RI Permit Practice Test 6

All 20 questions in test 6

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 adult Rhode Island driver is convicted of a first DUI with a BAC between 0.08% and 0.1%. What license suspension and fine does the table list?

   1. 1 to 2 year suspension and $400 fine
   2. Suspension until age 21 and $250 fine
   3. 3 to 18 month suspension and $500 fine
   4. 30 to 180 day suspension and $100 to $300 fine
   Show answer

   30 to 180 day suspension and $100 to $300 fine. For drivers 21 or older with a BAC of 0.08% to 0.1%, a first violation is a misdemeanor with up to 1 year in prison, a 30 to 180 day license suspension, a $100 to $300 fine, and a $500 highway safety assessment. The 3 to 18 month suspension with a $500 fine is the first offense at 0.15% or above. A 1 to 2 year suspension with a $400 fine is a second offense. Suspension until age 21 applies only to younger drivers.

2. 2. What condition does this pedestrian crossing sign tell a driver to anticipate?

   
   1. People may cross ahead, so be prepared to yield
   2. Pedestrians are prohibited from entering the roadway
   3. Sidewalk repairs have closed the crossing permanently
   4. Only bicycles may use the marked crossing
   Show answer

   People may cross ahead, so be prepared to yield. A pedestrian crossing warning tells drivers to expect people crossing the roadway ahead. Drivers should slow where needed, remain alert, and yield when a pedestrian has the right-of-way. The sign does not ban pedestrians, announce permanent sidewalk repairs, or convert the crossing into a bicycle-only facility. Look beyond the sign for people near the curb, in the crosswalk, or between parked vehicles.

3. 3. Which assessment does the Rhode Island manual specifically list among the chemical test refusal penalties?

   1. $500 highway safety assessment
   2. $150 community restitution assessment
   3. $300 road test assessment
   4. $86 ignition assessment
   Show answer

   $500 highway safety assessment. The refusal consequences include a highway safety assessment, along with the fine, community service, and education or treatment response described in the manual. The $150 amount belongs to a different under-18 impaired-driving entry, and the other choices combine unrelated charges or invent a road-test fee. Focus on the category named in the prose: the assessment is part of the refusal penalty package, not a routine licensing charge or an ignition-device fee.

4. 4. When stopping at a Rhode Island intersection, how long should you completely stop before proceeding with caution?

   1. At least one second
   2. Until the vehicle behind you honks
   3. A minimum of three seconds
   4. Exactly ten seconds
   Show answer

   A minimum of three seconds. Rhode Island guidance calls for a complete stop that lasts at least three seconds. That pause gives you time to look left, look right, look left again, and then move only after checking for hazards. One second is too brief to perform that scan reliably. Waiting for a horn is not a traffic rule and could encourage another driver to pressure you into moving. Ten seconds is not required unless traffic conditions make a longer wait prudent. Use the three-second pause as a deliberate intersection routine, especially where pedestrians, cyclists, or vehicles may be hidden by parked cars.

5. 5. How does Rhode Island's three-second rule help a driver judge following distance?

   
   1. It permits tailgating when the road is dry
   2. It requires one car length for every ten miles per hour
   3. It uses a fixed roadside point and a three-second count
   4. It measures distance only by looking at the speedometer
   Show answer

   It uses a fixed roadside point and a three-second count. The three-second method starts when the vehicle ahead passes a fixed point, such as a sign or pole. The following driver counts through three seconds and drops back if the vehicle reaches that point before the count ends. It is not a car-length formula and does not excuse close following on dry pavement. In adverse weather or road conditions, the manual says to add another second or two, extending the cushion when stopping may take longer.

6. 6. A Rhode Island sign says NO RIGHT TURN ON RED. What does that sign require?

   1. Use the shoulder to turn around
   2. Turn right after slowing without stopping
   3. Turn right only if a vehicle behind you signals
   4. Do not make a right turn during the red signal
   Show answer

   Do not make a right turn during the red signal. The sign removes the usual permission to turn right on a steady red light. You must remain stopped and wait for a signal that allows the movement. A slow roll is not a full stop, and the presence or signal of a following vehicle never changes the restriction. Using the shoulder is unrelated and can create a separate hazard. Look for the posted restriction before turning, then wait for a green indication or another lawful instruction. The visual cue is the red prohibition wording attached to the intersection, not merely the color of the traffic signal.

7. 7. What area does this five-sided school symbol warn drivers about?

