RI Permit Practice Test 13

All 20 questions in test 13

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 speed habit does Rhode Island advise against on long trips?

   1. Changing speed occasionally to stay alert
   2. Checking mirrors during long drives
   3. Resting when drowsy on long trips
   4. Driving at the same speed for a long time
   Show answer

   Driving at the same speed for a long time. Rhode Island advises drivers not to drive at the same speed for a long time, recommending occasional changes of speed on long trips to stay engaged with the road. Varying pace slightly fights the monotony that dulls attention, while a fixed speed for hours encourages drifting focus. Pair that habit with mirror checks and rest stops when drowsy, since alertness fades even on straight and empty highways.

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

2. 2. What does blood alcohol concentration measure in a driver's body?

   1. The share of alcohol still sitting in the stomach
   2. The ratio of alcohol to blood present in the bloodstream
   3. The number of drinks consumed during the past hour
   4. The speed at which the liver removes alcohol from the body
   Show answer

   The ratio of alcohol to blood present in the bloodstream. Blood alcohol concentration expresses the ratio of alcohol to blood, accounting for body weight, present in the bloodstream at a given moment. A drink count from the past hour cannot capture that ratio, because body size and drinking pace change the result. Liver removal speed influences later readings without defining the measurement itself. Police and courts rely on this bloodstream figure rather than memory or appearance. If a reading might register, choose not to drive long before any test becomes necessary.

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

3. 3. What do solid line markings separate, and what do they forbid in Rhode Island?

   1. Opposing traffic; all turning movements
   2. Lanes of traffic; passing and lane changes
   3. Parking lanes; stopping at the curb
   4. Bicycle lanes; crossing at driveways
   Show answer

   Lanes of traffic; passing and lane changes. Solid lines separate lanes of traffic, and motorists are not permitted to pass other vehicles nor change lanes across them. Crossing remains possible in an emergency such as a turn, breakdown, object in the road, or parking, so a blanket ban on turning overstates the rule. Read a solid line as a wall for ordinary driving, and plan lane changes where broken markings permit them instead.

   Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and roadway markings

4. 4. A test shows a BAC of .09 percent. What does that result show by itself?

   1. Nothing until witnesses describe the driving in court
   2. Impairment only for drivers under twenty one years old
   3. The driver was intoxicated when the test was given
   4. A warning is issued instead of a drunk driving charge
   Show answer

   The driver was intoxicated when the test was given. A BAC of .08 percent or more is evident by itself that the driver was intoxicated at the time of the test. Witness descriptions are unnecessary before that .09 percent result speaks during enforcement and prosecution. Youth limits create additional impairment categories without restricting this adult intoxication line to teenagers. A warning does not replace a drunk driving charge at this level. Anticipate arrest and license consequences, and avoid the gamble entirely by separating every drink from driving.

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

5. 5. Which areas are named as major blind spots around a large truck?

   1. Only the area directly behind the trailer
   2. The mirrors, the fuel tanks, and the cab roof
   3. Every lane beside the truck at all times
   4. The front, the front sides, and behind the truck
   Show answer

   The front, the front sides, and behind the truck. Large trucks have three major blind spots covering the front of the truck, the left and right front sides, and the area behind the truck or its trailer. Believing only the rear area is blind leaves drivers lingering beside the cab where the truck driver cannot see them either. A trailer adds more than fifty feet of hidden space at the back. Pass promptly through these zones or drop back, and never cruise steadily where mirrors cannot pick up your vehicle.

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

6. 6. How should a Rhode Island driver behave where pedestrians are present?

   1. Drive slowly and remain alert
   2. Maintain speed to clear the area quickly
   3. Honk once before each crosswalk
   4. Stop only at painted crosswalks
   Show answer

   Drive slowly and remain alert. Drivers must watch carefully for pedestrians, and Rhode Island directs them to drive slowly and remain alert in any areas where pedestrians are present. Maintaining speed to clear the area quickly shortens the time available when someone steps from between parked vehicles. Even people crossing carelessly retain the right to your caution, so ease off early wherever foot traffic gathers near the roadway.

   Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and roadway markings

7. 7. Your engine dies while moving and then restarts as you coast. What comes next?

   1. Shift to a forward gear and keep going
   2. Stay in neutral until reaching a shoulder
   3. Turn on hazard flashers and stop moving
   4. Raise the hood while still rolling forward
   Show answer

   Shift to a forward gear and keep going. If the engine catches again while you are coasting after a failure, shifting into a forward gear lets you proceed under power and leave the traffic lane promptly. Staying in neutral until a shoulder appears wastes a running engine and keeps you exposed in moving traffic. Before restarting succeeds you should already be edging toward the shoulder with hazard flashers on. Confirm the engine pulls smoothly for several seconds before merging back to normal speed with surrounding traffic.

