Indiana BMV Permit Test cheat sheet

An octagon shape always means STOP; a downward-pointing triangle always means YIELD; a pennant (sideways triangle) marks a no-passing zone.

Regulatory signs use white backgrounds with black or red legends (SPEED LIMIT, STOP, DO NOT ENTER) and state the law; violating one is a citable offense.

Warning signs are yellow diamonds with black symbols (curve, hill, pedestrian, signal ahead) and tell you to slow down and prepare to react.

Work zone signs are orange diamonds; speeding fines are increased when workers are present in a signed work zone.

A flashing red signal is treated exactly like a stop sign: full stop, then proceed when clear. A flashing yellow signal means slow down and proceed with caution.

A steady yellow light means the signal is about to turn red: stop if you can do so safely rather than accelerating.

Double solid yellow lines prohibit passing in both directions; a broken yellow line on your side permits passing when the roadway ahead is clear.

White lines separate lanes of traffic moving in the same direction; yellow lines separate traffic moving in opposite directions.

A solid white line at the edge of the road marks the right shoulder; a dashed white line means you may change lanes when it is safe.

At an uncontrolled intersection, yield to any vehicle already in the intersection; if two vehicles arrive together, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.

A driver turning left must yield to oncoming traffic going straight or turning right, and to pedestrians in the crosswalk.

Right turn on red is permitted after a complete stop unless a sign prohibits it; a left turn on red is allowed only from a one-way street onto another one-way street.

At a four-way stop, vehicles proceed in the order they stopped; ties are resolved in favor of the driver on the right.

Pedestrians in a marked or unmarked crosswalk have the right-of-way, and a driver may not pass another vehicle that is stopped at a crosswalk.

Use a minimum three-second following gap in good conditions and add more time in rain, darkness, or when following motorcycles and trucks.

Indiana default speed limits are 30 mph in urban or residential districts and 55 mph in rural areas unless posted otherwise; rural interstate maximums reach 70 mph.

Passing is prohibited on hills and curves with limited sight distance and within 100 feet of an intersection or railroad crossing.

For a school bus with flashing red lights on an undivided road, traffic in both directions must stop; on a divided highway with a median barrier, only traffic behind the bus must stop.

Scan the road 12 to 15 seconds ahead and check mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds to keep a complete picture of traffic around you.

At 60 mph you travel about 88 feet per second, so a three-second gap equals roughly 264 feet of following distance.

Total stopping distance = perception distance + reaction distance + braking distance; it rises with speed and with wet, icy, or gravel surfaces.

Dim high beams to low beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 200 feet when following another vehicle.

Indiana law prohibits holding a phone or other electronic device while driving, and texting is illegal for all drivers; drivers under 18 may not use a wireless device at all.

Backing up requires checking behind the vehicle before entering it and looking over your shoulder; a backup camera does not replace mirror and shoulder checks.

Take a rest break at least every 2 hours or 100 miles; yawning, drifting between lanes, and missing exits are signs of dangerous fatigue.

Enter and exit a roundabout to the right, yield to vehicles already in the circle, and never stop inside the circulating lane.

Large trucks have blind spots of roughly 20 feet ahead, 30 feet behind, and one or two lanes on each side; if you cannot see the truck's mirrors, the driver cannot see you.

Never pass a large truck on the right, because trucks often swing wide left before making a right turn and can crush a vehicle in that gap.

Indiana requires drivers to give bicyclists at least three feet of clearance when passing; bicycles are vehicles with the same road rights and duties.

Motorcycles are entitled to a full lane; do not share a lane with a motorcycle, and allow extra following distance because motorcycles can stop faster than cars.

When an emergency vehicle approaches with lights and siren, pull to the right edge of the road and stop until it passes.

The Move Over law requires changing lanes away from a stopped emergency, tow, or maintenance vehicle with flashing lights, or slowing down if a lane change is not possible.

Stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail at a railroad crossing, and never drive around a lowered gate.

A train traveling 55 mph can take more than a mile to stop, so any attempt to beat a train is a fatal gamble.

