Indiana BMV Permit Practice Test 9

Test 9 of 10. Pick an answer for each question to see if it is right and why; your score appears at the end. You need 40 correct answers to pass, the same ratio as the real Indiana test.

A country road through farmland with a red barn, a typical landscape of Indiana

Minimum age: 15 years with proof of enrollment in a BMV licensed driver education program; 16 years otherwise

  1. 1. How long must Indiana financial responsibility remain in effect for a motor vehicle?

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    Answer A: Continuously, as long as the vehicle is operated on a public highway

    Financial responsibility in one of the statutory forms must be continuously maintained as long as a motor vehicle is operated on a public highway in Indiana.

  2. 2. Which reason lets an Indiana driver under 18 drive during the restricted night hours without an accompanying adult?

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    Answer A: Going to, taking part in, or returning from lawful employment, a school sanctioned activity, or a religious event

    The statute excuses driving during the restricted hours only for lawful employment, a school sanctioned activity, or a religious event, or when a qualifying adult rides in the front seat.

  3. 3. Why is this restriction so common beside fire hydrants, crosswalks and intersection corners?

    A white square showing the letter P inside a red circle with a red diagonal line through it
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    Answer C: To keep sight lines open and leave access for emergency crews

    A vehicle left in those places hides pedestrians from approaching drivers, blocks the path of turning vehicles and can keep firefighters from reaching a hydrant.

  4. 4. An Indiana applicant who is at least 18 must log 50 hours of supervised practice. Who may supervise it?

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    Answer B: A licensed driver at least 25 years old, or a licensed spouse at least 21 years old

    An applicant who is 18 or older logs the required practice with a licensed driver who is at least 25, or with a spouse who is licensed and at least 21.

  5. 5. 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.

  6. 6. How many points does the Indiana BMV assess for a driving while suspended conviction?

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    Answer A: Eight points

    Driving while suspended carries eight points, the same value Indiana assigns to taking part in a speed contest on a road.

  7. 7. You see a shield for a three-digit Interstate whose first digit is even. What does that tell you about the route?

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    Answer C: It loops around a city and rejoins its parent route

    A three-digit Interstate beginning with an even digit is a loop or beltway that connects back to the main route at both ends, while an odd first digit marks a spur.

  8. 8. A large truck ahead of you swings toward the left just before turning right at an intersection. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Stay back and never try to move into the gap between the truck and the curb

    Long vehicles need extra room and often swing wide to complete a right turn, so the space that opens on their right closes again as the trailer sweeps through it.

  9. 9. A child in the back seat unfastens a seat belt while you are on the freeway. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Pull off safely and refasten the belt

    Turning or reaching back takes your eyes and hands off a high speed task, so leave the freeway or use the shoulder only if there is no exit, then fix the belt.

  10. 10. A driver ahead brakes for no reason you can see, again and again. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Increase your following distance and be ready for yet another stop

    Unexplained braking tells you the driver is unsure or distracted, so the safe answer is more room, not less.

  11. 11. Warning signs such as stop ahead, yield ahead and signal ahead are installed mainly where

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    Answer B: the traffic control device cannot be seen from far enough away

    These advance warning signs are used when a crest, curve or obstruction keeps the stop sign, yield sign or signal from coming into view in time for a driver to react.

  12. 12. What does Indiana's telecommunications device statute say about the point system?

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    Answer C: The bureau may not assess points for a violation before July 1, 2021

    The statute bars the bureau from assessing points only for hand-held device violations committed before July 1, 2021, so later violations do carry points.

  13. 13. How does a previous operating while intoxicated conviction within seven years affect a new Indiana charge?

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    Answer C: It raises the new offense to a Level 6 felony

    A violation committed within seven years of a previous operating while intoxicated conviction is charged as a Level 6 felony.

  14. 14. How do strong emotions affect driving?

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    Answer B: They narrow your attention and make risky decisions more likely

    Anger, worry and excitement all take attention away from the driving task and push drivers toward decisions they would not normally make.

  15. 15. Your vehicle has a blind spot warning light in the door mirror. What should that mean for your habits?

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    Answer B: You still check the blind spot yourself, because the system can miss a rider

    Blind spot systems are an aid, not a substitute, and a motorcycle or a bicycle can be missed or arrive faster than the sensor expects.

  16. 16. How should the inside rearview mirror be adjusted?

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    Answer B: So you can see the entire rear window without moving your head

    The inside mirror is for the view straight behind you. Framing the whole rear window from your normal seating position gives the widest useful view.

  17. 17. Under Indiana's Move Over law, what must you do if you cannot change lanes away from an emergency vehicle with flashing lights?

