MT Permit Practice Test 17

All 20 questions in test 17

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. Rain falls so heavily that a driver cannot see well enough to keep driving. What should the driver do?

   1. Speed up to clear the storm before visibility gets worse.
   2. Pull off the road in a safe place and wait for clear weather.
   3. Follow the tail lights ahead while continuing at highway speed.
   4. Stop in the nearest travel lane and wait for the rain to ease.
   Show answer

   Pull off the road in a safe place and wait for clear weather.. In a very heavy downpour, the driver may not be able to see well enough to drive. The manual says to pull off the road in a safe place and wait until the weather clears. Speeding through the storm does not restore visibility, and following tail lights keeps a vehicle moving without a safe view. Stopping in a travel lane exposes the vehicle to traffic approaching from behind. Wait off the roadway where the vehicle is protected.

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

2. 2. A first conviction for drinking and driving in Montana can bring a fine in what range?

   1. $50 to $150.
   2. $100 to $200.
   3. $300 to $1000.
   4. $2000 to $5000.
   Show answer

   $300 to $1000.. For a first alcohol violation conviction, Montana sets a fine from $300 to $1000 plus court charges. The license will be suspended for six months, and the person could also receive 1 to 60 days in jail. The smaller ranges understate the fine, while the $2000 to $5000 range exceeds the stated first-conviction range. The six-month suspension is mandatory in the cited passage, not merely a possible result. Arrange a sober ride before drinking.

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

3. 3. You reach a turn sitting in the wrong lane and never signaled. What should you do?

   1. Swing across lanes quickly and turn before traffic closes in
   2. Stop in the lane and wait for a gap to dart across
   3. Go straight, move over, signal, and turn at the next corner
   4. Back up slowly until the proper lane is reachable again
   Show answer

   Go straight, move over, signal, and turn at the next corner. A missed setup gets fixed by continuing straight, moving into the proper lane, traveling to the next intersection, signaling, and only then turning. Swinging across lanes surprises every driver beside you, and stopping or backing in a live lane invites a rear end crash. Accept the small detour around the block; the extra minute protects mirrors, bumpers, and the stranger who never expected your car to dart sideways.

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

4. 4. A school bus ahead is showing flashing yellow lights, not red. What does Montana require of drivers approaching from either direction?

   1. Stop at least 30 feet away until the yellow lights go off
   2. Keep normal speed because only red lights matter
   3. Pass quickly before the bus stops
   4. Slow down and proceed carefully
   Show answer

   Slow down and proceed carefully. Flashing yellow lights on a school bus, or a bus slowing down to stop and load passengers, mean you must slow down and proceed carefully, whether you are coming toward the bus or following it. The manual reminds drivers that the bus is about to stop and children may be in the road. The full stop at least 30 feet away is the rule for flashing red lights, so it does not answer the yellow-light case. Speeding up to get past the bus before it stops is exactly the wrong reaction.

   Study this in the handbook: Who yields at intersections

5. 5. Someone holds only a Montana motorcycle learner license. What riding conditions apply?

   1. The rider may ride alone after dark on familiar streets near home
   2. The rider may carry one passenger freely on any public roadway
   3. A licensed rider with a motorcycle endorsement must supervise closely
   4. Supervision is needed only on highways and fast rural roads
   Show answer

   A licensed rider with a motorcycle endorsement must supervise closely. A motorcycle learner license stays valid only while the rider carries it and rides under the immediate and proximate supervision of a licensed driver holding a motorcycle endorsement. Riding alone after dark breaks both halves of that bargain, since nobody qualified watches speed, lane choice, or balance. Treat the endorsed rider like a coach within sight and reach at every moment, ready to flag a stop before a small wobble grows into a fall.

   Study this in the handbook: Your Montana license, renewal and insurance

6. 6. A funeral procession is proceeding through a red signal. When may an outside driver enter that intersection?

   1. Whenever the driver's own light turns green at that intersection
   2. After the first two procession vehicles pass
   3. Only without crossing the path of the procession
   4. After honking to announce the entry
   Show answer

   Only without crossing the path of the procession. Entering an intersection during a funeral procession's red light run is allowed only when the move can be completed without crossing the procession's path. A fresh green light does not erase the procession's protected passage. Counting two vehicles creates a gap rule that does not exist and slices into the column. Honking announces an intrusion without legalizing it. The respectful practice is simple patience: hold at the line, let headlights and flashers stream past, and cross behind the final vehicle.

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

7. 7. What change does a Road Narrows warning sign describe ahead?