Indiana per se limits: 0.08% BAC for drivers 21 and older, 0.04% for commercial drivers, and 0.02% for drivers under 21 (zero tolerance).

A driver may be convicted of OWI at any BAC if driving is impaired; the legal limit is not a safe threshold.

Under implied consent, refusing a chemical test produces a license suspension even if the driver is never convicted of OWI.

One standard drink (12 oz of 5% beer, 5 oz of 12% wine, or 1.5 oz of 80-proof liquor) contains about the same amount of alcohol.

The body eliminates alcohol at roughly one standard drink per hour; coffee, food, cold showers, and exercise do not lower BAC.

BAC rises faster with lower body weight, an empty stomach, and rapid consumption, and it is affected by the strength of the drink and the time spent drinking.

Indiana law prohibits driving with certain controlled substances or their metabolites in the blood, and combining alcohol with any drug multiplies impairment.

A first OWI conviction can bring up to 60 days in jail, a fine up to $500, license suspension, and possible ignition interlock or probation.

A BAC of 0.15% or higher, a prior OWI, or a crash involving injury raises an OWI charge to a more serious offense.

An Indiana learner's permit may be issued at 15 to a student enrolled in driver education (16 without driver education) and must be held at least 180 days before a probationary license.

A learner's permit holder must be accompanied by a licensed driver at least 25 years old seated in the front seat.

Probationary license holders under 18 face a night driving restriction, generally 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., except for work, school, or religious activities.

Seat belt use is primary enforcement in Indiana: the driver and front-seat passengers must be belted, and children under 8 must use a child safety seat or booster.

Indiana requires minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash for bodily injury plus $25,000 for property damage, with proof carried in the vehicle.

Convictions from other states are reported to Indiana and count as points against your Indiana driving record; too many points lead to suspension and reinstatement fees.

After any crash you must stop, exchange names, addresses, and vehicle information, render reasonable aid, and notify police if anyone is injured or killed.

A property-damage-only crash must be reported to law enforcement when damage exceeds $1,000.

Leaving the scene of a crash involving injury or death is a felony-level offense with license consequences.

Brakes, headlights, taillights, turn signals, horn, mirrors, wipers, and seat belts must all be in working order; a defective required item is an equipment violation.

Headlights are required from sunset to sunrise and whenever visibility is poor, and high beams must be dimmed within 500 feet of oncoming traffic and 200 feet when following.

Tires must have at least 2/32 inch of tread and be inflated to the pressure shown on the vehicle placard, checked when tires are cold.

With anti-lock brakes, press the pedal firmly and hold it in an emergency stop; without ABS, threshold-brake or pump to avoid locking the wheels.

Signal at least 100 feet before a turn or lane change and cancel the signal after completing the maneuver.

Children under 8 must ride in an approved child safety seat or booster; keep children rear-facing as long as the seat allows and in the back seat until about age 13.

Airbags supplement seat belts rather than replace them, and occupants should sit at least 10 inches from the steering wheel.

If your vehicle breaks down, pull as far off the roadway as possible, turn on hazard lights, and place warning triangles or flares behind the vehicle.

Hydroplaning can begin at speeds as low as 35 mph on wet pavement; ease off the accelerator, hold the wheel straight, and avoid hard braking.

In a skid, take your foot off the accelerator and steer in the direction you want the front of the vehicle to go; hard braking worsens the skid.

In fog, use low beams, reduce speed, and increase following distance; high beams reflect off the fog and reduce visibility.

Bridges and overpasses freeze before the rest of the road, so slow down and make no sudden steering or braking inputs on ice.

After a tire blowout, grip the wheel firmly, ease off the gas, and let the vehicle slow gradually before pulling off the road.

If the brakes fail, pump the pedal, downshift to a lower gear, apply the parking brake gradually, and steer toward an escape path.

Never drive into standing or moving water of unknown depth; as little as 12 inches of moving water can float or sweep away a car.

At night, do not overdrive your headlights: drive only as fast as you can stop within the distance your lights illuminate.

If your vehicle stalls on railroad tracks, get everyone out and away from the tracks immediately, then call for help using the number posted at the crossing.