Practice breakdowns, emergency vehicles and railroad crossings: 25 questions based on the Alaska Driver Manual, 13 of them on Alaska's own rules.
Get out of the vehicle at once and call 911
If stuck on the tracks, get out of the vehicle, move away, and call 911.
Source: Alaska Driver Manual (REV. 10/2025), If you're stuck on the tracks, PDF p. 64
Applying the brakes hard
Don't apply brakes; concentrate on steering, slow gradually and brake softly.
Source: Alaska Driver Manual (REV. 10/2025), Tire blows out, PDF p. 78
A fire extinguisher, water, mud, dirt or snow
Use an extinguisher or water, mud, dirt, dust or snow until the fire is out or it is no longer safe.
Source: Alaska Driver Manual (REV. 10/2025), Fire, PDF p. 78
Leave the lane next to it if safe, or slow
Vacate the lane closest to the vehicle if possible; otherwise slow to a reasonable and prudent speed.
Source: Alaska Driver Manual (REV. 10/2025), Encountering stationary emergency vehicles, PDF p. 76; AS 28.35.185, Alaska Statutes AS 28.35.185
As little as 20 seconds
Twenty seconds is the minimum amount of time it takes a train to reach the crossing.
Source: Alaska Driver Manual (REV. 10/2025), If you're stuck on the tracks, PDF p. 64
A 24-hour phone number to report problems
The ENS sign gives a toll-free number answered by railroad dispatchers 24/7.
Source: Alaska Driver Manual (REV. 10/2025), Emergency Notification System, PDF p. 64
Stay in place until they are raised
Going around lowered gates breaks the law, so wait until they open.
Source: Alaska Driver Manual (REV. 10/2025), Railroad crossings, PDF p. 63
Shifting gears
Never shift gears on the crossing.
Source: Alaska Driver Manual (REV. 10/2025), Railroad crossings, PDF p. 63
Slow to a reasonable and prudent speed
With fewer than two lanes, slow to a reasonable and prudent speed.
No closer than 500 feet
A vehicle may not follow an emergency vehicle closer than 500 feet.
Source: Alaska Driver Manual (REV. 10/2025), Following emergency vehicle, PDF p. 76
We wrote these practice questions from the facts in the Alaska Driver Manual (Alaska Driver Manual, prepared by the Alaska Department of Administration, Division of Motor Vehicles; PDF file marked 'REV.10/2025', 95 PDF pages (the last page is blank); the manual's own web address is https://dmv.alaska.gov/home/. The agency hosts (dmv.alaska.gov, doa.alaska.gov) block automated clients, so the owner supplied the PDF from a normal browser on 2026-11-10; it was not downloaded by the builder. Page numbers cited are PDF pages (the printed page number is the PDF page minus 4 up to PDF p. 91). PDF pp. 5, 12, 19 (cost box), 85 and 87-90 (eco-driving and maintenance tips) and 92-93 (office lists) were not used for questions; p. 86 is cited only for its note on 13 AAC 02.090, p. 91 only for the unsecured-load rule and p. 94 only for the tired-driving line. The manual's online-test pages mention ak.knowtodrive.com and a DMV practice test; neither is a source. Statutes (Alaska Statutes Title 28, read on akleg.gov with curl on 2026-11-10) were used wherever they state the rule; the Alaska Administrative Code (13 AAC 02 traffic regulations, 2 AAC 90 points) is not hosted on akleg.gov in a form that could be read, so speed limits by area (PDF p. 34), lighting distances (p. 67), passing and parking distances (pp. 42, 74), the point schedule (p. 16) and fees (p. 13) come from the manual alone and were not checked against the regulations. Handbook statements that differ from or go beyond current law and how they were handled: (1) child restraints (PDF p. 26 says a child 'one or more years of age but less than five'; AS 28.05.095(b)(2) says less than four): questions follow the statute; (2) seat belts (PDF p. 26 says passengers 18 and older are cited; AS 28.05.095(a) requires everyone 16 or older to be restrained): questions use the statute; the $50 and $15 fines (PDF p. 27) are not in the statute and come from the manual alone; (3) school buses (PDF p. 53 gives no stopping distance and says 'separated roadways providing two or more lanes in each direction'; AS 28.35.145 requires stopping at least 30 feet away and exempts roadways that are separate): questions use the statute and avoid the lane count; (4) minor operating after consuming alcohol (PDF p. 20 says community service and/or a fine up to $1,000; AS 28.35.280(d) sets a $500 fine plus 20 to 40 hours of community work service for a first conviction): the question uses the statute; the DMV revocation periods (30, 60, 90 days, one year) match AS 28.15.183(d); (5) texting (PDF p. 31 says texting is prohibited and p. 29 says 'against the law'; AS 28.35.161 bans reading or typing a text or other nonvoice message and operating a screen device in the driver's view, with exceptions for voice calls, navigation and similar displays): questions follow the statute; (6) stationary emergency vehicles (PDF p. 76 says 'four-lane road'; AS 28.35.185 covers roads with two or more lanes in one direction and also names tow trucks, maintenance vehicles and animal control): questions use the statute; (7) crash reporting (PDF p. 15 repeats $2,000 and 10 days, matching AS 28.35.080; the $501 and 15-day proof of insurance rule on PDF p. 14 matches AS 28.22.021 and 28.22.031); (8) administrative hearing request (PDF p. 21 says seven days for every revocation; AS 28.15.165 gives seven days after a DUI or refusal notice but AS 28.15.183 gives a minor ten days): the question was not asked; (9) driving while license is revoked (PDF p. 9 says a jail sentence of not less than 10 days; AS 28.15.291(b) suspends the 10 days for a first offense): not tested; (10) following distance: PDF pp. 32-33 recommend four seconds and note that 13 AAC 02.090 requires at least two seconds, so following_seconds records 4 as the manual's recommendation and questions state both; (11) the alcohol equivalents (PDF p. 22) say 4 ounces of wine equals a 12-ounce beer, so a common question that says 5 ounces is excluded; (12) fees (PDF p. 13) and the point schedule (PDF p. 16) are quoted only where the manual states them and were not checked against regulation. Ages, hours, the school bus distance and the fines marked as statute above match AS 28.15.051, .055, .057, .071, .099, 28.35.145, 28.35.280 and 28.35.030. edition) and from official sources on road signs. Every answer links to its source, so you can check it and read more.
DMV Decoded is an independent guide, not a government agency. This practice test is not connected to the Alaska Department of Administration, Division of Motor Vehicles, and your actual test will have different questions. Study the handbook, and check the agency's website for current rules.