   1. The road ahead is less wide, with room to pass
   2. The road ends and all traffic must turn around
   3. A median begins and splits the highway in two
   4. One lane is closed by barricades and drums
   Show answer

   The road ahead is less wide, with room to pass. A Road Narrows sign warns that the road ahead is not as wide as the road the driver is on, although there is still room to meet and pass. The road does not end, and no median is beginning. A closed lane in a work area is shown with barricades and other devices. Slow slightly, keep the vehicle centered, and give oncoming traffic fair room where the pavement squeezes in from the sides.

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

8. 8. Why does the Montana manual advise driving with the flow of traffic and passing only as needed?

   1. Passing is banned on two lane roads
   2. Mirrors need checking only once a trip
   3. Fuel use drops when a driver weaves
   4. Each pass creates a chance for a collision
   Show answer

   Each pass creates a chance for a collision. Each pass creates a fresh chance for a collision, since the vehicle being passed may change lanes or an oncoming car may appear on a two lane road. Passing stays legal where marks and sight lines allow it. Mirrors need attention before every lane change, not once per trip. Settle into the traffic stream, keep a steady pace, and pass only when a clear gain justifies the added exposure.

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

9. 9. Why are signs used to control parking and stopping near schools?

   1. To reserve curb space for staff and parents during pickup.
   2. To let waiting vehicles occupy a travel lane briefly when schools are busy.
   3. To mark the exact place where every child must cross.
   4. To keep bus loading zones clear and travel lanes open.
   Show answer

   To keep bus loading zones clear and travel lanes open.. Near schools, parking and stopping signs help keep travel lanes and views clear, keep school bus loading zones open, and make school zones more visible. Reserving curb space for staff or allowing vehicles to wait in a travel lane would create the blockage the signs are meant to prevent. The signs do not identify one exact crossing place for every child. Keep the curb and sight lines open during both pickup and drop-off periods.

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

10. 10. Pep pills and diet pills may feel alerting at first. What later effects can they cause a driver?

    1. Nervousness, dizziness, and poor focus
    2. Improved night vision lasting for hours
    3. No effect once the first hour passes
    4. Lower blood pressure and calm focus
    Show answer

    Nervousness, dizziness, and poor focus. Pep pills, uppers, and diet pills can make a driver feel alert briefly, but later they can cause nervousness, dizziness, trouble concentrating, and vision problems. Night vision gains form no part of their effect profile. The first hour passing does not end their influence on the body. Calm focus contradicts the jittery crash that follows the lift. Read every label before driving, and treat stimulant fatigue rebound as impairment equal to drowsiness.

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

11. 11. A slower bicyclist is riding near the right edge and a surface hazard blocks that edge. What may the rider do?

    1. Move left only after reaching the next intersection
    2. Leave the right side when needed to avoid the hazard
    3. Ride on the sidewalk until the road widens again
    4. Stop in the lane and wait for a driver to wave on
    Show answer

    Leave the right side when needed to avoid the hazard. A bicyclist riding slower than traffic normally stays near the right side, but may leave that side when necessary to avoid a condition that makes staying there unsafe. Surface hazards, fixed or moving objects, pedestrians, animals, and lanes too narrow to share can all force that move. The rider does not have to wait for an intersection or use a sidewalk. Drivers should expect the shift, slow down, and leave room rather than crowding past.

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

12. 12. Sunglasses help greatly in daylight. What do they do to a driver after dark?

    1. They cut glare and improve night contrast
    2. They reduce visibility dangerously at night
    3. They have no effect once the sun sets
    4. They sharpen headlights of oncoming cars
    Show answer

    They reduce visibility dangerously at night. Dark lenses that serve you at noon turn against you after sunset, reducing visibility dangerously when eyes already hunt for faint contrast. Oncoming headlights may feel softer, yet pedestrians, deer, and unlit obstacles fade into the same dimness. No effect is wishful thinking contradicted by every shaded lens. Swap to clear glasses before dusk on long drives, and clean them, since smudges scatter light exactly like tint does.

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

13. 13. About what share of fatal crashes involves alcohol, according to Montana guidance?

    1. Approximately 40 percent of fatal crashes
    2. About 4 percent of fatal crashes
    3. Nearly 90 percent of fatal crashes
    4. Alcohol appears only in nonfatal crashes
    Show answer

    Approximately 40 percent of fatal crashes. Alcohol shows up in roughly four out of every ten fatal crashes, a share large enough to shape enforcement and public warnings. Four percent shrinks that toll to a tenth of its stated size and would make drinking a minor factor on the deadliest roads. Ninety percent inflates the figure past double and leaves almost no room for speed, distraction, or weather. Claiming alcohol appears only in nonfatal wrecks contradicts the fatal share entirely. Picture ten fatal crash reports and mark four of them.

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

14. 14. Which parking position does Montana list among places where parking is prohibited?

