RI Permit Practice Test 25

All 20 questions in test 25

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. You plan to turn right at a driveway and a bicyclist is riding straight ahead on your right. What must you do before turning?

   1. Turn quickly before the bicyclist reaches the driveway entrance
   2. Check on your right and behind for bicyclists going straight
   3. Move right immediately without checking behind your vehicle
   4. Assume bicyclists will stop and let turning cars proceed
   Show answer

   Check on your right and behind for bicyclists going straight. A rider continuing ahead on your right can reach a driveway entrance just as you begin to swing across that path. Before a right turn at an intersection or driveway, look toward your right side and to the rear for riders who plan to continue ahead, then wait until their path is clear. Turning quickly to beat the rider, as one option suggests, cuts across the space the rider is lawfully using. Use your right mirror, turn your head for a shoulder check, and let riders going straight pass before steering.

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

2. 2. You can see the passed vehicle tires in your inside rear-view mirror. What does that tell you?

   1. It is safe to return to the right side
   2. It is safe to return to the left side
   3. You should speed up before returning right
   4. You must remain left until the next intersection
   Show answer

   It is safe to return to the right side. The inside rear mirror gives a simple spacing test after a pass. When the tires of the passed vehicle appear on the pavement in that mirror, enough distance separates both vehicles for a safe return to the right side. Returning toward the left side reverses the passing pattern and keeps you in the passing path longer. Speeding up before returning only stretches the pass without creating the needed mirror picture. Signal right first, confirm the tire view, then move back and cancel the signal once settled in the right lane again.

   Study this in the handbook: Stopping, turning and passing

3. 3. Why must drivers use extra caution around children riding bicycles?

   1. Children judge speed and distance as well as adults do
   2. Children see sideways traffic as clearly as adults do
   3. Children lack danger awareness and expect adults to watch
   4. Children ride in straight lines and rarely wobble unexpectedly
   Show answer

   Children lack danger awareness and expect adults to watch. Children on bicycles cannot judge speed or distance well, see poorly from the corners of their eyes, and lack a real sense of danger. They may believe adults will look out for them. Saying children judge traffic as well as adults do reverses that weakness and can lead a driver to pass too closely. Slow down near school zones and neighborhoods, watch for wobbling riders, and give young cyclists generous clearance.

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

4. 4. How may an experienced cyclist handle a Rhode Island roundabout?

   1. By walking the bicycle across the crosswalk only
   2. By navigating the roundabout like a motorist
   3. By riding against traffic around the island
   4. By waiting for a motorist to wave them through
   Show answer

   By navigating the roundabout like a motorist. Experienced cyclists may navigate roundabouts like motorists, riding in the middle of the lane rather than near the curb so vehicles cannot squeeze past within the circle. Less experienced riders generally walk their bicycles across the pedestrian crosswalk instead, which is why the walking option describes a valid choice for others rather than the experienced path asked here. Drivers should expect both patterns and yield at entries either way.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and roundabouts

5. 5. As driving speed rises in Rhode Island, what happens before a driver can apply the brake?

   1. The vehicle travels a shorter distance first
   2. Braking distance shrinks on dry roads
   3. The vehicle will travel further before braking begins
   4. Reaction time disappears at highway speed
   Show answer

   The vehicle will travel further before braking begins. The higher the driving speed, the further your vehicle will travel before you are able to apply the brake, because perception and reaction distances grow with pace. Believing the car covers less ground first reverses the physics the manual warns about. Extra speed therefore demands extra following space, since the distance traveled before braking even starts eats into the gap ahead long before the brake pedal slows anything.

   Study this in the handbook: Stopping, turning and passing

6. 6. What does the Rhode Island manual say about hands-free and hand-held cell phone risk?

   1. Hands-free use removes the need for all concentration
   2. Hands-free use is safe whenever traffic moves slowly
   3. Hands-free use is allowed for drivers under eighteen
   4. Hands-free use has the same risk as hand-held use
   Show answer

   Hands-free use has the same risk as hand-held use. The manual says research finds no difference in risk between hands-free and hand-held cell phone use. A device that leaves both hands on the wheel can still pull the driver's attention into a conversation. Slow traffic does not make distraction harmless, and the under-eighteen rule prohibits cell phone use while driving, including hands-free devices, except for an emergency. Treat the conversation itself as the distraction, not just the phone held in the hand, and wait until the vehicle is safely stopped before calling.

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

7. 7. During brake failure, what can you do with the parking brake if the vehicle starts to skid?

   1. Leave it fully applied until the vehicle stops
   2. Pull it harder so the rear wheels lock
   3. Hold it applied and steer with one hand
   4. Release it briefly for a moment while skidding
   Show answer

   Release it briefly for a moment while skidding. During brake failure the parking brake can slow the vehicle, but if the rear wheels lock and a skid begins, releasing it briefly lets the tires regain grip. Leaving it fully applied keeps the wheels locked and the skid growing longer. The release is only momentary, just long enough for rolling traction to return. Grip the release control while you apply it so you can ease off instantly, a habit worth practicing before an emergency ever happens.

