RI Permit Practice Test 23

All 20 questions in test 23

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. A nineteen-year-old employee drives a delivery van carrying sealed cases of wine for work. Which statement applies?

   1. Workers aged sixteen through twenty may transport unopened drinks for employment
   2. Any driver under twenty-one may carry unopened drinks for personal travel
   3. Workers may transport opened bottles if an employer gives permission
   4. Drivers aged sixteen through twenty face no transport limits
   Show answer

   Workers aged sixteen through twenty may transport unopened drinks for employment. The manual creates a narrow employment exception for people from sixteen through twenty who transport unopened alcoholic beverages in the course of their work. A nineteen-year-old carrying sealed delivery cases falls within that age and employment range. The exception does not permit personal transport by every driver under twenty-one, does not cover opened bottles, and does not erase every transport limit for young drivers. Keep the containers unopened and make sure the trip is genuinely part of the employee's work before relying on the exception.

   Study this in the handbook: Refusal and DUI penalties

2. 2. Because a motorcycle can be hidden from your view, what extra care should you take before changing lanes or turning at an intersection?

   1. Check traffic once quickly and proceed as planned
   2. Rely on your mirrors without turning your head
   3. Take extra time to check traffic thoroughly first
   4. Sound your horn and move without pausing
   Show answer

   Take extra time to check traffic thoroughly first. Hidden motorcycles reward patience, so take an extra moment to thoroughly check traffic whether you are changing lanes or turning at an intersection. One quick glance samples a single instant and can miss a bike tucked behind a door post or bush. A horn blast announces you without clearing the space you plan to enter. Build a rhythm instead: mirrors first, head turn second, then a final forward scan before moving. That pause costs a second and can reveal the rider your first glance never registered.

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

3. 3. Why should you leave extra following distance behind a motorcycle, especially when pavement is slippery?

   1. Motorcycles stop much shorter than cars there
   2. Motorcycle brakes lock instantly at any speed
   3. Riders cannot use brakes on wet roads at all
   4. A motorcycle cannot always stop on a dime
   Show answer

   A motorcycle cannot always stop on a dime. Motorcycle stopping distance nearly matches a car, yet slippery pavement makes quick stops difficult, and a motorcycle cannot always stop on a dime. Tailgating on the belief that bikes stop much shorter than cars collapses your margin exactly when the rider needs room to wobble, brake gently, or dodge debris. Keep at least a three to four second space cushion behind a motorcyclist. Widen that cushion further on wet leaves, painted lines, or metal plates, where a hard stop could drop the bike entirely.

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

4. 4. Besides showing where bicyclists may ride, what else is a sharrow meant to reduce?

   1. The number of marked travel lanes downtown
   2. The need for motorists to share any lane
   3. Wrong-way bicycling along the traveled way
   4. Pedestrian crossings at signaled intersections
   Show answer

   Wrong-way bicycling along the traveled way. A shared lane marking alerts motorists to the lateral location bicyclists are likely to occupy within the traveled way and works to reduce the incidence of wrong-way bicycling. Showing where riders belong also encourages travel with traffic, so the option about sharing the lane misses the directional problem this marking addresses. Watch for the bicycle symbol with its chevrons in narrow lanes, and expect riders near the middle rather than against the flow.

   Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and roadway markings

5. 5. At Level 2, when may a provisional holder drive with a supervising driver present?

   1. Only in daylight, with the supervisor in back
   2. Only after midnight, with the supervisor driving
   3. At any time, with the supervisor riding in back
   4. At any time, with the supervisor in the front seat
   Show answer

   At any time, with the supervisor in the front seat. Level 2 permits driving at any time when a supervising driver sits beside the holder in the front seat while the vehicle moves. Placing that supervisor in the back keeps the any-time wording, which can make the back-seat version look right, yet the required front-seat position is missing. Daylight limits and swapping who drives also change the arrangement. Use the front passenger seat as your visual anchor: supervisor belted beside the provisional driver, and the clock no longer blocks that supervised trip.

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

6. 6. What do green arrows at a Rhode Island traffic signal tell motorists?

   1. Stop in the direction the arrow points
   2. Yield to every vehicle on the cross street
   3. Proceed in the direction the arrow is pointing
   4. Turn only after the arrow goes out
   Show answer

   Proceed in the direction the arrow is pointing. Green arrows tell motorists they may proceed in the direction the arrow is pointing, a setup also known as the protected turn situation because opposing traffic stays held. Waiting until the arrow goes out throws away the protected interval and invites conflict once cross traffic receives its green. Move with the arrow while it shows, and stay alert for pedestrians still clearing the crosswalk.

7. 7. When no secure roadside area is available for a rest stop, where should you position your vehicle?

