MT Permit Practice Test 11

All 20 questions in test 11

Every question below comes from the Montana 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. When should a Montana driver check tire air pressure?

   1. When the tires are cold
   2. Right after a long highway drive
   3. Only when a tire looks flat
   4. Only when the vehicle is fully loaded
   Show answer

   When the tires are cold. The manual says to check tire pressure with an air pressure gauge when the tires are cold. Heat from a long drive raises pressure and can give a misleading reading, and waiting until a tire looks flat misses slow leaks. A full load does not set the time for the check. The cue is to test before the first trip of the day, using the pressure listed in the owner's manual rather than the number molded on the tire.

   Study this in the handbook: Required lights and equipment

2. 2. Once the lead vehicle in a Montana funeral procession proceeds into an intersection, what may the rest of the procession do?

   1. Stop and wait for the next green light
   2. Turn off headlights and continue through
   3. Change lanes and pass the lead vehicle
   4. Follow the lead car through the intersection
   Show answer

   Follow the lead car through the intersection. When the lead vehicle proceeds, the rest of the procession may follow through the intersection despite the official traffic control device, but every driver must still use reasonable care toward other vehicles and pedestrians. The lead vehicle itself must comply with the signal or sign first. Stopping for the next green, passing the lead car, or turning off lights is not the rule. The cue is the line of cars: once the front car lawfully enters, the procession moves as a unit.

   Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, school buses, funerals and bicycles

3. 3. A Montana driver is looking for a place to wait for a friend. Where does the manual say parking is prohibited?

   1. On a gravel shoulder beside a rural road
   2. In a marked space in front of a closed business
   3. In an intersection
   4. On a residential street after dark
   Show answer

   In an intersection. Montana's no parking list begins with intersections, because a vehicle left there blocks crossing traffic and hides sight lines. A gravel shoulder, a marked business space, and a residential street after dark are not automatically prohibited by that list. The cue is to keep the box clear: if the vehicle would sit where two roads cross, choose a legal space down the block instead.

4. 4. Which toll free number reaches Montana's Report A Drunk Driver program?

   1. 1-800-555-0199 for the national highway hotline
   2. 1-406-444-3933 for the Motor Vehicle Division
   3. 911 in every Montana county without exception
   4. 1-800-525-5555
   Show answer

   1-800-525-5555. Calling 1-800-525-5555 connects a witness with the Report A Drunk Driver program so officers can look for the vehicle. The invented national hotline number reaches no Montana dispatch desk. The Motor Vehicle Division line handles licensing business during office hours, not rolling impaired drivers. Treating 911 as the only route overlooks the dedicated number posted for these reports. Save the program digits in a phone contact before a night drive; fumbling for them at highway speed helps nobody.

   Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and the law

5. 5. A driver feels tired before a planned trip begins. What should happen to the departure?

   1. Leave anyway and open the windows for fresh air
   2. Do not leave on the trip while already tired
   3. Start driving and rest only after two hundred miles
   4. Drink coffee and begin the trip without any delay
   Show answer

   Do not leave on the trip while already tired. Starting a trip already tired stacks fatigue on top of hours still to come, so departure should wait until the driver is rested. Open windows give a brief chill, not real recovery. Two hundred miles is far too long to postpone the first rest. Coffee may mask sleepiness briefly while reaction time and judgment stay impaired. Sleep first, plan enough travel time, or let a rested person drive the opening stretch.

   Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and the law

6. 6. What driving problems do studies link with marijuana use?

   1. Faster reflexes and sharper glare adjustment at night
   2. Fewer traffic violations than other drivers commit
   3. More mistakes and slower reflexes behind the wheel
   4. Better distance judgment during heavy traffic flow
   Show answer

   More mistakes and slower reflexes behind the wheel. Marijuana use is linked with more mistakes, slower reflexes, and harder adjustment to glare, plus more arrests for traffic violations. Faster reflexes reverse the finding entirely. Violation records run higher for users, not lower, so cleaner driving cannot be claimed. Distance judgment gains are likewise unsupported and would contradict the mistake pattern. A prescription does not erase these effects, so driving after use remains unsafe.

   Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and the law

7. 7. What happens to fines for speed violations inside Montana school zones?

   1. Fines are doubled in all school zones across Montana
   2. Fines are halved when no children are present outside
   3. Fines stay standard and only warnings are issued there
   4. Fines apply only during morning arrival hours at school
   Show answer

   Fines are doubled in all school zones across Montana. Speeding near schools draws doubled fines in every Montana school zone, reflecting how hard children are to see and how unpredictably they move. Halving the penalty when children seem absent misses that a child can appear at any hour near a playground. Warning only enforcement understates a strict statewide policy. Arrival hours are not the limit either, since children return to school grounds day and night. Slow down and expect the doubled cost.

   Study this in the handbook: Road signs by shape and color

8. 8. Why should a driver minimize backing whenever possible?