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

8. 8. What restraint rule applies to everyone riding in the vehicle under either provisional arrangement?

   1. Only the driver needs a fastened safety belt
   2. Back-seat passengers may unfasten belts briefly on trips
   3. Everyone stays fastened by belt or child restraint
   4. Children may ride without any restraint system
   Show answer

   Everyone stays fastened by belt or child restraint. Whether the provisional driver travels supervised or within an allowed solo circumstance, every occupant must stay properly fastened with a safety belt or a child restraint system. Limiting the rule to the driver is a common shortcut, yet passengers face the same crash forces and the requirement covers them too. Short-trip and back-seat exceptions do not appear in this condition. Make the last pre-drive sound a series of clicks from every seat, with young children secured in their restraint before the wheels turn.

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

9. 9. During the first twelve months of a Limited Provisional License, how many passengers younger than twenty-one may ride along, excluding exempt family and household members?

   1. No more than two passengers younger than twenty-one years
   2. No more than three passengers younger than eighteen years
   3. Any number of passengers younger than twenty-one years
   4. No more than one passenger younger than twenty-one years
   Show answer

   No more than one passenger younger than twenty-one years. For the first twelve months, this license allows at most one passenger under twenty-one, with immediate family and household members exempt from that cap. Allowing two young friends sounds modest, yet each added young passenger raises distraction beyond the limit set for new provisional drivers. The age line also matters: the rule counts passengers younger than twenty-one, not younger than eighteen. A simple loading cue helps: one non-family friend under twenty-one may ride; the second friend needs another way home.

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

10. 10. Once alcohol reaches the brain, what does it affect before anything else?

    1. Control of balance and walking coordination first
    2. Control of judgment and driving skill first
    3. Control of breathing rate and pulse first
    4. Control of vision and color perception first
    Show answer

    Control of judgment and driving skill first. The earliest brain effect of alcohol lands on judgment and skill, the very abilities safe driving demands most. A drinker may still walk a straight line while already choosing gaps poorly and misjudging speed. Balance, vision, and body functions suffer as drinking continues, but they follow rather than lead. That order makes self testing useless: the part of you that would judge fitness is the part impaired first. Decide about driving before drinking starts, while judgment remains untouched and clear.

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

11. 11. Which risky habits can show up when the same upset driver stays on the road?

    1. Holding a steady gap and waiting for safe passing places
    2. Following too closely and passing on hills or curves
    3. Slowing earlier and checking mirrors more often than usual
    4. Yielding sooner at intersections and avoiding sudden lane changes
    Show answer

    Following too closely and passing on hills or curves. Emotional strain often leaks into spacing and passing choices. A driver carrying anger or grief may crowd the vehicle ahead and accept a pass on a hill or curve where sight lines vanish. Keeping a steady gap and waiting for a clear stretch describe the safer pattern, not the risky one. Extra mirror checks likewise point to care rather than impairment. Watch your own following distance after a stressful event. If you notice creeping closer, back off, drop the passing idea, and give the road your undivided attention again.

12. 12. Your vehicle is sliding and you are steering toward where you want to go. What comes next?

    1. Be prepared to steer left and right until the vehicle is under control
    2. Hold the wheel rigidly straight until the vehicle stops sliding on the pavement
    3. Turn the wheel fully once and keep it locked there
    4. Steer only to the right until the vehicle settles down
    Show answer

    Be prepared to steer left and right until the vehicle is under control. Regaining control in a skid often takes more than one correction. As the rear swings, you steer toward your intended path, then adjust left and right a few times until the vehicle settles completely. Freezing the wheel straight surrenders the chance to guide the car back. One full lock held in place can also swing the vehicle the other way once grip returns. Keep movements measured and eyes on your target line. Small timely corrections, repeated patiently, bring the vehicle back under control without creating a second slide.

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

13. 13. Which pedestrian rule does the Rhode Island manual state for a roundabout?

    1. A pedestrian should never use the marked crosswalk on an approach
    2. Never walk through the roundabout or cross its center island
    3. A pedestrian should never pause on the raised splitter or painted refuge
    4. A pedestrian should never look right before finishing the crossing
    Show answer

    Never walk through the roundabout or cross its center island. Pedestrians should use the crosswalks on the roundabout legs and cross in stages through a raised or painted splitter or refuge. They must not walk through the circulating roadway or cross the center island. The refuge gives a pedestrian a place to pause before checking the next direction of traffic. A person approaching from the other side should still use the designated crosswalk rather than cut across the middle. Think of the roundabout as several short crossings, never as one straight path through its center.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and roundabouts

14. 14. What should a driver assume about railroad tracks that appear to be abandoned?

