Maryland Road Signs Practice Test.
Free practice exam — 55 verified questions, instant feedback.

Answer: B
White rectangular signs with black text are used for regulatory signs, which state legal requirements such as speed limits, turn restrictions, or parking rules that drivers must obey. Warning signs are yellow and diamond-shaped, guide signs are typically green, and service signs are blue, so the white rectangular design specifically flags a legal rule.

Answer: B
A red circle with a diagonal slash drawn over a symbol is the universal graphic for prohibiting that specific action, so a slashed U-turn arrow means U-turns are not allowed at that location. This design is distinct from warning diamonds or directional guide signs, which do not use the circle-and-slash symbol, making the prohibition immediately recognizable even without reading text.

Answer: B
At an uncontrolled intersection lacking any signs or signals, the standard right-of-way rule requires yielding to a vehicle approaching from the right, since neither driver has priority and this default rule prevents a collision. Racing to cross first or waiting for a signal from the other driver ignores the established rule and creates unnecessary risk.

Answer: C
Once a pedestrian has lawfully entered a crosswalk, drivers must stop and yield until the pedestrian has completed crossing, regardless of how far across they already are. Sounding a horn or attempting to pass around a pedestrian in the roadway is unsafe and does not relieve the driver of the duty to yield.

Answer: A
When two vehicles reach a four-way stop at the same time, the universal right-of-way rule is that the vehicle approaching from the left must yield to the vehicle on its right, since yielding to the right prevents both drivers from assuming the other will stop. Vehicle size and reversing have no bearing on right-of-way and only create confusion or danger.

Answer: A
The downward-pointing triangle is the standardized shape for a yield sign, meaning drivers must slow down and, if necessary, stop to let other traffic or pedestrians go first before proceeding. Railroad crossing advance warnings use a round shape, and speed limit and one-way signs use rectangular shapes, so shape alone distinguishes a yield sign from these others.

Answer: A
A green light without a protected arrow allows a left turn only after yielding to oncoming vehicles proceeding straight through the intersection, because both directions share the same green phase and the turning driver crosses the other's path. A green light alone does not grant priority over oncoming through traffic, and headlight signals are not a reliable substitute for judging a safe gap.

Answer: B
Drivers entering a roundabout must yield to vehicles already circulating within it, since those vehicles are already committed to the circular path and have priority over entering traffic. Entering without checking for a gap, or assuming approaching traffic has priority, is a leading cause of roundabout collisions.

Answer: B
A funeral procession moving together through an intersection is treated as a single unit, so cross-traffic should allow it to pass even when facing a green light of their own, avoiding splitting the procession or cutting through its line of vehicles. Waiting for a visible police escort is not required; the procession's headlights and continuous movement are enough to signal that it should not be interrupted.

Answer: D
A stopped school bus with flashing red lights and an extended stop arm requires traffic on the bus's side of an undivided road to stop completely and remain stopped until the lights are no longer flashing, because children may be crossing near the bus and are difficult to see. Passing based on visibility of children or vehicle distance disregards the requirement to remain stopped the entire time the signals are active.

Answer: B
Vehicles already traveling in the through lanes of a freeway have the right-of-way over vehicles merging from an entrance ramp, so the merging driver must adjust speed and find a safe gap rather than expecting through traffic to yield. A turn signal communicates intent but does not create a right to force entry into an occupied lane.

Answer: D
A driver leaving a driveway is entering an established roadway and sidewalk area, so they must yield to both pedestrians crossing the driveway apron and vehicles already traveling on the street before proceeding. Relying on speed or a horn does not satisfy the duty to yield, and pedestrians approaching the driveway are owed the same yielding duty as those already in the street.

Answer: D
Even though arriving or stopping first generally establishes priority at a stop-sign intersection, once another vehicle has already begun moving through the intersection you must yield to avoid a collision, since the right-of-way is not worth risking a crash. Continuing simply because you stopped first ignores the actual position and movement of the other vehicle, and reversing is unnecessary once the other vehicle is already clearing the intersection.

Answer: D
Choosing the correct lane before entering a multi-lane roundabout, based on the planned exit, and signaling that exit in advance, allows other drivers to anticipate your movements and reduces the need for lane changes while circulating. Deciding on lane position only after entering, or picking a lane based solely on traffic volume, increases the risk of cutting across another driver's path.

