RI Permit Practice Test 22

All 20 questions in test 22

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. Which vehicles does Rhode Island bar from the far left freeway lane?

   1. Passenger cars traveling alone
   2. Vehicles exiting within one mile
   3. Motorcycles during daylight hours
   4. Trucks, busses, and other special vehicles
   Show answer

   Trucks, busses, and other special vehicles. The far left lane is reserved for passing, and trucks, busses, and other special vehicles are prohibited from traveling in that lane on Rhode Island freeways. Passenger cars traveling alone face no such lane ban, which makes the passenger-car choice a distraction built from carpool ideas found elsewhere. Heavy vehicles should stay in the middle or right lanes, leaving the passing lane open for overtaking traffic.

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

2. 2. How serious are head-on collisions compared with other crash types?

   1. They usually cause less injury than other crashes
   2. They cause injury similar to most other crashes
   3. They may cause the most serious injuries overall
   4. They mainly damage vehicles with little injury risk
   Show answer

   They may cause the most serious injuries overall. Head on crashes combine the closing speeds of two vehicles, so forces at impact exceed those in most other crash types. That closing speed explains why injury risk rises so sharply for drivers and passengers alike. Treating these crashes as mainly vehicle damage understates the human risk involved. If a head on threat develops, brake hard without locking wheels, sound the horn, flash headlights, and steer right toward the shoulder. Moving right gives the other driver room to recover, while steering left can place both vehicles in the same path.

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

3. 3. How is a driver's BAC level used under Rhode Island law?

   1. It matters only when a driver admits to drinking
   2. It replaces all other evidence in every court case
   3. It serves as evidence of legal intoxication or unfitness
   4. It applies solely to drivers younger than twenty one
   Show answer

   It serves as evidence of legal intoxication or unfitness. In Rhode Island, a BAC level counts as evidence that a driver is legally intoxicated or unfit to drive. No admission of drinking is required before that evidence carries weight during a stop or prosecution. Age does not confine the rule to younger drivers, since adults face BAC evidence standards as well. Still, a single reading does not erase every other fact a court may hear. The safest response to any drinking is simple: hand the keys to someone sober.

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

4. 4. You start a new prescription medicine. What should you ask your doctor before driving?

   1. Whether the medicine has side effects that affect driving
   2. Whether the medicine lets you skip sleep before long trips
   3. How quickly the medicine removes alcohol from your body
   4. Whether the medicine improves night vision for highway driving
   Show answer

   Whether the medicine has side effects that affect driving. Before driving on a new prescription, ask your doctor about side effects tied to driving, such as drowsiness or slower reactions. A prescription is not a permit to skip sleep on long trips, and it does not speed alcohol out of the body. Night vision claims also miss the safety point, since many common medicines dull control instead of sharpening sight. Read the label, note how the first doses feel at home, and postpone driving until your doctor clears the routine.

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

5. 5. A friend drinks too much and then has coffee and a walk outside. What should you expect?

   1. The coffee lowers blood alcohol enough for safe driving home
   2. Fresh air and exercise remove alcohol from the blood quickly
   3. Coffee and fresh air may wake the person without sobering them
   4. A large meal after drinking cancels the alcohol already absorbed
   Show answer

   Coffee and fresh air may wake the person without sobering them. Coffee, food, fresh air, and exercise can make an intoxicated person look more awake while leaving sobriety unchanged, and only time reduces alcohol effects. A friend who chats clearly after coffee may still judge gaps badly and react slowly behind the wheel. Eating afterward cannot cancel alcohol that has already entered the blood. Keep the keys away from that friend, call a sober driver or rideshare, and wait hours rather than trusting a lively conversation.

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

6. 6. You check traffic before turning and see a motorcycle approaching. How should you judge its distance?

   1. Assume it is farther away than it appears
   2. Judge it exactly like a full size car
   3. Wait only if its headlight looks very bright
   4. Treat it as closer than it looks to you
   Show answer

   Treat it as closer than it looks to you. A motorcycle looks farther away than it really is because of its narrow profile, so treat it as closer than it looks before turning across its path. Judging it exactly like a full size car repeats the size error that causes many left turn collisions. That small shape also hides easily behind mirrors, posts, and roadside objects. Take an extra moment and look twice for a single headlight before committing to the turn, especially at dusk.

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

7. 7. Why should cruise control stay off when rain makes hydroplaning possible?

   1. Cruise control disables the anti lock brakes
   2. Cruise control locks the front wheels on water
   3. The car speeds up and the driver loses control
   4. The engine stalls when tires lose road contact
   Show answer

   The car speeds up and the driver loses control. Cruise control holds a set speed, so when tires lose contact with wet pavement the system can drive the car faster and the driver loses control during hydroplaning. Wet weather demands your foot ready to ease off the accelerator the instant grip fades. A stalled engine is not the described danger here, since powered wheels spinning on water create the surge. Keep cruise off for the whole wet stretch, not just during the heaviest rain, because standing water hides in dips.

