MA Permit Test Flashcards

Fundamental Driving Laws

• Fundamental speed law mandates never driving at an unsafe speed.
• Speed should be adjusted based on traffic, speed limits, and visibility (TSV).

Speed Limits

• Interstate routes allow speeds of 50-65 mph.
• Smaller highways have a speed limit of 55 mph or lower.
• Minimum speed on the Massachusetts Turnpike and Boston tunnels is 20 mph.
• School zones enforce a 20 mph speed limit.
• Thickly settled or business districts have a speed limit of 30 mph.
• Outside thickly settled areas, the speed limit is 40 mph, and on highways, it is 50 mph.

Traffic Sign Meanings

• Flashing red lights indicate a stop.
• A steady yellow light requires clearing the intersection; stop if safe.
• Flashing yellow means to slow down and proceed with caution.
• A green arrow signals a protected turn.
• Red signs indicate a stop or prohibition, while green signs provide directions.
• Yellow signs are general warnings, and black/white signs represent regulations.
• Blue signs indicate motorist services, and brown signs denote historical or scenic sites.
• Orange signs warn of construction or maintenance.

Road Markings

• Slow down 15 feet before railroad gates.
• Broken white lines indicate you may cross if safe after signaling.
• Solid white lines mark the road's edge and separate lanes of the same direction.
• Double solid white lines separate lanes going in the same direction.
• Broken yellow lines allow passing when safe.
• One solid and one broken yellow line means crossing is allowed if the broken side is nearer.
• Double solid yellow lines should not be crossed unless turning left.

Hand Signals

• Left turn: extend left arm straight.
• Right turn: extend left arm upward.
• Stop or slow down: extend left arm downward.

Signaling and Lane Use

• Signal 100 feet before a turn on regular roads and 500 feet on highways.
• Right lane is designated for slower traffic and entering/exiting, middle lane is for through traffic, and left lane is for higher speed/passing.
• Stretch legs every 2 hours or 100 miles on highways.

Right of Way (ROW) Rules

• Uncontrolled intersections: yield to vehicles on the right.
• At a four-way stop, yield to vehicles arriving first, or to the vehicle on your right if simultaneous.
• Vehicles on unpaved roads must yield to those on paved roads.

Rotary Rules

• Enter a three-quarter turn rotary from the left and exit to the right.
• Single and quarter turn rotaries allow right entry and exit.
• Speed limit on a roundabout is 25 mph.

Regulations on Passing

• Never pass using breakdown lanes, shoulders, or sidewalks.
• When passing, ensure visibility of at least 400 feet ahead.
• Return to the right lane before any vehicle comes within 200 feet.

School and Emergency Rules

• First violation of not stopping for a stopped school bus incurs a $250 fine.
• Never drive closer than 8 feet when a trolley is stopping.
• Illegal to park/drive within 800 feet of a fire.

Parking Regulations

• Park within 1 foot of the curb.
• When angle parking, leave 2-3 feet between your car and the parked one.
• Look out of the rear window when backing up, not the mirrors.

Safety Protocols

• In case of skidding: ease off gas, shift to neutral, and turn wheels toward the skid.
• If brakes fail: pump the brake pedal rapidly, downshift, apply the parking brake.
• For a stuck gas pedal: shift to neutral and apply brakes.
• Escape from a submerged vehicle through a window.

Penalties and Suspensions

• Defacing personal property results in a one-year suspension and a $100 fine.
• Penalties for drag racing: one-year suspension for first offense, three-year for second.
• Speeding violations lead to a 30-day suspension after three offenses within a year.
• Seven surchargable events within three years result in a 60-day suspension.
• Driving without a licensed driver leads to escalating suspensions: 60 days, 180 days, one year.
• Habitual traffic offenders face a four-year suspension with a $500 fee for reinstatement.