WI Permit Practice Test 10

All 20 questions in test 10

Every question below comes from the Wisconsin 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. Who is a habitual traffic offender in Wisconsin?

   1. Someone with two speeding tickets in one year
   2. Someone convicted of four or more major or 12 or more minor violations within five years
   3. Someone who reaches 6 points in 12 months
   4. Someone with one OWI conviction
   Show answer

   Someone convicted of four or more major or 12 or more minor violations within five years. A habitual traffic offender is someone convicted of four or more major traffic violations, or 12 or more minor violations, within five years. The privilege is then revoked and the driver cannot drive for five years, though an occupational license may be possible after a two-year wait. Two speeding tickets, six points, or a single conviction do not meet the definition. The separate 12 point rule counts points in a 12-month period, not violations over five years.

2. 2. When approaching a stopped emergency vehicle with flashing lights, which lane should you use?

   
   1. The lane not nearest the stopped vehicle
   2. The lane nearest the stopped vehicle
   3. The shoulder between the vehicle and curb
   4. Any lane without slowing
   Show answer

   The lane not nearest the stopped vehicle. When an emergency vehicle is stopped with its lights flashing, move into the lane farthest from that vehicle when it is safe. This gives the officer and other responders a wider buffer from passing traffic. Choosing the nearest lane leaves too little separation, using the shoulder can put a driver where responders are working, and maintaining speed without moving ignores the handbook’s instruction. Scan ahead for flashing lights, change lanes carefully, and remain in the farther lane until you have passed.

3. 3. How should ABS brakes be used during an emergency stop in Wisconsin's handbook?

   1. Pump the pedal rapidly until the wheels lock
   2. Apply firm, continuous pressure to the brake pedal
   3. Shift to neutral before touching the brake
   4. Turn off the ignition while braking
   Show answer

   Apply firm, continuous pressure to the brake pedal. With ABS, Wisconsin instructs the driver to press the brake pedal firmly and continuously during an emergency stop. Pumping is for vehicles without ABS on slippery roads, and it can interfere with the system's work. Shifting to neutral or turning off the engine is not the braking method described for avoiding a crash. The cue is knowing your vehicle has ABS: keep steady pressure, steer as needed, and continue until the vehicle stops or the danger has passed.

4. 4. What does a solid white line between lanes generally mean?

   1. You cannot cross it except for a hazard or an imminent turn within the next block
   2. You may cross it at any time to pass
   3. It separates traffic traveling in opposite directions
   4. It marks a lane that must be used for parking
   Show answer

   You cannot cross it except for a hazard or an imminent turn within the next block. A solid white line between lanes means you should not cross it in ordinary lane changes. The handbook allows crossing when there is a hazard or when you are turning within the next block. It is not a passing invitation, and it does not divide opposing traffic because yellow lines serve that purpose. Parking is not the meaning of the marking. Treat the line as a restriction, then identify one of the handbook’s limited reasons before crossing.

5. 5. How often should a Wisconsin driver check the rearview mirror to notice tailgating?

   1. Only once before starting the trip
   2. Every 6 to 8 seconds
   3. Every 30 to 45 seconds
   4. Only after braking hard
   Show answer

   Every 6 to 8 seconds. Wisconsin recommends checking the rearview mirror every 6 to 8 seconds to notice whether someone is following too closely. A single pretrip check cannot show changing traffic behind you, and 30 to 45 seconds leaves a long blind interval. Waiting until after hard braking discovers the problem too late. The cue is a steady scan pattern: glance ahead, use mirrors regularly, and identify a tailgater early enough to adjust speed smoothly or choose a safe place out of traffic.

6. 6. How should a driver treat a traffic signal that has lost power?

   1. Use the shoulder to bypass the intersection
   2. Treat it as a green light if no cars are nearby
   3. Proceed as if the signal were a stop sign
   4. Wait until another driver enters first
   Show answer

   Proceed as if the signal were a stop sign. A dark or malfunctioning signal does not remove intersection control. Wisconsin says to proceed as if the signal were a stop sign, which means make a complete stop, assess the other approaches, and continue only when safe. Assuming green status risks entering against another road user. The shoulder is not a substitute travel path, and waiting for another driver does not satisfy your own duty to control the approach. If an officer is directing traffic, follow that officer instead of the failed signal.