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

8. 8. What does a green arrow shown for a protected turn lane allow you to do?

   1. Turn with protection from oncoming traffic in that lane
   2. Turn only after stopping fully at the line
   3. Proceed straight through without checking cross traffic
   4. Yield to oncoming traffic before starting your turn
   Show answer

   Turn with protection from oncoming traffic in that lane. A protected turn lane uses its own arrow signal so turning drivers are shielded from oncoming traffic while they complete the turn. Stopping fully at the line before every arrow turn adds a step the signal does not require once the green arrow is showing. Oncoming vehicles have a red signal during this phase, which is why protection exists. Watch for pedestrians in the crosswalk while turning, since the arrow protects you from vehicles but people may still be crossing your path.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and roundabouts

9. 9. A winter road looks dry and bare as you drive across it. Why can that surface still be dangerously slippery?

   1. Dry looking pavement always grips like summer roads
   2. Black ice can make dry looking roads slippery
   3. Cold air removes all moisture from road surfaces
   4. Sunlight melts ice faster on shaded bridge decks
   Show answer

   Black ice can make dry looking roads slippery. Roads that seem dry may actually be slippery and dangerous because a thin sheet of black ice can coat pavement without changing how it looks. Assuming that a dry appearance guarantees summer grip invites normal speeds on a surface that offers almost no traction. Shaded spots and bridge decks freeze early and thaw late, the opposite of the sunny melting picture. Ease off the accelerator when temperatures hover near freezing, and test grip gently long before you need firm braking or a sharp turn.

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

10. 10. The first snow or ice of winter covers the road while you are driving. How should you adjust your speed and spacing?

    1. Drive well below the posted limit with extra space
    2. Hold the posted limit on familiar local roads
    3. Follow closer so brake lights stay visible
    4. Speed up slightly to keep your tires warm
    Show answer

    Drive well below the posted limit with extra space. First snow or ice catches many drivers unprepared, so slow well below the posted speed limit and leave plenty of room between cars. Holding the posted limit treats a fair weather maximum as safe on a slick surface where tires grip poorly. Familiar roads hide the same ice as strange ones. Gentle inputs matter as much as pace: brake earlier than usual, steer smoothly, and double the gap you would accept on dry pavement so a small slide never becomes a rear end collision.

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

11. 11. When are people most likely to become excited, afraid, or angry while driving?

    1. During routine trips with no surprises along the way
    2. When they are faced with threatening situations on the road
    3. Only after driving several hours without any break at all
    4. Whenever passengers stay quiet during an ordinary short trip
    Show answer

    When they are faced with threatening situations on the road. A threatening moment, such as a near miss or an aggressive move nearby, can flood a driver with excitement, fear, or anger in seconds. Recognizing that pattern helps you label the surge instead of obeying it. Calm routine travel rarely produces the same spike, and a long drive is not required for emotions to flare. Quiet passengers do not create the threat either. After any scare, check your breathing and grip before the next decision. Loosen your hands, scan far ahead, and let the feeling pass before acting.

12. 12. Which pair of habits helps you avoid suffering the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning in your vehicle?

    1. Long idling with every window tightly closed
    2. Skipping exhaust checks unless smoke appears inside
    3. Warming the car inside a closed garage
    4. Periodic exhaust checks and no long closed-window idling
    Show answer

    Periodic exhaust checks and no long closed-window idling. Two habits guard against carbon monoxide trouble: have the exhaust system checked periodically, and avoid idling the vehicle with windows closed for a long stretch. Skipping checks until smoke appears inside waits for a leak to announce itself through the very fumes you cannot smell. A closed garage during warm up concentrates exhaust around the car before you even depart. If yawning, dizziness, or nausea starts on a cold drive, open every window for fresh air and treat lingering symptoms as a reason to stop.

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

13. 13. Which location does Rhode Island include in its list of places where parking or stopping is prohibited?

    1. A marked curbside space where parking is allowed
    2. Within 20 feet of a fire station driveway
    3. A shoulder outside the main traveled portion
    4. A private driveway with the owner's permission
    Show answer

    Within 20 feet of a fire station driveway. Rhode Island lists a place within 20 feet of a fire station driveway as a no parking or stopping location. The same rule also covers the opposite side of the street within 75 feet when signs are posted. A marked legal curb space, an available shoulder, or permission to use a private driveway does not change the listed fire station restriction. The key distance is 20 feet, not a general curbside rule.

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

14. 14. At an intersection, why might a motorcycle rider slow down without a brake light?

