MT Permit Practice Test 19

All 20 questions in test 19

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. What habit helps a driver know the actual speed being traveled?

   1. Guess speed from engine sound alone on each road
   2. Check the speedometer often while driving along
   3. Judge speed by how quickly signs seem to pass
   4. Rely on the pace set by the nearest vehicle
   Show answer

   Check the speedometer often while driving along. People judge travel speed poorly, especially after leaving a fast road for a slower street. Checking the speedometer often replaces a guess with a reading that can be matched against signs and conditions. Engine sound changes with gear and vehicle type, roadside objects pass at rates that mislead, and a nearby driver may already be speeding. Glance at the dial regularly without staring away from traffic ahead.

2. 2. What does a SPEED ZONE AHEAD sign warn a driver to expect?

   1. A toll plaza is waiting just beyond the sign
   2. The highway speed limit is about to rise higher
   3. A reduced speed limit area is approaching ahead
   4. School children are crossing at the next corner
   Show answer

   A reduced speed limit area is approaching ahead. A SPEED ZONE AHEAD sign gives advance notice that a reduced speed limit has been established for the area ahead, so a driver should prepare to slow before reaching it. It does not point to a toll plaza, and it warns of a lower limit rather than a higher one. A school crossing has its own signs and markings. Use the warning to ease off early, watch for the posted limit, and avoid braking hard at the last moment.

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

3. 3. When parallel parking, how far should a Montana driver stay from the vehicle parked in front before backing into the space?

   1. At least two feet
   2. At least six inches
   3. At least five feet
   4. At least ten feet
   Show answer

   At least two feet. The manual's parallel parking steps call for pulling alongside the vehicle ahead and keeping at least two feet from it, with the rear bumpers aligned. Six inches leaves almost no clearance, while five or ten feet puts the vehicle too far into the traffic lane and spoils the angle for backing in. The cue is the side mirror: you should see a clear strip of pavement between the two cars before you turn the wheel.

4. 4. After your right wheels drift off the pavement and you ease back onto the road, when should you brake?

   1. Brake firmly while still on the shoulder before returning
   2. Skip braking until reaching the next intersection ahead
   3. Brake hard before steering back toward the lane
   4. Brake only after the vehicle is back on pavement
   Show answer

   Brake only after the vehicle is back on pavement. The drift recovery sequence is to ease off the accelerator, steer parallel to the road, slow down, then ease back when safe with a small quarter turn of the wheel. Braking belongs after the vehicle is back on pavement, not on the loose shoulder and not with a hard press before steering back, either of which can upset balance. Skipping braking until an intersection ignores the need to settle speed promptly. Keep both hands on the wheel throughout the return.

   Study this in the handbook: Brake failure, blowouts and other vehicle emergencies

5. 5. A funeral lead vehicle reaches an intersection with a traffic signal. What must the lead driver obey?

   1. Nothing, the procession overrides signals
   2. Only signals the escort vehicle selects
   3. Any official traffic control device and right-of-way rule
   4. Signals only when cross traffic waits
   Show answer

   Any official traffic control device and right-of-way rule. When the funeral lead vehicle arrives at an intersection, it must comply with any official traffic control device, right-of-way provision, or local ordinance in force there. The procession privilege begins only after the lead vehicle lawfully proceeds. An escort cannot pick which signals count for the leader. Cross traffic waiting nearby does not suspend the signal either. Obey the light first, then let followers trail through with reasonable care.

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

6. 6. How much jail time can a first Montana conviction for drinking and driving include?

   1. No jail time at all
   2. Up to one year
   3. A fixed 90 days
   4. 1 to 60 days
   Show answer

   1 to 60 days. A first conviction for drinking and driving in Montana can include a sentence of 1 to 60 days in jail alongside the fine and suspension. Saying no jail applies ignores the sentencing range a judge holds. One year overshoots the stated maximum for a first offense. Ninety fixed days invents a mandatory term the law does not set. The wide range means any drinking drive gambles with weeks behind bars.

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

7. 7. A car built in 1972 is driven in Montana. Which seats must have working seatbelts?

   1. Only the driver seat needs a belt
   2. Only the two front seats need belts
   3. Every designated seat must have a belt
   4. Only seats used by children need belts
   Show answer

   Every designated seat must have a belt. Vehicles built after January 1, 1968 must carry a seatbelt at every designated seat, and those belts must stay in good working condition. Limiting belts to the two front seats matches the earlier 1965 to 1968 rule, not the standard covering a 1972 car. Rear passengers fly forward with the same force as front passengers in a sudden stop, so count every seating position before a trip and confirm a usable belt waits at each one.

