Maryland MVA Permit Test flashcards
Maryland MVA Permit Test · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Octagon sign shape
- An eight-sided sign is always a STOP sign. Come to a complete stop at the stop line, crosswalk or before entering the intersection, then proceed only when clear.
- Inverted triangle sign
- A downward-pointing triangle marks a YIELD sign. Slow down, be ready to stop, and give the right of way to traffic on the intersecting road.
- Double solid yellow line
- Two solid yellow lines prohibit passing in both directions. A left turn across them into a driveway or side street is still allowed where not otherwise banned.
- Broken yellow center line
- A single broken yellow line separates traffic moving in opposite directions. You may pass when the lane ahead is clear and no sign or marking forbids it.
- Flashing red signal
- A flashing red light means the same as a stop sign: stop completely, yield to cross traffic and pedestrians, and go only when the way is clear.
- Right turn on red
- After a complete stop, Maryland allows a right turn at a red light unless a sign forbids it. Yield to pedestrians and cross traffic before turning.
- Twelve points in twelve months
- A Maryland driver who reaches 12 points within 12 months faces license suspension. A single DUI conviction adds 12 points to the driving record.
- Orange work zone signs
- Orange diamond-shaped signs warn of construction or maintenance ahead. Slow down, expect workers, equipment and narrowed or shifted lanes, and watch for flaggers.
- Three-second following rule
- Watch the car ahead pass a fixed object and count three seconds before you reach it. Increase the gap at night, in rain, or when following motorcycles and trucks.
- Recovering from a skid
- Ease off the accelerator and steer in the direction you want the front of the car to travel. Avoid hard braking, which can make the skid worse.
- Hydroplaning
- Tires ride on a thin film of water and lose contact with the road. Ease off the gas, hold the wheel straight and avoid sudden braking until grip returns.
- Driving in fog
- Use low-beam headlights, reduce speed and increase following distance. High beams reflect off the fog and make it harder to see the road ahead.
- Headlight dimming distances
- Dim to low beams when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet and when following another vehicle within 300 feet. Use low beams in fog, rain and snow.
- Antilock brakes in emergency
- Press the brake pedal firmly and hold it; vibration or noise is normal. Do not pump the brakes, and steer while braking to avoid the hazard.
- Uncontrolled intersection
- Where no signs or signals control the crossing, yield to a vehicle already in the intersection and to one approaching from your right.
- Maryland child restraint law
- Children under 8 years old must ride in an appropriate child safety seat or booster unless they are taller than 4 feet 9 inches.
- Three-foot passing clearance
- Maryland requires drivers to leave at least three feet between the vehicle and a bicyclist when passing, and to wait if that space is not available.
- School bus red lights
- Stop for a school bus showing flashing red lights and an extended stop arm. On a divided highway, drivers on the opposite side of the median do not have to stop.
- Move over law
- When approaching stopped emergency, tow or highway maintenance vehicles with lights flashing, change to a lane away from them or slow down substantially if you cannot move over.
- Motorcycle lane use
- A motorcycle is entitled to the full width of a lane. Never share a lane with a motorcycle or pass it within the same lane.
- Truck no-zones
- Large trucks have blind spots alongside, directly behind and in front of the cab. If you cannot see the truck driver's mirrors, the driver cannot see you.
- Emergency vehicle approach
- Pull to the right edge of the roadway and stop until the emergency vehicle passes. Do not stop in the middle of an intersection; clear it first.
- Railroad crossing stopping distance
- Stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail. Never drive around a lowered gate or stop on the tracks.
- Pedestrian in crosswalk
- Maryland drivers must stop for a pedestrian in a marked or unmarked crosswalk, and must not pass another vehicle that has stopped at a crosswalk.
- Legal BAC limit
- In Maryland, drivers 21 and older are over the limit at a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher; commercial drivers are limited to 0.04 percent.
- Zero tolerance law
- A Maryland driver under 21 with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 percent or higher faces license suspension or revocation, even without other evidence of impairment.
- Implied consent
- Driving in Maryland means consenting to breath or blood testing after a lawful arrest for an alcohol- or drug-related offense. Refusing a test brings its own penalties.
- Alcohol elimination rate
- The body clears alcohol at about one standard drink per hour. Coffee, food, exercise and cold showers do not speed this up; only time lowers BAC.
- First effect of alcohol
- Alcohol is a depressant that first impairs judgment, self-control and reaction time before coordination declines, so drivers often think they are fine when they are not.
- Open container law
- Maryland prohibits open containers of alcohol in the passenger area of a vehicle on a highway, and the driver can face penalties for a passenger's opened container.
- DUI versus DWI
- Maryland charges driving under the influence at 0.08 percent or higher and driving while impaired at 0.07 percent; DUI carries heavier penalties and 12 points.
- Ignition interlock device
- A device wired to the ignition that tests the driver's breath and prevents starting if alcohol is detected; Maryland may require one after a drunk driving conviction.