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

8. 8. Which freeway lane change creates a danger for nearby drivers?

   1. Signaled lane changes made after checking traffic
   2. Gradual lane changes made at steady speed
   3. Planned lane changes made with proper signals
   4. Sudden lane changes made without proper warning
   Show answer

   Sudden lane changes made without proper warning. Freeway traffic moves fast enough that an abrupt lateral move leaves neighbors almost no reaction time. Sudden lane changes by you or another driver can place two vehicles in the same space before signals communicate intent. A gradual change made at steady speed with signal and traffic checks follows the expected pattern instead. Before passing, check for fast vehicles approaching from behind and signal briefly before swinging out and again before returning right. Smooth timing matters as much as signal use, because freeway gaps close quickly at highway pace around every vehicle.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and freeway driving

9. 9. If a crash cannot be avoided, which impact should you steer toward?

   1. A sideswipe rather than hitting something solid head-on
   2. A direct head-on hit at your current speed
   3. A fixed object struck squarely in the center
   4. The rear of a stopped vehicle straight ahead
   Show answer

   A sideswipe rather than hitting something solid head-on. Steering for a sideswipe rather than a head-on strike against something solid spreads the impact along the side of the vehicle instead of concentrating it at the front. A square head-on hit stops your vehicle almost instantly and drives the crash forces straight at the occupants. Glancing contact keeps some forward motion and lowers the peak force. Aim for a brush along a guardrail or similar surface when no open escape path remains ahead of you.

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

10. 10. What fine may follow a failure to yield to a blind or low vision pedestrian in Rhode Island?

    1. A fine of up to $300 with suspension
    2. A fine up to $1,000
    3. A flat fine of $85 on first offense
    4. A warning for a first violation
    Show answer

    A fine up to $1,000. Failing to yield to a blind or low vision pedestrian may result in a fine up to $1,000, reflecting how fully such pedestrians rely on drivers honoring the crossing. The $300 figure pairs with license suspension for a first school bus violation, a different offense with its own schedule. Watch for a white cane or guide dog early, and stop completely before the intersection when one appears.

    Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and roadway markings

11. 11. How does anticipating other drivers feelings help you on the road?

    1. Guessing moods accurately removes the need for following distance
    2. Predicting feelings lets you ignore signals during emotional moments in heavy traffic
    3. If you can predict emotional responses, you can better prepare your own
    4. Reading other drivers works only when traffic is moving slowly
    Show answer

    If you can predict emotional responses, you can better prepare your own. Other motorists bring their moods into every lane change and merge. A driver who anticipates irritation, haste, or fear in others leaves room for the mistake those feelings may produce. That foresight never excuses ignoring a signal, and it does not shrink the gap you should keep. Slow traffic is not the only setting where tempers matter either. Watch for cues such as crowding, hesitation, or repeated horn use. Treat each cue as advance notice, ease off early, and have your own calmer response ready before tension peaks.

12. 12. Your engine sputters and shuts off while driving. When should you shift to neutral?

    1. After you coast to a complete stop first
    2. Only after trying to restart the engine
    3. When the engine first sputters or stops
    4. After turning on the hazard flashers first
    Show answer

    When the engine first sputters or stops. When an engine sputters or dies, power for steering and braking assist fades quickly, so shifting to neutral early keeps the vehicle rolling freely while you still have momentum. Waiting until the car stops completely before shifting strands you in a travel lane. Trying a restart first also delays the move toward safety. After shifting, begin moving toward the nearest shoulder or curbing, switch on hazard flashers, and avoid braking suddenly. Try restarting while rolling, and expect steering effort to grow heavier without engine power behind it.

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

13. 13. Who may use the shared center left-turn lane, and for which turns?

    1. Vehicles making right turns into side streets or driveways
    2. All vehicles making left turns into or from left side streets or driveways
    3. Vehicles passing slower traffic through the center lane
    4. Vehicles traveling straight through the intersection
    Show answer

    All vehicles making left turns into or from left side streets or driveways. The shared center lane is reserved for left turns into or from left side streets and driveways. It is not a passing lane, a through lane, or a place to prepare for a right turn. Entering it for another purpose can put a driver in the path of vehicles approaching from the opposite direction, because both directions use the lane for their nearby left turns. Check the pavement arrows and the distance to the turn, then leave the shared lane after completing the maneuver rather than continuing along it.

14. 14. The shoulder drop-off is severe as you return to the pavement. What adjustment helps?

    1. Slow down more and turn very sharply onto the pavement
    2. Speed up slightly and turn gently onto the pavement
    3. Keep the same speed and steer straight ahead
    4. Brake hard and turn sharply toward the shoulder
    Show answer

    Slow down more and turn very sharply onto the pavement. A severe drop between pavement and shoulder turns the return climb into a steep obstacle. Slowing beyond the usual gentle pace and turning very sharply helps the front tires mount the edge and reach the pavement. Keeping the same speed and steering straight ahead leaves the tires scrubbing along the edge without climbing. After the front tires touch, counter steer sharply the other way to cancel the dart toward traffic. Then center the vehicle in the lane nearest the exit point, cancel the signal, and match traffic speed.