   1. Continue driving until a motel appears
   2. Park close to traffic for better visibility
   3. Stop in the breakdown lane and sleep
   4. Park as far off the highway as possible
   Show answer

   Park as far off the highway as possible. Sleepiness calls for genuine rest, and a guarded roadside area is the preferred place to stop during a long drive. Lacking that option, pull as far away from highway traffic as distance allows, choose a populated lighted spot after dark, lock every door, and shut down the engine. Sleeping in a breakdown lane leaves the car exposed to fast traffic and stray vehicles traveling there wrongfully. Pushing onward while drowsy trades a short delay for a severe loss of alertness.

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

8. 8. In a Rhode Island work zone, what must drivers watch for besides equipment?

   1. Parked delivery trucks at the curb
   2. Workers in the zone
   3. Toll collectors near the exit
   4. Children waiting for buses
   Show answer

   Workers in the zone. Watch out for workers in the zone as well as their equipment, because people on foot stand close to live lanes where barriers may be thin or absent. Delivery trucks at a curb describe an ordinary city scene rather than the hazard this guidance targets. Slow down before the first barrels, keep full attention on the roadway, and expect a worker to step where a driver might not predict.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and freeway driving

9. 9. How must automobiles treat bicyclists who share a Rhode Island roadway?

   1. Pass them without yielding at corners
   2. Yield to bicyclists as for other vehicle types
   3. Sound the horn at every approach
   4. Expect bicyclists to leave the roadway
   Show answer

   Yield to bicyclists as for other vehicle types. Bicyclists travel in the same direction as the rest of traffic, and automobiles must yield to bicyclists in the same way as for other types of vehicles. Blasting the horn near a rider can startle them into a swerve, the opposite of the patience this rule demands. Look for weaving or wobbling that signals an inexperienced rider, and grant extra room until their line steadies.

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

10. 10. When stopped in traffic, why should you leave extra room ahead?

    1. To pull out from behind the vehicle ahead of you
    2. To roll forward slowly without using the brake pedal
    3. To let pedestrians cross between the stopped vehicles
    4. To read dashboard messages while traffic remains stopped
    Show answer

    To pull out from behind the vehicle ahead of you. When stopped in traffic, leave enough room to pull out from behind the vehicle ahead. That escape space helps if the car behind cannot stop or if the lane ahead suddenly blocks. Rolling forward without the brake wastes the safety gap and risks a low speed hit. Stop where you can still see road space ahead, keep the brake pressed, and watch mirrors until traffic moves again.

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

11. 11. What must you be ready to do near a school bus showing flashing red lights?

    1. Stop for the bus with its red lights flashing
    2. Slow slightly and pass the bus with caution
    3. Pass quickly before children reach the roadway
    4. Honk once and continue past the stopped bus
    Show answer

    Stop for the bus with its red lights flashing. Be alert to stop for school buses with flashing red lights. Children may cross in front of the bus where drivers in other lanes have a limited view. Slowing slightly and passing with caution leaves a child in the roadway with too little protection. Stop early, stay stopped while red lights flash, and watch for children who may return for a dropped book or bag before moving.

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

12. 12. How should Rhode Island drivers merge when a work zone lane ends?

    1. Race to the closure and cut in sharply
    2. Stop in the ending lane and wait for a wave
    3. Use the shoulder until the lane reopens fully
    4. Merge as soon as possible at first notice
    Show answer

    Merge as soon as possible at first notice. Moving into the through lane at first notice keeps traffic flowing steadily through a work zone and avoids a cluster of forced merges at the barrels. Racing to the closure may gain a few car lengths, yet it creates braking waves and sideswipe risk where space runs out. Read the first merge sign as the instruction itself, signal, find a gap beside the through lane, and blend in early.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and freeway driving

13. 13. Which set of actions shows road rage rather than ordinary frustration?

    1. Checking mirrors, signaling, and leaving the scene calmly behind other traffic
    2. Throwing objects, yelling at a driver, and trying to ram a vehicle
    3. Slowing down, opening a gap, and refusing to make gestures
    4. Pulling over safely and waiting until tempers cool down
    Show answer

    Throwing objects, yelling at a driver, and trying to ram a vehicle. Throwing something at a vehicle, shouting at a particular driver, and attempting to ram another car all target a person and signal road rage. Those acts go far beyond feeling annoyed at a delay. Mirror checks and a calm departure show control returning, not hostility rising. Opening a gap and skipping gestures likewise defuse a tense moment. Pulling over to cool down protects everyone nearby. Memorize the contrast before you need it. When anger pushes toward confrontation, choose distance and delay every time, even if the other driver behaves badly.

14. 14. How can strong upset change a driver who normally handles traffic calmly?

