RI Permit Practice Test 24

All 20 questions in test 24

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. An emergency vehicle approaches with lights and siren in Rhode Island. What must a driver do?

   1. Speed up to clear the intersection faster
   2. Move left toward the median and slow down
   3. Pull over to the right, stop, and wait for it to pass
   4. Follow closely behind it through traffic
   Show answer

   Pull over to the right, stop, and wait for it to pass. Emergency vehicles hold the right-of-way at all times, and an approaching one requires a driver to pull over to the right, stop, and wait until it passes. Moving left can place a car in the path the responder expects to use, while trailing behind it exploits a gap other drivers have not yet closed. After it passes, signal and check over the shoulder before rejoining traffic flow.

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

2. 2. On a long trip, how often should you stop to rest and fight off drowsiness?

   1. Every 100 miles or every two hours of driving
   2. Every 300 miles or every six hours of driving
   3. Only after your eyes start closing on the road
   4. Every 25 miles or every thirty minutes of driving
   Show answer

   Every 100 miles or every two hours of driving. Fatigue builds quietly, so breaks work best on a schedule rather than on a feeling. Stopping every 100 miles or every two hours interrupts that build, and a pause of at least ten minutes lets alertness recover for a while. Waiting until eyelids droop wastes the warning period, since nodding off can follow quickly. Fuel, food, and restroom stops can double as rest stops when routes are planned with margin. On long drives, write the stop towns down before departure.

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

3. 3. What do single or double solid yellow lines prohibit in Rhode Island?

   1. Turning into a driveway from the lane
   2. Passing other vehicles and crossing the lines
   3. Driving beside a parked vehicle in town
   4. Entering a shared center turn lane nearby
   Show answer

   Passing other vehicles and crossing the lines. Solid yellow lines, single or double, separate opposing traffic and bar passing as well as crossing, apart from narrow exceptions such as a legal turn or an object blocking the road. Turning into a driveway can fit an exception, so treating every driveway entry as banned overreads the marking. When the yellow beside the vehicle stays solid, remain in lane, even behind a slow driver.

   Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and roadway markings

4. 4. During the hill stop on a driving test, what will the examiner ask you to do?

   1. Stop on the left side and shift into drive
   2. Slow down briefly without setting the brake
   3. Stop on the right, set brake, shift neutral
   4. Stop in the center and keep the engine racing
   Show answer

   Stop on the right, set brake, shift neutral. Hill testing follows a fixed sequence on the right side of the road: come to a full stop, set the parking brake, then shift into neutral. That brake has to hold the vehicle against rollback while it sits on the grade. Merely slowing without securing the car proves nothing about holding power and invites a backward drift. Remembering right side, brake, neutral as a chained trio keeps the steps orderly when nerves rise during evaluation.

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

5. 5. You feel upset but still need to drive. When should you start driving?

   1. Start driving immediately to reach your home sooner
   2. Wait until strong feelings fade before driving
   3. Drive slowly while thinking through the problem
   4. Ask passengers to watch the road instead
   Show answer

   Wait until strong feelings fade before driving. Strong feelings such as anger or grief bend judgment, speed choices, and courtesy toward other people sharing the road. Most upsets cool with a short pause, so delay departure until emotional intensity settles and calm control returns. Leaving at once to save minutes carries that tension into following distance, lane discipline, and reactions at intersections. Walking briefly, breathing slowly, or sipping water helps the pause work, and handing keys to someone steadier remains wiser when distress lingers.

6. 6. What happens to clear thinking when a driver is gripped by strong emotion?

   1. Anger helps drivers weigh every option more carefully than usual
   2. Strong feelings leave reasoning untouched during busy traffic moments everywhere
   3. Fear affects eyesight only and never clouds driving decisions
   4. Strong emotions affect our ability to think, reason and make decisions
   Show answer

   Strong emotions affect our ability to think, reason and make decisions. Fear, anger, and excitement all compete with the mental work driving demands. A stirred up mind reads signals late, misjudges gaps, and settles on hasty choices it would normally reject. The idea that reasoning stays untouched is appealing, but pressure in heavy traffic often produces the opposite result. Vision matters, yet clouded judgment can cause trouble long before eyesight fails. A useful habit is naming the feeling before moving off. If thoughts keep racing, delay the trip or let a calmer person drive that day.

7. 7. How does road rage usually develop from everyday aggressive habits?