   1. Visibility behind the vehicle is poor, so little backing is best
   2. Reverse gears wear out much faster than forward gears in normal use
   3. Backing is illegal in all Montana parking areas
   4. Mirrors become inaccurate after sunset only
   Show answer

   Visibility behind the vehicle is poor, so little backing is best. Seeing behind a vehicle is inherently hard, so doing as little backing as possible removes the riskiest maneuver from the trip. Gear wear has nothing to do with the safety guidance. Backing remains legal and often necessary in lots and driveways across Montana. Mirror limits exist at noon as surely as at sunset, because bodywork blocks the low rear zone in any light. Route planning helps: choose drive through spaces, turn around where forward exits exist, and save reverse for short, checked movements.

   Study this in the handbook: Scanning, blind spots and signaling

9. 9. Tires begin hydroplaning and traction fades on a flooded road. What should the driver avoid until grip returns?

   1. Holding the steering wheel straight and waiting for speed to drop
   2. Easing off the gas pedal gradually
   3. Trying to stop or turn before tires grip again
   4. Waiting for the vehicle to slow on its own
   Show answer

   Trying to stop or turn before tires grip again. Floating tires cannot answer steering or braking, so trying to stop or turn before grip returns invites a skid across the water film. Holding the wheel straight keeps the vehicle tracking while speed bleeds off. Easing off the gas lets the tires settle back through the water without a sudden weight shift. Waiting for natural slowing is exactly the patience the moment demands. The cue is tactile: when the steering feels light and vague, freeze inputs, lift gently, and drive again only when firmness returns.

   Study this in the handbook: Adjusting speed for roads, weather and sight distance

10. 10. What must a driver never do when approaching or passing a horse on a Montana road?

    1. Sound the horn near the horse
    2. Slow to a reasonable speed
    3. Keep a reasonable distance away
    4. Exercise due care near the animal
    Show answer

    Sound the horn near the horse. Sounding the horn when approaching or passing a horse is illegal, because a sudden blast can spook the animal into the vehicle or throw its rider. Slowing to a reasonable speed is required care, not a violation. Keeping a reasonable distance gives the horse room to shy without contact. Due care is the umbrella duty covering the whole encounter. The quiet approach works best: ease off early, pass wide and silent, and watch the rider's hand for a signal asking traffic to stop.

    Study this in the handbook: Following distance, merging and passing

11. 11. People walking along a Montana highway at night should do what to be seen?

    1. Walk in the center of the lane
    2. Walk with their backs to traffic in dark clothing
    3. Wear dark clothing to avoid glare
    4. Wear light-colored clothing or carry a light
    Show answer

    Wear light-colored clothing or carry a light. Pedestrian rules include a visibility habit for darkness: people walking along the highway at night should wear light colored clothing or carry a light. Walking in the center of a lane places a person directly in vehicle paths, and dark clothing, whether facing traffic or not, hides the walker until headlights are very close. Drivers share responsibility to watch for pedestrians, but clothing and a carried light give those drivers the early glimpse that makes yielding possible on an unlit rural road.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits, passing and turning

12. 12. A driver waits for a gap before merging from an entrance ramp. How should the ramp be used?

    1. Drive to the very end of the ramp and stop there
    2. Stop midway and wait for a fully empty roadway
    3. Slow down on the ramp so room remains to speed up
    4. Enter slowly regardless of the speed of traffic
    Show answer

    Slow down on the ramp so room remains to speed up. Room left on the ramp lets a driver build speed before joining moving traffic. Stopping at the far end leaves no space to accelerate, and drivers behind will not expect a halt there. Waiting for an empty road is unnecessary when a usable gap exists, while entering far below traffic speed forces others to brake. Use the ramp length to match flow, then merge into the gap chosen.

    Study this in the handbook: Adjusting speed for roads, weather and sight distance

13. 13. Your vehicle is about to be hit from the rear. How should you position your body?

    1. Lean forward away from the seat back before impact occurs
    2. Press against the seat back with head on the head restraint
    3. Turn fully around in the seat to watch the impact happen
    4. Crouch down low below the level of the window line
    Show answer

    Press against the seat back with head on the head restraint. A rear impact throws the body backward, so the manual advises pressing yourself against the back of your seat and putting your head against the head restraint. Leaning forward or crouching removes that support at the moment it is needed, and turning around twists the spine away from the restraint. Stay braced and be ready to apply your brakes so the push does not carry you into another vehicle ahead. Lap and shoulder belts further reduce injury vulnerability in this type of hit.

    Study this in the handbook: Crashes, emergency vehicles and traffic stops

14. 14. What response is prompted by this pedestrian crossing warning?