    1. Reactions stay exactly the same even under intense personal stress at work
    2. Upset improves patience when traffic slows to a crawl ahead
    3. Normal responses to ordinary traffic situations may change noticeably
    4. Emotional strain affects only new drivers during their first year
    Show answer

    Normal responses to ordinary traffic situations may change noticeably. A driver who is emotionally upset may not react the way they usually do at a light, a merge, or a sudden stop. Stress narrows attention and can turn a routine moment into a late brake or a rash move. Believing that reactions stay frozen under pressure ignores how quickly frustration builds in slow traffic. Experience helps, yet veteran drivers are not immune when grief or anger takes hold. Notice tight hands or racing thoughts early, then create space, slow down, or stop somewhere safe until steadier.

15. 15. What do arrows and signs on a shared turn lane tell drivers?

    1. Lane may carry through traffic during rush hours
    2. Lane stays open for parking between turns
    3. Lane is restricted to turning movements only
    4. Lane allows passing slower vehicles on left
    Show answer

    Lane is restricted to turning movements only. A shared turn lane sits center road, edged by solid single yellow lines outside and broken yellow lines inside the lane. Pavement arrows and posted signs reserve that space strictly for turning, and drivers should enter only when a turn lies within about one hundred feet. Cruising straight through the center lane invites head on meetings with opposing drivers planning turns of their own. Treat the lane as a brief turning pocket, enter late, and leave promptly into the side street.

    Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and roadway markings

16. 16. A rear impact is now unavoidable. When should you release your brakes?

    1. Just before the collision occurs behind you
    2. Immediately after the collision has finished
    3. Halfway through the impact from behind
    4. Only after sliding into another traffic lane
    Show answer

    Just before the collision occurs behind you. Releasing your brakes just before a rear collision occurs softens the impact because your vehicle can roll slightly with the force instead of resisting it rigidly. Waiting until after the collision finishes removes the benefit at the moment the force arrives. Releasing halfway through is also later than the manual's instruction, and sliding into another lane is a danger to avoid, not a trigger for this step. Brake immediately after the collision to avoid sliding into another traffic lane.

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

17. 17. How does the body get rid of alcohol after drinking?

    1. The stomach filters alcohol out before it reaches the blood
    2. Sweating during hard exercise pushes alcohol out through the skin quickly
    3. The kidneys store alcohol until the driver eats again
    4. The liver burns alcohol steadily while kidneys and lungs eliminate it
    Show answer

    The liver burns alcohol steadily while kidneys and lungs eliminate it. The liver burns alcohol at a set rate, and the kidneys and lungs help eliminate it from the body over time. Exercise sweat does not flush alcohol out fast enough to restore safe driving, and eating again does not release some stored supply on demand. Because the burn rate stays steady, waiting is the only path back toward sobriety after drinking. Count hours since the last drink, stay off the road while any doubt remains, and let a sober person drive.

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

18. 18. What does a posted No Parking sign do to an otherwise available curb space?

    1. It reserves the space for any vehicle loading
    2. It makes parking there prohibited
    3. It permits parking until traffic becomes heavy
    4. It applies only to vehicles on one way roads
    Show answer

    It makes parking there prohibited. A posted No Parking sign identifies the location as a place where parking is prohibited. An open curb and light traffic do not change that restriction. The sign does not reserve the space for any vehicle loading, allow parking until congestion develops, or limit the rule to one way roads. In this question, the posted words control the curb space, so a driver must choose another place to park.

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

19. 19. A parked vehicle's door opens toward moving traffic. How long may it remain open while passengers load or unload?

    1. Only as long as necessary to load or unload passengers
    2. Until traffic behind the vehicle stops
    3. For as long as the driver remains inside
    4. Until the next vehicle passes, even if loading is complete
    Show answer

    Only as long as necessary to load or unload passengers. Rhode Island allows a door on the side facing moving traffic to stay open only for the time needed to load or unload passengers. The rule does not extend that period because the driver remains seated, traffic has stopped, or another vehicle has passed. Once loading or unloading is finished, the door must not remain open toward traffic. This protects passing vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists from striking an open door or being forced around it.

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

20. 20. In which pair of places does Rhode Island prohibit parking or stopping?

    1. Beside a mail box or a news box
    2. On a bridge or in a tunnel
    3. Near a school or a library entrance
    4. Along a fence or a stone wall
    Show answer

    On a bridge or in a tunnel. Bridges and tunnels leave almost no escape room and no shoulder for a standing vehicle, so Rhode Island bans parking and stopping in both places. A school or library entrance might feel equally sensitive, yet the listed ban targets structures where lanes are confined and sight lines shrink. If trouble forces a stop on a bridge, keep rolling to the far end when possible and clear the traveled way completely.

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