Kentucky Permit Test cheat sheet

Sign shapes carry meaning: octagon = STOP, inverted triangle = YIELD, pennant = no-passing zone, diamond = warning, pentagon = school zone/crossing, round = railroad advance warning, crossbuck (X) = railroad crossing.

Sign colors: red = stop/prohibit, yellow = warning, fluorescent yellow-green = school/pedestrian/bicycle warning, orange = construction/work zone, white = regulatory, green = guide/distance, blue = services, brown = recreation/cultural.

A steady red light means stop before the stop line or crosswalk and remain stopped; after stopping you may turn right on red only if no sign prohibits it and you yield to pedestrians and traffic.

A flashing red signal is treated as a stop sign: come to a full stop, then proceed when safe. A flashing yellow means slow down and proceed with caution; you do not have to stop.

A green arrow gives a protected turn in that direction; a green light with no arrow means you must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians before turning left.

Yellow center lines separate traffic moving in opposite directions: a solid yellow line on your side means no passing; a broken yellow line on your side permits passing when safe.

White lines separate traffic moving the same direction: broken white lines divide lanes and may be crossed with care; a solid white line marks the right edge or a lane you should not cross.

Two solid yellow lines mean no passing in either direction; a solid plus broken yellow line means passing is allowed only for traffic on the side with the broken line.

At an uncontrolled intersection, the first vehicle to arrive has the right-of-way; if two arrive at the same time, the vehicle on the left yields to the vehicle on the right.

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

At a four-way stop, vehicles proceed in the order they arrived; a tie goes to the vehicle on the right, and a left-turning vehicle yields to one going straight.

When entering a roadway from a driveway, alley, private road, or parking lot, you must yield to all traffic already on the road, including bicycles and pedestrians.

You must yield to pedestrians in a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection; blind pedestrians using a white cane or guide dog always have the right-of-way.

Emergency vehicles with lights and siren have the right-of-way: pull to the right edge and stop until they pass; do not stop in the middle of an intersection.

When two vehicles approach a hill or curve where they cannot see each other, the vehicle going downhill yields to the vehicle going uphill.

A roundabout is entered by yielding to traffic already circulating; do not stop inside the circle, and signal when exiting.

Kentucky statutory limits unless posted otherwise: 65 mph on rural interstates, 55 mph on other highways, and 35 mph in residential or business districts.

School zone speed limit is 20 mph when children are present or the zone is in effect, unless a sign posts a different limit.

The basic speed law applies everywhere: never drive faster than is reasonable and prudent for conditions, even if you are under the posted limit.

Use the three-second rule for following distance in good conditions; add one second for each adverse factor (rain, darkness, heavy load, or being followed closely).

At night, drive at a speed that lets you stop within the distance your headlights illuminate; low beams reach about 160 feet, high beams about 350 feet.

Kentucky's move-over law: on a multi-lane road, move out of the lane adjacent to a stopped emergency, tow, or highway-maintenance vehicle with flashing lights; if you cannot move over, slow down.

Turn on headlights from sunset to sunrise and whenever visibility requires it; Kentucky requires headlights when using windshield wipers.

Before changing lanes or turning, signal at least 100 feet in advance (about 3-4 seconds) and check mirrors and blind spots.

Kentucky's per se limit is 0.08% blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for drivers 21 and older; a BAC of 0.08 or higher is DUI regardless of how the driver appears.

For drivers under 21, Kentucky enforces a zero-tolerance standard: 0.02% BAC or higher is a violation.

Commercial drivers are held to a 0.04% BAC limit while operating a commercial motor vehicle.

Refusing a chemical test triggers license suspension under implied consent: 30 days for a first refusal, 12 months for a second refusal within five years, and 24 months for a third.

Alcohol impairs judgment, reaction time, and coordination before the driver feels intoxicated; a first drink can slow reaction time and reduce attention.

Time, not coffee, cold showers, or food, is the only thing that lowers BAC; the liver clears roughly one standard drink per hour.

Prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including antihistamines and sleep aids, can cause impairment and support a DUI charge even without alcohol.

Kentucky's Open Container law prohibits an open alcoholic beverage in the passenger area of a vehicle on a public road.

Kentucky adds points to a driving record for convictions: 3 points for most moving violations, 4 for speeding 15 mph or more over the limit, 6 for reckless driving, and 6 for DUI.

A driver is suspended when accumulating 12 or more points within two years; the first such suspension is 6 months.

Points stay on the record for two years from the date of the violation; after that they are removed from consideration.

