Free · 17 short lessons · Quoted from the manual
Rhode Island Driver Handbook, Chapter by Chapter
Start with lesson 1Every chapter of the Rhode Island Driver's Manual that matters for the written test, cut down to the rules and exact numbers you need. Each point links to the manual text it comes from, with the page, and ends with questions from our free Rhode Island practice test.
17 lessons in handbook order
Read one lesson, answer its 3 check questions, then drill that topic in the practice test. Most lessons take about 5 minutes.
- Lesson 1I. Applying for a Rhode Island Driver's LicenseLaws and paperwork
The three levels of Rhode Island's graduated license
Drivers under 18 move from a Limited Instructional Permit to a Limited Provisional License and then a Full Operator's License. The levels carry minimum times, supervised hours and limits on night driving and passengers.
10 key points · 11 numbers · Handbook pp. 10 to 15
- Lesson 2IX. Laws You Must KnowLaws and paperwork
Licenses, insurance, phones and other laws
Rhode Island licenses last up to five years, and you must carry proof of insurance at all times. Texting is banned for every driver, and drivers under 18 may not use a phone at all except in an emergency.
9 key points · 6 numbers · Handbook pp. 16 to 73
- Lesson 3III. Basic Driving Skills and Safety RulesSafe driving
Seat belts, child seats and headlights
Rhode Island's seat belt law is a primary law for all ages, and children under 8 who are small need a child restraint in the back seat. Headlights are required from sunset to sunrise, whenever you cannot see 500 feet, and whenever your wipers are on.
10 key points · 8 numbers · Handbook pp. 25 to 65
- Lesson 4II. Distractions, Drowsiness, and EmotionsSafe driving
Distractions, drowsy driving and road rage
An estimated 80 percent of collisions involve driver inattention, and looking away for 2 or more seconds doubles your crash risk. Staying awake too long impairs you much like alcohol, and resting is the best way to counter drowsiness.
10 key points · 6 numbers · Handbook pp. 17 to 54
- Lesson 5III. Basic Driving Skills and Safety RulesSafe driving
Stopping, turning and passing
Total stopping distance is perception plus reaction plus braking distance. Stop fully for three seconds, check over your shoulder before changing lanes or passing, and never pass more than one vehicle at a time.
10 key points · 5 numbers · Handbook pp. 27 to 33
- Lesson 6III. Basic Driving Skills and Safety RulesSpeed limits
Speed limits and freeway driving
Rhode Island sets 25 mph in residential areas and 50 to 65 mph on most highways, but the posted limit is only the maximum for ideal conditions. Speeding fines double in work zones at all hours.
9 key points · 5 numbers · Handbook pp. 34 to 71
- Lesson 7VII. Systems for Safe, Courteous, and Defensive DrivingSafe driving
Following distance, trucks and motorcycles
Use the three second rule and add a second or two in bad weather. Stay at least 50 feet behind a truck if you expect its driver to see you, and give motorcycles 3 to 4 seconds because they can slow without a brake light.
9 key points · 7 numbers · Handbook pp. 35 to 49
- Lesson 8III. Basic Driving Skills and Safety RulesParking
Where you may not park or stop
Rhode Island lists exact distances from hydrants, crosswalks, signals and railroad tracks where you may not park. When you do park on a two lane road, your right wheels must be within 12 inches of the curb.
9 key points · 6 numbers · Handbook pp. 31 to 32
- Lesson 9IV. Signals and Roadway MarkingsSignals and markings
Turn signals and roadway markings
Signal at least 100 feet before any turn, by hand or with your lights. Yellow lines separate opposite directions and white lines separate the same direction, and a solid line on your side means do not pass.
8 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook pp. 37 to 50
- Lesson 10IV. Signals and Roadway MarkingsSignals and markings
Traffic lights and roundabouts
Each light has a set meaning: a flashing red is treated as a stop sign and a flashing yellow means slow and cover the brake. Roundabouts run counterclockwise, and you yield to vehicles already in them.
9 key points · 0 numbers · Handbook pp. 39 to 40
- Lesson 11III. Basic Driving Skills and Safety RulesRight of way
Right of way at intersections, rotaries and driveways
At a four way stop, the first to stop goes first, and on a tie the driver on the left yields to the right. Treat an uncontrolled intersection as a yield sign, yield to vehicles already in a rotary, and stop twice when leaving a driveway.
7 key points · 0 numbers · Handbook pp. 28 to 40
- Lesson 12VIII. Sharing the Road SafelyRight of way
Pedestrians, school buses and bicyclists
Drivers must always yield to pedestrians, even careless ones, and must stop completely for a blind pedestrian with a white cane or guide dog. Stop from either direction for a school bus with flashing red lights, and give bicyclists 3 to 5 feet when passing.
10 key points · 5 numbers · Handbook pp. 50 to 52
- Lesson 13V. Driving EmergenciesEmergencies
Skids, brake failure, blowouts and other emergencies
For each emergency there is a first step to remember: pump failed brakes, ease off the gas after a blowout, and shift to neutral if the accelerator sticks. Get everyone off railroad tracks and away from a smoking car right away.
10 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook pp. 42 to 45
- Lesson 14XI. In Case of a CollisionEmergencies
After a collision and when stopped by police
Stop immediately after any collision, identify yourself and report it to police. A police report is required for injuries, damage over $1,000 or hitting an unattended vehicle.
8 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 35 to 64
- Lesson 15X. Drinking and DrivingAlcohol and DUI
Alcohol, BAC limits and implied consent
Drinking even a little makes a crash seven times more likely, and only time sobers you up. Any driver at .08% is charged with DUI, drivers under 21 at .02% are charged with DWI, and refusing a chemical test costs at least six months of your license.
9 key points · 6 numbers · Handbook pp. 57 to 58
- Lesson 16X. Drinking and DrivingAlcohol and DUI
Refusal and DUI penalties
Penalties climb with each violation within five years. A first adult DUI at .08% to .1% can mean up to a year in prison and a 30 to 180 day suspension.
8 key points · 12 numbers · Handbook pp. 59 to 61
- Lesson 17XVII. AppendicesRoad signs
Stop signs, roundabout signs and work zones
Stop before the crosswalk at a stop sign, and watch for the yellow diamond roundabout sign before entering a roundabout. Orange diamond or rectangular signs mark work zones, where flaggers have legal authority and you should not tailgate.
7 key points · 0 numbers · Handbook pp. 31 to 71
Read, check, then practice
- Read a lesson. Open any point's source to see the exact manual wording and page.
- Answer the 3 check questions at the end without looking back.
- Drill that topic in the free Rhode Island practice test, then take a full test when every lesson feels easy.
- Keep the Rhode Island cheat sheet for a last look before test day.
Source: the Rhode Island Driver's Manual (rev. 08/2015). Lessons are plain English summaries, not the law itself; where they differ, the manual and the statute govern. Every quote on these pages is checked against our saved copy of the manual. Last checked 2026-09-27.