RI Permit Practice Test 10

All 20 questions in test 10

Every question below comes from the Rhode Island 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 is the first level in Rhode Island's graduated licensing system?

   1. Limited Provisional License
   2. Limited Instructional Permit
   3. Full Operator's License
   4. Commercial Driver's License
   Show answer

   Limited Instructional Permit. Rhode Island describes three graduated levels in sequence: limited instructional permit, limited provisional license, and full operator's license. The first level is the Limited Instructional Permit, which lets a new driver practice with qualified supervision. The provisional license comes after the permit and required experience, while the full operator's license is the final level. A commercial license is a different license type, not the opening step for this graduated system. Remember the progression as practice, provisional driving, then full licensing.

   Study this in the handbook: The three levels of Rhode Island's graduated license

2. 2. After holding a Rhode Island Limited Instructional Permit for the required period and passing the road test, what comes next?

   1. A second classroom permit
   2. A Full Operator's License immediately
   3. A motorcycle-only permit
   4. A Limited Provisional License
   Show answer

   A Limited Provisional License. The next graduated stage is the Limited Provisional License. Reaching it requires more than simply possessing a permit: the applicant must satisfy the holding period, testing, driving-history, and supervised-experience conditions described in the manual. A full operator's license is the later Level Three stage, not the immediate next step. The motorcycle-only option is unrelated, and a second classroom permit is not part of the sequence. Think of the road test as the gateway from supervised permit practice to provisional privileges.

3. 3. A Rhode Island driver under 18 is convicted of a first DUI with a BAC of 0.08% or above. What suspension does the table list?

   1. 6 to 18 months
   2. 2 to 5 years
   3. 3 to 12 months
   4. 1 to 3 months
   Show answer

   6 to 18 months. The under 18 DUI table, for a BAC of 0.08% or above, lists a 6 to 18 month license suspension, a $500 highway safety assessment, and 10 to 60 hours of community service for a first violation, along with a special course and alcohol or drug education or treatment. A second or later violation brings a suspension until age 21 and up to 1 year of incarceration and/or a $500 fine. One to three months is the 18 to 21 impaired driving first offense. Two to five years is the third refusal suspension, and three to twelve months does not appear for this row.

   Study this in the handbook: Refusal and DUI penalties

4. 4. According to Rhode Island's alcohol laws, what birthday marks the legal drinking age?

   1. The 18th birthday
   2. The 19th birthday
   3. The 21st birthday
   4. The 25th birthday
   Show answer

   The 21st birthday. Rhode Island's manual uses the twenty-first birthday as the dividing point in its underage alcohol provisions. That age matters when reading the separate DWI and DUI categories, but it does not mean a driver should use age alone to judge whether driving is safe. The 18th and 19th birthdays do not end the under-21 rules, while 25 has no role in the cited provision. When studying the table, pair the age boundary with the BAC range instead of treating the number as a permission to drive after drinking.

   Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, BAC limits and implied consent

5. 5. What does the Rhode Island manual list as the first-offense penalty for failing to stop for a school bus with flashing red lights?

   1. A fine of up to $1,000 and a 1 year suspension
   2. A $75 fine with no suspension
   3. A fine of up to $300 and/or suspension up to 30 days
   4. A warning for the first offense
   Show answer

   A fine of up to $300 and/or suspension up to 30 days. A first violation of the school bus stop law brings a fine of up to $300 and/or a license suspension of up to 30 days, and penalties increase for later violations. The rule to stop and remain stopped until the red lights stop flashing applies on public highways, private roads, and parking lots. The $1,000 figure is the manual's amount for failing to yield to a blind or low vision pedestrian, not the school bus penalty. A flat $75 fine understates the penalty, and the manual lists no warning for a first violation.

   Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, school buses and bicyclists

6. 6. A Rhode Island teen with a Limited Instructional Permit wants to practice with an older cousin. Which cousin qualifies as a supervising driver?

   1. A 21-year-old who has been licensed for five years
   2. A 20-year-old who has been licensed for four years
   3. A 19-year-old who holds a full operator's license
   4. A 25-year-old who got a license six months ago
   Show answer

   A 21-year-old who has been licensed for five years. Rhode Island sets two tests for a supervising driver: at least 21 years old and licensed to drive for at least five years. Only the 21-year-old with five years of licensed driving meets both. The 20-year-old and the 19-year-old fail the age test even with a valid license. The 25-year-old is old enough but has only six months of experience, far short of five years. The supervising driver must sit beside the permit holder and is legally responsible for any driving violation the permit holder commits.

   Study this in the handbook: The three levels of Rhode Island's graduated license

7. 7. What is the first action in the IPDE defensive driving system?

