MT Permit Practice Test 24

All 20 questions in test 24

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. Why should a driver avoid swinging wide to the left before making a right turn?

   1. It gives approaching traffic more room to turn left.
   2. It makes the right turn legal only from the left lane.
   3. The driver behind may think you are changing lanes or turning left and pass on your right.
   4. It lets you finish the turn in the far lane without surprising anyone.
   Show answer

   The driver behind may think you are changing lanes or turning left and pass on your right.. A wide move to the left can make the driver behind think that you are changing lanes or beginning a left turn. That driver may then try to pass on your right, putting the two vehicles beside each other as you turn. The maneuver does not create extra legal turning permission, and it does not make a far-lane finish predictable. Stay in the proper approach lane and turn without the misleading wide swing.

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

2. 2. Above a reversible lane, a red X is lit. What does that signal mean for that lane?

   1. The lane may be used only for making turns
   2. The lane is changing, so leave it when safe
   3. A driver may not use the lane beneath it
   4. The lane may be used in the direction shown
   Show answer

   A driver may not use the lane beneath it. A red X above a reversible lane means a driver may not use the lane beneath it at that time. A flashing yellow X reserves a lane for turning, while a steady yellow X warns that lane use is changing and drivers should move out when safe. A green arrow, not a red X, permits travel beneath it. Check the overhead signal before entering any lane that can change direction during the day.

   Study this in the handbook: Lane lines and pavement markings

3. 3. A signal requires a driver to stop where a stop line and crosswalk are painted. Where must the vehicle stop?

   1. With its front bumper halfway across the crosswalk
   2. Before the vehicle reaches the stop line or crosswalk
   3. Past the crosswalk if no pedestrian is visible yet
   4. On the stop line whenever traffic behind is close
   Show answer

   Before the vehicle reaches the stop line or crosswalk. Stopping comes before the stop line, or before a crosswalk where one is present, so the walking path stays open. Resting halfway across the crosswalk blocks people on foot even before anyone steps out. Rolling past because the crosswalk looks empty ignores how quickly someone can arrive. Pressure from behind never moves the legal stopping point forward. Halt early enough that both the painted line and the crossing area remain clear.

   Study this in the handbook: Lane lines and pavement markings

4. 4. Why must drivers lower speed on narrow bridges and in tunnels?

   1. Approaching vehicles pass much closer together
   2. Bridge tolls require exact change stops
   3. Tunnel lights ban speeds over 30 mph
   4. Bridge decks always carry ice
   Show answer

   Approaching vehicles pass much closer together. On narrow bridges and in tunnels, vehicles approaching each other pass much closer together, leaving almost no room for a steering error. Slowing down buys reaction time inside that tight space. Toll payment rules govern plazas, not bridge decks generally. A flat 30 mph tunnel cap appears nowhere in the guidance. Ice can form on bridges, yet closeness of opposing traffic is the everyday reason to ease off before the rails narrow.

5. 5. A school bus stopped with red lights flashing stands ahead. How far back must a driver stop?

   1. At least 10 feet
   2. At least 50 feet
   3. At the bus rear bumper
   4. At least 30 feet from the bus
   Show answer

   At least 30 feet from the bus. Drivers approaching from either direction must halt at least 30 feet away and remain stopped until the red lights switch off. Ten feet places a car inside the zone where children step out. Fifty feet exceeds the stated distance without adding a rule. The rear bumper sits far too close to loading children. Hold the 30 foot line even when no child is visible yet.

   Study this in the handbook: Who yields at intersections

6. 6. A school bus ahead displays flashing yellow lights while slowing. How should an approaching driver respond?

   1. Pass quickly before the bus completes its stop
   2. Stop at least 30 feet away even while yellows flash
   3. Honk twice and continue at the posted limit
   4. Slow down and proceed carefully, watching for children
   Show answer

   Slow down and proceed carefully, watching for children. Flashing yellow lights warn that a stop is coming, so approaching drivers slow down and proceed carefully while scanning for children near the road. Racing past races the very boarding zone about to form. Stopping 30 feet back belongs to flashing red lights, not the yellow warning stage. Honking at the posted limit keeps speed while startling youngsters. Treat amber bus lights like a gathering crowd: foot off the accelerator, eyes sweeping both shoulders, ready for a full stop.

   Study this in the handbook: Who yields at intersections

7. 7. A caller reports a suspected drunk driver through Montana's Report A Drunk Driver program. What personal detail may the caller withhold?

