Maryland Driver License: Night, Weather, Railroads, Work Zones and Interstates

30 questions with the correct answer and an explanation for each. Topic: Night, Weather, Railroads, Work Zones and Interstates. Free, no account needed.

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1. Driving on a two-lane road at dusk, you notice a solid yellow line marking the edge of the lanes. Which side of your vehicle should it be on?

  1. Right
  2. Left
  3. Center of the road only
  4. Either side, depending on traffic direction

Answer: B — Left

Yellow markings divide opposing traffic and mark the left edge; white marks the right edge.

2. At what distance of visibility ahead must you turn on your headlights due to insufficient light?

  1. 500 feet
  2. 1,000 feet
  3. 300 feet
  4. 1,500 feet

Answer: B — 1,000 feet

Headlights are required when you cannot see clearly at least 1,000 feet ahead.

3. You turn on your windshield wipers during a rainstorm. What does the law also require you to do?

  1. Turn on your hazard flashers
  2. Switch to high beams
  3. Turn on your headlights
  4. Reduce speed by half

Answer: C — Turn on your headlights

Using wipers in inclement weather legally requires headlights to be on as well.

4. You are using high beams on a dark, unlit road and notice a vehicle ahead traveling in the same direction, about 250 feet in front of you. What should you do?

  1. Turn your headlights off briefly
  2. Flash your lights instead of switching
  3. Switch to low beams
  4. Keep your high beams on since you are going the same direction

Answer: C — Switch to low beams

High beams must switch to low when following a vehicle 300 feet or less ahead.

5. Oncoming headlights are glaring in your eyes while driving at night. Where should you look instead of at the lights?

  1. Directly at the oncoming lights to judge distance
  2. In your rearview mirror
  3. Ahead or slightly right toward the edge of your lane
  4. At your own headlights on the road

Answer: C — Ahead or slightly right toward the edge of your lane

You should avoid staring into oncoming headlights and instead look ahead or slightly right toward your lane's edge.

6. You're driving in fog so thick that it becomes unsafe to continue. What should you do?

  1. Pull completely off the road and turn on your hazard flashers
  2. Switch to high beams to see farther ahead
  3. Stop in your travel lane with flashers on
  4. Speed up slightly to get through the fog bank quickly

Answer: A — Pull completely off the road and turn on your hazard flashers

If fog is too thick to drive safely, you should pull completely off the road and use your flashers.

7. Your car has no anti-lock brakes (ABS) and you need to slow down on an icy road. What braking technique should you use?

  1. Shift into neutral and coast to a stop
  2. Apply steady, firm pressure to the brake pedal
  3. Pump the brakes
  4. Brake and turn the steering wheel sharply at the same time

Answer: C — Pump the brakes

Without ABS, you should pump the brakes rather than slam or hold steady pressure.

8. You're about to cross a bridge on a cold night when road temperatures are near freezing. What should you expect?

  1. Only shaded sections of road freeze first
  2. Bridges stay warmer than roads because of the water below
  3. The bridge surface freezes before the rest of the road
  4. Bridges are salted first, so they are the safest surface

Answer: C — The bridge surface freezes before the rest of the road

Ramps and bridges freeze before the rest of the road.

9. While turning, your rear wheels begin to lose traction and the back of the car starts to slide. What is a recommended response?

  1. Slam on the brakes
  2. Turn the wheel sharply away from the slide
  3. Shift into neutral immediately
  4. Ease into gentle acceleration

Answer: D — Ease into gentle acceleration

If the rear wheels lose traction, gentle acceleration can help regain control.

10. Your car begins to skid on a wet road. In which direction should you steer?

  1. Straight ahead regardless of the skid's direction
  2. Opposite the direction of the skid
  3. In the direction the vehicle is skidding
  4. Toward the road shoulder

Answer: C — In the direction the vehicle is skidding

In a skid, you should steer in the direction you are skidding and look where you want to go.

11. While driving on a wet road, you feel your vehicle hydroplaning and the steering goes light and loose. What should you do?

  1. Steer sharply to try to regain grip
  2. Accelerate to power through the water
  3. Ease off the gas, avoid braking, and keep the wheel straight until control returns
  4. Brake firmly to slow down quickly

Answer: C — Ease off the gas, avoid braking, and keep the wheel straight until control returns

When hydroplaning, lift off the gas, do not brake, and keep the vehicle straight and slow until control returns.

12. You're driving on a stretch of road scattered with sand and loose gravel, with oil patches left behind after a rain. Why is this combination dangerous?

  1. It reduces traction and invites a skid
  2. It reduces visibility, which is why headlights are required
  3. It lifts the tires up onto a sheet of water
  4. It is only a hazard for vehicles without four-wheel drive

Answer: A — It reduces traction and invites a skid

Sand, gravel, uneven surfaces, oil, speed and water all reduce traction and invite skids, and four-wheel drive does not prevent sliding.

13. You're approaching a railroad crossing and can't be sure there's enough room to clear the tracks completely on the far side. What should you do?

  1. Proceed carefully since trains are usually farther away than they appear
  2. Wait, and do not start across until you can clear the tracks completely
  3. Honk your horn and proceed
  4. Cross quickly before a train can arrive

Answer: B — Wait, and do not start across until you can clear the tracks completely

You should never start across unless you can clear the tracks completely with room on the far side.

14. The gates at a railroad crossing are lowered and lights are flashing, but you don't see or hear a train. What should you do?

  1. Treat it as a closed road and wait until the gates lift and lights stop flashing
  2. Proceed if the tracks look clear
  3. Wait about 30 seconds, then proceed
  4. Drive around the gate carefully

Answer: A — Treat it as a closed road and wait until the gates lift and lights stop flashing

Lowered gates or flashing lights should be treated as a closed road until they lift and stop flashing.

