MI Permit Practice Test 20

All 20 questions in test 20

Every question below comes from the Michigan 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. Why is cruise control not recommended on slippery Michigan roads?

   1. It cancels itself whenever the wheels slip
   2. It may need constant resetting and distract the driver
   3. It raises the speed limit shown on the sign
   4. It disables the vehicle anti-lock brakes
   Show answer

   It may need constant resetting and distract the driver. On rain, snow, or ice, cruise control can demand constant resetting that pulls attention from the road. Each reset competes with steering and braking judgments that slippery surfaces make harder. Heavy traffic and clusters of ramps create the same problem for a different reason. Drive those stretches manually, with smooth inputs, and reserve the system for calm rural miles where your speed can stay steady safely.

   Study this in the handbook: Aggressive driving, intersections and freeways

2. 2. How should you steer while making a right turn at a Michigan intersection?

   1. Cut across the corner in a straight line toward the far lane
   2. Follow the general curve of the curb without straying into other lanes
   3. Swing wide to the left before turning so the turn feels smoother
   4. Turn sharply at the last moment and straighten out in any open lane
   Show answer

   Follow the general curve of the curb without straying into other lanes. A right turn should follow the general curve of the curb and stay within your lane path. Cutting the corner flattens the turn and can carry you toward the curb or a person crossing, while swinging left first or darting into whichever lane looks open invites a sideswipe from traffic beside you. Enter from the correct lane, signal, yield to people and traffic at the intersection, check traffic on your left, then arc with the curb and finish in the lane that matches your turn lane.

   Study this in the handbook: Passing, lane use and turns

3. 3. Which crash history within two years can trigger a Michigan driver reexamination?

   1. One crash with only minor vehicle damage
   2. Two crashes that both occurred at night
   3. Three or more crashes with injury or property damage
   4. Any crash reported to an insurance company
   Show answer

   Three or more crashes with injury or property damage. Three or more traffic crashes causing personal injury or property damage within two years can bring a driver reexamination in Michigan. A pattern of collisions suggests risk that a single incident might not prove. At the review, a driver analyst examines your record, discusses your behavior, and may impose restrictions, suspension, or revocation. Twelve or more points in two years, unfitness concerns, and restriction violations can trigger the same kind of review.

4. 4. Why should a driver never turn the ignition to the lock position while a Michigan vehicle is moving?

   1. The radio and headlights will turn off
   2. The transmission will shift into reverse
   3. The steering wheel will lock and control will be lost
   4. The parking brake will engage and bring the vehicle to a sudden stop
   Show answer

   The steering wheel will lock and control will be lost. Turning the ignition to lock while the car is moving can lock the steering column. Once that happens, turning the wheel does not steer the vehicle and control is lost. The radio, headlights, transmission and parking brake may respond in various ways, but the immediate danger is the steering lock. Keep the ignition in the run position while driving, and if you need to shut off the engine in an emergency, do it only as the manual or manufacturer directs. Teach new drivers where the lock position is so they avoid it by mistake.

5. 5. When you return to a parked vehicle in Michigan, how should you approach the driver's side?

   1. Wait in the roadway until traffic clears in both directions
   2. Walk with your back to traffic along the curb
   3. Approach from the street side without looking
   4. Face oncoming traffic as you walk to the driver's side
   Show answer

   Face oncoming traffic as you walk to the driver's side. When you walk back to a parked car, Michigan advises facing oncoming traffic as you approach the driver's side. Facing traffic lets you see vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians moving toward you instead of turning your back on them. Walking along the curb with your back to traffic, stepping out from the street side without looking, or standing in the roadway all remove that view. The habit matters most on a busy street where a driver may not expect someone to step out between parked cars. Keep your keys ready and watch the nearest lane as you move.

   Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossings

6. 6. Which lights make up a Michigan five-section-head or doghouse signal?

   1. Only red and green lights with one yellow arrow
   2. Two red lights, two green lights and one yellow
   3. Flashing white and amber lights for turns
   4. Red, green, yellow, yellow arrow and green arrow
   Show answer

   Red, green, yellow, yellow arrow and green arrow. The five-section head combines red, green, and yellow lights with a yellow turn arrow and a green turn arrow. That stack controls left or right turns at intersections with more nuance than a plain three-light signal. A lit green arrow gives a protected turn while conflicting traffic stops, while a plain green ball means turn only after oncoming traffic clears. Read which lens glows before assuming the turn belongs to you.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and traffic signals

7. 7. Passing on the right is allowed at which kind of Michigan location built for that purpose?

   1. Any gravel shoulder beside a two-lane road
   2. An intersection or road point specifically widened for passing
   3. The median crossover of a divided highway
   4. A bicycle lane that appears empty at the time
   Show answer

   An intersection or road point specifically widened for passing. A spot specifically widened at an intersection or elsewhere along the road can allow passing on the right. That paved widening differs from the shoulder or dirt beside the road, which you must never use to get by. Other lawful settings include a left-turning vehicle ahead with room on a two-lane road, one-way streets with several lanes, and roads with two or more lanes each direction. When pavement room is absent, patience is the legal option.

