Kansas DMV Permit Test cheat sheet

Sign shapes carry meaning: octagon = stop, downward triangle = yield, diamond = warning, pennant = no-passing zone, pentagon = school zone, round = railroad advance warning, horizontal rectangle = regulatory or guide.

Sign colors carry meaning: red = stop or prohibition, yellow = warning, orange = construction or maintenance, fluorescent yellow-green = school and pedestrian, green = distance and direction, blue = motorist services, brown = recreation and parks.

A steady red light requires a full stop; a right turn is allowed after stopping unless a sign prohibits it, and a left turn from a one-way street onto another one-way street is allowed unless prohibited.

A flashing red signal is treated exactly as a stop sign; a flashing yellow signal means slow down and proceed only with caution.

A green arrow is a protected turn: traffic that would conflict with the turn is stopped by red signals.

A solid yellow center line on your side of the road marks a no-passing zone; a broken yellow line means passing is permitted when the way ahead is clear.

Yellow lines separate traffic moving in opposite directions; white lines separate lanes of traffic moving in the same direction.

A white X-shaped crossbuck sign at a railroad crossing means yield to trains; it is a warning, not a stop sign, but a stopped train or lowered gate requires a stop.

If a traffic signal is completely dark or not functioning, treat the intersection as an all-way stop and yield according to right-of-way rules.

At a multi-way stop, the first vehicle to arrive proceeds first; if two vehicles arrive at the same moment, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.

At an intersection with no signs, signals, or markings, yield to the vehicle approaching from your right.

A driver turning left must yield to oncoming traffic that is close enough to be a hazard and to pedestrians in the crosswalk.

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

Pass on the left, and do not return to the right lane until the vehicle you passed is visible in your rearview mirror.

Passing is prohibited on hills, on curves, at railroad crossings, at intersections, and anywhere a solid yellow line marks your side of the center line.

Drivers must yield to pedestrians in marked crosswalks and in unmarked crosswalks at intersections; a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk must not be passed.

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

Right-of-way is something a driver yields; the driver who has the right-of-way is still responsible for avoiding a collision.

The three-second rule sets minimum following distance in ideal conditions; use four or more seconds on wet pavement and much more on ice or snow.

At 55 mph a vehicle covers about 80 feet per second, and total stopping distance including perception and reaction is roughly 300 feet.

Good drivers scan 12 to 15 seconds ahead of the vehicle, which at highway speed is about a quarter mile.

Hydroplaning can begin at speeds as low as 35 mph on wet pavement; ease off the accelerator and avoid hard braking until traction returns.

With anti-lock brakes, press the pedal firmly and hold it; the system pumps automatically, so the driver should not pump the pedal.

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 makes a skid worse.

After a front tire blowout, grip the wheel firmly with both hands, ease off the accelerator, and slow gradually before pulling off the road.

Total stopping distance equals perception distance plus reaction distance plus braking distance; braking distance increases with the square of speed.

Defensive driving assumes other drivers will make mistakes and keeps an escape route open on at least one side of the vehicle.

Kansas per se limit: a driver age 21 or older is legally impaired at a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher.

Kansas zero tolerance: a driver under age 21 is impaired at a BAC of 0.02 percent or higher and faces license suspension.

Commercial driver's license holders are impaired at a BAC of 0.04 percent while operating a commercial vehicle.

Kansas implied consent law: a lawfully arrested driver must submit to a breath, blood, or urine test, and a first refusal results in a one-year license suspension.

A first Kansas DUI conviction carries at least 48 consecutive hours in jail or 100 hours of community service, a fine, and alcohol assessment or education.

Kansas requires an ignition interlock device as a condition of reinstatement for DUI convictions.

Alcohol degrades judgment, self-control, and reaction time before it visibly affects coordination, so drivers are impaired before they feel drunk.

One standard drink equals about 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.

Only time removes alcohol from the body, at roughly one standard drink per hour for an average adult; coffee, food, and cold showers do not sober a person.

Kansas prohibits an open container of alcohol in the passenger area of a vehicle, and impairment can result from prescription or over-the-counter drugs as well as alcohol.

A motorcycle is entitled to the full width of a lane; no other vehicle may share the lane with a motorcycle.

