MT Permit Practice Test 2

All 20 questions in test 2

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 does this right-curving warning sign tell the driver?

   
   1. A right curve is ahead, and a suggested safe speed may be posted below
   2. The driver must turn right at the next intersection
   3. A work-zone detour requires a U-turn
   4. The road becomes one-way to the left
   Show answer

   A right curve is ahead, and a suggested safe speed may be posted below. This warning announces a right curve ahead. A supplemental panel may show a suggested safe speed for negotiating that curve, but the arrow does not require a turn at an intersection. It also does not identify a detour or change the roadway to one-way travel. Reduce speed before entering the bend, keep the vehicle under control through it, and follow any posted advisory. The sign is advance notice of a changing alignment, so waiting until the steering wheel is already turning leaves less room to respond.

2. 2. A Montana court finds a driver responsible for crash damages, and the driver does not pay within 60 days. How long does the resulting suspension last?

   1. 30 days, then it ends automatically
   2. One year, whether or not the amount is paid
   3. Until the driver buys a new insurance policy
   4. Until the amount is paid or 6 years have passed
   Show answer

   Until the amount is paid or 6 years have passed. When a court finds a driver responsible for crash damages and the driver fails to pay within 60 days, the license and registration suspension is automatic. It remains in effect until the amount has been paid or 6 years have elapsed. A 30 day or one year suspension understates how long an unpaid judgment can follow a driver. Buying insurance does not end it either, although the driver will also have to submit evidence of motor vehicle insurance.

3. 3. Montana requires headlamps during which period each day?

   1. From sunset to sunrise only
   2. From a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise
   3. From a half hour before sunset to a half hour after sunrise
   4. Only when streetlights are off
   Show answer

   From a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise. Headlamps are required at all times from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, and at any other time when weather or blowing dust cuts visibility below 500 feet. Reversing the half hours, so the period starts before sunset and ends after sunrise, gets the rule backward. Sunset to sunrise leaves out the half hour margins, and streetlights do not replace the rule. At dusk or on overcast days, turning headlights on earlier is still wise.

4. 4. At a Montana railroad crossing where no signal is active, when must a driver still stop for an approaching train?

   1. Only when a crossing gate is down
   2. When the train is within 500 feet
   3. When the train is within 1,500 feet of the crossing or is clearly visible and an obvious hazard
   4. Only when the train sounds its horn
   Show answer

   When the train is within 1,500 feet of the crossing or is clearly visible and an obvious hazard. A driver must stop no less than 15 feet from the nearest rail when signals, gates, stop signs, or a flagger show a train is coming, and also when the train is within 1,500 feet of the crossing or is clearly visible and an obvious hazard. Waiting for a gate or a horn ignores that second trigger. Five hundred feet is far too close for a train that cannot stop quickly. Never try to beat a train across the tracks.

5. 5. A Montana funeral procession travels on a highway posted at 65 mph. What is the fastest a driver in the procession may go?

   1. 65 mph
   2. 55 mph
   3. 45 mph
   4. 60 mph, because procession drivers stay 5 mph under the limit
   Show answer

   55 mph. A driver in a Montana funeral procession may not exceed 55 mph on a highway where the speed limit is 55 mph or more, so a 65 mph posting does not let the procession travel at 65. On other streets and roads the rule works the other way: procession drivers may not go more than 5 mph below the posted limit, which is a minimum, not a cap. The manual sets no 45 mph limit. All headlights and taillights must be on.

6. 6. What must a driver who is not part of a moving funeral procession avoid doing?

   1. Waiting for the procession to clear before proceeding
   2. Yielding to the procession at an intersection
   3. Driving between the vehicles forming the procession
   4. Remaining outside the procession's line of vehicles
   Show answer

   Driving between the vehicles forming the procession. A driver outside the procession may not drive between the vehicles while the procession is moving, unless authorized by a police officer or operating an emergency vehicle. Cutting through breaks can separate the procession and create conflicts at intersections. Yielding, waiting, and staying outside the line are all consistent with respecting its right-of-way. The rule does not make the procession immune from reasonable care, but it does prohibit inserting an unrelated vehicle into the moving line. Spot the lead and following vehicles, slow down, and let the group pass together.

7. 7. When approaching a horse being ridden or led along a road, which action is required?

