Kentucky permit test: safe driver habits
Distractions, fatigue, road rage, seat belts, air bags, child passenger laws, unattended children and securing loads. 18 questions, 10 at a time, starting with ones you haven't seen.
Rules to remember10 key safe driver habits rulesShow the rules
- To fight fatigue on long trips, plan to stop about every 100 miles or every 2 hours. (p. 30, Kentucky Driver Manual (none printed) (opens the handbook))
- A text takes your eyes off the road for about 4.6 seconds. (p. 31, Kentucky Driver Manual (none printed) (opens the handbook))
- Visual-manual tasks with hand-held phones, such as reaching, dialing and texting, raised crash risk about three times. (p. 31, Kentucky Driver Manual (none printed) (opens the handbook))
- Kentucky's seat belt law is primary, so officers can stop drivers just for not wearing a seat belt. (p. 38, Kentucky Driver Manual (none printed) (opens the handbook))
- Children 12 and under should ride in the back seat, using a safety belt or a child restraint system. (p. 38, Kentucky Driver Manual (none printed) (opens the handbook))
- Keep your hands on the outside of the steering wheel, never across it where the air bag comes out. (p. 38, Kentucky Driver Manual (none printed) (opens the handbook))
- Breaking the Child Restraint Law brings a $50 fine plus a $10 fee that goes to the Traumatic Brain Injury Trust Fund. (p. 39, Kentucky Driver Manual (none printed) (opens the handbook))
- Never put a rear-facing child seat in front of an active passenger air bag. (p. 39, Kentucky Driver Manual (none printed) (opens the handbook))
- A child 40 inches tall or less must be secured in a child restraint system that meets federal safety standards. (p. 39, Kentucky Driver Manual (none printed) (opens the handbook))
- A child under 8 who is between 40 and 57 inches tall must be secured in a child booster seat. (p. 39, Kentucky Driver Manual (none printed) (opens the handbook))
Taken from the explanations to checked practice questions; page numbers link to the official handbook.
Sample safe driver habits questions
1.A Kentucky officer sees a driver with no seat belt but no other violation. Can the officer stop the driver for that alone?
- ANo, only with another violation
- BOnly if a child is in the car
- CYes, because the law is primary
- DOnly while driving on interstates
Show the answer
✓ C. Yes, because the law is primary
Kentucky's seat belt law is primary, so officers can stop drivers just for not wearing a seat belt.
Source: Kentucky Driver Manual (Kentucky State Police) (none printed), page 38
2.How should you set your left side mirror, according to the handbook?
- APointed down at the curb beside you
- BSet the same way as the inside mirror
- CSo you see as much of your car as you can
- DHead on the window, barely see your car
Show the answer
✓ D. Head on the window, barely see your car
Rest your head against the closed driver's window and adjust the mirror so it barely shows the rear edge of your car. This reduces blind spots.
Source: Kentucky Driver Manual (Kentucky State Police) (none printed), page 37
3.Your 6-year-old is 48 inches tall. How must she ride?
- AWith only a lap belt
- BWithout any special seat
- CIn a child booster seat
- DIn a rear-facing seat
Show the answer
✓ C. In a child booster seat
A child under 8 who is between 40 and 57 inches tall must be secured in a child booster seat.
Source: Kentucky Driver Manual (Kentucky State Police) (none printed), page 39
4.Reaching for a phone, dialing and texting while driving raises your risk of a crash by how much, according to the study in the handbook?
- AAbout three times
- BIt does not change the risk
- CAbout 50%
- DAbout two times
Show the answer
✓ A. About three times
Visual-manual tasks with hand-held phones, such as reaching, dialing and texting, raised crash risk about three times.
Source: Kentucky Driver Manual (Kentucky State Police) (none printed), page 31