IL Permit Practice Test 10

All 20 questions in test 10

Every question below comes from the Illinois question bank on this page. Open a question to see the correct answer and the explanation. Nothing here is hidden behind a signup.

1. 1. What does an Illinois round railroad-crossing sign tell a driver to do?

   1. Slow down, look, and stop if necessary for a train
   2. Accelerate because the crossing is several miles away
   3. Stop only after entering the crossing
   4. Treat it as a school-zone warning
   Show answer

   Slow down, look, and stop if necessary for a train. The round yellow railroad-crossing sign is an advance warning that tracks cross the roadway ahead. Drivers should slow down, look, and stop if necessary, listening as well when other noise could hide a train. Accelerating or entering before checking removes the time needed to react. The sign does not itself mean the vehicle is already at the rail, but it demands preparation for the crossing ahead.

2. 2. What do red roadway signs indicate?

   1. Warnings about construction equipment only
   2. Optional directions to recreation areas
   3. Regulatory instructions that must be obeyed
   4. Services such as fuel or food
   Show answer

   Regulatory instructions that must be obeyed. Red signs are regulatory signs and must be obeyed. Illinois examples include STOP, YIELD, DO NOT ENTER, and WRONG WAY. They are not optional recreation guides, construction-only warnings, or service markers. When red appears on one of these signs, treat the instruction as a traffic control command and follow the required action before continuing. The color signals that the instruction is mandatory.

3. 3. When must an Illinois driver use headlights because of windshield wiper operation?

   1. Only when wipers have been running for ten minutes
   2. Only when another vehicle flashes its headlights
   3. Only after sunset, even if the wipers are on during daylight
   4. Whenever the driver is operating the windshield wipers
   Show answer

   Whenever the driver is operating the windshield wipers. Illinois ties headlight use to the operation of windshield wipers. If rain or another condition requires the wipers, the headlights must be on as well. The ten-minute delay and the other-vehicle signal add conditions that the rule does not contain. Limiting the requirement to darkness also misses the daylight visibility problem created by precipitation. Turn on the headlights as soon as the wipers are needed, and remember that this requirement is separate from the broader night-driving guidance.

4. 4. How loud may a vehicle sound system be in Illinois?

   1. Any volume with the windows closed
   2. It may not be audible 75 feet or more from a vehicle being driven on a highway
   3. There is no limit
   4. Audible up to 500 feet
   Show answer

   It may not be audible 75 feet or more from a vehicle being driven on a highway. It is illegal to operate or permit any sound system, such as a radio, tape player or disc player, at a volume that can be heard 75 feet or more from a vehicle being driven on a highway. Loud audio also masks sirens, horns and train warnings. The manual lists the rule with other equipment and noise restrictions, and a citation can follow a complaint.

5. 5. If rain or another poor condition makes the road difficult to use safely, how should following distance change?

   1. Reduce it so other cars cannot merge
   2. Increase it beyond the normal gap
   3. Match the distance used by the vehicle behind
   4. Keep exactly one car length
   Show answer

   Increase it beyond the normal gap. The normal three-second method assumes a good road and good weather. When either condition worsens, Illinois directs drivers to increase the following distance even more. A shorter gap leaves less time to react to spray, skids, blocked views, or abrupt braking, so the reduced-distance choice creates added risk. Use a fixed roadside object to measure the interval, then add space whenever traction or visibility is compromised.

6. 6. Unless directed otherwise by an officer, what must a driver obey?

   1. Only signs posted on expressways
   2. A nearby driver's hand gesture instead of signals
   3. Traffic signals and pavement markings
   4. Lane markings only when traffic is light
   Show answer

   Traffic signals and pavement markings. Illinois requires drivers to obey both traffic signals and pavement markings unless a police or traffic control officer directs otherwise. That rule covers the signal itself and the lane or center markings that organize movement. Limiting obedience to expressway signs or to markings only in light traffic would ignore controls that apply across ordinary road conditions. A useful habit is to scan the signal, the painted lines, and any officer directing traffic before moving.

7. 7. Your vehicle stalls on Illinois railroad tracks. What does the manual say to do?

   1. Stay inside and wait for help
   2. Everyone gets out immediately, calls 911, and moves away from the tracks at a 45 degree angle toward the train
   3. Push the vehicle off the tracks
   4. Wave at the train to stop
   Show answer

   Everyone gets out immediately, calls 911, and moves away from the tracks at a 45 degree angle toward the train. If your vehicle becomes disabled or stalls on railroad tracks, everyone should get out immediately, call 911, and move away from the tracks at a 45 degree angle in the direction of the train, so debris from a collision flies past rather than toward you. If possible the driver or a passenger should also call the railroad's Emergency Notification System number posted at the crossing.