   1. Their own name
   2. The vehicle description
   3. The direction of travel
   4. The road being used
   Show answer

   Their own name. Callers reporting a suspected drunk driver do not have to give their own name, which lowers the barrier to phoning in a dangerous vehicle. Officers still need a vehicle description and direction of travel to locate the suspect car. The road name helps patrol units intercept before a crash occurs. Give every vehicle detail you can recall; anonymity protects the caller, not the drunk driver.

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

8. 8. What vision standard must a Montana applicant meet on the license vision test?

   1. 20/20 vision in both eyes, measured without any lenses worn
   2. Sharp side vision on both sides with no forward standard
   3. 20/70 in both eyes while wearing tinted lenses at night
   4. 20/40 in at least one eye, lenses allowed
   Show answer

   20/40 in at least one eye, lenses allowed. Montana sets the screening floor at 20/40 in one eye or better, and glasses or contacts may supply that sharpness. Requiring flawless 20/20 sight in both eyes goes beyond the screening rule and would bar many safe licensed drivers. A 20/70 mark in both eyes falls short of the stated floor, lens tint aside. Side vision helps spot trouble at the edges, yet it cannot substitute for clear central sight. At the exam station, read the chart with whichever eye performs best.

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

9. 9. For a quick evasive turn, where does the Montana manual place both hands on the steering wheel?

   1. At about 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock
   2. Both hands together at the top
   3. At about 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock
   4. One hand at the bottom of the wheel
   Show answer

   At about 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock. A quick turn demands a firm two handed grip at about 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock, or 8 and 4 in newer vehicles with steering wheel airbags. The older 10 and 2 placement is not the position the manual gives for this maneuver, both hands bunched at the top cannot pull the wheel far in either direction, and one low hand lacks leverage. After turning away, stay ready to keep the vehicle under control so one avoided crash does not become another.

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

10. 10. What does a steady yellow arrow tell drivers who are turning?

    1. The protected turn has just begun
    2. The protected turn is about to end, so clear the intersection
    3. Stop at once, even if you are already in the intersection
    4. Turning traffic now has the right-of-way over everyone
    Show answer

    The protected turn is about to end, so clear the intersection. A steady yellow arrow means the time for a protected turn is about to end. Vehicles already making the turn should clear the intersection, and you should be ready to obey the next signal, which could be an arrow with a green or red light. It does not start a protected turn; a steady green arrow does that. Stopping suddenly in the middle of the intersection would leave you blocking traffic instead of clearing it.

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

11. 11. 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.

    Study this in the handbook: Required lights and equipment

12. 12. A Montana driver uses a penny to check tire tread. What does it mean if the tread does not reach the top of Abraham Lincoln's head?

    1. The tire still has plenty of usable tread left
    2. The tire is correctly inflated
    3. The tire needs more air pressure
    4. The tire is unsafe and should be replaced
    Show answer

    The tire is unsafe and should be replaced. The manual's penny test puts Lincoln's head into the tread. If the tread does not come at least to the top of his head, the tire is unsafe and should be replaced. A tire that fails this check is not fine, correctly inflated, or merely low on air; the rubber itself is too worn for safe traction. The cue is to repeat the test at several points around the tire, since wear can be uneven across the tread.

    Study this in the handbook: Required lights and equipment

13. 13. Traffic is backed up beyond an intersection. What does Montana law require of a driver approaching it?

    1. Enter and wait in the intersection for the lane to clear
    2. Enter if the light is green, regardless of space
    3. Enter and turn before the light changes
    4. Stay out until the driver can clear the intersection
    Show answer

    Stay out until the driver can clear the intersection. Drivers may not enter an intersection unless they can get through it without stopping. A green light does not create room, and waiting inside the box blocks cross traffic and pedestrians when the signal changes. Turning early to escape the backup is not the rule either. The cue is the space beyond the far crosswalk: if there is not enough room for the whole vehicle, stop behind the line and wait for the next cycle.

    Study this in the handbook: Who yields at intersections

14. 14. When does Montana prohibit parking in a construction area?

    1. When the vehicle will block traffic
    2. Whenever workers are present
    3. Only when a sign lists a fine
    4. Only during daylight hours
    Show answer

    When the vehicle will block traffic. The manual's no parking rule for construction areas applies when the parked vehicle will block traffic. Workers being present, a posted fine, or daylight do not decide the issue; the test is whether the vehicle interferes with the flow through the zone. The cue is to look at the lane width and the workers' path: if a parked car would force traffic or equipment around it, keep moving and park elsewhere.

