Indiana Permit Test: Safe Driving Practice Questions
Following distance, headlights, seat belts and distractions.
Question 1
What following distance does Indiana's manual recommend behind the vehicle ahead?
Correct answer: At least two to three seconds
Stay at least two to three seconds behind the vehicle ahead. Count the time from when it passes a fixed object until you pass the same object.
Source: Chapter 7: Safe Vehicle Operation β Braking and Following Distances
Question 2
Which of these affects how quickly a vehicle can stop?
Correct answer: The condition of the tires and brakes
Stopping ability depends on vehicle weight, brake and tire type and condition, pavement condition and slickness, and the grade of the road.
Source: Chapter 7: Safe Vehicle Operation β Braking and Following Distances
Question 3
Your car has conventional (non-ABS) brakes and the rear wheels start sliding sideways. What should you do?
Correct answer: Ease off the gas and steer in the direction the rear is sliding
Ease off the gas and, with conventional brakes, steer in a controlled way in the direction the rear of the car is sliding. Do not oversteer, which can cause a spin.
Source: Chapter 7: Safe Vehicle Operation β Braking and Following Distances (Skidding)
Question 4
How should you brake in an emergency in a vehicle with anti-lock brakes (ABS)?
Correct answer: Keep firm, steady pressure on the pedal and steer normally
With ABS, keep firm and continuous pressure on the brake pedal while steering normally. Do not pump. Noise, vibration, or pedal resistance means the ABS is working.
Source: Chapter 7: Safe Vehicle Operation β Braking and Following Distances (Skidding)
Question 5
Many rollover crashes start with what driver reaction?
Correct answer: Panicked overcorrecting of the steering
Many rollovers occur when drivers overcorrect their steering in panic. At highway speeds, excessive steering can make the vehicle slide sideways and roll.
Source: Chapter 7: Safe Vehicle Operation β Braking and Following Distances (Rollover)
Question 6
What happens to the rollover risk of a 15-passenger van as more people ride in it?
Correct answer: It increases dramatically
The rollover risk of a 15-passenger van increases dramatically as the number of occupants increases.
Source: Chapter 7: Safe Vehicle Operation β Braking and Following Distances (Rollover)
Question 7
Where should you find the correct air pressure for your tires?
Correct answer: On the driver's door jamb sticker or in the owner's manual
Compare your gauge reading to the psi on the sticker inside the driver's door or in the owner's manual, not the number on the tire's sidewall.
Correct answer: When the tires are cold, before driving or three hours after
Check tires cold, before you have driven or at least three hours after driving. Tires can lose up to 1 psi a month, so check monthly and before long trips.
In the penny test for tread depth, what tells you the tread is still at a safe and legal depth?
Correct answer: Part of Lincoln's head is covered by the tread
Place Lincoln's head into a groove. If any part of his head is covered by tread, you have a legal and safe amount; below about 1/16 inch, grip is greatly reduced.
Which headlights should you use when driving in fog?
Correct answer: Low beams
Do not use high beams in fog. Low beams better light the road and objects ahead. Drive slowly, and if visibility drops to near zero, pull off the road as far as possible and stop.
Water is flowing over the road ahead after a storm. What should you do?
Correct answer: Do not drive into it; the depth is hard to judge and it may hide washouts
Flash flooding causes more roadway weather deaths than any other event. Do not drive where water covers the road; its depth is not obvious and it may hide washouts.