Driving Test Practice

Maine: Parking rules — Part 3 Practice Test

Questions in this part include: “When you are done with parallel parking, about how far from the curb should you be?” · “When finishing parallel parking, in which case do you not straighten the wheels?”

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16 questions · About 6 min

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Questions are original and based on the official manual "Maine Driver’s License Manual" (Rev 4/24), Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

All 16 questions in this practice test

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  1. In parallel parking, after you shift to reverse and look to the rear, how do you turn the wheels at first?

    A blue car stopped beside a car parked at the curb, just ahead of an empty parallel parking space on a two-way street
    • Sharply left, looking over your left shoulder
    • Slightly right, looking only in the mirror
    • Straight, backing until the bumpers meet
    • Sharply right, looking over your right shoulder
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Sharply right, looking over your right shoulder

    You turn the wheels sharply right, look over your right shoulder and back slowly toward the car behind.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 7-12 · Open this page in the manual

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  2. In parallel parking, what do you do when your front door passes the back bumper of the car ahead?

    A red car angled in the road above a gap between a gray parked car and a blue parked car at the curb; double yellow line along the top.
    • Quickly straighten the wheels and back straight
    • Turn the wheels sharply left and stop backing
    • Shift to drive and pull forward
    • Turn the wheels farther to the right
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Quickly straighten the wheels and back straight

    When your front door passes the back bumper of the car ahead, you quickly straighten the wheels and continue to back straight.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 7-12 · Open this page in the manual

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  3. In parallel parking, what do you do when you are clear of the car ahead?

    A red car angled in the road above a gap between a gray parked car and a blue parked car at the curb; double yellow line along the top.
    • Turn the wheels sharply right and back up quickly toward the curb
    • Straighten the wheels and back quickly
    • Turn the wheels sharply left and back slowly toward the car behind
    • Turn the wheels sharply left and pull forward
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Turn the wheels sharply left and back slowly toward the car behind

    When clear of the car ahead, you turn the wheels sharply left and back slowly to the car behind.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 7-12 · Open this page in the manual

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  4. In parallel parking, when should you stop backing toward the vehicle behind you?

    A red car in the road above a gap between a gray parked car and a blue parked car at the curb; double yellow line along the top.
    • When your rear bumper is even with its front bumper
    • Before touching its bumper
    • When your mirror is even with its headlight
    • When the front wheels are straight
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Before touching its bumper

    You stop before touching the bumper of the vehicle behind you.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 7-12 · Open this page in the manual

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  5. In parallel parking, what do you do after you stop behind the vehicle?

    A red car in the road above a gap between a gray parked car and a blue parked car at the curb; double yellow line along the top.
    • Turn the wheels sharply left and pull forward to the curb
    • Straighten the wheels and back up to the curb
    • Pull forward to the car ahead and stop
    • Turn the wheels sharply right and pull forward to the center
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Turn the wheels sharply right and pull forward to the center

    After stopping behind the vehicle, you turn the wheels sharply right and pull forward toward the center of the parking space.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 7-12 · Open this page in the manual

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  6. When you are done with parallel parking, about how far from the curb should you be?

    • 6 inches
    • 2 feet
    • 3 feet
    • 4 feet
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    Correct answer: 6 inches

    You should be about 6 inches from the curb when done parking.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 7-12 · Open this page in the manual

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  7. When finishing parallel parking, in which case do you not straighten the wheels?

    • When the curb is painted
    • When you are parked near a driveway
    • When you are on a hill
    • When another car is parked ahead
    Show answer

    Correct answer: When you are on a hill

    You straighten the wheels unless you are on a hill.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 7-12 · Open this page in the manual

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  8. When exiting an offset or parallel parking space, what do you do after checking traffic and applying the brake?

    A blue car parked at the right curb of a residential street in a row of parked cars, as a bicyclist and a red car come up from behind
    • Shift to drive and pull out into the roadway at once
    • Shift to reverse and back up close to the car behind
    • Turn the wheels sharply right and wait
    • Signal and pull out at once
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Shift to reverse and back up close to the car behind

    After checking traffic and applying the brake, you shift to reverse and back up close to the vehicle parked behind you.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 7-12 · Open this page in the manual

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  9. When exiting a parallel parking space, how do you move forward and steer out?