   1. Rev the engine to make the animal move faster
   2. Honk early so the rider knows the vehicle is close
   3. Pass at the posted limit as long as the horse is near the curb
   4. Use a reasonable speed and distance, and do not sound the horn
   Show answer

   Use a reasonable speed and distance, and do not sound the horn. A horse can react unpredictably to noise and a close vehicle. Montana requires due care, including a reasonable speed and a reasonable distance, and makes sounding the horn when approaching or passing a horse illegal. The honking option directly violates that instruction. A posted limit may still be too fast for the animal and surroundings, so it does not replace a reasonable speed. Revving adds noise and can frighten the horse. Ease off early, give the animal room, and wait if the rider signals you to stop.

8. 8. What condition do Montana warning signs generally identify?

   1. A dangerous condition ahead requiring great caution
   2. A service facility available immediately
   3. A rule that applies only after sunset
   4. A route designation for interstate travel
   Show answer

   A dangerous condition ahead requiring great caution. Warning signs alert drivers to conditions that may require a slower speed or extra attention. The manual characterizes them as black and yellow and says they warn of dangerous conditions ahead where great caution is required. A service facility belongs with guide information, and a route designation does not describe the warning class. Treat the sign as an advance cue to scan the roadway and prepare before reaching the hazard.

9. 9. When are studded tires prohibited in Montana?

   1. Year round
   2. November through March
   3. June 1 through September 30
   4. Only on interstates
   Show answer

   June 1 through September 30. Studded tires are not allowed in Montana from June 1 through September 30, because the studs chew up dry pavement without any traction benefit. Outside that window they help on ice, but drivers should still slow down and lengthen following distance in winter. Chains may be required on some mountain passes when signs are posted, and carrying them in winter is wise.

10. 10. 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.

11. 11. How should a driver respond to this triangular intersection sign?

    
    1. Slow to a reasonable speed and yield to all vehicles on the roadway being entered
    2. Stop every time, even when no traffic is nearby
    3. Accelerate to claim the right-of-way before entering
    4. Proceed without checking because the sign gives priority
    Show answer

    Slow to a reasonable speed and yield to all vehicles on the roadway being entered. A YIELD sign calls for a reasonable reduction in speed and a yield to every vehicle on the roadway being entered. It does not impose the automatic full stop associated with the wrong choice, although stopping may still be necessary when traffic requires it. Accelerating to assert priority is especially unsafe because the sign assigns priority elsewhere. The choice “Proceed without checking because the sign gives priority” turns the sign upside down: yielding means giving way, not receiving preference. Scan the roadway, judge the gap, and stop if that is needed to let traffic proceed safely.

12. 12. What is the basic color used for construction and maintenance traffic control devices?

    1. Purple
    2. Orange
    3. Blue
    4. Brown
    Show answer

    Orange. Orange identifies the work-zone warning family in Montana's manual. Construction and maintenance devices guide drivers and pedestrians around unusual or potentially dangerous conditions, and signs may announce that workers or repairs are ahead. Blue is not the listed basic work-zone color, while purple and brown do not serve as the manual's answer. Seeing orange should prompt caution, attention to flaggers or panels, and compliance with the posted work-zone speed.

13. 13. A Montana teen with a learner license wants to practice driving. Who may ride along as the supervisor?

    1. Any licensed driver who is at least 16, seated anywhere in the car
    2. Any adult passenger, even one without a driver license
    3. Only a licensed driver education instructor
    4. A licensed driver education instructor, a parent or legal guardian, or another adult with the parent's or guardian's permission, sitting beside the driver
    Show answer

    A licensed driver education instructor, a parent or legal guardian, or another adult with the parent's or guardian's permission, sitting beside the driver. A learner license is valid for a Class D vehicle only when the teen is accompanied by a licensed driver education instructor, a parent or legal guardian, or another adult who has the parent's or guardian's permission, and that person must occupy the seat beside the driver. The GDL section adds that the supervising parent, guardian, or authorized adult must be licensed, so an unlicensed adult does not qualify. A 16 year old friend is not an adult supervisor, and the back seat is the wrong place. Instructors are one option, not the only one.

14. 14. If a driver is involved in a crash in Montana and someone is injured or killed, what must happen?

    1. A report is optional if the vehicles can be driven away
    2. The driver may leave after exchanging insurance cards
    3. Only the vehicle owner must contact law enforcement
    4. The driver must notify the police
    Show answer

    The driver must notify the police. The accident procedure requires police notification when any person is injured or killed. Whether the vehicles remain driveable does not erase that duty, and exchanging insurance information is an additional step rather than a replacement for contacting authorities. The owner-only option is too narrow because the obligation applies to the involved driver. Leaving after a private exchange can abandon people who need help and fails the stated reporting rule. A practical cue is injury or death changes a routine information exchange into an immediate law-enforcement report.