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    Answer A: Reduce speed to 10 miles per hour below the posted limit and proceed with caution

    Indiana requires drivers to change lanes away from an emergency vehicle displaying flashing lights, and when that is not possible to slow to 10 miles per hour under the posted limit and proceed with caution.

  18. 18. The red lights on a stopped school bus go out and the bus begins to move away. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Move off slowly and keep watching for children near the road

    Children who have just left the bus may still be near the roadway or crossing behind it, so pull away gently and keep looking for them.

  19. 19. You are driving on a divided highway and see a solid yellow line along the left side of your lanes. What does it tell you?

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    Answer D: It marks the left edge of the roadway for your direction

    On a divided highway or a one-way roadway, the left edge of the traveled way is marked with a solid yellow line.

  20. 20. A driver in the left lane of a freeway realizes only when level with this sign that the ramp beside it is the one they need. What is the correct action?

    A green rectangle with white lettering
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    Answer A: Carry on to the next interchange and turn back from there

    There is no safe way back to a ramp once it has been reached from the wrong lane, so the driver keeps going to the next interchange, where the ramps are built for that movement.

  21. 21. Where may a low speed vehicle not be operated in Indiana?

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    Answer D: On a highway with a speed limit above 35 miles per hour

    A person may not operate a low speed vehicle on a highway that has a speed limit greater than 35 miles per hour.

  22. 22. After a crash your door will not open and you need to get out of the car. What should you try?

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    Answer B: Try another door of the vehicle, or a window that will still open properly

    A jammed door is common after an impact, and the simplest escape is a different door or a window rather than forcing the damaged one.

  23. 23. What passenger rule applies during the first 180 days of an Indiana probationary driver's license?

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    Answer B: No passengers unless a qualifying supervising adult is in the front seat, except the driver's child, stepchild, sibling, step or half-sibling, or spouse

    For the first 180 days, an Indiana probationary license holder may not carry passengers unless a licensed adult 25 or older, a spouse 21 or older, or a driver training instructor is in the front passenger seat, though close family members may ride along.

  24. 24. A driver stopped on suspicion of impaired driving refuses to take a chemical test. What happens?

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    Answer D: A license penalty follows for the refusal itself

    Under implied consent, holding a license means agreeing to testing, so a refusal brings its own suspension separately from anything the court decides.

  25. 25. What is true about an airbag once it has inflated in a crash?

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    Answer B: It must be replaced by a technician before the car is driven any further

    An airbag is a single use device, and the module and often the belts must be replaced before the vehicle protects anyone again.

  26. 26. A disabled vehicle is blocking your lane on a two-lane road with a single solid yellow line on your side. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Wait until the oncoming lane is clear, then go around carefully

    The solid line prohibits overtaking a moving vehicle, but in most states a driver may go around an obstruction such as a disabled vehicle once the oncoming lane is clear and the move can be made safely.

  27. 27. On a narrow residential street, why does parking tight against the curb matter so much?

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    Answer C: Because fire trucks and ambulances need the width to get through

    Cars parked even a foot out from the curb on both sides can narrow a street until a fire truck or ambulance cannot pass.

  28. 28. You are driving in the left lane at the posted speed limit and a line of vehicles has built up behind you. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Move into a lane on your right when it is safe and let the traffic behind go by

    Most states require traffic moving slower than the flow to keep right and reserve the left lane for passing, so a driver holding up a line of vehicles should move right when it is safe rather than block the lane.

  29. 29. What must a 15 year old present to obtain an Indiana learner's permit?

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    Answer A: A Certificate of Driver Education Enrollment from a BMV licensed behind-the-wheel training provider

    An applicant under 16 must be at least 15 and show a Certificate of Driver Education Enrollment from a BMV licensed provider, dated no earlier than three weeks before the class begins.

  30. 30. You reach an intersection showing a steady red light, and a stop line is painted across your lane. Where must you bring the vehicle to a complete stop?

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    Answer C: Before the stop line

    A steady red requires a complete stop before the marked stop line. Where there is no stop line you stop before the crosswalk, and where there is neither, before entering the intersection.

  31. 31. What should you do before leaving a parked vehicle unattended?

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    Answer C: Set the parking brake, place the transmission in park or in gear, switch off the engine and take the key

    Securing the vehicle with the parking brake, the transmission and the ignition prevents it from rolling away and from being moved by someone else.

  32. 32. What alcohol concentration puts an Indiana driver under 21 in violation of the zero tolerance rule?

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    Answer A: At least 0.02 but less than 0.08

    A driver under 21 who operates with an alcohol concentration of at least 0.02 but less than 0.08 commits a Class C infraction.