Answer: C
When a vehicle stops to let a pedestrian cross, drivers behind it must not pass, because the stopped vehicle is blocking the driver's view of the pedestrian who may still be in or near the adjacent lane. Sounding a horn does not eliminate the hidden hazard, and waiting until the pedestrian reaches the far curb is exactly why passing beforehand is unsafe, since that information is not visible to the passing driver.

Answer: A
The octagon shape is reserved exclusively for stop signs under the national sign standard, so drivers can recognize a stop sign by its shape alone even if the sign is obscured or the wording is not visible. Diamonds are used for warning signs, triangles for yield signs, and pentagons for school signs, so none of those shapes indicate a stop.

Answer: A
Blue is the standard color for signs indicating motorist services, such as fuel, food, lodging, and hospitals, helping travelers identify what amenities are available near an upcoming exit. Hazard warnings use yellow or orange, construction zones use orange, and speed restrictions use white regulatory signs, so blue specifically signals services rather than any rule or hazard.

Answer: C
Fluorescent yellow-green is used specifically for signs warning of pedestrians, bicycles, and school zones because the color is highly visible and stands out from standard yellow warning signs, drawing extra driver attention to areas with vulnerable road users. The color has nothing to do with the sign being temporary or seasonal, and it is not limited to a single type of road user; it simply increases conspicuity for these higher-risk locations.

Answer: D
A solid double yellow center line indicates that passing is prohibited for traffic traveling in either direction, regardless of how clear the road appears, because the line marks a section judged unsafe for passing due to sight distance or other hazards. Neither time of day, vehicle speed, nor a driver's own judgment of visibility changes the meaning of a solid double yellow line.

Answer: C
Wet pavement significantly reduces tire traction, so drivers should reduce speed and increase following distance to allow more room and time to stop or react to hazards. The posted speed limit reflects ideal dry conditions, not wet ones, and increasing speed to clear standing water actually raises the risk of hydroplaning rather than reducing it.

Answer: A
Black ice is a thin, transparent layer of ice that is difficult to see and often forms first on elevated surfaces like bridges, so drivers should slow down gradually and avoid sudden braking, accelerating, or steering inputs that could cause a skid. Stopping on the roadway or accelerating through the hazard both increase the risk of losing control, since sudden inputs are the primary danger on an icy surface.

Answer: C
In fog, low-beam headlights are the correct choice because high beams reflect off the water droplets in the fog and bounce the light back toward the driver, actually reducing visibility rather than improving it. Driving without headlights or with only parking lights makes a vehicle far less visible to other traffic in already limited visibility conditions.

Answer: D
Work zones require reduced speed and increased following distance because lanes are often narrowed, workers may be close to traffic, and equipment or sudden stops can appear with little warning. Maintaining normal speed, speeding up, or tailgating through a work zone all reduce the driver's margin for reacting safely to unexpected obstacles or worker movement.

Answer: A
The basic speed rule requires driving at a speed that allows a driver to stop safely within the distance they can actually see ahead, which in dense fog may be well below the posted limit designed for normal conditions. Simply matching the posted limit, applying an arbitrary fixed reduction, or matching the speed of surrounding traffic ignores the driver's own responsibility to adjust speed to the visibility actually present at that moment.

Answer: D
When tires drift onto a soft shoulder, easing off the accelerator and steering gradually and steadily reduces the risk of overcorrecting, since a sharp or abrupt steering input at highway speed can cause the vehicle to swerve violently back across the lane or roll over. Hard braking on a loose surface can cause skidding, and accelerating increases speed at the exact moment more control, not more speed, is needed.

Answer: B
By accepting a driver's license, drivers agree in advance to submit to lawfully requested chemical testing when suspected of impaired driving, so refusing that test can lead to administrative penalties, such as license suspension, independent of whether the driver is ultimately convicted of impaired driving. This is not consequence-free, does not require immediate release, and has nothing to do with reducing a fine.

Answer: B
Extended wakefulness significantly slows reaction time, reduces alertness, and impairs judgment in ways that research has compared to the effects of alcohol impairment, making severely fatigued driving comparably dangerous. Fatigue affects driving performance broadly, including in city driving, and does not provide any temporary boost in alertness before impairment sets in.

Answer: A
A designated driver is a group member who commits in advance to not drinking any alcohol so they remain sober and capable of driving everyone home safely, removing the risk of an impaired group member getting behind the wheel. The concept specifically requires complete sobriety, not simply drinking less than others or rotating duties without regard to alcohol consumption.