   Study this in the handbook: Passing, lane use and turns

8. 8. If an intersection has no stop line or crosswalk, where must you stop your vehicle?

   1. Inside the intersection to see cross traffic
   2. Past the corner near the cross street curb
   3. On the crosswalk lines of the side street
   4. Before entering the intersection itself
   Show answer

   Before entering the intersection itself. Without a stop line or crosswalk, stop the vehicle before entering the intersection. That position keeps you clear of cross traffic and turning vehicles while you judge the road. If buildings or parked cars block your view afterward, edge forward slowly only after the full stop. Whether or not markings exist, confirm you can see traffic from all directions before proceeding, and yield to anyone already inside the junction.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and traffic signals

9. 9. You follow a horse and rider on a Michigan road. What speed and distance should you keep so the horse is not spooked?

   1. Slow to 25 to 30 mph and stay 10 feet back
   2. Pass quickly at the posted speed limit instead
   3. Reduce speed to 15 to 20 mph and stay at least 20 feet back
   4. Stop completely until the rider waves you past
   Show answer

   Reduce speed to 15 to 20 mph and stay at least 20 feet back. Ease down to about 15 to 20 mph and keep at least 20 feet between your vehicle and the horse or buggy. That cushion calms the animal and gives you room if it shies sideways. Stopping dead is unnecessary unless the rider signals trouble, and crowding at higher speed risks a bolt into your path. Pass later with caution when the road is clear, giving the widest berth you can manage.

   Study this in the handbook: Trucks, pedestrians, motorcycles and bicycles

10. 10. Why are the solid white lines at the right edge of a Michigan road often called fog lines?

    1. They help you stay on the road at night or in bad weather
    2. They mark where fog forms first on cold mornings
    3. They show the lane reserved for vehicles with fog lamps
    4. They warn that the shoulder beyond them is unpaved
    Show answer

    They help you stay on the road at night or in bad weather. Edge lines earn the fog line name because they guide you when darkness or poor weather hides the road boundary. Fog forming first on cold mornings sounds plausible, yet the name comes from guidance during low visibility, not from where mist appears. Keep the bright edge line in view on your right, ease off the speed, and let that steady reference hold your lane when the center fades.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and traffic signals

11. 11. A warning sign says the right lane ends in 500 feet. What should you prepare to do?

    1. Prepare to exit right
    2. Prepare to merge left
    3. Prepare to stop in the ending lane
    4. Prepare to pass on the right
    Show answer

    Prepare to merge left. When the sign says the right lane ends in 500 feet, prepare to merge left. The distance gives you time to check mirrors, signal, and choose a safe gap before the pavement narrows. The warning does not tell you to exit right, stop in the ending lane, or pass on the right. Keep moving with traffic while you plan the lane change, and yield to vehicles already in the lane you need to enter.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic sign shapes and colors

12. 12. Which feature distinguishes a Michigan autocycle from a motorcycle with a straddle seat?

    1. It has three wheels and no straddle seat
    2. It has two wheels and a straddle seat
    3. It has four wheels and a bench seat
    4. It has three wheels and handlebar steering only
    Show answer

    It has three wheels and no straddle seat. Michigan describes an autocycle as a motorcycle with three wheels, safety belts, a roll bar or roll hoops, and a steering wheel. It is not equipped with a straddle seat. The two-wheel straddle-seat description belongs to an ordinary motorcycle, while four wheels and a bench seat do not identify an autocycle. Three wheels alone are also incomplete because the missing straddle seat is part of the definition. Drivers should remain alert for autocycles at intersections and in busy traffic because their smaller profile can be easy to miss.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, pedestrians, motorcycles and bicycles

13. 13. When preparing to turn right at a Michigan intersection, which action is prohibited?

    1. Use the bicycle lane as a right-turn lane
    2. Look for a bicyclist approaching from behind
    3. Yield to a bicyclist before turning
    4. Allow a bicyclist to pass before turning
    Show answer

    Use the bicycle lane as a right-turn lane. Michigan prohibits using a bicycle lane as a right-turn lane. Looking for a bicyclist approaching from behind, yielding before turning, and allowing a bicyclist to pass are compatible safety actions; they are not the prohibited lane use. “Use the bicycle lane as a right-turn lane” is the only action barred by the quoted rule. The bicycle lane remains space for a bicyclist, so the motorist must not enter it to set up the turn.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, pedestrians, motorcycles and bicycles

14. 14. A driver injures a worker in a Michigan work zone. What penalties does the manual describe for causing injury or death?