    A blue car parked at the right curb of a residential street in a row of parked cars, as a bicyclist and a red car come up from behind
    • Move forward quickly and steer out at once
    • Stay in reverse and steer out backward
    • Move forward in a straight line until the road is clear
    • Move forward slowly and steer out into the roadway
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Move forward slowly and steer out into the roadway

    After checking for traffic and signaling, you shift to drive, move forward slowly and steer out into the roadway.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 7-12 · Open this page in the manual

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  10. If the front bumper of your vehicle will not clear the vehicle ahead when you leave a parallel space, what do you do?

    A blue car parked at the right curb between a gray car and a white car; a red car and a white car approach in the lane beside it.
    • Shift to reverse and readjust
    • Turn the wheels sharply and scrape past
    • Sound the horn and wait
    • Shift to park and wait for the car to move
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Shift to reverse and readjust

    If the front bumper will not clear the vehicle ahead, you shift to reverse and readjust.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 7-12 · Open this page in the manual

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  11. When exiting a parallel parking space, when do you move quickly into the traffic lane?

    A blue car parked at the right curb between a gray car and a white car; a red car and a white car approach in the lane beside it.
    • When your front bumper passes the rear bumper of the car ahead of you
    • When your rear wheels leave the curb
    • When the doorpost of your vehicle clears the rear bumper of the car ahead
    • When the traffic behind you has stopped
    Show answer

    Correct answer: When the doorpost of your vehicle clears the rear bumper of the car ahead

    You move quickly into the traffic lane when the doorpost of your vehicle clears the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead of you.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 7-12 · Open this page in the manual

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  12. If you are parked on the right-hand side of the road, over which shoulder do you look after starting your vehicle?

    A blue car parked at the right curb of a residential street in a row of parked cars, as a bicyclist and a red car come up from behind
    • Your right shoulder
    • Your left shoulder
    • Only the rearview mirror
    • Only the outside mirror
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Your left shoulder

    You look over your left shoulder, not through your rearview mirror only.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 7-12 · Open this page in the manual

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  13. If you are parked at the left curb, over which shoulder do you look before you enter the roadway?

    Top view of a one-way street with a black ONE WAY sign with an arrow pointing up the street: a grey, a blue and a white car are parked at the left curb and a red car drives in the right lane.
    • Your left shoulder
    • Only the rearview mirror
    • Neither; the side mirror is enough
    • Your right shoulder
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    Correct answer: Your right shoulder

    From the left curb, you look over your right shoulder as you enter the roadway.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 7-12 · Open this page in the manual

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  14. When the way is clear as you start from a parking place, how do you pull out?

    A blue car parked at the right curb of a residential street in a row of parked cars, as a bicyclist and a red car come up from behind
    • Signal, then pull slowly out into the correct lane as soon as possible
    • Signal, then pull out quickly and straddle the lane lines
    • Pull out first, then signal once you are in the lane
    • Pull slowly into the left lane and then move over to the right
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Signal, then pull slowly out into the correct lane as soon as possible

    You give the appropriate signal and pull slowly out into the street and into the correct lane as soon as possible.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 7-12 · Open this page in the manual

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  15. Whatever the type of street, the lane you are about to enter must be free of traffic for how far?

    A blue car parked at the right curb of a residential street in a row of parked cars, as a bicyclist and a red car come up from behind
    • One city block
    • At least one mile
    • A safe distance
    • Three car lengths
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A safe distance

    You always make sure the lane you are about to enter is free of traffic for a safe distance.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 7-12 · Open this page in the manual

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  16. What should you check before you slow down to pull into a parking space?

    Top view of a two-way city street: a grey car and a white car are parked at the right curb with an empty stretch of curb between them; a blue car drives up the lane beside them and a red car comes the other way.
    • Whether the parking meter has time left
    • Your tire pressure
    • Your oil pressure
    • Traffic behind you
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Traffic behind you

    Stopping to pull into a parking space is one of the situations when you need to check behind before slowing.

    Source: Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 4/24), page 8-4 · Open this page in the manual

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