A driver may take an approved state traffic school or driver-improvement program to reduce points; completion removes 7 points from the record.

Conviction of DUI carries a minimum 30-day license suspension for a first offense, plus fines, possible jail, and mandatory assessment or treatment.

Driving on a suspended or revoked license is a separate offense that can extend the suspension and add fines or jail time.

Kentucky law requires a driver involved in a crash resulting in injury, death, or property damage above the statutory threshold to stop, give aid, and report the crash.

Leaving the scene of a crash involving injury (hit-and-run) is a felony in Kentucky, carrying prison time and license revocation.

Pass bicyclists with at least 3 feet of clearance; if you cannot give 3 feet safely, wait until it is safe to pass.

Bicycles on the roadway are vehicles: they must ride with traffic, obey signals and signs, and are entitled to a full lane when the lane is too narrow to share.

Motorcycles are entitled to the full lane; never share a lane with a motorcycle, and check blind spots twice because a motorcycle's profile is small.

Give motorcycles a following distance of at least 3-4 seconds; they can stop faster than cars on some surfaces and may swerve to avoid road hazards.

Large trucks and buses have large blind spots (no-zones) behind, alongside, and in front; if you cannot see the driver's mirrors, the driver cannot see you.

Large vehicles need extra room to turn right, often swinging wide left first; never pass on the right of a truck that is turning or signaling right.

At a crosswalk, stop for pedestrians and remain stopped until they clear your lane and the adjacent lane; do not pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk.

Pedestrians walking along a road without a sidewalk should face traffic and walk on the left shoulder; bicyclists ride with traffic.

If your vehicle starts to skid, ease off the accelerator and steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go; do not slam the brakes.

If a tire blows out, hold the wheel firmly, ease off the gas, and let the car slow gradually; brake gently only after you have control.

If your brakes fail, pump the pedal, downshift to a lower gear, and use the parking brake gradually; steer for an escape route or off-road area.

If your vehicle breaks down on a highway, move to the right shoulder, turn on hazard lights, and stay in the car with seat belts fastened until help arrives.

Place reflective triangles or flares behind a disabled vehicle on a highway: about 10 feet behind in town, 100 feet behind on a highway, and 100-500 feet on a hill or curve.

At a railroad crossing with flashing red lights, a lowered gate, or a passing train, stop and wait; never drive around a lowered gate or attempt to beat a train.

At a passive railroad crossing (crossbuck only), stop, look both ways, and listen before crossing; a train moving at 55 mph can take more than a mile to stop.

If your vehicle stalls on the tracks, get everyone out and away from the tracks immediately, then call 911 and give the crossing number posted on the signal box.

Kentucky's primary seat belt law requires all occupants in the front seat and all children under 15 in any seat to be restrained; officers may stop a vehicle for a belt violation alone.

Children under 8 years old and under 57 inches tall must be in an approved child restraint or booster seat; children 8 and older or 57 inches and taller may use an adult belt.

A rear-facing infant seat belongs in the back seat and should never be placed in front of an active passenger airbag.

The safest place for a child under 13 is the back seat; the lap belt should lie low across the hips and the shoulder belt across the chest and collarbone, never under the arm or behind the back.

Headlights must be on from sunset to sunrise and in bad weather; Kentucky requires them when windshield wipers are in use.

Windshields must be kept clear; cracked or clouded glass, obstructed views, and non-functioning wipers are equipment violations.

Turn signals, brake lights, and a horn are required equipment; tires must have at least 2/32 inch of tread depth.

It is illegal to text or use a handheld phone while driving in Kentucky; drivers under 18 may not use any personal communication device while driving.

A learner's permit may be issued at age 16 after passing the written, vision, and knowledge tests; a driver under 18 must hold the permit at least 180 days before getting an intermediate license.

A permit holder must drive with a licensed driver 21 or older who sits in the front passenger seat; the supervising driver must have held a license for at least one year.

Permit and intermediate holders may not drive between midnight and 6 a.m. unless driving to or from work, school, or an emergency, with documentation.

An intermediate license holder under 18 may not carry more than one unrelated passenger under 20 unless a supervising driver 21 or older is in the front seat, with limited family exceptions.

All drivers under 18 must have a completed and signed school compliance verification form to obtain or renew a permit or license.

A permit or intermediate holder who accumulates 6 or more points is subject to suspension or a driving-retest requirement.

All GDL holders must wear seat belts and may not use any personal communication device, including hands-free, while driving.

A driver must be at least 17 to receive a full, unrestricted license under Kentucky's GDL program, after holding the intermediate license for the required period.