   1. Road rage is an escalation of emotions ignited by aggressive driving
   2. Road rage appears suddenly without any earlier aggressive behaviour at all hours
   3. Road rage grows only from mechanical failures during long trips
   4. Road rage starts when a driver yields too often in traffic
   Show answer

   Road rage is an escalation of emotions ignited by aggressive driving. Road rage rarely arrives from nowhere. Pushy habits such as tailgating, speeding, and ignoring controls stir emotions until self control slips and retaliation feels tempting. That steady build explains why calming down early matters so much. Mechanical trouble can frustrate anyone, but it does not by itself create rage toward another person. Yielding also calms situations rather than inflaming them. Treat rising irritation as a warning light. Slow your breathing, increase following distance, and let the provoking vehicle go rather than feeding a contest neither driver can win safely.

8. 8. What does double parking mean under Rhode Island parking rules?

   1. Stopping beside a vehicle already parked at the street side
   2. Parking two vehicles deep inside a private garage
   3. Using two marked spaces in an empty lot
   4. Backing into a space from the travel lane
   Show answer

   Stopping beside a vehicle already parked at the street side. Double parking means stopping beside a vehicle that already sits parked at the side of a street, which leaves the second vehicle standing in a travel lane. Using two marked spaces in an empty lot may annoy others, yet it does not place a vehicle alongside a curb parked car in moving traffic. If the curb row is full, circle the block or choose a lot instead of standing alongside.

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

9. 9. You park along a two lane road where parking is allowed. How close must your right wheels be to the curb?

   1. Within eighteen inches of the right curb edge
   2. Within twelve inches of the right curb edge
   3. Within twenty four inches of the right curb edge
   4. Within twelve inches of the left curb edge
   Show answer

   Within twelve inches of the right curb edge. On a two lane road, Rhode Island sets twelve inches as the greatest distance allowed between your right wheels and the right side of the road or curb. Eighteen or twenty four inches leaves part of the car jutting into the lane where traffic and cyclists pass. Using the left curb as the reference also puts the vehicle on the wrong side of the roadway for this rule. Check the gap beside the right wheels after parking and move closer if it exceeds twelve inches.

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

10. 10. Which devices should Rhode Island motorists expect inside a work zone?

    1. Cones, barrels, tubes, panels, barricades, and flashing arrow boards
    2. Permanent overhead lane control signals and school zone flashers
    3. Railroad crossing gates and warning bells
    4. Parking meters and bus stop signs
    Show answer

    Cones, barrels, tubes, panels, barricades, and flashing arrow boards. Work zones can use temporary warning devices such as cones, barrels, tubes, panels, barricades, flashing arrow boards, and temporary roadway markings. Permanent overhead lane signals and school zone flashers describe different traffic controls, while railroad gates belong to crossings and parking meters regulate curb use. The question concerns devices that guide motorists through changing work areas, not every device found somewhere along a road. Seeing one of the listed temporary devices is a cue to expect altered lanes, markings, or traffic movement.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and freeway driving

11. 11. What should you do if someone tries to enter your automobile?

    1. Unlock the doors and ask the person to explain
    2. Sound your horn or trigger the auto alarm
    3. Drive immediately into the nearest traffic lane
    4. Leave the vehicle and confront the person outside
    Show answer

    Sound your horn or trigger the auto alarm. If someone tries to get into your automobile, sound the horn or auto alarm. Noise draws attention and may drive the person away without a fight. Leaving the vehicle to confront the person outside raises the risk of injury. Keep doors locked whenever you enter or leave, stay inside when possible, and drive toward a police station or busy public place if the threat continues after the alarm sounds.

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

12. 12. What should you do when an aggressive driver challenges you directly?

    1. Brake suddenly to teach the other driver a lesson
    2. Race ahead to prove your position was right
    3. Take a deep breath and move out of the way
    4. Follow the other driver to demand an explanation
    Show answer

    Take a deep breath and move out of the way. If an aggressive driver challenges you, take a deep breath and get out of the way, even if you think you are right. Being right is worthless after a crash. Braking suddenly to teach a lesson can trigger a rear end hit or a worse confrontation. Change lanes when safe, slow down, or turn onto another street, and save your energy for arriving alive at your destination.

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

13. 13. Which action counts as aggressive behavior in the passing lane?

    1. Yielding promptly when a faster driver approaches behind you
    2. Signaling early before moving into the passing lane
    3. Checking mirrors before returning to the right lane
    4. Blocking the passing lane instead of yielding to passers
    Show answer

    Blocking the passing lane instead of yielding to passers. Blocking the passing lane by not yielding to someone wishing to pass is listed among behaviors tied to road violence. The passing lane is for overtaking, then returning right when clear. Yielding promptly when a faster driver approaches is cooperative driving, not aggression. Finish a pass without lingering beside trucks, check mirrors, signal, and move right so traffic behind can proceed without tailgating or weaving.

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

14. 14. Why are distraction and inattention treated as forms of impairment?

