MT Permit Practice Test 23

All 20 questions in test 23

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 begins on a hot day. Why is the pavement extra slippery for the first few minutes?

   1. Heat draws oil in the asphalt up to the surface.
   2. Rain moves loose gravel into the wheel paths.
   3. Hot tires soften the asphalt enough to create the slick film.
   4. The first rain makes lane paint slippery by lifting it from the pavement.
   Show answer

   Heat draws oil in the asphalt up to the surface.. Heat brings oil in the asphalt to the surface. When rain first falls, that oil makes the roadway especially slippery until the water washes it away. Loose gravel is a separate roadway hazard, not the reason hot pavement becomes slick in the opening minutes of rain. Ordinary tires do not soften the road into a film, and rain does not lift lane paint to create the condition. Reduce speed and allow extra grip during the first part of the shower.

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

2. 2. With no oncoming traffic, how much space should a motorist give a cyclist when passing on a two-lane road?

   1. About one foot, staying inside the lane line
   2. Only enough room to clear the mirrors
   3. A recommended five feet between vehicle and cyclist
   4. Half the width of the travel lane regardless of speed
   Show answer

   A recommended five feet between vehicle and cyclist. Passing a cyclist with a recommended five feet of clearance, crossing the centerline when the way is clear, protects the rider from mirror strikes and wind push. One foot inside the lane leaves no margin for a wobble or pothole dodge. Mirror clearance alone ignores elbows, handlebars, and sudden swerves. Half a lane varies wildly between narrow county roads and wide highways. The field cue is patience: slow behind the rider, wait for an empty opposing lane, then swing wide and return gently.

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

3. 3. What must a driver do before starting across railroad tracks when space beyond is tight?

   1. Wait until there is room for the vehicle on the far side
   2. Start across and stop on the tracks if traffic halts
   3. Shift gears midway across to build speed over rails
   4. Follow the vehicle ahead closely onto the crossing
   Show answer

   Wait until there is room for the vehicle on the far side. A driver should never start across tracks until the whole vehicle can clear onto the far side, since traffic can halt without warning. Stopping on the rails leaves no escape if a train approaches. Shifting gears midway risks a stall exactly where power is needed most. Following closely can push a vehicle onto the crossing before space opens. Wait at the line, confirm room beyond, then cross in one steady movement.

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

4. 4. A large truck turns through a single-lane roundabout ahead of a car. What should the car driver expect?

   1. The truck rear wheels will cross over the truck apron
   2. The truck will stop midway so cars can squeeze past
   3. The truck trailer will swing onto the sidewalk ring
   4. The truck must mount the center island with all wheels
   Show answer

   The truck rear wheels will cross over the truck apron. Roundabout islands carry a sloped flat curb called a truck apron, built so the rear wheels of a large vehicle roll across it while turning. A truck should not halt midway to let cars squeeze by, and its trailer belongs on that apron rather than on any sidewalk. The island itself is not meant for every wheel. Drop back, give the truck room, and let its rear wheels track over the apron.

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

5. 5. During dry weather, a gravel road becomes extremely dusty and hard to see across. What lighting helps other drivers spot the vehicle?

   1. High beam headlights aimed across the dust cloud
   2. Parking lights used without any headlights burning
   3. Low beam headlights to make the vehicle more visible
   4. Four way flashers left on for the whole dusty stretch
   Show answer

   Low beam headlights to make the vehicle more visible. Dust cuts vision on gravel during dry periods, and low beam headlights make a vehicle stand out to others without throwing glare back through the cloud. High beams scatter in dust and can blind both directions. Parking lights alone are too weak to announce a moving vehicle. Flashers suggest a stopped hazard rather than normal travel and can confuse following drivers. Switch on low beams and slow down until the air clears.

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

6. 6. A Montana officer checks a driver's blood alcohol concentration. Which tests does the manual name for this measurement?

   1. A saliva, hair, or nail test
   2. A written quiz and a walking test
   3. A vision and reaction test only
   4. A breath, blood, or urine test
   Show answer

   A breath, blood, or urine test. Blood alcohol concentration is the percentage of alcohol in the blood, and the manual says it is usually determined by a breath, blood, or urine test. Saliva, hair, and nail samples are not the tests it names, and a vision or reaction check may reveal impairment but does not measure BAC. A written quiz and a walking test are field sobriety exercises, not chemical measurements. The cue is the word concentration: the result comes from a sample of breath, blood, or urine.

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

7. 7. Which container is excused from Montana's open container law?

