Massachusetts RMV Permit Practice Test 31
- Questions25
- Correct to pass18
- Passing score72%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. You are in a passing zone that continues over the crest of a hill ahead. May you start a pass?
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Answer B: Only if you can finish it well before the crest
Beyond the crest you cannot see oncoming traffic, so any part of the pass that happens there is being made blind.
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2. A Massachusetts Class D learner's permit holder under 18 may not drive between which hours unless a parent or legal guardian is in the vehicle?
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Answer A: Midnight and 5:00 a.m.
The permit curfew for drivers under 18 runs from midnight until 5:00 a.m., and only a parent or legal guardian riding along lifts it.
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3. How is the yield sign shaped and colored?
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Answer C: A downward-pointing triangle with a wide red border and a red legend on white
The yield sign is a downward-pointing equilateral triangle with a wide red border and the legend in red on a white background, an outline used for no other message.
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4. Traffic in your lane is backed up and the paved shoulder looks clear. May you drive along it to get past?
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Answer C: No, the shoulder is not a travel lane
Passing must be done within the roadway; driving on the shoulder to get around traffic is prohibited and surprises anyone entering from the right.
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5. A curb sign reads 2 Hour Parking, 8 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Saturday. When may you stay longer than two hours?
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Answer A: Outside those hours and on Sundays
A time limit applies only during the days and hours printed on the sign; outside them the ordinary parking rules apply.
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6. You realize you have just gone past your exit on a freeway. What should you do?
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Answer C: Carry on to the next exit and turn around there
A missed exit costs a few minutes, while backing up or cutting across the striped gore area puts you in the path of traffic that is not expecting it.
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7. Another driver takes a right of way that was legally yours. What should you do?
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Answer A: Give way to the other driver and avoid the crash, whatever the law says
Right of way is something you give, not something you take, and being in the right is no protection in a collision.
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8. You reach a stretch of road covered by moving flood water of unknown depth. What is the correct decision?
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Answer D: Turn around and take another route
About a foot of moving water is enough to carry away most cars, and the roadbed under the water may already be washed out, so the only safe choice is to turn around.
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9. On a narrow two-lane road a line of vehicles has built up behind you. What is the safe and courteous action?
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Answer D: Pull into a turnout or a safe wide spot and let them go by
A slow vehicle holding up a queue invites risky passing; using a turnout clears the road without anyone having to take a chance.
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10. You are descending a long steep grade with a loaded truck close behind you. What should you do?
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Answer A: Hold a steady speed and let it pass when it can
Gravity pushes a loaded truck downhill and it cannot slow quickly, so give it a predictable speed and room to get by rather than braking in front of it.
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11. What is the right speed for a normal right turn at a city corner?
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Answer C: Slow enough to hold your lane and stop for a pedestrian
A city right turn is tight and crosses a crosswalk, so the correct speed is one that keeps you inside your lane and still allows a stop.
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12. The signal turns green as you approach an intersection. What is the safest practice?
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Answer B: Look left, then right, then left again, and make sure the intersection is clear before entering
A green light gives permission but does not guarantee the intersection is empty, and a quick scan catches a vehicle running the red or a pedestrian still crossing.
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13. How far before the gate or light post must a Massachusetts driver stop when railroad crossing lights begin to flash?
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Answer B: At least 15 feet
Drivers must stop at least 15 feet before the light post or gate and stay stopped until the gate rises and the lights stop flashing.
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14. May you stop in a marked bicycle lane to let a passenger out?
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Answer B: No, stopping there forces riders into the traffic lane
A vehicle stopped in a bike lane pushes riders out into moving traffic, which is exactly what the lane exists to prevent.
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15. Unless posted otherwise, what is the reasonable and proper limit on a Massachusetts highway outside a thickly settled or business district?
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Answer A: 50 mph
On a highway outside a thickly settled or business district, any speed above 50 mph is treated as unreasonable unless signs set a different limit.
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16. 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.
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17. Two vehicles meet on a steep, narrow mountain road with no room to pass. Which driver should back up?
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Answer C: The driver heading downhill, who has more control while reversing
On a narrow mountain road the vehicle facing downhill yields, because backing uphill gives better control than reversing down a grade.
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18. Which of these is an early warning that you are too tired to keep driving?
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Answer C: Not remembering the last few miles you drove
Memory gaps, repeated yawning, heavy eyelids and drifting are the body signaling that sleep is winning, and they mean stop rather than push on.
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19. You are driving along a street lined with parked cars. What should you watch for?
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Answer B: Doors opening, vehicles pulling out and pedestrians stepping from between cars
Parked cars hide people and can move without warning. Keep as much space from them as you safely can and cover the brake.
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20. Traffic is entering the freeway from a ramp ahead of you and you are in the right lane. What should you do?
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Answer C: Move to another lane if it is safe, or adjust your speed to make room
Merging drivers may have little room to adjust. Helping them in by changing lanes or easing your speed prevents conflicts even though they must legally yield to you.
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21. What fee does the Massachusetts RMV charge for the learner's permit exam?
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Answer B: 30 dollars
The learner's permit exam fee is 30 dollars and it is charged again whenever the applicant fails the exam or lets the permit expire.
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22. The center line beside your lane is solid yellow while the opposite side has a broken yellow line. What does this mean?
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Answer D: You may not pass, but traffic in the other direction may
A solid yellow line on your side of the center marks a no-passing zone for your direction only, while the broken line grants the opposing direction a passing zone.
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23. What extra consequence, beyond a 500 dollar fine and a program, follows a third Massachusetts hands-free violation?
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Answer D: An insurance surcharge
A third or subsequent offense adds an insurance surcharge on top of the 500 dollar fine and the distracted driving program.
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24. At what tread depth should a tire be replaced?
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Answer A: When the tread is worn down to 2/32 of an inch
At that depth a tire loses grip quickly, especially on wet roads, and the built in wear bars or the penny test both show when the point has been reached.
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25. 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.