Answer: B
Regardless of its legal status for personal use, marijuana affects reaction time, coordination, perception of time and distance, and judgment in ways that can meaningfully impair driving ability, similar to other impairing substances. The legality of using a substance personally is separate from whether driving afterward is safe, and impairment is not eliminated simply through years of prior use.

Answer: C
A flashing red signal carries the same legal meaning as a stop sign, requiring a driver to come to a complete stop and then proceed only when it is safe and the right-of-way rules allow it, rather than simply slowing down or continuing through. A flashing red is not merely advisory and is not treated as leniently as a yield sign, since a full stop is specifically required.

Answer: C
A flashing yellow signal warns drivers to slow down and proceed through the intersection with caution, alert for cross traffic or pedestrians, without requiring a full stop the way a flashing red or steady red does. It is a functioning and meaningful signal, not one to be ignored, and it applies to caution around both vehicle and pedestrian traffic rather than pedestrians alone.

Answer: D
A green arrow displayed alongside a red circular signal grants a protected left turn, meaning oncoming traffic is simultaneously stopped by its own red signal, so the turning driver does not need to yield to oncoming vehicles during that phase. This is different from a permissive green light that requires yielding, and it does not restrict the driver to a right turn or require waiting for the main light to turn green.

Answer: D
A steady yellow light warns that the signal is about to turn red, so drivers should prepare to stop and do so safely if they have not yet entered the intersection, rather than speeding up to beat the red light. Slamming to a stop mid-intersection or treating yellow identically to green both create hazards, since yellow specifically signals an impending change that calls for controlled slowing.

Answer: A
A learner's permit allows a driver to practice on public roads only while accompanied by a licensed adult supervisor meeting the applicable requirements, since the permit holder has not yet demonstrated the skills required for unsupervised driving. Practicing alone, even on quiet streets or only during the day, does not satisfy the supervision requirement that defines what a learner's permit actually authorizes.

Answer: D
Orange is reserved for temporary traffic control, so an orange diamond warns of construction, maintenance, or other temporary work-zone conditions rather than a permanent hazard. Scenic routes, residential zones, and truck routes use different colors and shapes designated for permanent guidance rather than temporary work areas.

Answer: D
The elongated horizontal triangle, sometimes called a pennant shape, is specifically used to mark the beginning of a no-passing zone, and it is mounted on the left because that is the side from which a passing maneuver would occur. Speed limit changes, crosswalks, and merge points are all indicated with rectangular or diamond signs, not this distinctive pennant shape.

Answer: C
The pentagon shape, resembling a simple house outline, is specifically reserved for school-related signs, warning drivers to expect children, reduced speeds, or crosswalks near a school. No-passing zones use pennant-shaped signs, curves use diamond warning signs, and hospitals use rectangular signs, so the pentagon uniquely flags a school area.

Answer: A
The diamond shape is the standard shape for warning signs that alert drivers to changing road conditions or upcoming hazards, allowing the shape itself to be recognized before the specific message is read. Circles are reserved for railroad advance warnings, octagons for stop signs, and rectangles for regulatory or guide signs, so none of those shapes serve the general warning function.

Answer: D
The round shape is used specifically for the advance warning sign placed before a railroad crossing, giving drivers extra time to slow down and prepare to stop if a train is present. Curves, pedestrian crossings, and hills are all warned about using diamond-shaped signs rather than a circular shape, so the round sign is a distinct and recognizable exception.

Answer: B
Traffic already traveling on a continuous through road has the right-of-way over a driver entering from a terminating side street, since the side-street driver is joining an established traffic flow rather than crossing an equal road. Assuming priority based on arrival time, or expecting the main road to yield, endangers both vehicles.

Answer: B
When an emergency vehicle approaches with lights and siren active, drivers must move as far to the right as safely possible and come to a stop, giving the emergency vehicle a clear, safe path to pass. Speeding up or stopping abruptly in the travel lane blocks the emergency vehicle and creates a collision hazard for surrounding traffic.

Answer: A
A pedestrian carrying a white cane is recognized as visually impaired, and drivers must yield the right-of-way to that pedestrian at intersections and crossings regardless of the traffic signal, because the pedestrian may not be able to see signal changes or approaching vehicles. Waiting for a raised cane, or limiting the duty to marked crosswalks, ignores that the protection applies broadly to protect a vulnerable road user.

