RI Permit Practice Test 2

All 20 questions in test 2

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. At a Rhode Island intersection, how should you treat a flashing yellow light?

   1. Slow down, cover the brake, and proceed with caution
   2. Stop fully and wait for a green signal
   3. Accelerate because cross traffic must stop
   4. Treat it exactly like a flashing red signal
   Show answer

   Slow down, cover the brake, and proceed with caution. A flashing yellow signal calls for caution rather than an automatic full stop. Slow down, place the foot over the brake in case a hazard develops, and continue only after checking the intersection. A flashing red signal has a different rule and is treated as a stop sign, so applying that response to yellow is too restrictive. Never treat the permissive signal as a command to accelerate; the intersection still requires active observation.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and roundabouts

2. 2. When does a Rhode Island Limited Provisional License expire?

   1. On the holder's 18th birthday
   2. On the holder's 21st birthday
   3. One year after it is issued
   4. Five years after it is issued
   Show answer

   On the holder's 18th birthday. A Limited Provisional License expires on the holder's eighteenth birthday. It is a stage for drivers under 18, so it cannot run to age 21. One year is about how long the instructional permit lasts, and a fixed five year term does not describe the provisional license either. The passenger limit lasts only for the first twelve months of the provisional license, which is a separate time period from the license's expiration.

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

3. 3. How close to a fire hydrant may a vehicle be parked in Rhode Island?

   1. No closer than 20 feet
   2. No closer than 15 feet
   3. No closer than 8 feet
   4. No closer than 30 feet
   Show answer

   No closer than 8 feet. Rhode Island's parking list prohibits parking within 8 feet of a fire hydrant. Fifteen feet is not the distance the Rhode Island manual gives. The same list bars parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, within 30 feet of a flashing red or yellow light, stop sign or traffic light, within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing, and in front of any driveway. Learn each distance with its own feature so the numbers do not blur together.

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

4. 4. What does the yellow diamond sign with arrows around a circle warn a driver about?

   
   1. A one-way street ending ahead
   2. A railroad crossing with a stopped train
   3. A roundabout ahead
   4. A school bus loading zone only
   Show answer

   A roundabout ahead. The manual describes a yellow diamond warning sign showing an arrow with a circle pattern and two or more arrows pointing away from the circle. That symbol announces roundabout exits and prepares the driver for circular, counterclockwise traffic. It is not the railroad crossing symbol, a one-way termination notice, or a message limited to school buses. Once the sign appears, reduce speed, identify the entrance, and plan your lane position before reaching the circle.

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

5. 5. On a long drive, what rest schedule does the Rhode Island manual recommend?

   1. Stop for at least 5 minutes every four hours or 200 miles
   2. Stop for at least 10 minutes every two hours or 100 miles
   3. Stop for at least 10 minutes every six hours or 300 miles
   4. Stop for at least 2 minutes every three hours or 150 miles
   Show answer

   Stop for at least 10 minutes every two hours or 100 miles. Planned breaks can temporarily offset fatigue on long trips. The manual recommends at least 10 minutes of rest every two hours or every 100 miles, along with regular stops for food, fuel, and restrooms. A shorter pause or a much longer interval does not follow that guidance. It also warns against ignoring personal limits: decide on a reasonable driving distance beforehand and stop when you reach it. Rest remains the most effective response to drowsiness.

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

6. 6. How should you position your left arm to signal a right turn by hand?

   1. Straight out horizontally
   2. Down, with the hand and arm held still
   3. Straight out while waving forward
   4. Up, with the hand and arm held still
   Show answer

   Up, with the hand and arm held still. Raise your left hand and arm and hold them still to indicate a right turn. A straight horizontal arm communicates a left turn, so it would give following traffic a different message. A downward arm communicates slowing or stopping. The handbook allows signals by hand or directional lights and says to give them early enough for people behind you to know what you are going to do.

   Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and roadway markings

7. 7. After moving away from a smoking vehicle and calling 911, when does the manual say you may attempt to put out the fire?

   1. Whenever the hood has been opened
   2. Whenever the smoke briefly becomes lighter
   3. Whenever the engine has cooled for one minute
   4. Only if you have a fire extinguisher
   Show answer

   Only if you have a fire extinguisher. The vehicle-fire procedure first calls for pulling off, shutting off the ignition, moving away, and dialing 911. Its next instruction is not to attempt firefighting unless a fire extinguisher is available. Opening the hood, noticing lighter smoke, or waiting a minute is not the exception the manual gives. The presence of an extinguisher is the specific condition to recognize; without one, do not try to put out the fire while police and fire personnel are summoned.