    1. Beside a white curb while loading
    2. On railroad tracks
    3. Facing downhill with wheels curbed
    4. Within a marked parking stall
    Show answer

    On railroad tracks. Parking on railroad tracks appears on the list of prohibited places, since a parked vehicle there blocks trains that cannot swerve or stop quickly. A white curb allows brief passenger loading stops. Downhill parking with wheels turned to the curb follows hill guidance. A marked stall is a lawful parking place by design. Keep every rail line clear, even on quiet spurs that look unused, because trains run without schedules for drivers.

15. 15. A truck hauls flammable liquid and breaks down at night. Which warning devices are forbidden?

    1. Reflective triangles placed behind the truck
    2. Flares, fuses, or any flame produced signal
    3. Red electric lanterns set out on the shoulder
    4. Portable red reflectors along the lane edge
    Show answer

    Flares, fuses, or any flame produced signal. Flame based warnings stay banned around explosives, flammable liquids, compressed gases, and vehicles fueled by compressed gas, because one spark can turn a breakdown into a fireball. Reflective triangles, red lanterns, and portable reflectors warn following traffic without an open flame, so they remain the lawful kit for such loads. If you haul anything that burns or explodes, picture every roadside device as a match and choose accordingly.

16. 16. A reserved lane sign reads HOV with days and hours posted. What does that posting control?

    1. Only the color of the lane markings during work hours
    2. Parking hours that apply after the lane closes each day
    3. The maximum vehicle weight allowed in the lane at night
    4. How many people must ride in the vehicle, plus when the rule applies
    Show answer

    How many people must ride in the vehicle, plus when the rule applies. Lane signs state the occupancy a vehicle must carry and the days and hours when that demand applies, like an HOV 3 rule needing three people aboard. Weight limits and parking hours belong to different devices, and paint color follows the marking system rather than the sign. Read both halves before entering: a carpool legal at noon on Sunday may be a violation at eight on Monday morning.

    Study this in the handbook: Lane lines and pavement markings

17. 17. What does the Montana manual recommend when backing a vehicle where visibility is limited?

    1. Back quickly to spend less time in motion
    2. Back only with the driver's window open
    3. Back slowly and use a person outside to help
    4. Back with the hazard lights flashing
    Show answer

    Back slowly and use a person outside to help. The manual says to back up slowly because a vehicle is much harder to steer while backing, and to use a person outside the vehicle to help whenever possible. Speed does not shorten the risk, an open window does not clear the blind area, and hazard lights warn others without showing the driver what is behind. The cue is a spotter who stays visible in the mirror and signals when the path is clear.

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

18. 18. How slowly should a driver travel after reaching a patch of ice on the roadway?

    1. Slow to a crawl because ice driving is very dangerous
    2. Hold the posted limit while steering in a straight line
    3. Drop only five miles per hour below the posted limit
    4. Speed up briefly to clear the icy patch sooner
    Show answer

    Slow to a crawl because ice driving is very dangerous. Ice removes nearly all grip, so travel should fall to a crawl rather than staying near a posted number. Holding the limit keeps far too much speed for a surface where tires can slide during gentle inputs. A five mile trim also leaves momentum that ice cannot handle. Hurrying across only shortens reaction time. Watch for a crawling pace as the cue whenever a shiny frozen stretch appears ahead.

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

19. 19. When a driver must stop at a railroad crossing, how far from the nearest rail may the vehicle be?

    1. No closer than 15 feet from the nearest rail, as close as practicable.
    2. No closer than 5 feet from the nearest rail when warning lights flash.
    3. At least 50 feet from the nearest rail whenever a train is visible.
    4. On the nearest rail if no gate or flashing light is present.
    Show answer

    No closer than 15 feet from the nearest rail, as close as practicable.. When a railroad crossing requires a stop, Montana says to stop as close as practicable but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail. Five feet leaves too little space, while 50 feet is farther than the stated minimum and is not the rule for every visible train. A vehicle must never stop on the rail, and a missing gate or light does not make the rail a safe stopping place. Brake early and leave the required buffer before the track.

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

20. 20. After getting out of a parked vehicle, what should a driver do with the door?

    1. Leave it open while unloading items from the seat
    2. Hold it ajar until a passenger exits behind
    3. Close it only after walking around the vehicle
    4. Shut it as soon as possible after getting out
    Show answer

    Shut it as soon as possible after getting out. Closing the door promptly after stepping out removes a swinging obstacle from the path of passing cars, cyclists, and pedestrians. Leaving it open during unloading invites a passing mirror or handlebar to clip the edge. Holding it ajar for a trailing passenger keeps the hazard in place longer than needed. Waiting until after a walkaround delays a simple habit. The cue is hand discipline: keys ready, door pulled shut in one motion, then handle cargo from the curb side.