Answer: A
A bicyclist traveling straight through an intersection has the right-of-way over a vehicle turning right across their path, so the driver must yield and wait for the bicyclist to clear before completing the turn, similar to yielding to any other vehicle going straight. Cutting in early or expecting the bicyclist to stop reverses the correct right-of-way and creates a serious collision risk sometimes called a right hook.

Answer: A
A vehicle already circulating within a roundabout has the right-of-way over any vehicle attempting to enter, so entering traffic must yield regardless of when it arrived at the entrance. Vehicle size and momentum are irrelevant to right-of-way, and this rule keeps the circular flow of the roundabout consistent and predictable.

Answer: C
Green rectangular signs with white lettering are guide signs used to provide directional information, such as exit numbers, destinations, and distances, helping drivers navigate. Regulatory signs are white and state legal rules, warning signs are yellow diamonds alerting to hazards, and prohibition signs use the red circle-and-slash symbol, none of which match the green guide sign's purpose.

Answer: A
Brown is the designated color for signs marking recreational and cultural areas, such as parks, campgrounds, and historic sites, distinguishing them from services, hazards, or regulations. School zones use pentagon-shaped signs, hospitals use blue signs, and detours typically use orange, so brown is reserved specifically for recreational destinations.

Answer: D
A white dashed line between lanes traveling in the same direction indicates that lane changes are permitted, and drivers may cross the line when it can be done safely, unlike a solid white line, which discourages changing lanes. This marking does not mean the lane is ending, nor does it mark the roadway's edge, which is instead shown with a solid white edge line.

Answer: A
In heavy rain or reduced visibility, stopping distances increase because of reduced traction and slower reaction times, so a driver must increase the following distance well beyond what is used in normal dry conditions to have enough room to stop safely. Keeping the same distance or closing the gap to follow taillights removes the safety margin exactly when more room is needed.

Answer: B
An advisory speed plate shows a recommended safe speed for navigating a curve under normal, good conditions, and drivers should reduce their speed further if road, weather, or visibility conditions are worse than ideal. Unlike a posted speed limit, the advisory plate is not itself a strict legal limit, but ignoring it entirely, or treating it as a minimum, misunderstands its purpose as a safety recommendation.

Answer: A
Headlights illuminate a much shorter distance ahead than natural daylight, so a driver should reduce speed at night to ensure they can stop within the shorter range that their headlights actually reveal, especially on an unfamiliar road. Lower traffic volume or the posted limit staying numerically the same does not change the reduced sight distance, which is the actual hazard requiring a slower speed.

Answer: D
Alcohol affects the central nervous system broadly, slowing reaction time, impairing judgment and decision-making, and reducing coordination, all of which are essential to safely operating a vehicle. It does not selectively affect only vision, sign-reading, or hearing while leaving these other critical functions untouched.

Answer: A
Zero-tolerance laws for underage drivers set a far lower threshold than laws for adult drivers, meaning even a small, otherwise-legal amount of alcohol can trigger license consequences for a driver who is under the legal drinking age, since minors are prohibited from drinking at all. Because the standard is about the presence of alcohol at all, visible impairment or the presence of drugs is not required to trigger consequences under this stricter rule.

Answer: B
Open container laws generally prohibit open alcoholic beverage containers anywhere in the passenger compartment of a moving vehicle, regardless of whether the driver personally is drinking or which seat holds the container, because an accessible open container in the cabin creates temptation and risk for the driver. These laws apply while a vehicle is being driven on a roadway, not only when parked, and cover the whole passenger area rather than just the driver's seat.

Answer: D
Legal medications, including common over-the-counter allergy or cold remedies, can cause drowsiness or slowed reaction time severe enough to impair safe driving, so drivers should check warning labels and consider the medication's effects before getting behind the wheel. This impairment can occur from the medication alone, without alcohol involved, contrary to the idea that only illegal substances or alcohol combinations matter.

Answer: B
Graduated licensing restrictions on provisional drivers are designed to limit exposure to higher-risk situations, such as driving late at night or with multiple young passengers, while the newly licensed driver builds experience and skill in lower-risk conditions first. These restrictions are not about generating fees or repeating the knowledge test, and unlike a learner's permit, a provisional license does allow unsupervised driving, just with certain situational limits.