8. 8. Your route changes from pavement onto a gravel or dirt road. What speed adjustment is required?

   1. Maintain highway speed on the loose surface
   2. Speed up briefly to settle the suspension
   3. Slow down on gravel or dirt surfaces
   4. Coast with the transmission in neutral
   Show answer

   Slow down on gravel or dirt surfaces. Loose gravel and dirt steal traction, so slowing down belongs at the very top of the adjustment list when pavement ends. Holding highway pace lets stones act like marbles under the tires, stretching stops and loosening steering, while a burst of speed unsettles the vehicle further. Ease off early, lengthen following distance, and let the tires bite rather than skim across a surface that shifts under every wheel.

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

9. 9. You have parked at a curb and are getting out. Which exit routine does Montana advise?

   1. Check traffic first and get out on the curbside if you can
   2. Open the street side door quickly before traffic arrives
   3. Exit on whichever side has more room to swing legs
   4. Leave the door open while gathering items from the seat
   Show answer

   Check traffic first and get out on the curbside if you can. Checking traffic before opening any door comes first, and the curbside exit keeps you out of the travel lane whenever that side is available. Swinging the street side door open quickly gambles that no cyclist or car is closing in unseen. Choosing by leg room ignores the moving traffic that makes one side dangerous. Standing with a door held open while gathering items prolongs the blockage for everyone passing. Glance back, step onto the curb side, and shut the door promptly.

10. 10. A pedestrian faces a steady green vehicle light with no pedestrian signal. Where may the pedestrian cross?

    1. Nowhere at all, since green lights serve moving vehicles only and never pedestrians
    2. In a marked or unmarked crosswalk, unless other signs direct otherwise
    3. Only diagonally across the center of the intersection
    4. In the travel lane beside waiting traffic
    Show answer

    In a marked or unmarked crosswalk, unless other signs direct otherwise. Pedestrians facing a green light may cross the street in a marked or unmarked crosswalk, unless other signs or a pedestrian signal direct otherwise. Green lights do serve vehicles, yet they also open lawful crossing where crosswalks exist. Diagonal crossing through the intersection center puts walkers in every turning path at once. Stepping into a travel lane beside waiting traffic hides the walker behind hoods and pillars. On foot, the cue is alignment: stay inside the crosswalk corridor, painted or not, and keep scanning for turning drivers.

11. 11. What does the Montana manual say about having just one alcoholic beverage before driving?

    1. One drink is safe if the driver eats first
    2. One drink is safe if the drive is short
    3. One drink is safe for drivers over 21
    4. One drink can affect driving
    Show answer

    One drink can affect driving. The manual's answer is blunt: even one alcoholic beverage can affect driving, so a driver who drinks should not drive. Eating first, being over 21, or taking a short trip does not cancel that effect. Food and age may change how quickly impairment arrives, but they do not make one drink risk free. The cue is to arrange a ride before drinking begins, because the manual also warns that judgment is impaired before the driver notices it.

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

12. 12. Why can bridge pavement be icy while nearby road pavement is not?

    1. Bridges collect more traffic exhaust than open roads
    2. Bridges lack earth underneath to insulate against cold
    3. Bridge decks are always built from smoother concrete
    4. Cold air passes only under bridges and never over them
    Show answer

    Bridges lack earth underneath to insulate against cold. Earth beneath an ordinary road stores warmth, while a bridge deck hangs in cold air with nothing below to insulate it, so its surface can freeze first. Exhaust volume does not set deck temperature. Deck material varies and smoothness alone would not explain ice on a dry looking day. Cold air also flows over the top surface, yet the missing ground warmth underneath drives the difference. Slow before any bridge on cold mornings.

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

13. 13. What do solid lines along the side of a roadway show a driver?

    1. Where the edge of the road is located
    2. Where parking is allowed after dark
    3. The boundary of a bicycle lane only
    4. Where passing becomes legal again
    Show answer

    Where the edge of the road is located. Solid lines along the side of the road mark where the edge of the roadway lies, giving drivers a boundary reference in darkness, fog, and blowing snow. Parking permission comes from signs and curb rules, not from an edge line. Bicycle lanes carry their own symbols and labels rather than a plain edge stripe. Passing legality depends on centerline patterns and sight distance, never on the shoulder stripe. When visibility collapses, that pale boundary becomes a lifeline: track it peripherally, keep tires inside it, and resist steering directly at the headlights across the road.

    Study this in the handbook: Lane lines and pavement markings

14. 14. At 55 mph, about how far does a vehicle travel during a 10 second passing gap?