   
   1. A school crossing or school zone where extra caution is needed
   2. A public park where pedestrians never cross
   3. An adult-only crosswalk near a hospital
   4. A railroad platform with no roadway crossing
   Show answer

   A school crossing or school zone where extra caution is needed. The five-sided school symbol marks a school crossing or school area. Drivers should reduce speed as appropriate, watch closely, and expect children near the roadway. It is not a park, hospital, or railroad-platform designation. Children can move quickly and may not check for traffic, so the sign should trigger an active scan of sidewalks, crossings, and the road edge before continuing.

8. 8. When entering a single-lane Rhode Island roundabout, what must you do before merging?

   
   1. Stop in the center island
   2. Yield to vehicles already in the roundabout and wait for a safe gap
   3. Enter immediately because circulating traffic yields
   4. Travel clockwise around the circle
   Show answer

   Yield to vehicles already in the roundabout and wait for a safe gap. Entering traffic must yield to vehicles already circulating in the roundabout. Wait for an adequate gap, then merge into the flow in a counterclockwise direction. Stopping in the center is not part of normal roundabout operation, and circulating vehicles do not yield to an entering vehicle. Clockwise travel is the wrong direction for this roadway design. The safest cue is to slow to the posted speed, look for a usable opening, and join the circle without forcing another driver to brake. Continue through the roundabout and exit to the right when you reach your street.

9. 9. What is a permitted way to obtain Rhode Island Driver's Manual information for current procedures and fees?

   1. Use a vehicle's registration sticker
   2. Rely only on an old printed fee table
   3. Ask another driver's guess
   4. Check the DMV website
   Show answer

   Check the DMV website. The manual directs readers to the Rhode Island DMV website for up-to-date changes in laws, fees, and procedures. An old printed table can become inaccurate because fees and requirements change. Another driver's recollection is not an official source, and a registration sticker identifies a vehicle rather than explaining DMV procedure. When a question involves a current transaction, use the manual as background and verify the live instruction through the DMV site before visiting an office.

10. 10. What does Rhode Island's Basic Speed Law promote?

    1. A fixed speed that never changes with weather
    2. The highest speed a vehicle can reach on a clear road
    3. A speed that is safe for pedestrians, road conditions, and other traffic
    4. The same pace for every road user
    Show answer

    A speed that is safe for pedestrians, road conditions, and other traffic. The Basic Speed Law promotes a speed that remains safe for pedestrians, the road surface, and surrounding traffic. It therefore rejects the idea that a driver should chase the vehicle's maximum capability or hold one fixed pace through changing weather. The choice “The same pace for every road user” also ignores that different road users and conditions create different hazards. Keep the posted limit in view, but reduce speed whenever visibility, traction, traffic density, or pedestrian activity makes the listed maximum unsuitable.

11. 11. What traffic direction does a Rhode Island roundabout use around its center island?

    1. Either direction, depending on the exit
    2. Clockwise
    3. Counterclockwise
    4. Straight through the center island
    Show answer

    Counterclockwise. A Rhode Island roundabout directs traffic counterclockwise around a center island. The circular design uses yield signs, directional signs, and pavement markings instead of stop signs or traffic signals to organize movement. Clockwise travel would oppose the pattern described in the manual, while the center island is not a travel lane. As you approach, slow to the posted speed, yield at entry, and follow the circulating path until reaching the intended exit.

12. 12. When a school bus has flashing red lights, when may approaching motorists continue?

    
    1. As soon as no children are visible near the roadway
    2. After the bus's red lights no longer flash, unless the bus is opposite them on a divided highway
    3. After slowing to 10 mph on any road
    4. Immediately when traveling toward the bus from the opposite direction
    Show answer

    After the bus's red lights no longer flash, unless the bus is opposite them on a divided highway. Flashing red lights on a school bus require traffic approaching from either direction to make a full stop and remain stopped. The restriction applies on public highways, private roads, and parking lots. The divided-highway exception applies when the bus is opposite your vehicle and a real separation, such as a barrier, grass, guardrail, trees, or water, divides the directions. A clear view of children or a reduced speed does not replace the required stop. Identify the roadway separation before proceeding.

13. 13. When passing a bicyclist, how much clearance should a motorist allow whenever possible?

    
    1. No clearance if the bicycle is near the curb
    2. Less than one foot if the motorist sounds the horn
    3. Exactly two feet in every roadway condition
    4. As much as possible, generally three to five feet
    Show answer

    As much as possible, generally three to five feet. A bicyclist is vulnerable to potholes, puddles, debris, and sudden movement, so passing space must account for more than the bicycle’s current position. The manual recommends as much clearance as possible, giving three to five feet as a practical range, and says the driver should be prepared to stop suddenly. A horn does not make a close pass safe, and a curb does not remove the bicyclist’s need for room. Slow down, leave space, and wait when necessary.