   1. A can opened but still mostly full
   2. A bottle with the cap screwed back on
   3. A sealed bottle with none of its contents removed
   4. A cup with a lid and a straw
   Show answer

   A sealed bottle with none of its contents removed. Montana's open container law has an exception for containers with an unbroken seal and none of the original contents removed. Replacing a cap does not restore an unbroken seal, and a partly full can or a lidded cup still holds an open beverage. The cue is the seal itself: if it has been broken and any alcohol is gone, the container belongs in a locked compartment, a trunk, or another allowed storage area, not in the passenger area.

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

8. 8. In an area marked by a Range Cattle warning, what may a driver encounter?

   1. Deer crossing the highway in a herd at sunset
   2. School buses loading children beside the roadway
   3. Cattle and horses on the highway where there are no fences
   4. Farm tractors moving slowly in the right lane
   Show answer

   Cattle and horses on the highway where there are no fences. Range Cattle signs mark country where there are no fences, so cattle and horses may be on the highway itself. A driver should slow down and watch well ahead, since a large animal can step out with little warning. Deer have their own crossing sign, and slow farm vehicles display a different emblem. School buses use flashing lights rather than this warning. Treat every dark shape near the edge as a possible animal until it proves otherwise.

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

9. 9. Where is parking prohibited by Montana's no parking rules?

   1. On a gravel shoulder beside a rural road
   2. On a residential street during daylight
   3. In a marked space in front of a business
   4. On a bridge, in a tunnel, or in an underpass
   Show answer

   On a bridge, in a tunnel, or in an underpass. Montana's no parking list includes bridges, elevated structures, tunnels, and underpasses because a stopped vehicle there leaves no room to pass and can block an escape route. A gravel shoulder beside a rural road is not on that list, and neither is an ordinary marked business space or a residential street in daylight. The cue is to look for an escape route: if a parked car would trap traffic in a confined structure, the space is off limits.

10. 10. Approaching a hill or curve with no view beyond, how should speed be set?

    1. At the posted limit regardless of the blind section
    2. Fast enough to clear the crest before traffic arrives
    3. By tapping the brakes repeatedly at the crest
    4. So the vehicle can stop if something blocks the way
    Show answer

    So the vehicle can stop if something blocks the way. Blind hills and curves demand speed that still allows a full stop for a stalled car or debris hidden beyond the bend. Holding the posted limit assumes the far side is empty, which nobody can verify. Hurrying over the crest shortens reaction time at the exact reveal moment. Tapping brakes at the top warns followers but does not create stopping room. Set pace on approach instead: if the road vanished at a wall 200 feet ahead, the vehicle should stop before reaching that wall.

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

11. 11. A vehicle stopped on a roadway during headlight hours displays parking lights. What colors show front and rear?

    1. Green to the front and blue to the rear
    2. White or amber to the front and red to the rear
    3. Red to the front and white to the rear
    4. Amber lights on both ends, visible at every required distance
    Show answer

    White or amber to the front and red to the rear. Parked or stopped vehicles on a roadway during headlight hours display parking lights showing white or amber forward and red toward the rear, visible for 500 feet. Green and blue belong to no standard vehicle lighting scheme. Reversing the colors would signal approach direction backwards to nighttime traffic. Amber at both ends erases the front rear distinction drivers rely on. The mnemonic rides on taillight logic: red always faces backward, warning followers, while paler light marks the front of a stationary shape.

    Study this in the handbook: Required lights and equipment

12. 12. Heavy fog limits a driver to seeing about 200 feet ahead. What is the fastest speed that remains safe?

    1. About 50 mph, matching clear night driving
    2. About 30 mph
    3. About 45 mph if headlights are on high beam
    4. The posted limit, since fog does not change it
    Show answer

    About 30 mph. Visibility near 200 feet caps safe travel at about 30 mph, because stopping room shrinks with the view ahead. Picking 50 mph borrows the clear night benchmark and ignores the fog bank swallowing the roadway. High beams scatter in moisture and cannot restore missing distance. Posted numbers assume conditions far better than a whiteout shoulder line. A useful cue is counting visible dashes: when only a short stretch stays clear, ease down until the stopping path fits inside it.

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

13. 13. A driver parks facing uphill where the street has no curb. Which way should the wheels point?

    1. Straight ahead along the road
    2. Toward the center line
    3. Toward oncoming traffic
    4. Away from the street
    Show answer

    Away from the street. Facing uphill with no curb, wheels should turn away from the street so a rolling vehicle drifts off the roadway instead of into travel lanes. Straight wheels let a rollback gather speed down the middle. Center line and traffic directions aim the car toward vehicles it could strike. The roadside ditch or shoulder becomes the runout zone. Set the brake as well; wheel direction is a backup, not a substitute for holding the car.

