Maryland MVA Permit Test cheat sheet

Sign shape and color: red octagon = STOP; inverted red-and-white triangle = YIELD; yellow diamond = warning; white vertical rectangle = regulatory; green horizontal rectangle = guide; orange diamond = construction; yellow pennant = no-passing zone.

Warning sign colors: yellow for most hazards, fluorescent yellow-green for school, pedestrian and bicycle areas, orange for work zones and maintenance activity.

Signal meanings: steady red = stop; steady green = proceed but yield to vehicles and pedestrians still lawfully in the intersection; flashing red = stop, then proceed when clear; flashing yellow = slow down and proceed with caution; red arrow = no movement in that direction.

Pavement lines: broken white = lane change allowed; solid white = roadway edge, crossing discouraged; broken yellow = passing allowed from your side; solid yellow on your side of a two-line center = no passing for you; double solid yellow = no passing in either direction.

Right turn on red is legal in Maryland 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.

Maryland default limits are 30 mph in business and residential districts and 55 mph on other undivided highways unless posted; posted limits on designated highways may reach 70 mph.

Passing is prohibited within 100 feet of a bridge, tunnel, viaduct or railroad crossing, and anywhere a solid center line or no-passing sign applies to your direction of travel.

Maryland points: 12 points within 12 months brings a license suspension; 30 or more mph over the limit = 5 points, reckless driving = 6 points, DUI = 12 points.

Following distance: at least 3 seconds behind the vehicle ahead in good conditions, 4 seconds at night, and more in rain, snow, fog or when following motorcycles and trucks.

Total stopping distance = perception distance + reaction distance + braking distance; wet pavement substantially increases the braking portion.

Skid recovery: ease off the accelerator, steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go, and avoid hard braking, which can worsen the skid.

Hydroplaning: ease off the gas, hold the wheel straight and avoid sudden braking or steering until the tires regain contact with the pavement.

Dim headlights to low beams within 500 feet of oncoming traffic and within 300 feet when following another vehicle; use low beams in fog, rain and snow.

Right of way: at an uncontrolled intersection yield to the vehicle approaching from your right; a vehicle turning left yields to oncoming traffic; traffic already in a roundabout has the right of way over entering traffic.

Maryland seat belt enforcement is primary: the driver and front-seat passenger must be belted, and every passenger under 16 must be restrained regardless of seating position.

A child under 8 years old must ride in an appropriate child safety seat or booster unless the child is taller than 4 feet 9 inches.

With antilock brakes, apply firm continuous pressure and steer; the pedal may vibrate and pumping the brake reduces effectiveness.

Pedestrians in a marked or unmarked crosswalk have the right of way; drivers must stop and stay stopped, and must not pass a vehicle that has stopped at a crosswalk.

When passing a bicyclist, Maryland requires at least 3 feet of clearance; if that space is not available, wait until it is safe to pass.

School buses: stop for flashing red lights and an extended stop arm on an undivided road; on a divided highway, traffic on the far side of the median is not required to stop.

Move over law: for stopped emergency, tow or maintenance vehicles displaying lights, change to a lane away from them or slow down substantially if moving over is unsafe.

Motorcycles are entitled to the full width of a lane and must be given the same space as a car; allow extra following distance because they can stop faster than cars.

Large trucks have blind spots on both sides, directly behind and in front of the cab, and swing wide to the left before completing a right turn.

At railroad crossings, stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail, never drive around a lowered gate and never stop on the tracks.

Emergency vehicles with lights and siren: pull to the right edge of the road and stop, but clear an intersection first rather than stopping inside it.

Slow-moving vehicles displaying an orange triangle travel at 25 mph or less; approach with caution and pass only when the way is clear.

BAC limits in Maryland: 0.08 percent for drivers 21 and older, 0.04 percent for commercial drivers, and 0.02 percent for drivers under 21 under the zero tolerance law.

Driving in Maryland implies consent to breath or blood testing after a lawful arrest for an alcohol- or drug-related offense; refusal triggers license sanctions separate from the criminal case.

Alcohol is eliminated at roughly one standard drink per hour; only time lowers BAC, since coffee, food, exercise and cold showers do not speed elimination.

Alcohol is a depressant: judgment, self-control and reaction time decline before obvious loss of coordination, so impairment begins below the legal limit.

Maryland DUI applies at 0.08 percent or higher and carries 12 points; DWI applies at 0.07 percent with lesser penalties; impairment by drugs, including prescription medication, is also a violation.

It is illegal to consume alcohol or keep an open container of alcohol in the passenger area of a vehicle on a Maryland highway.

A driver under 21 with a BAC of 0.02 percent or higher faces license suspension or revocation even without other evidence of impairment.

Maryland may require an ignition interlock device after an alcohol-related conviction; the device prevents the engine from starting when it detects alcohol on the driver's breath.