14. 14. What should a driver do when facing a steady yellow traffic light?

    1. Accelerate so the vehicle enters before the light turns red
    2. Slow down and proceed cautiously if stopping cannot be done safely, then clear the intersection
    3. Stop in the middle of the intersection until green returns
    4. Treat it exactly like a flashing red signal
    Show answer

    Slow down and proceed cautiously if stopping cannot be done safely, then clear the intersection. A steady yellow warns that red is next. The driver should slow and use caution, stopping when that can be done safely. If a stop cannot be made safely, the vehicle should clear the intersection rather than freeze in the travel path. Accelerating to beat the signal turns a warning into a risky race. A flashing red has a different command, requiring a full stop and a yield. Watch the signal change and choose a safe, controlled exit from the intersection.

15. 15. 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.

16. 16. In Rhode Island, which child must ride in a rear seat in a federally approved child restraint system?

    1. Any child under 12 regardless of size
    2. Only an infant under one year old
    3. A child under 8 who is less than 57 inches tall and less than 80 pounds
    4. A child under 8 who is 60 inches tall
    Show answer

    A child under 8 who is less than 57 inches tall and less than 80 pounds. Rhode Island law requires a child under age 8, less than 57 inches in height and less than 80 pounds, to ride in a rear seating position in an approved child restraint system. A child under 8 who is at least 57 inches or at least 80 pounds uses a safety belt in a rear seat instead, which is why the 60 inch child does not need a restraint seat. The rule is not limited to infants, and it does not extend to every child under 12.

17. 17. What should a driver do when a school bus has flashing red lights on a public highway?

    1. Stop from either direction and remain stopped until the red lights end
    2. Pass if traveling toward the front of the bus
    3. Stop only when the bus is on the driver's side
    4. Continue if no children are visible
    Show answer

    Stop from either direction and remain stopped until the red lights end. Flashing red school bus lights require approaching motorists from either direction to make a full stop and stay stopped until the lights no longer flash. The rule applies on public highways, and the presence or absence of visible children does not cancel it. Passing from the front or stopping only for the nearer direction creates the exact danger the rule addresses. A divided highway has a separate exception when the bus is opposite the vehicle, so drivers should first identify whether the roadway is divided before relying on that exception.

18. 18. When approaching a horse being ridden on a public highway, what must a driver do?

    1. Accelerate past before the horse can react
    2. Reduce speed and avoid sounding the horn or making loud noises
    3. Sound the horn repeatedly to warn the rider
    4. Drive close to the horse so it stays at the edge
    Show answer

    Reduce speed and avoid sounding the horn or making loud noises. A horse can react unpredictably to noise or a sudden approach. Rhode Island law specifically requires the motorist to reduce speed and refrain from sounding a horn or causing other loud noises near a horse on a public highway. Accelerating or crowding the animal increases the chance of startling it and creating a collision. Ease off the accelerator early, leave generous side room, and pass quietly only when the path is clear.

19. 19. How should you respond to a traffic signal that flashes red?

    1. A slow roll without stopping if the road looks clear
    2. A full stop followed by yielding to traffic on both sides
    3. Immediate acceleration through the intersection
    4. A stop only when another signal is green
    Show answer

    A full stop followed by yielding to traffic on both sides. A flashing red signal must be treated like a stop sign. Make a full stop, then yield the right-of-way to vehicles on your right and left before proceeding. A slow roll fails to satisfy the stopping requirement, and accelerating through removes the time needed to see cross traffic or pedestrians. The other signal color does not change the duty created by the flashing red indication. Use the same routine as a stop sign: stop completely, look both ways, yield, and go only when safe.

20. 20. If a vehicle with conventional brakes is on a slippery road, how should the driver brake?

    1. Turn sharply while braking to find traction
    2. Press the brake pedal once as hard as possible
    3. Avoid slowing until the road becomes dry
    4. Gently pump the brakes while maintaining a suitable speed
    Show answer

    Gently pump the brakes while maintaining a suitable speed. For conventional brakes on a slippery road, the manual advises very gentle pumping while maintaining a speed appropriate for the conditions. A single hard application can promote a skid, and refusing to slow leaves too little control for changing traffic or roadway hazards. The advice differs for anti lock brakes, which should be pressed firmly without pumping. Know which braking system the vehicle has before an emergency, and reduce speed before the surface becomes hazardous.