8. 8. At what speed does an Illinois Class 3 electric bicycle stop providing assistance?

   1. 20 mph
   2. 28 mph, and only while the rider is pedaling
   3. 15 mph
   4. 35 mph
   Show answer

   28 mph, and only while the rider is pedaling. Illinois defines three classes of low speed electric bicycles: Class 1 assists only while the rider pedals and stops at 20 mph, Class 2 assists without pedaling up to 20 mph, and Class 3 engages only while pedaling and provides assistance up to 28 mph. All must have a motor under 1 horsepower, and the rider must be at least 16. Bicycles stay off expressways.

9. 9. How often must an Illinois driver take the written exam?

   1. Every renewal
   2. Every two years
   3. Every eight years, unless the driver has no traffic convictions
   4. Only once
   Show answer

   Every eight years, unless the driver has no traffic convictions. Every driver must take a written exam every eight years, except a driver who has no traffic convictions. Drivers 87 and older, and those turning 87 at renewal, must also take a driving exam. The driving exam vehicle must be properly licensed and carry the required equipment, and the test includes backing about 50 feet straight and smoothly, plus uphill and downhill parking.

10. 10. When making a left turn into oncoming traffic in Illinois, what is the driver's duty?

    
    1. Turn without yielding if the signal was green when entering
    2. Accelerate so the turning vehicle clears first
    3. Yield only to vehicles displaying hazard lights
    4. Yield to the oncoming traffic
    Show answer

    Yield to the oncoming traffic. A left-turning driver must yield to oncoming traffic. Entering on a green light does not remove that duty, although Illinois allows a driver already in the intersection to finish the turn after the light changes to red. The acceleration option encourages rushing across the path of traffic, and hazard lights are not the test. The useful visual cue is to search the opposing lane before turning, wait for a safe gap, and complete the turn without cutting off a vehicle coming straight.

11. 11. On a four-lane Illinois highway, what should a driver do when approaching a disabled vehicle using hazard lights?

    1. Change lanes away from it if safe; otherwise reduce speed while passing
    2. Pass on the shoulder without reducing speed
    3. Maintain speed because hazard lights give the disabled vehicle priority
    4. Stop beside it and offer assistance from the travel lane
    Show answer

    Change lanes away from it if safe; otherwise reduce speed while passing. When a disabled vehicle displays hazard lights on a four-lane highway, move to a lane away from it if that change is safe. If a lane change cannot be made safely, reduce speed while approaching and passing, then wait until well beyond the vehicle before increasing speed. Stopping beside it exposes both vehicles to traffic, and using the shoulder at full speed removes the caution the situation requires. Hazard lights provide a warning, not priority. The practical cue is lane separation first, followed by a controlled slow pass when separation is unavailable.

12. 12. What does the shape of the arrow on an Illinois turn or curve warning sign tell a driver?

    
    1. What to expect from the roadway ahead
    2. Whether the next intersection has a traffic signal
    3. The exact legal speed limit for every vehicle
    4. Which shoulder may be used as a travel lane
    Show answer

    What to expect from the roadway ahead. On Illinois turn and curve warnings, the arrow shape communicates what the driver should expect from the roadway ahead. A small plaque may also show the maximum safe speed for the curve or turn, but the arrow itself is not a posted legal speed limit. It does not announce a traffic signal or authorize shoulder travel. Read the arrow before entering the bend, reduce speed early, and keep the vehicle in its lane while watching for the next change in direction. The warning describes roadway geometry, so it calls for preparation rather than a required intersection movement.

13. 13. What is an Illinois two-way left turn lane intended for?

    
    1. Passing slower traffic on either side of the roadway
    2. Left turns at intersections or into and out of a middle-of-block drive
    3. Continuous travel when the regular lanes are congested
    4. Right turns around a median or traffic island
    Show answer

    Left turns at intersections or into and out of a middle-of-block drive. Illinois describes the two-way left turn lane as a safe area for cars making left turns at intersections or for vehicles turning left into or out of a drive in the middle of a block. It is not a passing lane or a regular travel lane for bypassing congestion. The lane also does not create a special path for right turns around medians. Approach it only as part of a planned left-turn maneuver, watch for vehicles using it from the opposite direction, and yield as required before crossing the opposing lanes.

14. 14. Why should an Illinois driver begin slowing after seeing a SIGNAL AHEAD sign?