15. 15. Which check is required immediately before changing lanes?

    
    1. Look over your shoulder for traffic in the blind spot
    2. Rely on the rearview mirror without turning your head
    3. Check only the lane ahead and ignore traffic behind
    4. Turn on hazard flashers and move without signaling
    Show answer

    Look over your shoulder for traffic in the blind spot. Mirrors cannot show every area beside and behind a vehicle. Montana tells drivers to look over the shoulder in the direction of movement because the rear corners are blind spots. Mirror-only scanning can miss a motorcycle or car positioned outside the reflected view. Ignoring traffic behind removes a crucial safety check, and hazard flashers do not communicate which lane you intend to enter. Signal, inspect the mirrors, then make a quick shoulder check immediately before moving so the decision reflects current traffic.

16. 16. If a solid yellow line is on a driver's side and a dashed yellow line is on the other side, may that driver pass?

    
    1. Yes, because any dashed yellow line permits both directions to pass
    2. No, the solid line on that side bars crossing to pass
    3. Yes, but only by using the shoulder
    4. No, because all yellow lines prohibit every left turn
    Show answer

    No, the solid line on that side bars crossing to pass. A paired solid and dashed yellow centerline assigns the restriction by side. A driver beside the solid line may not cross it to pass, while traffic beside the dashed line may pass when safe. The presence of a dashed line on the opposite side does not authorize both directions. The shoulder is not a legal passing lane, and the rule is about overtaking, not a blanket ban on every left turn. Identify the line immediately next to your vehicle before deciding. Solid on your side means stay behind until a lawful opportunity appears.

17. 17. A signal is not working at an intersection. What should you do?

    1. Stop only if you are turning left
    2. Continue through if no other vehicle is visible
    3. Treat the intersection as though stop signs face every direction
    4. Yield only to vehicles approaching from the left
    Show answer

    Treat the intersection as though stop signs face every direction. A dark or malfunctioning signal removes the normal light cycle, so Montana drivers should stop as though every approach has a stop sign. The driver who stops first generally proceeds first, but that courtesy does not remove the duty to check for hazards. The tempting idea is to continue because no light is displayed, yet an unregulated intersection can still contain cross traffic or pedestrians. Treat the location as an all way stop, make a full stop, scan carefully, and proceed only when safe.

18. 18. How should a driver handle an emergency vehicle approaching from any direction?

    1. Continue normally if the emergency vehicle is using its siren
    2. Stop in the center of the roadway to make the vehicle go around
    3. Accelerate until the emergency vehicle is no longer visible
    4. Yield and, when safe, pull over and stop at the right edge
    Show answer

    Yield and, when safe, pull over and stop at the right edge. Drivers must yield to an approaching emergency vehicle and, when possible and safe, pull to the right edge and stop. Stopping in the center blocks the responder, while acceleration and ordinary continuation disregard the emergency vehicle's priority. Check mirrors, signal your movement, and create a clear path without making a sudden maneuver. Reenter traffic only after the emergency vehicle has passed and the roadway is safe.

19. 19. When must Montana headlights be able to illuminate people or vehicles at 350 feet?

    1. On low beam
    2. On either beam at the same distance
    3. On high beam
    4. Only when visibility is less than 500 feet
    Show answer

    On high beam. High beam headlights must illuminate persons or vehicles for 350 feet, while low beam headlights must reach 100 feet. The 350 foot figure therefore belongs to high beam. The longer reach does not mean high beams are always appropriate because they must be dimmed when meeting or following other vehicles at the distances stated in the manual. Remember the pairing: brights reach 350 feet and dim lights reach 100 feet. Use the lower beam whenever another road user could be dazzled.

20. 20. For the first six months of a Montana first-year restricted license, how many unrelated passengers under 18 are allowed without adult supervision?

    1. One
    2. None
    3. Two
    4. Three
    Show answer

    One. For the first six months, the teen may carry only one unrelated passenger younger than 18 unless a licensed adult driver supervises. The three passenger limit belongs to the second six months, so it is not the rule for the opening period. The word unrelated also matters: do not turn the limit into a blanket ban on every passenger. Check the supervision condition before counting seats.