    1. The rider may be downshifting or rolling off the throttle
    2. The rider must tap the brakes before every slowdown
    3. Brake lights stay lit whenever speed drops
    4. The rider will always coast to the curb first
    Show answer

    The rider may be downshifting or rolling off the throttle. Motorcyclists often slow by downshifting or simply rolling off the throttle, so the brake light may not come on. The rider is not required to tap the brakes for every reduction in speed, and a brake light does not stay lit whenever speed drops. A motorcyclist may slow without moving to the curb. Keep three to four seconds of following distance so you have time to respond when the rider slows without a light warning.

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

15. 15. After being awake for 18 hours, driving impairment is about equal to what blood alcohol level?

    1. A blood alcohol concentration near .05 percent
    2. A blood alcohol concentration near .02 percent
    3. A blood alcohol concentration near .10 percent
    4. No measurable loss of driving skill or judgment
    Show answer

    A blood alcohol concentration near .05 percent. The manual compares 18 hours awake with driving impairment approximately equal to a .05 blood alcohol concentration. It also states that 24 hours awake is approximately equal to .10, which is a different and higher comparison. The .02 choice is below the cited 18-hour figure, while the claim of no measurable loss conflicts with the manual's finding of impairment. The comparison shows why a driver should stop and rest rather than treat prolonged wakefulness as harmless.

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

16. 16. Your turn signals fail and you must signal a stop by hand. How do you show it?

    1. Left arm straight out with the hand held still
    2. Left arm bent upward with the hand held still
    3. Left arm waving slowly toward the rear window
    4. Left arm pointing down with the hand held still
    Show answer

    Left arm pointing down with the hand held still. Hand signals use the left arm, and each position carries a separate meaning. An arm pointing down tells drivers behind you that you plan to stop or slow down. Straight out means a left turn, while bent upward means a right turn, so either reading would send following traffic the wrong message. Waving adds motion the code never assigns and can be read as a wave through. Hold the downward arm still long enough for drivers behind to notice before you brake.

    Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and roadway markings

17. 17. You are about to pull out of a parking space into traffic. What should you check just before moving?

    1. Look only in the inside mirror for traffic behind
    2. Check both mirrors and glance over your left shoulder
    3. Turn around fully and watch only behind your vehicle
    4. Check the right shoulder for traffic in blind spots
    Show answer

    Check both mirrors and glance over your left shoulder. Leaving a parking space puts your vehicle into a traffic lane that mirrors alone cannot show completely. Before moving out, use the rear view and side view mirrors, then turn your head toward your left shoulder to cover the blind spots beside and behind you. Using only the inside mirror, as one option describes, can hide a car or cyclist already alongside your rear quarter. After that shoulder check, signal, glance left once more, and ease into the nearest lane only when the gap stays open.

    Study this in the handbook: Stopping, turning and passing

18. 18. What is the minimum age listed for a Rhode Island Full Operator's License?

    1. At least sixteen years old, with a valid permit
    2. At least seventeen years and six months old
    3. At least seventeen years old, without a provisional license
    4. At least twenty-one years old, after a road test
    Show answer

    At least seventeen years and six months old. The manual lists seventeen years and six months as the minimum age for a Full Operator's License. That age is only one requirement, so the applicant must also meet the holding period and recent driving record rules. Sixteen is associated with the earliest permit stage, not a full license. Turning seventeen without the extra six months is still too soon, and twenty-one is not the licensing threshold. Use the half-year mark after the seventeenth birthday as the age checkpoint when reviewing the Level 3 requirements.

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

19. 19. When may a permit holder be excused from wearing a safety belt for medical reasons?

    1. After providing the DMV a note from a parent
    2. After providing the DMV a letter from an employer
    3. After informing the road test examiner before driving
    4. After giving DMV a physician letter citing medical reasons
    Show answer

    After giving DMV a physician letter citing medical reasons. A medical excuse from belt use requires a physician letter delivered to the DMV explaining why the belt cannot be worn. A parent note may describe symptoms at home, yet it lacks the medical authority this exception demands. An employer letter and a quick word with an examiner also fall short for the same reason. Carry the situation in mind as paperwork before driving: doctor first, agency review second, and only then does the exception replace the normal belt requirement during practice.

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

20. 20. While waiting to make a left turn at an intersection, when may you turn your wheels into the intended path?

    1. As soon as the turn signal is switched on
    2. Only after the way is clear to make the turn
    3. When the vehicle behind begins to pass
    4. Before stopping, so the car is ready to move
    Show answer

    Only after the way is clear to make the turn. Keep the wheels straight while you wait, then turn them only after the path is clear. If the wheels are already pointed left and another vehicle strikes from behind, your car could be pushed into oncoming traffic. Switching on the signal announces your plan but does not make the turn safe. A vehicle behind passing on the right is another reason to hold position. The clear path check comes before steering into the turn.

    Study this in the handbook: Stopping, turning and passing