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

8. 8. If a pedestrian faces a yellow or red traffic light, when may the pedestrian cross?

   1. Whenever the roadway appears empty
   2. Only when a Walk signal is showing
   3. As soon as a flashing hand appears
   4. Only after a driver waves the pedestrian across
   Show answer

   Only when a Walk signal is showing. The manual tells pedestrians facing a yellow or red light to cross only when the Walk signal is showing. An empty-looking roadway does not replace the signal because a vehicle may approach outside the pedestrian’s immediate view. A flashing hand is not the same instruction, and a driver’s wave cannot control the full intersection. Wait at the curb, watch the pedestrian signal, and begin only during the permitted Walk phase.

   Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and roadway markings

9. 9. Your right wheels have dropped off the pavement onto a shoulder that sits well below the road. What does a larger drop-off between roadway and shoulder mean?

   1. You need to brake harder to stop on the shoulder
   2. You can steer back with only one hand on the wheel
   3. You should speed up so the tires climb back on
   4. You need a greater amount of steering control
   Show answer

   You need a greater amount of steering control. For off road recovery, hold the steering wheel firmly on the top half with both hands, because the greater the drop between the road and the shoulder, the more steering control you need. Keep heading straight, ease off the accelerator, and brake gently to about 5 or 10 mph, avoiding hard braking. Speeding up works against that slowing step. Then straddle the edge, pick a spot where the shoulder is closest to road level, check traffic, signal, and steer back. A severe drop may need even more slowing and a very sharp turn.

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

10. 10. About how much wine contains the same amount of alcohol as a 12 ounce container of beer?

    1. An 8 to 10 ounce glass of wine
    2. A 12 ounce glass of wine
    3. A 4 to 5 ounce glass of wine
    4. A 1 to 2 ounce glass of wine
    Show answer

    A 4 to 5 ounce glass of wine. The manual says a 12 ounce container of beer, a 4 to 5 ounce glass of wine, and a 1 to 1 1/2 ounce shot of hard liquor have about the same amount of alcohol. A 12 ounce glass of wine is not equal to a 12 ounce beer, and a 1 to 2 ounce serving is close to the size of a shot of liquor. The manual also warns that any amount of alcohol can affect you differently at different times, and drinking on an empty stomach affects the body faster.

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

11. 11. Which three distances add together to make a vehicle’s total stopping distance?

    1. Following distance, passing distance, and braking distance
    2. Perception distance, reaction distance, and braking distance
    3. Perception distance, lane width, and reaction distance
    4. Braking distance, exit ramp length, and following distance
    Show answer

    Perception distance, reaction distance, and braking distance. Total stopping distance includes the ground covered while recognizing danger, moving to apply the brake, and braking to a stop. Counting only the distance traveled after the brakes engage leaves out the earlier travel. The handbook names these parts perception distance, reaction distance, and braking distance. They all belong to the stopping process. Lane width and the length of an exit ramp are road measurements, not additional stages of that process.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and freeway driving

12. 12. At what age may a Rhode Island resident apply for a Level One Limited Instructional Permit?

    1. Only after turning 18
    2. At 15 years old
    3. At 17 years and 6 months old
    4. At 16 years old
    Show answer

    At 16 years old. The Level One permit is available to an applicant who is at least sixteen and under eighteen, subject to the other application and testing requirements. Fifteen is too early for the permit, while seventeen years six months describes a later full-license milestone. Waiting until eighteen is not necessary to begin the graduated process. A practical study cue is to keep the starting age attached to Level One, then separately remember the six-month permit holding period and the one-year validity rule.

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

13. 13. What travel pattern does the arrow on this ONE WAY sign identify?

    
    1. The next turn must be made only on red
    2. Traffic on the street travels only in the arrow's direction
    3. The right lane is reserved for passing vehicles
    4. Traffic may travel either way until the next block
    Show answer

    Traffic on the street travels only in the arrow's direction. ONE WAY identifies a roadway where traffic moves in the direction shown by the arrow. It does not authorize a turn on red, reserve a lane for passing, or permit opposing travel until another block. Before turning onto such a street, confirm that the vehicle will enter with the flow. The arrow’s direction is the key visual check whenever lane orientation is uncertain.

14. 14. In which group of signs does the Rhode Island manual place this yellow pennant-shaped No Passing Zone sign?