    1. Fines up to $2,500 and imprisonment up to five years
    2. Fines up to $5,000 and imprisonment up to ten years
    3. Fines up to $7,500 and imprisonment up to 15 years
    4. Fines up to $10,000 and imprisonment up to 20 years
    Show answer

    Fines up to $7,500 and imprisonment up to 15 years. Causing injury or death in a Michigan work zone raises the penalty to as much as $7,500 in fines and up to 15 years in prison. The lower figures in the other options do not match the manual's ceiling, and the $10,000 figure exceeds it. This is separate from the doubled fines that apply to ordinary moving violations in a work zone. The elevated exposure reflects how little protection a worker has beside moving traffic. As a driver, the practical cue is to slow at the first orange warning sign, not at the barrels, because the stopping distance you save may be the space a crew needs.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and work zones

15. 15. What does the Michigan manual recommend for a group that plans to drink?

    1. Waiting until the drive home to pick a driver
    2. Having the heaviest drinker drive
    3. Relying on coffee to sober the driver
    4. Choosing a designated driver ahead of time
    Show answer

    Choosing a designated driver ahead of time. Michigan advises selecting a designated driver ahead of time, before anyone has been drinking, who is not going to drink at all. Deciding at the end of the evening is unreliable because the group's judgment is already affected, and coffee, food or fresh air do not speed the removal of alcohol. Putting the heaviest drinker behind the wheel inverts the purpose of a designated driver. The cue is to settle the ride before the first round, hand that person the keys, and keep the plan in place even if the evening changes.

    Study this in the handbook: Your driving record, points and implied consent

16. 16. A funeral procession is passing on a Michigan road. Are drivers going the other way required to pull over?

    1. Yes, all traffic must stop until it passes
    2. No, and you may cut through the procession
    3. Yes, but only when using a two-lane road
    4. No, but show respect for the procession
    Show answer

    No, but show respect for the procession. Michigan asks drivers to treat a funeral procession with respect but does not require them to pull over when one passes in the opposite direction. The procession holds the right of way over ordinary traffic, yet that priority does not turn into a stop command for every car on the road. All traffic does not have to halt, the rule is not limited to two-lane roads, and cutting through the line is a civil infraction rather than a permitted shortcut. Slow slightly, give the procession room, and keep moving unless a signal, officer or emergency vehicle requires you to stop.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way, pedestrians and roundabouts

17. 17. Why does Michigan guidance warn against buying a secondhand child safety seat?

    1. Used seats cost more than new seats
    2. It may lack federal approval or required parts
    3. Used seats never fit newer vehicle models
    4. Used seats are illegal to sell in Michigan
    Show answer

    It may lack federal approval or required parts. A secondhand seat may fail current federal standards, work improperly, hide missing parts or instructions, or carry crash damage you cannot see. Any seat involved in a crash should always be replaced, and a used buyer rarely knows that history. Recall notices may also never reach a second owner. Buying new, registering the seat, and learning its installation from a certified technician protects a child far better than saving on unknown equipment.

    Study this in the handbook: Phones, seat belts and child passengers

18. 18. After passing a bicyclist, when may a Michigan driver return to the original lane?

    1. After getting well clear of the bicycle
    2. As soon as the front bumper passes the bicycle
    3. When the driver can see the bicycle beside the rear door
    4. Before the bicycle reaches the passing vehicle's rear wheel
    Show answer

    After getting well clear of the bicycle. After passing, a driver should not return to the lane until well clear of the bicycle or other vulnerable road user. A front bumper passing the bicycle does not show that the whole vehicle has cleared the rider, and seeing the bicycle beside the rear door still leaves the vehicle alongside it. Returning before the bicycle reaches the rear wheel cuts across the rider's space. Wait until the bicycle is safely behind before moving back.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, pedestrians, motorcycles and bicycles

19. 19. Under Michigan's general cell phone law, what may a driver do with a hands-free device without continuing to hold it?

    1. Type a street address into a navigation app by hand while the car is moving
    2. Hold the phone and scroll through contacts to find a number
    3. Press or tap a single button to activate a function or select a name
    4. Keep watching a video on the device while driving on the freeway
    Show answer

    Press or tap a single button to activate a function or select a name. Hands-free use is allowed only in a narrow way. After a single press, tap or swipe to activate or deactivate a function, or to select a name or phone number, your hands must come off the device. Holding a phone to scroll contacts, typing an address by hand, or watching video keeps hands, eyes or attention on the device in ways the general ban prohibits. Navigation help may run when information is not entered by hand. Park safely if a task needs more than that one touch.

    Study this in the handbook: Phones, seat belts and child passengers

20. 20. When will green lights on a Michigan maintenance vehicle be activated?

    1. Only when road work is taking place
    2. At all times the vehicle engine is running
    3. Only during nighttime snow removal shifts
    4. Whenever the vehicle parks on a shoulder
    Show answer

    Only when road work is taking place. Green maintenance lights activate only while road work is taking place, signaling drivers to slow down and use caution. The color was chosen because the eye is most sensitive to green, making it visible from farther away in storms and dust. Amber lights remain the traditional companion color on those vehicles. Treat the combination as a work zone warning even where cones have not yet come into view around a curve.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and work zones