IL Permit Practice Test 18

All 20 questions in test 18

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. How may a parent or legal guardian access a minor's Illinois driving record, and at what cost?

   1. At no cost online using a PIN from the Secretary of State
   2. For a fee at a currency exchange
   3. Only by hiring an attorney
   4. Only after the minor turns 18
   Show answer

   At no cost online using a PIN from the Secretary of State. Parents and legal guardians keep oversight during graduated licensing through free record access, using a personal identification number from the Secretary of State to view the minor's driving record online at ilsos.gov. The access lasts while the teen holds a permit or graduated license, so waiting until eighteen defeats the supervision purpose. No attorney or currency exchange fee enters the picture, since the state builds the checkpoint directly into the program. Parents or legal guardians may use the PIN to review the driving record while the driver is under age 18.

   Study this in the handbook: Teen curfews, passenger limits and phone rules

2. 2. An Illinois NARROW BRIDGE warning appears ahead. What change should you expect?

   1. The bridge roadway is narrower than the approach pavement
   2. The bridge has a lower overhead clearance
   3. The road becomes a divided highway at the bridge
   4. The road ends before reaching the bridge
   Show answer

   The bridge roadway is narrower than the approach pavement. The NARROW BRIDGE sign warns that the bridge ahead has a narrow roadway. Illinois explains that a bridge is generally two feet narrower than the pavement approaching it. The change concerns available roadway width, not the height above the road. Do not read the sign as a divided-highway or road-closed message. Notice the warning before reaching the bridge so you recognize that the space on the approach does not continue unchanged across it.

3. 3. What must a driver complete before Illinois restores driving privileges after a DUI conviction?

   1. Only payment of a reinstatement fee
   2. An alcohol and drug evaluation plus a rehabilitation or education program, among other requirements
   3. A written apology to the arresting agency
   4. Six months of community service only
   Show answer

   An alcohol and drug evaluation plus a rehabilitation or education program, among other requirements. Before driving privileges are restored after a DUI conviction, the manual lists an alcohol/drug evaluation, successful completion of a rehabilitation or alcohol/drug education program, an administrative hearing, a reinstatement fee, and/or other requirements. A DUI conviction also requires Financial Responsibility Insurance for three years. The option "Only payment of a reinstatement fee" should be set aside: A fee alone omits the required evaluation and rehabilitation or alcohol/drug education program.

   Study this in the handbook: DUI, implied consent and summary suspension

4. 4. Outside a business or residential district, when may a driver stop and park on a paved roadway?

   1. In an emergency, if there is a clear view of 200 feet in each direction
   2. Whenever the vehicle has its hazard flashers on
   3. Whenever the driver stays in the vehicle
   4. At any time on a straight stretch of road
   Show answer

   In an emergency, if there is a clear view of 200 feet in each direction. Outside business or residential districts, stopping or parking on the paved roadway is prohibited when it is practical to stop off the roadway. In an emergency, a driver may stop and park only if there is a clear view of 200 feet in each direction, with the emergency flashers on and enough space for others to pass. Pulling onto the paved roadway should be a last resort, so move off the pavement whenever that is practical. If you must stop, turn on the emergency flashers and leave enough room for other vehicles to pass safely.

   Study this in the handbook: Passing, turning, roundabouts and parking

5. 5. How many attempts does an Illinois applicant get to pass each licensing exam, and within what period?

   1. Unlimited attempts until the permit expires
   2. Two attempts within six months of payment
   3. Three attempts within one year from the date the application fee was paid
   4. One attempt per facility visit with no yearly cap
   Show answer

   Three attempts within one year from the date the application fee was paid. Applicants are allowed three attempts to pass each exam within one year from the date the application fee was paid. Two attempts understates the count by one, and six months is half the stated period. Consider "Unlimited attempts until the permit expires": Attempts are capped at three, never unlimited. Its rival "Two attempts within six months of payment" fails for a separate reason: Both the count and the period are understated there.

   Study this in the handbook: Vision screening, written exam and driving exam

6. 6. Why should bridges, shaded spots, and overpasses be approached slowly in winter?

   1. They may remain icy after the rest of the roadway is clear and dry
   2. They are always posted at lower speed limits
   3. Their surfaces are built from polished steel
   4. Salt trucks are forbidden from treating them
   Show answer

   They may remain icy after the rest of the roadway is clear and dry. Bridges, shaded spots, overpasses, and turns may remain icy after the rest of the roadway is clear and dry, so approach them slowly. The manual also advises gentle braking in slow, steady strokes and braking early when approaching an intersection or stop. Consider "They are always posted at lower speed limits": The hazard is lingering ice, not a special posted limit. Its rival "Their surfaces are built from polished steel" fails for a separate reason: Polished steel construction is not the reason given.

   Study this in the handbook: School buses, emergency vehicles and railroad crossings

7. 7. Which vehicles must have an Illinois Certificate of Title?