15. 15. A driver must park on a roadway that has no curb. Where should the vehicle be placed?

    1. Straddling the fog line so doors open onto pavement
    2. As close as practicable to the edge of the shoulder
    3. Fully on the travel lane with flashers running
    4. At a diagonal angle facing oncoming traffic
    Show answer

    As close as practicable to the edge of the shoulder. Without a curb, the vehicle belongs as close as practicable to the shoulder edge, far from moving traffic. Straddling the fog line leaves half the body exposed to passing vehicles. Sitting in the travel lane with flashers still blocks the path drivers expect to stay open. Angling toward oncoming traffic confuses headlight patterns at night. Roll fully onto the shoulder surface, straighten the wheels, and leave a walking margin between the door swing and the lane line.

16. 16. A driver takes a prescription drug that may cause drowsiness. What alcohol rule applies while using it?

    1. Never drink alcohol while taking other drugs
    2. A small drink helps cancel the drug drowsiness
    3. One beer is safe if the label allows driving
    4. Alcohol is fine when the drug was bought over the counter
    Show answer

    Never drink alcohol while taking other drugs. Montana warns that alcohol and other drugs can multiply each other's effects and can add side effects. The rule therefore says never drink alcohol while taking another drug. A small drink cannot cancel drowsiness. The claim that one beer is safe if a label allows driving is unsafe because permission to drive on a medicine label does not make alcohol safe with that drug. Buying a medicine over the counter also does not remove its interaction risk. A warning about operating machinery is a separate reason not to drive at all, whether alcohol is present or not.

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

17. 17. Barricade stripes slope downward toward the right side of the road. Which way should a driver bear?

    1. Bear to the left around the barricade panel
    2. Bear to the right in the direction traffic should pass
    3. Stop until a worker moves the barricade aside
    4. Cross the stripes slowly at the center of the panel
    Show answer

    Bear to the right in the direction traffic should pass. Diagonal barricade stripes point traffic toward the open side, so stripes sloping down to the right send drivers right. Bearing left would aim at the closed portion the panel guards. Waiting for a worker to move every barricade ignores the guidance already posted. Crossing at the panel center defeats the channel the device creates. Follow the downward slope direction at reduced speed and watch for workers beyond the opening.

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

18. 18. Which minor health problem can still impair a person's driving?

    1. A stiff neck, a cough, or a sore leg can affect driving.
    2. A healed scrape that no longer limits hand movement.
    3. A small bruise that does not limit movement.
    4. A dry patch of skin that causes no pain or itching.
    Show answer

    A stiff neck, a cough, or a sore leg can affect driving.. A stiff neck, cough, or sore leg can interfere with turning to check traffic, staying focused, or operating the pedals. The other conditions describe minor problems that no longer limit movement or cause discomfort, so they do not match the manual's warning about a health problem affecting driving. Before leaving, consider whether pain or illness changes your control or attention. If it does, let someone else drive until you can operate safely.

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

19. 19. Passing another car would force you above the speed limit to finish. What should you do?

    1. Pass anyway if the road looks empty
    2. Pass at night when limits matter less
    3. Not pass until it can be done legally and safely
    4. Pass quickly, then slow down right after
    Show answer

    Not pass until it can be done legally and safely. A pass that needs illegal speed is a pass to postpone until conditions allow it lawfully and safely. An empty looking road hides driveways and dips where oncoming cars materialize, and darkness relaxes no posted limit. Settle back into your lane, keep a healthy following gap, and let the slower vehicle set your pace; arriving two minutes later costs nothing beside a head on meeting at combined speed.

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

20. 20. As a general rule, how many vehicles should a driver pass at one time?

    1. Two vehicles if both are traveling slowly
    2. Only one vehicle at a time
    3. As many as fit before the next curve
    4. Three vehicles on a divided highway
    Show answer

    Only one vehicle at a time. Passing one vehicle at a time keeps the maneuver short enough to judge oncoming gaps and escape routes. Doubling up on two slow vehicles stretches exposure in the opposing lane. Fitting in as many as possible before a curve turns the bend into a deadline. A divided highway removes oncoming risk but still rewards single, deliberate passes around lane changes. The discipline is rhythmic: pass, settle, reassess, then decide again. Rushing a string of cars trades a few seconds for a closing gap with no exit.

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