   1. Predict only what the nearest driver will do
   2. Execute a steering maneuver immediately
   3. Decide on a route without scanning
   4. Identify hazards in the driving scene
   Show answer

   Identify hazards in the driving scene. IPDE begins with Identify, meaning the driver locates hazards by getting the big picture. Prediction, decision, and execution follow in that order. Steering immediately skips observation, and focusing only on the nearest driver is too narrow for the system’s broad scan. The sequence is a practical mental checklist: identify what is present, predict possible conflicts, decide on a response, then execute it. Beginning with a wide view gives the driver time to recognize a developing problem before a sudden maneuver becomes necessary.

   Study this in the handbook: Following distance, trucks and motorcycles

8. 8. When must a driver dim high beams while following another vehicle?

   1. When following at 200 feet or less
   2. Only after the other driver signals a complaint
   3. At 50 feet or less
   4. Only when the vehicle ahead is stopped
   Show answer

   When following at 200 feet or less. The manual’s 500/200 rule says high beams should be dimmed when following another vehicle at a distance of 200 feet or less. This prevents glare from distracting or blinding the driver ahead. Waiting for a complaint or for the other vehicle to stop abandons the preventive purpose of the rule, while 50 feet is a much shorter threshold. The study cue is directional: 500 feet concerns an approaching vehicle, and 200 feet concerns a vehicle being followed. Both numbers require timely beam control at night.

   Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and headlights

9. 9. Your vehicle drives into water. If it has power windows, when should you open a window?

   1. After the inside of the vehicle fills with water
   2. Before the water causes a loss of power
   3. After calling 911 and waiting for help to arrive
   4. After first trying to escape through the door
   Show answer

   Before the water causes a loss of power. If your vehicle drives into water or stalls in a rain-swollen road, take off your seat belt and try to get out through a window. If the vehicle has power windows, open the window before the water causes a loss in power. Avoid opening the door: water will fill the inside of the vehicle and could cause it to flip onto its roof. If the vehicle sinks before you get out, climb into the rear seat. The engine's weight makes the vehicle sink nose first, so a pocket of air may remain in the back.

   Study this in the handbook: Skids, brake failure, blowouts and other emergencies

10. 10. Where signs are posted, how far from a fire station driveway must a Rhode Island driver stay when parking on the opposite side of the street?

    1. 20 feet
    2. 75 feet
    3. 30 feet
    4. 100 feet
    Show answer

    75 feet. Rhode Island bars parking within 20 feet of the driveway of a fire station and, across the street, within 75 feet of the driveway where signs are posted. The 75 foot zone applies only where signs are posted. Twenty feet is the same side distance, 30 feet is the traffic control distance, and 100 feet is not a listed number. Also never park at a curb cut or ramp for people with disabilities.

    Study this in the handbook: Where you may not park or stop

11. 11. Which letters on signs and roadway markings warn a driver that a railroad crossing is ahead?

    1. XING
    2. RC
    3. XR
    4. X or RR
    Show answer

    X or RR. The railroad crossing advice tells drivers to watch for signs and roadway markings that show a crossing is ahead, marked with an X or the letters RR. Xing appears separately in the manual’s list of other roadway markings, next to crosswalks, so it is not the railroad marking. Treat the X or RR as an early alert to look for trains. If red signals begin to flash or gates are being lowered, stop, look, and listen, and never try to beat a train or go around lowered gates.

    Study this in the handbook: Stop signs, roundabout signs and work zones

12. 12. What do broken white lines between lanes generally allow a driver to do?

    1. Pass other vehicles and change lanes when safe
    2. Cross only during an emergency
    3. Park along the line for a short time
    4. Change lanes after coming to a complete stop
    Show answer

    Pass other vehicles and change lanes when safe. Broken white lines separate traffic moving in the same direction and indicate that a lane change is generally permitted when traffic conditions make it safe. They do not make a place to park, and a driver does not need to stop before moving across the line. A solid white line carries more restriction, especially near a carpool, restricted, breakdown, or parking area. Scan mirrors and the blind spot before taking advantage of an available lane change.

    Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and roadway markings

13. 13. Before receiving a Rhode Island Level 2 limited provisional license, how much supervised driving must a permit holder complete, and how much must be at night?

    1. 25 hours, including 10 hours at night
    2. 40 hours, including 5 hours after sunset
    3. 60 hours, including 20 hours at night
    4. 50 hours, including 10 hours at night
    Show answer

    50 hours, including 10 hours at night. The Level 2 application requires fifty hours of supervised driving with a qualified supervising driver, and ten of those hours must be completed at night. The forty-hour option understates the total, while the sixty-hour option adds a requirement the manual does not give. Think of the requirement as a 50 and 10 pairing, then remember that the permit holder must also satisfy the separate permit, road-test, and application conditions before moving to Level 2.

    Study this in the handbook: The three levels of Rhode Island's graduated license

14. 14. At what daytime visibility distance must a Rhode Island driver have the headlights on?