Kansas requires motorcycle riders and passengers under age 18 to wear a helmet, and eye protection is required for all riders unless the motorcycle has a windshield.

Kansas requires at least three feet of clearance when a motor vehicle passes a bicycle.

Bicycles using the roadway must ride with traffic, obey the same signals and signs as motor vehicles, and stay as far right as practicable except when turning left or avoiding hazards.

School bus flashing yellow lights mean prepare to stop; flashing red lights and an extended stop arm mean stop and remain stopped until the lights stop flashing.

On an undivided road, traffic in both directions must stop for a school bus with flashing red lights; on a divided highway with a median, only traffic on the bus's side must stop.

Large trucks have blind spots up to about 20 feet in front of the cab, 30 feet behind the trailer, and along both sides; if you cannot see the driver's mirrors, the driver cannot see you.

A truck making a right turn may first swing wide to the left, and a fully loaded truck needs roughly 25 to 40 percent more distance to stop than a passenger car.

Never pass a vehicle that is stopped at a crosswalk, and never drive around lowered railroad gates; trains cannot stop quickly and their speed is deceptive.

In fog, rain, or snow use low-beam headlights, because high beams reflect off precipitation and reduce visibility.

The first 10 to 15 minutes of rain are the most slippery, as oil and dust float on the water before washing away.

Bridges and overpasses freeze before other road surfaces because cold air reaches them from above and below; shaded areas also hold ice longer.

Six inches of moving water can knock an adult off their feet, and about 12 inches can float many passenger cars, so a flooded road should be turned around rather than crossed.

At night, drive only as fast as your headlights allow you to stop within the illuminated distance; low beams show roughly 160 feet ahead.

In a Kansas work zone with workers present, fines for moving violations are doubled.

If the accelerator sticks, shift to neutral, brake firmly, and steer to the shoulder; if the engine dies at speed, keep steering and braking with the remaining power assist.

If your vehicle becomes disabled on the road, turn on hazard lights, raise the hood, and tie a white cloth to the antenna or door handle to signal for help.

In a tornado warning, leave the vehicle for a sturdy building; if none is available, lie flat in a low ditch rather than sheltering under an overpass.

Passenger tires must have at least 2/32 of an inch of tread; tire pressure is checked when tires are cold and should match the vehicle's door-jamb placard.

Headlights are required from sunset to sunrise and any time darkness, rain, fog, or snow limits visibility.

Dim high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet when following another vehicle.

Brake lights, turn signals, a horn, working wipers, and a clear windshield are required equipment in Kansas.

Kansas requires child passenger safety seats for children under age 8 (or shorter than 4 feet 9 inches) and seat belts for all front-seat occupants.

Kansas seat belt enforcement is primary, meaning an officer may stop a vehicle solely because an occupant is unbelted.

Airbags are a supplement to seat belts, not a replacement; sit at least 10 inches from the steering wheel and place children under 13 in the back seat.

When the anti-lock brake warning light stays on, the ABS is disabled but conventional brakes still function; stopping distances may increase on slippery surfaces.

Underinflation and worn tread both increase stopping distance and hydroplaning risk, and low coolant or oil can cause engine failure at highway speed.

Kansas graduated licensing: an instruction permit may be issued at age 14, a restricted license at 16, and unrestricted driving privileges at 17.

A Kansas restricted license (ages 16 to 17) prohibits driving between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless traveling to or from school, work, or a religious activity.

Kansas minimum liability insurance is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage (25/50/25).

Kansas is a no-fault insurance state that requires personal injury protection of at least $4,500 in addition to liability coverage.

Driving uninsured in Kansas can result in license and registration suspension, fines, and a requirement to file proof of financial responsibility.

Kansas assigns points for moving violations and suspends driving privileges when a driver accumulates 14 points within 12 months.

Kansas bans texting while driving for every driver, and holders of instruction permits and restricted licenses may not use a wireless communication device at all.

New residents must obtain a Kansas driver's license within 90 days of establishing residency, and titles and registrations are handled at the county treasurer's office.

Kansas requires proof of identity, Social Security number, and Kansas residency documents when applying for an original license, along with vision, written, and driving tests.