Maine Written Exam Samples – 30 Test Questions and Answers

The body eliminates alcohol at a constant rate that cannot be changed. Because everyone’s liver oxidizes alcohol at a constant rate, nothing but time will sober you up.

Motorcyclists are required to have their headlights on at all times when operating a motorcycle in Maine.

They have as much right to the road as cars. Give them as much space as you would give a car.

It is illegal to pass a stopped school bus with red lights flashing on school property, on any undivided highway or parking area in Maine.

If you are approaching a stopped school bus from either direction, with its red lights flashing, you must bring your vehicle to a complete stop in front or rear of the school bus and wait while children are getting on or off the bus. You must not proceed until the bus resumes motion or until signaled by the school bus driver to do so. Violations carry severe penalties.

You can tell if you are following too closely by using the two-second rule. In some situations, you should allow an extra cushion. A three to four-second (or more) following distance may be needed when following motorcycles or bicycles. If the cyclist should fall, you will need extra distance to avoid striking the rider. The chances of a fall are greatest on wet or icy roads, metal surfaces such as bridge gratings or railroad tracks, and on gravel.

You need skill and caution to enter a freeway safely from an access lane, and merge smoothly with the fast-moving traffic. Look for a gap, then increase speed in the entrance lane and enter the gap at highway speed.

Do not impede the flow of traffic by pulling into the lane before you have built up some speed.

No speed is safe in all situations.

Remember, speed limits are based on the condition of the road, how far you can see, and what typical traffic is like. Posted speed limits do not tell you at what speed to drive. They only say you cannot go faster than the speed shown. If road and weather conditions make the posted speed unsafe, you must slow down. This is known as the basic speed law.

An operator shall operate a vehicle at a careful and prudent speed not greater than is reasonable and proper having due regard to the traffic, surface, and width of the way and of other conditions then existing.

Stop your car at once. If you can, move your car off the road so that you do not block traffic.

Even though right-of-way rules have the force of law, a good driver never depends exclusively on them for safety. A driver who should have the right-of-way should use it sensibly, never insist on it.

Divided highway ahead (divided highway begins).

You are getting close to the place where two-way traffic will be divided by a center strip. Each roadway is one-way. Stay to the right.

Vehicle C goes first.

Vehicle A must yield to both B and C.

Vehicle B must yield to vehicle C.

If cars arrive at an uncontrolled intersection at about the same time, drivers must yield to the car on their right. If two cars arrive at an intersection at the same time from opposite directions and one driver is signaling for a turn, the right-of-way belongs to the car going straight through.

A steady yellow light means caution, the traffic signal is changing from green to red. Remember, you must stop if it is safe. If you are already stopped at an intersection or a stop line, you may not proceed. If you are in the intersection when the yellow light comes on, do not stop but continue through the intersection.

Typical offenses requiring suspension are:

• Failure to file required insurance.
• Failure to appear in court for a traffic citation.
• Operating Under the Influence (O.U.I.).
• Administrative License Suspension.

Check behind the car before you get in. Children or small objects are hard to see from the driver’s seat. Turn your shoulders and head to the right so that you can look directly through the rear window. Do not depend solely on your mirrors. Back slowly. Your car is much harder to control and to stop while you are backing. Back no faster than a slow walk.

Slippery when wet.

Some road surfaces are more slippery than others when wet. These roads are usually posted with this warning sign.

Remember, on cold, wet days, bridges and overpasses can hide spots of ice. These areas freeze first and dry out last.

If you have anti-lock brakes, simply hold the pedal down firmly and let the car do the work. Do not pump the brakes

Pedestrian crossing.

Crosswalks are special areas set aside for people to cross the street. They are often marked with yellow or white lines. Slow down and watch for people crossing the street on foot. Pedestrians in crosswalks must be given the right-of-way at all times.

If your power steering fails:

• If going straight, grip the wheel with both hands to keep control. If turning, pull hard with both hands to make it around the corner.
• Stop the car. You may have to push hard if your car has power brakes.
• Restart the engine.

Keep to the right of a yellow center line. You may cross the broken line when turning left, passing another vehicle or when the right half of the roadway is closed to traffic. You may only cross when it is safe to do so.

Do not stop or slow down to sightsee. This is dangerous and will cause a traffic problem.

If emergency medical assistance is already on the scene, follow instructions and pay attention to the road and traffic control officers – not the accident!

Once certain point levels are reached (currently 6 points), a warning is issued by the Secretary of State, and if the point total reaches 12 points or more the driver’s license will be suspended.

Construction warning signs are posted to alert drivers of road construction or maintenance activity ahead. They also serve to guide a motorist safely through or around the work site. These signs are black symbols or lettering on an orange background and are often diamond shaped.

If a vehicle comes toward you with high beams on, and fails to dim the lights, slow down and look toward the right side of the road. This will keep you from being blinded by the other car’s headlights. You should also be able to see enough of the edge of the lane to stay on course until the car passes.

Remember, it normally takes about seven seconds for your eyes to recover from headlight glare. At 55 miles per hour, that is almost the length of two football fields! The eyes of drinking drivers take significantly longer to adjust.

Do not use dark glasses at night. They cut down the light and make it hard to see.

The alcohol level in your body is determined by the amount of alcohol consumed, the time spent drinking, the time required by the body to rid itself of alcohol, and your weight.

It does not depend on what kind of alcoholic beverage you drink, how physically fit you are, or how well you can hold your liquor.

Food in the stomach causes alcohol to be absorbed more slowly, slowing down the rate and the amount of intoxication. It will not prevent the alcohol to get into your blood.

The most important thing to do when you are approaching a work zone is to be alert and slow down. This helps protect you as the driver and the workers who are working in a dangerous location.

Keep a safe following distance to vehicles ahead. The most common type of accidents in work zones is rear-end crashes.

Do not drive around any railroad crossing gate or barrier. A vehicle may proceed across the track only when the gates have been raised.

Skids are mainly caused by drivers traveling too fast for the conditions. By judging just how slippery the road is and adjust the speed accordingly, most skids can be avoided.

Use the high beams whenever there are no oncoming vehicles nor vehicle close ahead. High beams let you see twice as far as low beams.

Use low beams in fog, snow, or heavy rain. Light from high beams reflects back from such precipitation and causes glare.

A person who has not attained the age of 18 years is prohibited from operating a motor vehicle while using a mobile telephone or handheld electronic device. A violation of the statute is considered a traffic infraction.

If you are parked on a hill: Turn wheels so that if the car moves downhill the wheels will be stopped by the curb. Or, if there is no curb, the wheels will turn the car off the road (not into traffic). Study illustrations in the Maine Motorist Handbook.

You may find red with white signs at exit ramps and the beginning of one-way streets. The Wrong Way sign tells you that you are going in the wrong direction. It supplements the Do Not Enter sign. It is placed along the exit ramp or the one-way roadway farther from the crossroad.