   1. Only vehicles driven daily on public highways
   2. Only vehicles less than ten years old
   3. Only vehicles purchased from dealers
   4. All vehicles and mobile homes, whether or not they are registered
   Show answer

   All vehicles and mobile homes, whether or not they are registered. Title proves ownership separately from registration permission, so every vehicle and mobile home carries a Certificate of Title even when it never gets registered for road use. Daily driving, age under a decade, and dealer origin all narrow a duty that applies across the board. Registration then adds the legal right to use Illinois roadways, and doing so requires holding that Illinois title. A barn stored project car with no plates still sits inside the titling system.

8. 8. Where do more than half of all motorcycle crashes occur?

   1. On rural highways
   2. On expressway ramps
   3. In parking lots
   4. At intersections
   Show answer

   At intersections. More than 50% of motorcycle crashes occur at intersections. The most common situation is an oncoming automobile turning left in front of a motorcycle. Watch for motorcycles, yield, and be sure of the operator’s intent before turning left across oncoming lanes. "On rural highways" is a distractor here: More than half of motorcycle crashes occur at intersections, not on rural highways. Another rival, "In parking lots", is wrong on its own terms: The manual identifies intersections as the location of more than half of motorcycle crashes, not parking lots.

9. 9. Your side of the center line turns solid yellow while you are already passing. What does Illinois allow?

   1. You must brake hard and drop behind the vehicle immediately
   2. You must swerve back across before the solid paint starts
   3. You may cross it to finish the pass you already started before the no passing zone began
   4. The pass becomes illegal retroactively from its starting point
   Show answer

   You may cross it to finish the pass you already started before the no passing zone began. When a solid yellow line is on your side of the center line, you may cross it to finish passing a vehicle you began to pass before the no-passing zone started. You may also cross it to turn left into or from an alley, private road, or driveway. The option "You must brake hard and drop behind the vehicle immediately" should be set aside: The manual allows you to finish a pass begun before the no-passing zone; it does not require immediate hard braking.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings

10. 10. When the gate is down at an Illinois railroad crossing, where must you stop?

    1. Within 5 feet of the tracks
    2. At least 100 feet back
    3. Within 15 to 50 feet of the crossing
    4. Anywhere, as long as you do not touch the gate
    Show answer

    Within 15 to 50 feet of the crossing. At an Illinois railroad crossing with a posted stop sign, a flashing signal, or a lowered gate, you must stop within 15 to 50 feet of the crossing. Five feet is too close to a passing train. One hundred feet is farther back than the rule. Stopping just short of the gate is not enough if it leaves you closer than 15 feet. Proceed only after the gate is fully up, the lights stop flashing, or a flagger signals.

    Study this in the handbook: School buses, emergency vehicles and railroad crossings

11. 11. A driver becomes stranded in winter weather in Illinois. What exhaust precaution applies while waiting?

    1. Block the tailpipe to keep heat inside
    2. Make sure the tailpipe stays free of snow and debris
    3. Run the engine continuously all night
    4. Open every window fully while idling
    Show answer

    Make sure the tailpipe stays free of snow and debris. If stranded in winter, remain in your vehicle. Run the engine only for brief periods and open a window to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. If possible, keep the tailpipe free of snow and debris. A blanket, food, and survival equipment such as a shovel can be helpful. "Block the tailpipe to keep heat inside" is a distractor here: The manual says to keep the tailpipe free of snow and debris if possible.

    Study this in the handbook: School buses, emergency vehicles and railroad crossings

12. 12. You are turning left while a bicyclist enters the intersection from the opposite direction. What must you do first?

    1. Start the turn and let the bicyclist ride behind you
    2. Wait for the bicyclist to pass before turning
    3. Turn as soon as the bicyclist slows down
    4. Move beside the bicycle through the intersection
    Show answer

    Wait for the bicyclist to pass before turning. When a bicyclist enters the intersection from the opposite direction, a driver turning left should wait until the bicyclist has passed. This is different from sharing a left-turn lane behind a rider, where the driver remains behind until the bicycle completes the turn. In the oncoming situation, starting the turn and expecting the rider to pass behind reverses the required order. The bicycle's reduced speed alone does not replace the instruction to wait.

13. 13. How does the Secretary of State's office enforce the Illinois mandatory insurance law?

    1. Through annual inspection stickers only
    2. Through roadside weigh stations
    3. Through mandatory insurance agency visits to each vehicle owner
    4. Through random computer checks and the issuance of traffic tickets
    Show answer

    Through random computer checks and the issuance of traffic tickets. Illinois requires all vehicles to carry liability insurance. The manual says enforcement is managed through random computer checks by the Secretary of State's office and the issuance of traffic tickets. Failure to carry the required insurance can mean fines, an inability to renew the registration, and suspension of driving privileges, so keeping coverage active protects both the driver and the registration.