    1. About 400 feet
    2. Over 800 feet
    3. About 200 feet
    4. About 100 feet
    Show answer

    Over 800 feet. At 55 mph a vehicle covers over 800 feet in 10 seconds, and an oncoming vehicle covers the same ground toward you. That is why a safe pass needs well over 1600 feet of combined clear road. Four hundred feet is roughly half the real distance and invites a head on conflict. Count a full ten second gap before pulling out on a two lane road.

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

15. 15. How should a Montana driver respond when approaching livestock or a horse-drawn vehicle?

    1. Turn toward the animal to claim the lane
    2. Honk to make the animal move faster
    3. Pass closely at normal speed
    4. Slow down and stop if the animal is coming toward the vehicle or crossing its path
    Show answer

    Slow down and stop if the animal is coming toward the vehicle or crossing its path. Animals can be frightened by motor vehicles, so the manual directs drivers to slow down and stop when an animal or horse-drawn vehicle approaches or crosses the vehicle's path. Honking or passing closely may startle it, while steering toward it creates danger. Allow the animal to pass, leave room when traveling in the same direction, and continue only after the path is safe.

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

16. 16. No lot or driveway is available, so you must park on the roadway itself. Where should the vehicle sit?

    1. As far away from traffic as possible
    2. Close to the center line for visibility
    3. In the middle of the travel lane
    4. Beside the nearest intersection corner
    Show answer

    As far away from traffic as possible. When roadway parking cannot be avoided, place the vehicle as far from moving traffic as the roadway allows, tight to the curb or shoulder edge. Sitting near the center line forces every passing driver to squeeze or swerve around you, and a travel lane stop turns your car into a wall. Distance from the traffic stream is the whole point: each extra foot of separation buys others room to pass without drama.

17. 17. You begin slowing for a turn on a busy street. What check belongs with the slowdown?

    1. Check the traffic behind your vehicle
    2. Check only the dashboard warning lights
    3. Check the passenger mirror for your own lane paint
    4. No check is needed while merely slowing
    Show answer

    Check the traffic behind your vehicle. Every slowdown deserves a glance at traffic behind, because the driver following you may be glancing at a phone instead of your brake lights. Dashboard lamps report vehicle health, not the pickup closing fast in your mirror. A quick rear check tells you whether to brake gently and early, flash the pedal to wake a follower, or take an escape path when brakes behind you stay silent.

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

18. 18. People who drive after drinking risk which set of consequences?

    1. Only a verbal warning on the first occasion, with nothing recorded
    2. Heavy fines, higher insurance rates, loss of license, and jail
    3. A small fee paid to the arresting agency
    4. Community service with no record kept
    Show answer

    Heavy fines, higher insurance rates, loss of license, and jail. Driving after drinking risks heavy fines, higher insurance rates, loss of license, and even jail sentences, stacking financial and legal harm on crash risk. A guaranteed warning exists nowhere in the penalty structure. No small agency fee settles an impaired driving arrest. Records of conviction follow the driver into insurance pricing and future courtrooms. The cheapest moment to change the outcome is before the engine starts: a cab fare or a friend's passenger seat costs a fraction of the first fine alone.

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

19. 19. When may bicyclists ride two abreast in Montana?

    1. On any highway whenever traffic is light
    2. Only while racing in an organized event
    3. On a paved shoulder or parking lane
    4. Never under any circumstances at all
    Show answer

    On a paved shoulder or parking lane. Riding two abreast is allowed on a paved shoulder or on a parking lane, while single file remains the roadway default. Light traffic alone does not convert a travel lane into paired riding space. Organized racing confers no blanket permission outside its own permits and road controls. An absolute ban ignores the shoulder and parking lane exceptions written for riders. Drivers spotting a pair on the shoulder should still pass wide, because shoulder debris can push a rider toward the lane without warning.

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

20. 20. A bicyclist riding slower than traffic may leave the right side of the roadway when doing what?

    1. Passing a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction
    2. Avoiding the effort of a gradual hill
    3. Riding faster to keep up with motor traffic
    4. Preparing for a left turn at an intersection or driveway
    Show answer

    Preparing for a left turn at an intersection or driveway. Montana requires a bicyclist traveling slower than normal traffic to stay as near the right side of the roadway as practicable. The listed exceptions include overtaking and passing a vehicle traveling in the same direction, preparing for a left turn, or avoiding an unsafe condition such as a parked vehicle, animal, surface hazard, or lane too narrow for safe side by side travel. Passing a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction is not one of those exceptions. A cyclist should not move left for that purpose. When a rider must leave the right side, drivers should allow room for the rider's lawful maneuver.

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