    1. The tracks may be used only by maintenance vehicles
    2. The tracks are safe to cross without looking
    3. The tracks are closed to all trains
    4. A train may still travel on them
    Show answer

    A train may still travel on them. A driver should assume that a train will travel on railroad tracks even when the tracks appear abandoned. The manual's warning prevents a driver from treating unused-looking rails as proof that no train can arrive. The other choices turn an appearance into a guarantee, but abandoned-looking tracks do not become safe, closed, or restricted to maintenance vehicles. Approach the crossing with the same caution used for an active line and obey the signs, signals, and gates that control the crossing.

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

15. 15. You plan to turn left at an intersection. When must you signal?

    1. Signal after stopping inside the intersection area
    2. Signal only after starting the left turn
    3. Signal while checking mirrors after turning left
    4. Signal early enough to warn drivers behind
    Show answer

    Signal early enough to warn drivers behind. Approaching a left turn calls for an early proper signal, timed so the driver behind gets fair warning before speed drops. Gradual slowing plus a mirror glance confirms that the message landed and following traffic is adjusting. Waiting until the turn begins steals that warning, leaving the trailing driver to brake hard or swerve around a slowing car. Room on the right, when the road is wide enough without crossing the centerline, lets others pass without crowding.

    Study this in the handbook: Stopping, turning and passing

16. 16. Which maneuver might the examiner ask you to perform during the road test?

    1. Perform a turnabout to reverse your direction
    2. Drive backward around an entire city block
    3. Cross a double yellow line while turning around
    4. Make a U-turn inside a busy intersection
    Show answer

    Perform a turnabout to reverse your direction. Examiners may request a turnabout, a maneuver that reverses travel direction so the car heads back along its route. Planning matters first: no prohibiting signs, clear visibility of five hundred feet each way, distance from intersections, and enough space away from heavy traffic. Crossing a double yellow line is barred at any time, so that route can never form part of a lawful turnaround. Practicing the full setup calmly makes the request feel routine on test day.

    Study this in the handbook: Stopping, turning and passing

17. 17. Which location is listed in Rhode Island as a place where a driver may not park or stop?

    1. On the travel portion of the highway
    2. In a marked parking space with the vehicle headed with traffic
    3. Beside a curb on a quiet side street
    4. In a lot that charges by the hour
    Show answer

    On the travel portion of the highway. Rhode Island forbids parking or stopping on the part of the highway used for moving travel, because a standing vehicle there blocks the path others are actively using. A marked parking space with the vehicle headed in the same direction as traffic is not the roadway location listed in this prohibition. Parking beside a curb on a side street may be lawful when no other ban applies, and a fee-paying lot is not the listed highway location. Before leaving a vehicle, check whether its wheels sit in a travel lane.

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

18. 18. While backing in a straight line, how should you monitor your path?

    1. Stare over your right shoulder without checking mirrors
    2. Check mirrors once before starting to back
    3. Check all mirrors repeatedly while backing straight
    4. Use hazard lights instead of checking mirrors
    Show answer

    Check all mirrors repeatedly while backing straight. Straight backing mixes body position with repeated mirror sweeps, because hazards can enter the path from either side mid maneuver. Turn partly around over the right shoulder for direct view, then cycle through every mirror to confirm no vehicles, walkers, or obstacles have wandered behind. Hazard flashers earn their place on longer backups beyond thirty feet, warning others without replacing active looking. A single glance before rolling leaves the rest of the trip unobserved and invites quiet surprises.

    Study this in the handbook: Stopping, turning and passing

19. 19. Bad weather cuts visibility during the daytime. What must you switch on?

    1. Your headlights so others can see your vehicle
    2. Your high beams for the whole daytime trip
    3. Your parking lights while driving through rain
    4. Your hazard flashers while moving in traffic
    Show answer

    Your headlights so others can see your vehicle. Daytime rain, snow, or fog that reduces visibility requires headlights on so other drivers can pick out your vehicle through the murk. High beams reflect back from precipitation and can worsen what you and others see, so low beams serve better in those conditions. Lights are also required from sunset to sunrise and whenever wipers run because of weather. Switching lights on early costs nothing and gives approaching drivers several extra seconds to notice your vehicle.

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

20. 20. What is a HAWK beacon used for in Rhode Island?

    1. Warning trucks about a low clear bridge
    2. Marking a reversible lane during rush hour
    3. Letting pedestrians cross a street more safely
    4. Guiding buses into a passenger loading zone
    Show answer

    Letting pedestrians cross a street more safely. A HAWK, or High Intensity Activated Crosswalk, gives pedestrians a signal controlled way to cross a busy street away from a standard intersection. Marking a reversible lane sounds plausible because both devices manage traffic flow, yet reversible lanes serve drivers changing direction by time of day, not people on foot. When a HAWK activates, expect people crossing midblock and stop as its indications require.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and roundabouts