wasp flies in through the open window while you are driving. What is the safest reaction?
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Answer B: Stay calm, slow down and stop somewhere safe
Far more crashes come from the driver's reaction to an insect than from the insect, so keep your eyes forward, slow down and deal with it stopped.
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49. Small green signs with white numerals posted at regular intervals along a highway are used to
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Answer B: show distance along the route and give a reference point for reporting a location
Reference location signs, commonly called mileposts, carry white numerals on green and let a driver describe exactly where a breakdown or crash has occurred.
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50. How should tire pressure be checked and set?
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Answer B: When the tires are cold, set to the pressure specified by the vehicle manufacturer
Driving heats the air and raises the reading, and the sidewall number is a maximum rather than a recommendation, so check cold and use the figure on the vehicle placard or in the owner's manual.