Pennsylvania permit test: lanes, passing & merging
Lane choice, changing lanes, blind spots, passing rules and merging. 5 questions.
Unless a traffic control device says otherwise, you may not pass when you are within how many feet of an intersection or railroad crossing?
Keyboard: press 1–4 or A–D to answer, Enter for the next question, S to save, R to read aloud, P to pause reading, L to listen and answer.
Sample lanes, passing & merging questions
Unless a traffic control device says otherwise, you may not pass when you are within how many feet of an intersection or railroad crossing?
- A 500 feet
- B 100 feet
- C 50 feet
- D 300 feet
Show answer
B. 100 feet
You may not pass within 100 feet of, or while crossing, an intersection or railroad grade crossing, or within 100 feet of a bridge, elevated structure or tunnel. Vehicles may turn or stop there, and space is tight.
After passing a car, how do you know it is safe to move back into the right lane?
- A You can see both of its headlights in your rearview mirror
- B You have passed its rear bumper
- C You have counted two seconds after passing it
- D The other driver flashes their lights at you
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A. You can see both of its headlights in your rearview mirror
Signal, then return to your lane only when you can see both headlights of the vehicle you passed in your rearview mirror. That leaves room in front of it so you do not cut it off.
To pass a slower vehicle at 45 mph on a two-lane road, about how much clear roadway do you need?
- A About 100 feet
- B About 1/4 mile
- C About 1 mile
- D About 500 feet
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B. About 1/4 mile
Passing on a two-lane road means using the oncoming lane, so you need a long stretch of clear road. At 45 mph that is about a quarter mile, and you should be going about 10 mph faster than the vehicle you pass.
In which of these situations does Pennsylvania allow you to pass another vehicle on the right?
- A Whenever the right shoulder is wide, paved and clear of traffic
- B On a road with two or more marked lanes in each direction
- C Whenever the driver ahead is going below the speed limit
- D Only on two-lane roads with a broken yellow line
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B. On a road with two or more marked lanes in each direction
You may pass on the right when the driver ahead is turning left (staying on the berm or shoulder) or when the road has two or more marked lanes in each direction. Passing on the shoulder of a multi-lane highway is not allowed.