14. 14. Large trucks and small underpowered cars on steep grades create what traffic pattern?

    1. They gain speed faster than traffic
    2. They can lose speed on long or steep hills
    3. They must use the left lane uphill
    4. They stop at every hill crest
    Show answer

    They can lose speed on long or steep hills. Big trucks and small underpowered cars can lose speed on long or steep hills and need longer to regain pace when entering traffic. Expecting them to accelerate briskly uphill misreads their weight and power. No rule pushes them into the left lane for climbs. Crest stops would block the roadway without cause. Watch for a widening gap on grades, adjust early, and pass only where sight lines stay generous.

15. 15. At a red light, when may a Montana driver turn left from a one-way street onto another one-way street?

    1. Only when a green arrow is showing for the one-way turn.
    2. Proceed only after a full stop, a proper lane position, and a safe gap.
    3. Without stopping when no vehicles are approaching through either street.
    4. Only during daylight hours when the intersection is easy to see.
    Show answer

    Proceed only after a full stop, a proper lane position, and a safe gap.. Montana permits the one-way-to-one-way left turn under the same condition as a right turn on red. The driver must stop, be in the proper lane, yield when needed, and determine that the movement is safe. A green arrow is not required, but rolling through the red light is not allowed. Daylight does not control this rule. Stop fully, check pedestrians and traffic, and turn only after the path is safe.

    Study this in the handbook: Who yields at intersections

16. 16. In a side impact, toward which direction will your body be thrown?

    1. Toward the side that is hit
    2. Away from the side that is hit
    3. Straight upward
    4. Toward the rear seat
    Show answer

    Toward the side that is hit. The manual states that a side hit throws your body toward the side that is hit, which surprises drivers who expect to be pushed away from the impact. Side air bags help, yet lap and shoulder belts remain necessary to keep you behind the wheel so you can steer or brake afterward. Guessing upward or rearward misreads the physics the chapter describes. The practical preparation is a worn belt and a grip ready to prevent the vehicle from hitting something else after the first strike.

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

17. 17. You see a stop line, a large X, and the letters RR painted on the road ahead. What do they warn you about?

    1. A railroad crossing ahead
    2. A rest area ahead
    3. A right lane that ends
    4. A road repair zone
    Show answer

    A railroad crossing ahead. A stop line, an X, and the letters RR painted on the pavement may be placed in front of a railroad crossing to warn you to be alert to the crossing ahead. Slow down, look and listen for trains, and be ready to stop. If you must stop for a train, stop at least 15 feet from the nearest rail. The letters stand for railroad, not for a rest area, a lane ending, or road repairs.

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

18. 18. The lead vehicle of a funeral procession reaches an intersection with a stop sign. What must it do?

    1. Roll through because the procession follows
    2. Comply with the traffic control device like any driver
    3. Honk twice and proceed without stopping
    4. Wave following cars through the sign first
    Show answer

    Comply with the traffic control device like any driver. A funeral lead vehicle obeys official traffic control devices, right-of-way provisions, and local ordinances upon arriving at an intersection, exercising reasonable care toward others. Rolling through on procession status alone gambles on cross traffic guessing your intent, and a horn blast settles nothing legally. Once the leader stops lawfully and proceeds, the line behind gains a predictable pattern that strangers at cross streets can read.

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

19. 19. Where must evidence of liability insurance be kept for a vehicle operated in Montana?

    1. At the home address of the vehicle owner
    2. Carried in the vehicle at all times
    3. Filed only with the insurance company office
    4. Left with the county treasurer after registration
    Show answer

    Carried in the vehicle at all times. Evidence of insurance must be carried in the vehicle at all times. Liability insurance is mandatory for most vehicles and must be in effect in the vehicle being operated. Leaving proof at home or only with the insurer leaves a driver unable to show coverage when stopped for a violation or after a collision. Keeping proof with the county treasurer also fails, since the record must travel with the car. Check that current proof is in the vehicle before driving.

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

20. 20. How many points go on a Montana driving record for a first conviction of driving without liability insurance?

    1. 2 points
    2. 3 points
    3. 5 points
    4. 10 points
    Show answer

    5 points. Along with a fine of $250 to $500, a first conviction for driving without valid liability insurance adds 5 points to the Montana driving record. Two or three points understates the record damage, and 10 points is double the stated figure. Insurance must be in effect for the vehicle being driven, and drivers must show evidence of it when stopped by law enforcement or involved in a collision. Points add up over time, and enough of them can lead to losing the license.

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