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

15. 15. Which daytime situation requires a driver to turn on the vehicle headlights?

    1. Headlights are needed after sunset but not for daytime rain when visibility remains clear.
    2. Headlights are needed on highways when weather reduces visibility, but not on other roads.
    3. A driver must use headlights in rain, snow, or conditions that reduce visibility below 500 feet.
    4. Headlights are needed when visibility falls below 500 feet, while ordinary rain does not trigger them.
    Show answer

    A driver must use headlights in rain, snow, or conditions that reduce visibility below 500 feet.. Rhode Island requires headlights during rain or snow, even in daylight, and whenever weather or another condition reduces visibility to less than 500 feet. The rule applies to roads generally, so limiting it to highways is wrong. A sunset-only rule also misses daytime precipitation. A threshold-only statement is incomplete because ordinary rain or snow triggers the requirement before visibility falls below 500 feet. The manual separately requires headlights whenever wipers are on, but that does not replace the weather rule.

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

16. 16. Why can pep pills and diet pills become a driving problem after the first alert feeling?

    1. They keep alertness steady for many hours without side effects
    2. They later bring nervousness, dizziness, and trouble concentrating
    3. They sharpen vision so much that headlights become painful
    4. They make alcohol leave the body at a faster rate
    Show answer

    They later bring nervousness, dizziness, and trouble concentrating. Pep pills, uppers, and diet pills can create brief alertness, then leave a driver nervous, dizzy, and unable to concentrate, with vision affected as well. That early wide awake feeling is not steady protection across many hours, and sharper vision is not the benefit on offer. These pills also fail to speed alcohol removal when drinks enter the picture. Treat any stimulant crash as impairment: stop somewhere safe, rest properly, and hand driving duties to someone fully alert.

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

17. 17. When starting again on a hill, which shoulder should you check for traffic?

    1. Look over your right shoulder before starting
    2. Look only in mirrors before releasing brakes
    3. Look over your left shoulder before starting
    4. Look straight ahead while releasing the brake
    Show answer

    Look over your left shoulder before starting. Restarting uphill begins with a left shoulder glance, because traffic approaches from behind on the side where the car will rejoin flow. Once that space proves clear, engage gear, signal intent, release the parking brake, and pull away gently without drifting backward. Mirrors alone leave a blind wedge beside the rear quarter panel exactly where an overtaking car can hide. With a standard shift, smooth clutch work should carry the vehicle upward without any rollback at all.

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

18. 18. Where is the hazard light button normally located in a vehicle?

    1. Behind the rearview mirror on the windshield
    2. Under the driver seat near the floorboard
    3. Beside the glove box on the passenger door
    4. On top of the steering column or dash center
    Show answer

    On top of the steering column or dash center. The hazard button, marked by a red or white triangle, normally sits on top of the steering column or in the center of the dash. The glove box area can confuse drivers because many secondary switches cluster on the passenger side, yet that location would slow activation during a roadside problem. Seat and mirror placements hide the control even more. Learn the triangle by touch while parked: find the column top, sweep to the dash center, and press until the flashers blink.

19. 19. What must cyclists do at Rhode Island crosswalks, under the same laws as motor vehicles?

    1. Ride around pedestrians without slowing down
    2. Use the sidewalk to bypass waiting traffic
    3. Signal motorists to clear the crosswalk first
    4. Yield to pedestrians inside the crosswalks
    Show answer

    Yield to pedestrians inside the crosswalks. Cyclists follow the same laws as motor vehicles in roundabouts and elsewhere, and that includes yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks rather than threading through them. Signaling motorists to clear the crosswalk first hands the cyclist a priority the law never grants, since people on foot hold the protected position there. Slow early, stop when someone is crossing, and wait for a clear crosswalk before rolling.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and roundabouts

20. 20. How long may a door stay open toward moving traffic in Rhode Island?

    1. No longer than necessary to load or unload passengers
    2. Up to five minutes for deliveries
    3. Until the driver finishes a phone call
    4. As long as hazard lights keep flashing
    Show answer

    No longer than necessary to load or unload passengers. Rhode Island bars leaving a door open on the side available to moving traffic for longer than necessary to load or unload passengers, protecting pedestrians and bicycles passing on sidewalks, shoulders, or bicycle lanes. Hazard lights flashing beside an open door warn others yet grant no extra time under this rule. Close the door between trips to the trunk, and check for approaching cyclists before swinging it wide again.

    Study this in the handbook: Distractions, drowsy driving and road rage