    
    1. Honk continuously so pedestrians know the vehicle is coming
    2. Watch for people crossing, reduce speed, and be prepared to stop
    3. Maintain speed because pedestrians must wait for vehicles
    4. Move onto the shoulder to go around anyone crossing
    Show answer

    Watch for people crossing, reduce speed, and be prepared to stop. A pedestrian crossing warning asks the driver to be alert for people crossing the path, slow down, and be ready to stop. Honking continuously can startle people and does not replace careful observation. The sign does not give vehicles priority over pedestrians, and using the shoulder to evade a crossing person is dangerous and improper. Scan both sides of the roadway, cover the brake, and yield when a pedestrian is in or entering the crossing area. The warning is about anticipating movement, not waiting until a person is directly in front of the car.

15. 15. What does a Montana Traffic Education Permit allow a student to do?

    1. Drive during traffic education training under an instructor's direct supervision.
    2. Drive alone for any purpose until the traffic course ends.
    3. Drive with any adult, even when no traffic course is in progress.
    4. Operate a commercial vehicle while completing traffic education.
    Show answer

    Drive during traffic education training under an instructor's direct supervision.. A Traffic Education Permit is tied to a student who is enrolled in an approved traffic education course. It allows vehicle operation during the training and requires direct supervision by a traffic education instructor. The permit does not authorize solo driving, general practice with any adult, or commercial vehicle operation. The practical cue is the setting: the student is driving as part of the course, with the instructor directly supervising at that time.

16. 16. Which sequence lists Montana's graduated licensing steps in order?

    1. Full-privilege license, first-year restricted license, instruction permit.
    2. Instruction permit, full-privilege license, first-year restricted license.
    3. First-year restricted license, instruction permit, full-privilege license.
    4. Instruction permit, first-year restricted license, full-privilege license.
    Show answer

    Instruction permit, first-year restricted license, full-privilege license.. Montana's graduated program moves from supervised learning to a first-year restricted license and then to full privileges. The instruction permit gives a new driver practice under supervision. The restricted license adds limits while the driver gains solo experience. The final step removes those graduated restrictions when the driver receives full privileges. Any sequence that places the full license first or moves the permit after the restricted stage reverses the progression described in the manual.

    Study this in the handbook: Learner license and the teen GDL steps

17. 17. An emergency vehicle approaches while a driver sits inside an intersection. What must the driver do before pulling over?

    1. Drive through the intersection, then pull over
    2. Stop at once inside the intersection box
    3. Back up slowly toward the nearest curb
    4. Turn left against the traffic signal
    Show answer

    Drive through the intersection, then pull over. A driver caught inside an intersection when an emergency vehicle approaches must drive through the intersection before pulling over and stopping. Halting mid intersection blocks the emergency route and cross traffic at once. Backing toward a curb puts the vehicle against surrounding flow. Turning left across the signal endangers oncoming lanes. Clear the box, move right at the far side, and stay stopped until the emergency vehicle passes.

    Study this in the handbook: Who yields at intersections

18. 18. What does a steady red arrow require a driver to do?

    1. Stop, then turn in the arrow direction at once
    2. Stop and stay stopped except for allowed turns on red
    3. Proceed slowly through the turn with extra caution
    4. Treat the arrow as a yield sign for turning traffic
    Show answer

    Stop and stay stopped except for allowed turns on red. A steady red arrow orders a stop, and the vehicle stays stopped apart from turns that are allowed on red after stopping. Turning at once ignores the stop that comes first. Rolling slowly through treats a red indication like a caution light, which it is not. A yield sign permits entry after giving way, while this arrow holds traffic in place. Wait behind the line until a permitted move opens.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals, roundabouts and railroad crossings

19. 19. Speed limits are set while taking into account which features a driver may not see?

    1. Billboards and business signs along the roadside
    2. Side roads and driveways where people may pull out
    3. Rest areas and parking lots built beside the road
    4. Farm fields and open range land beside the road
    Show answer

    Side roads and driveways where people may pull out. Posted limits reflect the design of the road, the vehicles using it, and features a driver cannot always see, such as side roads and driveways where people may pull out suddenly. Billboards do not set the limit, and rest areas are visible places to leave the road rather than hidden entry points. Open fields matter for animals, but they are not the hidden entry feature named here. A limit that feels slow may be guarding a driveway just over the rise.

    Study this in the handbook: Adjusting speed for roads, weather and sight distance

20. 20. After circling a roundabout to the desired street, what signal should the driver use while leaving?

    1. Left turn signal while circling
    2. Hazard flashers while circling
    3. No signal at all while leaving
    4. Right turn signal when exiting
    Show answer

    Right turn signal when exiting. Drivers travel around the roundabout circle until reaching the desired street, then use the right turn signal and exit. A left signal inside the circle tells followers the car keeps circling. Hazard flashers suggest trouble rather than a planned exit. Leaving without any signal hides the exit from pedestrians waiting at crosswalks. Signal right just before your street, ease out, and keep yielding to people crossing the exit leg.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals, roundabouts and railroad crossings