    Study this in the handbook: Crashes, reports and insurance

14. 14. When may an Illinois driver age 19 or older use a cellphone that is not hands free while stopped?

    1. At any red light, holding the phone freely
    2. Whenever the hazard lights are flashing at a curb
    3. While stopped because normal traffic is obstructed, with the vehicle in neutral or park
    4. Only while the engine is idling in drive
    Show answer

    While stopped because normal traffic is obstructed, with the vehicle in neutral or park. The manual permits cellphone use that is not hands-free to report an emergency, while parked on the shoulder of a roadway, or while stopped because normal traffic is obstructed with the vehicle in neutral or park. For drivers under age 19, cellphone use, including hands-free use, is prohibited except in an emergency to contact law enforcement, a health care provider, or an emergency services agency.

    Study this in the handbook: Phones, distracted driving and traffic stops

15. 15. A construction project closes a lane on an Illinois expressway, but traffic is not heavily congested. When should you merge?

    1. Wait until the lane reduction point regardless of traffic
    2. Merge early into the open lane
    3. Stop in the closing lane until all traffic clears
    4. Continue onto the shoulder to avoid the merge
    Show answer

    Merge early into the open lane. When construction or maintenance reduces lanes and the road is not heavily congested, merge early into the open lane. Illinois gives different advice for dense, slow-moving traffic, where drivers use both lanes to the reduction point and alternate turns there. The traffic condition determines which instruction applies. Waiting until the end in every situation overlooks the early-merge guidance, while stopping or driving on the shoulder is not the prescribed way to join the open lane.

    Study this in the handbook: Following distance, night driving and weather

16. 16. Under the Safety Responsibility Law, who determines the security amount an at-fault uninsured driver must post?

    1. The driver chooses any affordable amount
    2. The Illinois Department of Transportation determines the amount
    3. The injured party sets the amount personally
    4. The Secretary of State sets every amount at $500
    Show answer

    The Illinois Department of Transportation determines the amount. An at-fault driver without liability insurance in a crash causing death, injury, or property damage must post security to cover the injured party’s damages. The Illinois Department of Transportation determines the amount. Failure to post it may lead to license suspension, and the vehicle owner’s plates or registration may also be suspended. "The driver chooses any affordable amount" is a distractor here: Drivers cannot set their own security amounts.

    Study this in the handbook: Crashes, reports and insurance

17. 17. You cannot identify an unmarked vehicle trying to stop you as law enforcement. What does Illinois advise?

    1. Speed away until a marked squad car appears
    2. Stop immediately wherever you are and exit
    3. Turn off all lights so the vehicle loses sight of you
    4. Drive slowly below the speed limit to a well-lit populated location or the nearest police station, or call 911
    Show answer

    Drive slowly below the speed limit to a well-lit populated location or the nearest police station, or call 911. Drive slowly and carefully below the speed limit. You may pull over at a well-lit, populated location, drive carefully to the nearest police station and try to attract a uniformed officer, or call 911. Activate the hazard lights to help communicate your intentions. Against "Speed away until a marked squad car appears", note this: The manual advises driving slowly and carefully below the speed limit.

    Study this in the handbook: Phones, distracted driving and traffic stops

18. 18. At what minimum age will an Illinois license or ID applicant be asked to join the Organ/Tissue Donor Registry?

    1. Age 15
    2. Age 16
    3. Age 18
    4. Age 21
    Show answer

    Age 16. Applicants age 16 and older will be asked to join the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry during the driver’s license or ID card application process. "Age 15" is a distractor here: Fifteen is tied to instruction permit eligibility, a year before the registry question begins. Another rival, "Age 18", is wrong on its own terms: The registry question begins at age 16, not age 18.

19. 19. A student under 18 dropped out of high school. Which record can still support a driver education completion notation?

    1. Attendance at a single class after dropping out
    2. Passing grades in at least eight courses in the two semesters before dropping out
    3. A part time job reference letter
    4. Enrollment in a sports program
    Show answer

    Passing grades in at least eight courses in the two semesters before dropping out. One qualifying record is passing grades in at least eight courses in the two semesters before dropping out. Other listed conditions are the instructor’s written verification of GED or alternative-program enrollment, the applicant having a GED, or written consent from parents or legal guardians and the regional superintendent. The local superintendent or chief school administrator may waive conditions in the student’s best interest.

20. 20. When may oral examinations for the written test be requested, and how?

    1. In person at a facility, Monday through Thursday
    2. By phone on any day of the week
    3. Online only, on weekends
    4. In person on Fridays only
    Show answer

    In person at a facility, Monday through Thursday. Oral examinations for the written test can be requested in person at any Secretary of State driver’s license facility, Monday through Thursday. This service is for applicants who may have a language barrier or a reading or learning disability. "By phone on any day of the week" is a distractor here: Phone requests on any day ignore both the in person rule and the weekday limit.

    Study this in the handbook: Vision screening, written exam and driving exam