    1. When the driver cannot see 100 feet ahead
    2. When the driver cannot see 500 feet ahead
    3. When the driver cannot see 200 feet ahead
    4. When the driver cannot see 1,000 feet ahead
    Show answer

    When the driver cannot see 500 feet ahead. Reduced visibility can require lights even during daylight. Rhode Island sets this trigger at an inability to see 500 feet ahead. Waiting until the view shrinks to 100 or 200 feet misses the stated threshold, while 1,000 feet is not the number in this rule. Rain and snow also require headlights, and the lights must operate whenever the wipers are on. Judge the available view instead of relying on the time of day alone.

    Study this in the handbook: Licenses, insurance, phones and other laws

15. 15. What does the divided-highway-begins sign warn you to expect?

    
    1. A no-passing zone starts at the sign
    2. The roadway will become a single lane
    3. Traffic directions will separate around a median
    4. A traffic signal is about to change
    Show answer

    Traffic directions will separate around a median. A divided-highway-begins sign warns that opposing traffic will be separated by a median or similar barrier. Stay on the proper side of that separation and follow the lane markings as the roadway divides. A single-lane reduction is a narrowing condition, not a divided highway beginning. A no-passing restriction is shown by its own regulatory or warning sign, and a signal-change warning concerns an intersection. The useful visual cue is the arrows splitting apart, which represents traffic directions taking separate paths.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, school buses and bicyclists

16. 16. Which freeway lane is provided so a driver leaving the freeway can slow to the exit ramp speed?

    1. The acceleration lane
    2. The merging area beyond an entrance lane
    3. The far left passing lane
    4. The deceleration lane
    Show answer

    The deceleration lane. A deceleration lane gives a driver leaving the freeway space to slow to the exit ramp speed. An acceleration lane serves the opposite purpose: entering drivers use it to reach the speed of freeway traffic. The merging area lies beyond that entrance lane and connects the entering vehicle with the traffic flow. Identify whether a lane serves an entrance or an exit before choosing the action that belongs there.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and freeway driving

17. 17. What condition is identified by the skidding-car warning sign?

    
    1. A road is reserved for racing
    2. A vehicle inspection station is ahead
    3. The pavement may be slippery when wet
    4. The lane is ending at a bridge
    Show answer

    The pavement may be slippery when wet. The skidding car symbol, labeled Slippery When Wet in the manual's warning sign panel, warns that the roadway may lose traction when wet. Reduce speed before reaching the slick area, leave extra room, and use gentle steering and braking. The inspection choice concerns vehicle equipment and is not represented by a warning symbol. Racing is not a roadway message, and a lane ending at a bridge would use a different road shape warning. The manual adds that oil, rubber, dirt and water make roads especially slippery when it first starts to rain.

    Study this in the handbook: Stopping, turning and passing

18. 18. What is the safest first response to a tire blowout?

    1. Accelerate so the tire can clear the roadway quickly
    2. Brake hard and turn sharply toward the shoulder
    3. Hold the steering wheel firmly, ease off the accelerator, and avoid braking at first
    4. Shift into reverse while the vehicle is still moving
    Show answer

    Hold the steering wheel firmly, ease off the accelerator, and avoid braking at first. For a blowout or flat tire, the manual reminds you the tire is already a total loss, so your task is to drive to safety. Grip the steering wheel firmly with both hands and ease up on the accelerator to slow the vehicle. Do not brake, because braking can cause the vehicle to swerve; let it slow gradually. Accelerating, braking hard while turning sharply, or shifting into reverse all work against control. Once you have control, check traffic, drive off the roadway slowly while braking gently, and turn on your hazard flashers.

    Study this in the handbook: Skids, brake failure, blowouts and other emergencies

19. 19. A school bus flashes red lights on the opposite side of a highway separated by a grass median. Must you stop?

    1. Yes, every road with a grass median requires a stop in both directions
    2. No, the opposite-direction divided-highway exception applies
    3. Yes, the exception applies only when the divider is a concrete wall
    4. Yes, unless there are at least two lanes in each direction
    Show answer

    No, the opposite-direction divided-highway exception applies. A bus on the opposite side of a divided highway is an exception to the flashing-red stop requirement. The dividing feature need not be concrete: the manual lists grass, guardrails, trees, water, and a Jersey barrier as examples. Therefore a grass median qualifies in this situation. This is not a general exemption for public roads. The ordinary bus stopping requirement applies on public highways, private roads, and in parking lots; the separation and opposite direction are the deciding conditions here.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, school buses and bicyclists

20. 20. How far before a turn should a driver give the required signal?

    1. At least 100 feet before making the turn
    2. Only after beginning to turn the steering wheel
    3. About 50 feet before the turn
    4. At least 10 feet before making the turn
    Show answer

    At least 100 feet before making the turn. Rhode Island requires a driver to signal at least 100 feet before making a turn, and a signal is also required when driving out of a parking space. Signaling early gives drivers behind time to understand your plan and adjust their speed or position. Waiting until the steering wheel moves can leave no useful warning, and 50 feet or 10 feet is shorter than the stated minimum. Use the cue of the upcoming maneuver and signal with enough distance to communicate it.

    Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and roadway markings