15. A train has just finished passing through a multi-track railroad crossing. What should you do before proceeding?

  1. Wait only for the gates to fully rise
  2. Honk before crossing and proceed
  3. Proceed immediately since the crossing is now clear
  4. Look both ways again, since another train may be coming on another track

Answer: D — Look both ways again, since another train may be coming on another track

After a train passes, look both ways again because another train may be coming on another track.

16. What color are the signs and devices used to mark a work zone?

  1. Red
  2. Amber
  3. Orange
  4. Yellow

Answer: C — Orange

Orange is designated as the work-zone color.

17. You see flashing amber lights in a work zone. What do they indicate?

  1. A highway maintenance vehicle is ahead
  2. Speed cameras are active
  3. Workers are present
  4. The zone is closed to traffic

Answer: C — Workers are present

Flashing amber lights mean workers are present in the work zone.

18. You see flashing blue lights in a work zone. What do they indicate?

  1. A lane closure is ahead
  2. A police enforcement stop is underway
  3. Workers are present
  4. Speed cameras are active

Answer: D — Speed cameras are active

Flashing blue lights mean speed cameras are active in the work zone.

19. You see flashing green lights in a work zone. What do they indicate?

  1. An emergency vehicle responding
  2. A highway maintenance vehicle
  3. An active speed camera
  4. Workers are present

Answer: B — A highway maintenance vehicle

Flashing green lights mark highway maintenance vehicles.

20. You're approaching a traffic circle and a vehicle is already circulating inside it. What should you do?

  1. Merge in at the same speed without stopping
  2. Yield to it
  3. Proceed if you reached the entrance first
  4. Only yield if it signals to you

Answer: B — Yield to it

You must always yield to traffic already circling in a traffic circle.

21. In a multilane traffic circle, your exit is two exits past the one you're currently passing. What should you do until you reach your exit?

  1. Stay in your lane, then move to the outside lane after passing the exit before yours
  2. Move to the outside lane immediately upon entering
  3. Switch lanes freely as convenient
  4. Exit at the nearest exit instead

Answer: A — Stay in your lane, then move to the outside lane after passing the exit before yours

In a multilane circle you should stay in your lane and move to the outside lane only after passing the exit before yours.

22. You approach a traffic circle and see it is completely empty of other traffic. What should you do?

  1. Honk before entering
  2. Enter without waiting
  3. Always come to a full stop at the yield line
  4. Stop and wait a few seconds regardless

Answer: B — Enter without waiting

You may enter without waiting if the circle is empty.

23. You're entering an interstate via an on-ramp with an acceleration lane. What should you do before merging into traffic?

  1. Stop at the end of the ramp and wait for a gap
  2. Cross the solid line early to merge as soon as possible
  3. Merge at a slower speed than surrounding traffic
  4. Use the acceleration lane to match traffic speed without crossing the solid lines

Answer: D — Use the acceleration lane to match traffic speed without crossing the solid lines

You should use the acceleration lane to match traffic speed without crossing the solid lines dividing the entrance from the highway.

24. You leave a limited-access highway at the wrong exit. What should you do?

  1. Continue off the ramp and find a way back
  2. Reverse up the ramp to return to the highway
  3. Stop in the deceleration lane until you can back up safely
  4. Stop on the shoulder of the highway and wait for a gap to re-enter

Answer: A — Continue off the ramp and find a way back

If you exit at the wrong place, continue off the ramp and find a way back, and never stop or back up on any part of the highway.

25. Your vehicle breaks down while driving on an interstate. Where should you stop?

  1. In the left lane near the median
  2. Only at the bottom of the next exit ramp
  3. On the shoulder, with your flashers on
  4. In the travel lane with flashers on

Answer: C — On the shoulder, with your flashers on

You should stop on the shoulder for a disabled vehicle or emergency, with flashers on.

26. You are driving slower than the surrounding traffic on a limited-access highway. Which lane should you use?

  1. The center lane
  2. The right lane
  3. Whichever lane has less traffic
  4. The left lane

Answer: B — The right lane

If you are slower than traffic, you should use the right lane.

27. You're part of a funeral procession with headlights and hazard flashers on, and the vehicles ahead of you in the procession are crossing an intersection against a red signal. What can you do?

  1. Go through the red signal with your lights on
  2. Proceed only if a police escort waves you through
  3. You must stop and wait for the green signal
  4. Proceed only if no other traffic is present

Answer: A — Go through the red signal with your lights on

Vehicles in a funeral procession with lights on may go through a red signal.

28. A funeral procession is crossing an intersection ahead of you while you have a green light. What must you do?

  1. Yield only if the procession has a police escort
  2. Proceed since you have the green light
  3. Honk to signal the procession to hurry
  4. Yield to the procession until it has passed, unless you can proceed without crossing its path

Answer: D — Yield to the procession until it has passed, unless you can proceed without crossing its path

Other drivers must yield to the procession even on green until it has passed, unless they can proceed without crossing its path.

29. You see a slow-moving vehicle displaying the slow-moving vehicle emblem. What does the emblem tell you about its speed?

  1. 25 mph or less
  2. 15 mph or less
  3. 45 mph or less
  4. 35 mph or less

Answer: A — 25 mph or less

The slow-moving vehicle emblem means the vehicle travels 25 mph or less.

30. You're driving behind a horse-drawn buggy displaying the slow-moving vehicle emblem. What should you do while following it?

  1. Turn on your high beams to alert it
  2. Tailgate closely to shield it from other traffic
  3. Pass immediately regardless of visibility
  4. Use your emergency flashers to warn drivers behind you

Answer: D — Use your emergency flashers to warn drivers behind you

You should use your emergency flashers while following a slow-moving vehicle so drivers behind you are warned.

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