Pennsylvania Driver License: Intersections, Curves, Highways and Parking

25 questions with the correct answer and an explanation for each. Topic: Intersections, Curves, Highways and Parking. Free, no account needed.

Take this test interactively

1. At an intersection with no signs, signals, or police officer present, what has traffic law actually given the drivers?

  1. An absolute right to proceed for whoever has priority
  2. Right-of-way that both drivers can claim simultaneously if cautious
  3. Right-of-way to whichever vehicle is already moving
  4. A set of yielding obligations, not a guaranteed right-of-way

Answer: D — A set of yielding obligations, not a guaranteed right-of-way

Right-of-way isn't a right that can be taken; the law specifies who must yield, and if that driver doesn't, others must still avoid a crash.

2. A pedestrian steps into the roadway to cross at an intersection that has no traffic signal and no painted crosswalk lines. What should an approaching driver do?

  1. Yield only if the pedestrian is in the driver's own lane
  2. Yield to the pedestrian
  3. Proceed if the driver already entered the intersection first
  4. Proceed, since there is no marked crosswalk

Answer: B — Yield to the pedestrian

Drivers must yield to pedestrians crossing at any intersection without a signal, whether or not a crosswalk is marked.

3. A pedestrian carrying a white cane is preparing to cross at an intersection just as the driver's signal turns green. What must the driver do?

  1. Wait for a police officer to direct the pedestrian across
  2. Yield only if a guide dog is also present
  3. Yield to the pedestrian
  4. Proceed, since the driver has the green light

Answer: C — Yield to the pedestrian

Drivers must always yield to a blind pedestrian using a white cane or guide dog, regardless of the signal.

4. At an intersection with no signs, signals or police officer, a driver waiting to turn left faces an oncoming vehicle going straight through. Who has to yield?

  1. Neither; both may proceed with caution since they face each other
  2. Whichever driver reached the intersection first
  3. The driver turning left
  4. The oncoming vehicle going straight

Answer: C — The driver turning left

A driver turning left must yield to oncoming traffic going straight.

5. Two vehicles reach an intersection with no signs or signals at about the same time, approaching from different roads. Which one should yield?

  1. Whichever vehicle is going straight has priority
  2. The vehicle on the left yields to the one on the right
  3. The vehicle on the right yields to the one on the left
  4. Whichever vehicle is larger has priority

Answer: B — The vehicle on the left yields to the one on the right

When two vehicles arrive at about the same time from different roads, the one on the left yields to the one on the right.

6. A driver has reached the intersection in a lane marked with a turn-only arrow but actually wants to continue straight ahead. What must the driver do?

  1. Stop and wait for a gap to merge left
  2. Continue straight, since intent controls
  3. Merge into the through lane before the intersection
  4. Turn as the lane marking requires

Answer: D — Turn as the lane marking requires

A lane marked turn only requires that turn even if the driver meant to go straight.

7. A driver wants to turn left onto a divided highway made up of two one-way roadways separated by a barrier. What is the safe way to do it?

  1. Wait for a gap from the right on both roadways before crossing either
  2. Turn left directly into the near-side roadway, then merge across the barrier
  3. Turn left before the barrier into a gap from the left, completing the turn in one motion
  4. Cross the first roadway in a gap from the left, then turn left beyond the barrier into a gap from the right on the second roadway

Answer: D — Cross the first roadway in a gap from the left, then turn left beyond the barrier into a gap from the right on the second roadway

Turning left before the divider sends the driver head-on into oncoming traffic; the safe method crosses the first roadway in a gap from the left, then completes the left turn beyond the barrier in a gap from the right on the second roadway.

8. A driver at a two-way stop wants to cross straight over a 30-mph street. About how large a gap in traffic, in each direction, is needed?

  1. 6 seconds
  2. 12 seconds
  3. 9 seconds
  4. 8 seconds

Answer: A — 6 seconds

Crossing a 30-mph street from a stop needs about a 6-second gap each way.

9. A driver stopped on a minor road wants to turn left onto a major street, with cross traffic stopped. About how much of a gap from an approaching vehicle on the right is needed?

  1. 6 seconds
  2. 8 seconds
  3. 12 seconds
  4. 9 seconds

Answer: D — 9 seconds

Turning left from a minor road onto a major street needs about a 9-second gap from a vehicle approaching on the right.

10. A commercial divided road is signed NO LEFT TURN, NO U-TURN, and ALL TURNS FROM RIGHT LANE. How does a driver legally turn left here?

  1. Take the right-turn lane that loops back to the main road at a signal, then turn left across it
  2. Merge into oncoming lanes to complete a direct left turn
  3. Use the left-turn lane furthest from the median
  4. Continue to the next intersection and make three consecutive right turns

Answer: A — Take the right-turn lane that loops back to the main road at a signal, then turn left across it

On roads with jughandles, the left turn is made by taking a right-turn lane that loops back to the main road at a signal, then turning left across it.

11. A driver approaches a roundabout entry with a yield sign and yield line while circulating traffic is present. What should the driver do?

  1. Merge in against the direction of circulating traffic to slow it down
  2. Stop completely regardless of gaps, then proceed only when the circle is empty
  3. Pull to the yield line, look left, and enter when there is a gap, since circulating traffic has the right-of-way
  4. Enter immediately since entering traffic has priority

Answer: C — Pull to the yield line, look left, and enter when there is a gap, since circulating traffic has the right-of-way

Entering drivers yield to traffic already circulating; they pull to the yield line, look left, and enter into a gap.