    1. They cause thousands of collisions and deaths yearly
    2. They cause minor delays without causing serious crashes
    3. They affect parked vehicles more than moving traffic
    4. They reduce impairment during long and tiring highway trips
    Show answer

    They cause thousands of collisions and deaths yearly. Distraction and inattention impair driving much like alcohol does, and together they produce thousands of collisions and deaths every twelve months. Looking away, reaching for objects, or letting thoughts drift all pull attention from hazards that need quick responses. Claiming that distraction lowers impairment reverses the risk, because an impaired driver reacts late and steers unevenly. A useful cue is to finish calls, snacks, and navigation setup before moving, then keep both hands ready and scan the path ahead continuously during every trip.

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

15. 15. What is the first listed effect of a license suspension in Rhode Island?

    1. Your violations stay private and hidden from insurance companies
    2. You cannot legally drive in any state during suspension
    3. You may drive only for work during the suspension period
    4. Your license returns automatically after thirty days pass
    Show answer

    You cannot legally drive in any state during suspension. During a suspension, the driver cannot legally operate a motor vehicle in Rhode Island or any other state for any reason. A work trip does not create an exception, and waiting thirty days does not restore driving privileges. The public-record consequence is separate and does not authorize driving. Treat the suspension period as a complete stop: do not drive until the license is properly reinstated. This rule follows the driver across state lines, so obtaining or using another state license would not make the trip lawful.

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

16. 16. How often does Rhode Island say work zone layouts can change?

    1. Only at the start of each week
    2. Only when a new contractor arrives
    3. Rarely, since zones stay fixed for months
    4. Hourly, so drivers should expect the unexpected
    Show answer

    Hourly, so drivers should expect the unexpected. Work zones can change hourly as crews move barrels, open or close lanes, and shift work areas, so yesterday memory of a zone proves little today. Assuming a zone stays fixed for months invites a driver to follow an old lane pattern into a fresh closure, which is how surprise turns into a crash. Read each approach as new, follow the signs posted that hour, and watch flaggers over habit.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and freeway driving

17. 17. What standard describes a good driver regarding alcohol and other drugs?

    1. Impaired only after several drinks at night
    2. Slightly impaired when driving short distances
    3. Impaired only when no passengers ride along
    4. Never impaired by alcohol or other drugs
    Show answer

    Never impaired by alcohol or other drugs. A good driver stays completely free from impairment caused by alcohol or by any other drug before getting behind the wheel. The short-distance idea tempts some learners because a brief trip feels low risk, yet impairment affects judgment and reaction time from the first block onward. Passengers, darkness, and drink count do not create a safe exception. Use a simple pre-drive check: if any substance could dull alertness, hand the keys to a sober person or arrange another ride home.

18. 18. What should you expect to feel when ABS brakes work during a hard stop?

    1. A steady vibration that means the system failed
    2. A grinding noise that means release the pedal
    3. A pulsing in the brake pedal during braking
    4. A soft pedal that sinks slowly toward the floor
    Show answer

    A pulsing in the brake pedal during braking. Pulsing through the brake pedal during a hard stop is normal ABS operation, since the system rapidly applies and releases pressure to keep wheels rolling. A soft pedal sinking toward the floor points to a different fault, not healthy anti lock action. Keep firm pressure and steer toward your escape path while the system cycles. Releasing the pedal because the pulsing feels strange removes the braking force you need, so hold pressure and let the wheels keep grip.

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

19. 19. Where should you choose to re-enter the roadway from the shoulder?

    1. Where the shoulder drops far below the roadway
    2. Where the shoulder rises well above the roadway
    3. Wherever the shoulder is widest along the road
    4. Where the shoulder is nearest roadway level
    Show answer

    Where the shoulder is nearest roadway level. The climb from shoulder to pavement works best where both surfaces sit at nearly the same height. Choosing a spot where the shoulder drops far below the roadway forces a sharper, less stable climb. Width alone does not solve a height mismatch, and a raised shoulder can unsettle the vehicle differently. Slow to five or ten miles per hour, straddle the edge, then check traffic and signal before returning. Watch for the instant the front tires touch pavement, because a sharp counter steer keeps the vehicle from darting across the lane.

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

20. 20. When another driver hesitates over right-of-way, what does Rhode Island counsel?

    1. Yield to the other driver; it may save a life
    2. Proceed first to keep traffic moving
    3. Flash headlights and take the space
    4. Wait for a police officer to direct you
    Show answer

    Yield to the other driver; it may save a life. Yield to the other driver in these cases; it may save a life, Rhode Island advises, because insisting on a legal privilege cannot undo a collision. Flashing headlights and taking the space turns a misunderstanding into a contest neither driver fully controls. Courtesy at a confusing intersection costs a few seconds, and the manual treats that patience as a safety habit rather than a weakness.

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