Am I Ready for the Louisiana Permit Test?

Correct answer: A depressant that slows reflexes, impairs judgment, and reduces alertness

Alcohol is a depressant, not a stimulant. It slows reflexes, interferes with judgment, reduces alertness, and impairs vision — all of which make driving dangerous.

Correct answer: A single motor vehicle under 10,001 pounds, such as an ordinary passenger car

The Class E license is the standard personal license. It permits operation of any single motor vehicle under 10,001 pounds, recreational vehicles, and certain farm-use vehicles not defined as commercial. Larger commercial vehicles require a Class A, B, C, or D license.

Correct answer: Stop the motor, remove the key, lock the ignition, and set the brake

Before leaving a vehicle unattended you must stop the motor, remove the key, lock the ignition, and set the brake. Leaving a vehicle running and unlocked invites theft and roll-aways.

Correct answer: Stop your vehicle and identify yourself before leaving the scene

If you are in a crash involving injury, death, or property damage, you must stop when it is safe and identify yourself. Leaving without doing so is a hit-and-run offense.

Correct answer: Three feet between your vehicle and the bicyclist

Under R.S. 32:76.1, at least a three-foot distance must be kept between a passing vehicle and a slower-traveling bicyclist. The air current from a close pass alone can cause a bicyclist to crash.

Correct answer: Traveling too fast for conditions

Speed limits are posted for ideal conditions. If the road is wet or icy, visibility is poor, or traffic is heavy, you must reduce your speed — driving 55 mph in a snowstorm can be cited as too fast for conditions even where 55 is posted.

Correct answer: Every time you park, whether the car is manual or automatic and the ground is flat or hilly

You should use the parking brake every time you park. It holds the car far more securely than the transmission's parking pawl alone and protects the drivetrain — even on level ground.

Correct answer: 50 percent

People who wear safety belts cut their risk of serious injury and of death by about 50 percent. Your chances of surviving a crash are three to four times greater when buckled.

Correct answer: While your foot is still on the brake pedal, before you shift into "park"

Set the parking brake while your foot is still on the brake pedal and before shifting into "park." This keeps the car from settling onto the parking pawl and reduces strain on it.

Correct answer: Slow down and stay behind the bicyclist rather than swing in front to turn

Making a right turn just after overtaking a bicyclist is a common cause of collisions. Slow down and stay behind the bicyclist, or look twice and be sure of the bike's speed before turning.

Correct answer: Flashing signals on one side of a parked or disabled vehicle, or as a signal for another vehicle to pass

It is illegal to flash your turn signals on just one side of a parked or disabled vehicle, or to use them as a signal for another vehicle to pass you.

Correct answer: A rear-facing, federally approved car seat

R.S. 32:295 requires a rear-facing car seat from birth to at least age 2, a forward-facing seat from 2 to 4, a booster from 4 to 9, and a properly fitted seat belt at age 9 and up.