    
    1. It warns that a traffic signal is approaching, even if it is not yet visible
    2. It marks a police checkpoint where every vehicle must stop
    3. It means the next streetlight is permanently out of service
    4. It permits the driver to ignore the upcoming signal
    Show answer

    It warns that a traffic signal is approaching, even if it is not yet visible. A SIGNAL AHEAD sign warns of an approaching traffic control signal. The signal may be hidden from view, but the warning is close enough that the driver should begin slowing down. The out-of-service, checkpoint, and ignore-the-signal choices assign meanings that the sign does not have. Treat the warning as preparation time: check traffic, adjust speed smoothly, and be ready to obey the actual light when it becomes visible. This matters especially on high-speed roads, where more distance is needed to stop or respond to a red signal.

15. 15. If smoke appears from a vehicle while driving, what is the safest immediate response?

    1. Continue to the next service station
    2. Open the hood while remaining in traffic
    3. Pull off the road, turn off the engine, and move away
    4. Fight the fire before leaving the vehicle
    Show answer

    Pull off the road, turn off the engine, and move away. The manual treats a vehicle fire as a serious emergency. When smoke appears, pull off the road, turn off the engine, move away from the vehicle, and call 911. Continuing to drive can feed the fire and expose occupants to smoke. Opening the hood in a traffic lane adds danger, and the manual specifically says not to fight the fire yourself. Once everyone is at a safe distance, remain clear of the vehicle and wait for emergency responders.

16. 16. Which device-use rule applies to a driver age 19 or older in Illinois?

    1. All cellphone use is prohibited regardless of age
    2. Texting is allowed when traffic is moving slowly
    3. Holding a phone is allowed if it is used for navigation
    4. Hands-free devices or Bluetooth technology is allowed, while handheld cellphone use and texting remain prohibited
    Show answer

    Hands-free devices or Bluetooth technology is allowed, while handheld cellphone use and texting remain prohibited. For people age 19 and older, Illinois allows hands-free devices or Bluetooth technology, but the general ban on handheld cellphones, texting, and other electronic communications while operating remains. Navigation does not create a handheld exception, and slow traffic does not legalize texting. The under-19 rule is stricter because it prohibits any wireless or cellphone use while driving, including hands-free use, except for an emergency contact. Check both age and device method before relying on an exception.

17. 17. What must an Illinois driver in the Initial Licensing Phase keep in order to move to full privileges at 18?

    1. A perfect school attendance record
    2. 100 logged practice hours
    3. A second driver education course
    4. A conviction free driving record for the six months before turning 18
    Show answer

    A conviction free driving record for the six months before turning 18. An Illinois teen in the Initial Licensing Phase must keep a conviction free driving record for the six months before turning 18. A traffic conviction in this phase can extend the restrictions beyond 18. School attendance and extra practice hours are not the rule stated for moving on, and no second course is required. The Full Licensing Phase for ages 18 to 20 has no age related restrictions except the cellphone ban for drivers under 19.

18. 18. How must cannabis be carried in a vehicle in Illinois?

    1. In a sealed, odor-proof, and child-resistant container
    2. In the glove box, if the driver is 21 or older
    3. Anywhere, if the driver has a medical card
    4. In an open bag on the back seat
    Show answer

    In a sealed, odor-proof, and child-resistant container. Illinois allows cannabis in a vehicle only in a sealed, odor proof, and child resistant container, and no driver or passenger may use cannabis in the vehicle. Being 21 or older does not make an unsealed product in the glove box legal. A medical registry card does not change the container rule; illegal transportation can even cost a medical card holder the card for two years. An open bag fails every part of the requirement.

19. 19. On a curve or hill in Illinois, how far must you be able to see in all directions before making a U-turn?

    1. At least 100 feet
    2. At least 200 feet
    3. At least 500 feet
    4. At least 1,000 feet
    Show answer

    At least 500 feet. Illinois bars turning around on curves and hills unless you can see at least 500 feet in all directions. One hundred and 200 feet do not give oncoming drivers enough warning. One thousand feet is more than the manual requires. Municipalities may also prohibit U-turns on some roads, so check for signs. Remember that 200 feet is the passing return distance, a different rule.

20. 20. The owner of a car was not driving when it illegally passed a stopped Illinois school bus. What must the owner do to avoid a registration suspension?

    1. Pay a $300 fine personally
    2. Nothing, since the owner was not driving
    3. Take a school bus safety class
    4. Give the State's Attorney's Office the name of the driver
    Show answer

    Give the State's Attorney's Office the name of the driver. When a car passes a stopped school bus and the owner was not driving, the owner must give the State's Attorney's Office the driver's name, or the vehicle registration is suspended for three months. The $300 mandatory fine and community service fall on the convicted driver, along with a license suspension. Doing nothing leads to the registration suspension. A safety class is not the listed remedy.