  33. 33. A yellow lamp flashes above a warning sign at a sharp curve. What does it ask of a driver?

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    Answer D: Slow down and pass the point with extra care

    A warning beacon draws attention to the sign it is mounted with, and the message of the sign is what the driver must act on.

  34. 34. You are waiting inside the intersection to turn left when your light turns red. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Complete the turn as soon as the way is clear

    Once you have legally entered the intersection you should clear it as soon as the oncoming traffic has stopped, rather than sit in the path of cross traffic.

  35. 35. Roughly how far does a vehicle travel at 55 mph during the few seconds a driver spends reading a text message?

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    Answer D: About the length of a football field

    Sending or reading a message takes the eyes off the road for about five seconds, which at 55 mph covers roughly the length of a football field with nobody watching the road.

  36. 36. 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.

  37. 37. Which sign shape is reserved for one message only, the requirement to stop?

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    Answer A: The octagon

    The octagon is used for the stop sign and for no other message, so the outline alone identifies the requirement even when the legend is hard to read.

  38. 38. What does it mean to cover the brake, and when should you do it?

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    Answer B: Hold your foot over the brake pedal without pressing it when a hazard seems likely

    Covering the brake cuts reaction time when you expect trouble, such as near children, parked cars or a vehicle that may pull out. Riding the brake wears it out and confuses drivers behind you.

  39. 39. You are overtaking in a short passing lane on a two-lane road and it is about to end. What must you do?

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    Answer A: Finish the pass and move back to the right before it ends

    The added lane ends and the traffic returns to a single lane in each direction, so the pass has to be complete before the pavement runs out.

  40. 40. You have stopped on an uphill grade close behind a large truck at a traffic signal. What is the risk?

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    Answer B: The truck may roll back into you when it starts to move

    Heavy vehicles can roll backward a short distance when the driver moves from the brake to the accelerator on a hill. Leave extra room when stopped behind a truck on a grade.

  41. 41. An overhead lane-use control signal shows a steady red X above the lane you are traveling in. What does it require?

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    Answer D: Leave that lane, because it is closed to you

    A steady red X means road users are not permitted to use the lane beneath it, so you must move into a lane that is open.

  42. 42. You are turning left from a one-way street onto another one-way street. Which lane should you use?

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    Answer B: Turn from the far left lane into the far left lane of the new street

    The general turning rule is to turn from the lane nearest the direction of the turn into the nearest lane of the new roadway, which on a one-way to one-way left turn means far left to far left.

  43. 43. Rain is heavy enough that you have your windshield wipers running. What else should you switch on?

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    Answer A: Your headlights, so you can see and others can see you

    Rain heavy enough to need wipers also cuts how far away you can be seen, so the headlights belong on. Many states write this into law as a wipers on, lights on rule.

  44. 44. How does alcohol typically affect a driver's vision?

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    Answer D: It blurs vision, weakens night vision and narrows attention to the sides

    Alcohol slows the eye muscles and the brain's processing of what is seen, degrading focus, night vision, depth perception and awareness of movement at the edges of the field of view.

  45. 45. A pedestrian is crossing a wide four-lane street and has reached the lanes on the far side. When may you go on?

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    Answer C: Only after the person has finished crossing the roadway

    Waiting until the pedestrian has finished crossing is correct in every state and removes any doubt about how much clearance your state demands.

  46. 46. A train has just cleared a crossing that carries two sets of tracks. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Wait and look both ways for a second train

    A passing train hides a second train on the other track, so wait until the signals stop and you can see that both tracks are clear.

  47. 47. What actually lowers the amount of alcohol in a person's blood?

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    Answer D: The passage of time

    The body eliminates alcohol at its own steady rate, so only time reduces blood alcohol. Coffee or a cold shower may make a person feel more awake while still impaired.

  48. 48. Your left-turn lane faces a steady green ball and oncoming traffic is heavy. What are you allowed to do?

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    Answer C: Move into the intersection and turn when a safe gap appears

    A green ball permits the turn but gives no priority, so you may move into the intersection and wait there for a gap in the oncoming traffic.

  49. 49. Freeway traffic ahead of you has come to a stop. Besides braking early, how can you warn the drivers behind you?

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    Answer B: By switching on the hazard lights for a few seconds

    A short burst of hazard lights is a recognized way to tell following traffic that the queue ahead has stopped, and it carries much further back than brake lights. Some states restrict hazard lights on a moving vehicle, so use them only for the moment you are slowing.

  50. 50. Why is texting considered one of the most dangerous distractions?

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    Answer B: It combines visual, manual and cognitive distraction at the same time

    Reading or writing a message takes your eyes off the road, at least one hand off the controls and your attention off driving simultaneously.