    
    1. Recreation Signs
    2. Guide Signs
    3. Warning Signs
    4. Regulatory Signs
    Show answer

    Warning Signs. The Rhode Island manual shows the yellow pennant labeled No Passing Zone in its Warning Signs panel, alongside Yield Sign Ahead, Traffic Signal Ahead, and Stop Sign Ahead. The regulatory panel also has a No Passing Zone entry, but that one is the white rectangular DO NOT PASS sign, not the pennant. Guide signs help drivers find routes, exits, and services, and recreation signs are not a category in either panel. The yellow color and pennant shape are the clue that this sign sits with the warning signs, not the regulatory ones.

15. 15. What is the only stated circumstance in which a Rhode Island minor may use a cell phone while driving?

    1. An emergency
    2. A hands-free call to a friend
    3. A call while stopped at a red light
    4. A work call during daylight
    Show answer

    An emergency. Drivers under eighteen are prohibited from using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle, including hands-free devices and speakerphone. The manual gives one exception: an emergency. A red light does not automatically authorize a call, and neither a work purpose nor daylight changes the age-based rule. For a minor, connect cell phone use with the emergency exception only, not with the type of device or time of day.

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

16. 16. A Rhode Island driver is found operating a registered vehicle without proof of financial security in effect for the first time. What penalty may apply?

    1. A fine of $500 and a suspension of up to six months
    2. A $50 fine with no possible suspension
    3. A fine of $100 up to $250 and a suspension of up to 30 days
    4. A fine of $1,000 as a civil violation
    Show answer

    A fine of $100 up to $250 and a suspension of up to 30 days. Rhode Island law scales the penalty for operating without financial security in effect. A first offense can bring a suspension of up to 30 days and a fine of $100 up to $250. A second offense raises the possible suspension to six months with a $500 fine, and a third or later offense can bring a suspension of up to one year and a $1,000 civil fine. The flat $500 figure printed in the driver's manual matches only the second offense. A driver stopped without the insurance card has one business day to show coverage that existed at the time, so keep proof in the vehicle with the registration.

17. 17. When should high beams be dimmed while meeting another vehicle at night?

    1. Only after the vehicles are within 50 feet of each other
    2. Promptly when the other vehicle is at least 500 feet ahead
    3. When the other vehicle reaches the same intersection
    4. Never, if the roadway has no streetlights
    Show answer

    Promptly when the other vehicle is at least 500 feet ahead. On an open highway at night, dim high beams promptly at least 500 feet ahead when approaching another vehicle. When following another vehicle at 200 feet or less, dim them as well so the driver ahead is not distracted or blinded. Waiting until 50 feet is much too late, and streetlight conditions do not cancel the courtesy and safety rule. The cue is distance, not whether the roadway feels bright: 500 feet when meeting, and 200 feet when following.

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

18. 18. A Rhode Island driver under 18 commits a second Driving While Impaired violation (BAC 0.02% to 0.08%). What happens to the license?

    1. A 30 day suspension
    2. A 6 month suspension
    3. A warning letter to the parents
    4. Suspension until age 21
    Show answer

    Suspension until age 21. The under 18 Driving While Impaired table lists a 6 to 12 month suspension for a first violation and a license suspension until age 21 for a second violation, along with a $150 highway safety assessment or community restitution. A third or later violation adds a further 2 year suspension. Thirty days and six months fall short of the second offense penalty, and the manual lists no warning letter option. Any measurable impairment at 0.02% or more is a violation for these drivers.

    Study this in the handbook: Refusal and DUI penalties

19. 19. When entering a Rhode Island roadway from a private driveway, where must the driver stop before reaching the curb?

    1. At the sidewalk
    2. Only after the front wheels cross the curb
    3. In the traffic lane beyond the curb
    4. At the nearest intersection
    Show answer

    At the sidewalk. A driver leaving a private road or driveway must stop at the sidewalk first, then continue to the curb line and stop again. The first stop creates a chance to detect pedestrians using the sidewalk. The second stop provides a separate view of approaching traffic. Waiting until the vehicle crosses the curb reverses the safety sequence, and stopping in the lane exposes the driver to a collision. Use the two-stop routine whenever a driveway crosses a sidewalk before joining the roadway.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way at intersections, rotaries and driveways

20. 20. Which group of Rhode Island signs contains rules such as STOP, YIELD, and DO NOT ENTER?

    1. Regulatory signs
    2. Guide signs
    3. Tourist attraction signs
    4. Mile marker signs
    Show answer

    Regulatory signs. The manual places STOP, YIELD, and DO NOT ENTER under the heading Regulatory Signs. These signs communicate traffic controls that drivers must follow. Guide signs instead identify routes, exits, hospitals, food, or services. A mile marker reports location, and a tourist attraction sign points toward a destination. When a sign imposes a movement or entry rule, think regulatory before guide information.