12. A driver is circulating counterclockwise in a roundabout and approaching the exit they want to take. What should they do?

  1. Signal right as they approach the exit
  2. Signal right only if another vehicle is entering behind them
  3. No signal is needed since roundabouts only allow right turns
  4. Signal left as a courtesy to other drivers

Answer: A — Signal right as they approach the exit

Drivers signal right as they approach their exit in a roundabout.

13. A driver is circulating inside a roundabout when an emergency vehicle approaches with lights and siren. What should the driver do?

  1. Keep circling until the emergency vehicle has passed
  2. Exit the roundabout and then pull over
  3. Stop immediately inside the roundabout to let it pass
  4. Speed up to clear the roundabout before the emergency vehicle arrives

Answer: B — Exit the roundabout and then pull over

A driver already inside a roundabout should exit and pull over for an emergency vehicle rather than stopping inside the circle, which is never allowed.

14. A driver in a roundabout comes up behind a bicyclist who is riding as a vehicle in the circle. What should the driver do?

  1. Not overtake the bicyclist while in the roundabout
  2. Overtake the bicyclist within the same lane if there is room
  3. Signal and pass on the right at the next exit
  4. Treat the bicyclist as a pedestrian and stop to let them cross

Answer: A — Not overtake the bicyclist while in the roundabout

A bicyclist riding as a vehicle in a roundabout should never be overtaken.

15. A driver is approaching a sharp curve. When should the driver reduce speed?

  1. Only when the curve is sharp, wet or icy
  2. After entering, once the sharpness of the curve is visible
  3. Gradually while in the curve, easing off as it tightens
  4. Before entering the curve

Answer: D — Before entering the curve

Speed should be reduced before entering a curve, not during it.

16. A driver is negotiating a right-hand curve in a single lane. Where in the lane should the vehicle be positioned?

  1. Straddling the center line slightly
  2. As far left in the lane as possible
  3. Slightly right of the lane center
  4. In the middle of the lane

Answer: C — Slightly right of the lane center

On right curves, drivers should keep slightly right of the lane center; left curves call for the middle of the lane.

17. While steering through a curve, where should a driver focus their eyes?

  1. On the vehicle immediately ahead, regardless of curve side
  2. On the inside edge of the curve, as far ahead as possible
  3. On the outside edge of the curve, close to the vehicle
  4. Directly on the centerline a few feet ahead

Answer: B — On the inside edge of the curve, as far ahead as possible

Steering through a curve is guided by looking at the inside edge of the curve as far ahead as possible.

18. At a highway interchange, an entrance and an exit share a short weaving lane. One driver is entering the highway and another is exiting at the same spot. Who yields?

  1. Both drivers must stop until the lane is clear
  2. The entering driver yields to the exiting driver
  3. The exiting driver yields to the entering driver
  4. Whoever is already in the weaving lane has priority regardless of direction

Answer: B — The entering driver yields to the exiting driver

Where entrance and exit share a weaving lane, the entering driver yields to the exiting driver.

19. A driver realizes too late that they are about to pass their intended highway exit. What should they do?

  1. Stop and back up to the exit if no one is behind them
  2. Cross the median to reverse direction
  3. Continue and take the next exit
  4. Swerve across lanes to make the exit at the last moment

Answer: C — Continue and take the next exit

If a driver misses their exit, they should take the next one; stopping, backing up, swerving, or crossing the median are all illegal and dangerous.

20. A vehicle is traveling on a highway at 65 mph. Approximately how far does it travel in one second?

  1. About 150 feet
  2. About 65 feet
  3. About 100 feet
  4. About 30 feet

Answer: C — About 100 feet

At 65 mph a vehicle covers almost 100 feet per second.

21. A driver merging onto a ramp notices a white line along their right side and a yellow line along their left. What does this tell the driver?

  1. They are approaching a divided highway crossover
  2. They are on an exit ramp, headed the wrong way
  3. They are headed the correct way onto the highway
  4. They are in a weaving lane and must yield

Answer: C — They are headed the correct way onto the highway

A white line on the right and a yellow line on the left indicate the driver is headed the right way onto the highway.

22. A driver parks on a hill that has no curb, facing uphill. Which way should the front wheels be turned?

  1. To the left
  2. To the right
  3. It depends on the direction of traffic only
  4. Straight ahead

Answer: B — To the right

Downhill (with or without a curb) and uphill without a curb all call for turning the wheels to the right; only uphill with a curb calls for turning them left.

23. How close to a fire hydrant is a driver allowed to park?

  1. No closer than 15 feet
  2. No closer than 20 feet
  3. No closer than 50 feet
  4. No closer than 30 feet

Answer: A — No closer than 15 feet

Parking is prohibited within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.

24. Before backing into a parallel parking space at a right-hand curb, how far from the vehicle ahead should a driver first stop?

  1. About 12 inches
  2. About 2 feet
  3. About 5 feet
  4. About 10 feet

Answer: B — About 2 feet

Parallel parking begins by stopping even with the vehicle ahead and about two feet from it, before turning the wheels sharply right and backing.

25. A driver parks along a curb. About how close to the curb should the vehicle be?

  1. As far as possible while still on the roadway
  2. Within 2 feet
  3. Within 15 feet
  4. Within 12 inches

Answer: D — Within 12 inches

With a curb present, a driver should park within 12 inches of it.

Take this test interactively

More Pennsylvania Driver License practice tests