7. 7. Where can Wisconsin crosswalks sometimes be located besides intersections?

   1. Only inside parking garages
   2. Only on freeway entrance ramps
   3. In the middle of a street or block
   4. In lanes reserved for buses only
   Show answer

   In the middle of a street or block. Wisconsin explains that crosswalks are normally at intersections, but they can also appear in the middle of a street or block. Freeway ramps, parking garages, and bus-only lanes are not the handbook's listed alternate location. The point is that a driver should watch for marked pedestrian crossings away from standard intersections. The cue is pavement markings or crossing signs midblock: slow, scan both sides, and be ready for a pedestrian who may not be at a corner.

8. 8. What instruction is given by a downward pointing red and white triangle?

   1. Yield right of way to other vehicles
   2. Stop and remain stopped for one minute
   3. Expect a railroad crossing immediately ahead
   4. Follow the lane reserved for buses
   Show answer

   Yield right of way to other vehicles. The inverted red and white triangle is a Yield sign. It tells the driver to give right of way to other vehicles, so approach slowly, inspect the traffic stream, and enter only when the movement is safe. It is not a timed stop requirement, a railroad warning, or a bus lane instruction. A full stop may still be prudent if visibility or traffic requires it, but the sign’s central command is yielding. Look beyond the sign for vehicles already occupying the intersection or roadway.

9. 9. Why should a Wisconsin driver avoid coasting in neutral?

   1. Neutral is required before every gradual stop
   2. Neutral makes the headlights turn off automatically
   3. Staying in gear helps keep full control of the vehicle
   4. Coasting is allowed only on divided highways
   Show answer

   Staying in gear helps keep full control of the vehicle. The handbook tells drivers not to coast in neutral because staying in gear helps maintain full control. Neutral can reduce the driver's ability to respond smoothly with power or braking when traffic changes. It does not control headlights, and Wisconsin does not require neutral before a gradual stop. A divided highway does not create an exception. The cue is any downhill or slowing situation where coasting seems convenient: keep the vehicle in gear and manage speed deliberately.

10. 10. What roadway feature does a Keep Right sign indicate ahead?

    
    1. A traffic island or obstacle divides the road
    2. The right lane is reserved for passing
    3. A one-way roadway requires every turn to be right
    4. A railroad gate blocks the left shoulder
    Show answer

    A traffic island or obstacle divides the road. The Keep Right sign warns that a traffic island or other obstacle divides the road ahead. Drive to the right of that feature as the roadway directs. The passing choice confuses obstacle guidance with lane-use rules. The one-way answer invents a turn requirement, and the railroad gate answer names a hazard not associated with this sign. Look beyond the sign for the island or obstruction, then select a safe path around it without crossing into the opposing side of the roadway.

11. 11. What does an intersection or cross-road warning sign identify?

    
    1. A road that permits traffic in one direction only
    2. A lane reserved for turning vehicles only
    3. A railroad track that is no longer in use
    4. A place where two or more roads cross
    Show answer

    A place where two or more roads cross. The intersection or cross-road warning identifies a location where roads meet or cross, alerting the driver to watch for traffic entering the route. A reserved turning lane concerns pavement use, not the meaning of this warning. An out-of-service railroad notice concerns tracks, while one-way operation describes traffic direction rather than a crossing roadway. The useful driving cue is to scan both sides before reaching the junction, adjust speed, and be ready for vehicles or pedestrians approaching from another road.

12. 12. You are about to enter a roundabout and traffic is already circulating. What should you do first?

    
    1. Yield only to vehicles approaching from the right
    2. Stop in the circle and wait for a signal
    3. Enter before the circulating vehicles
    4. Yield to traffic already in the roundabout
    Show answer

    Yield to traffic already in the roundabout. Traffic already moving through the roundabout has priority over a driver who has not entered. The handbook specifically directs an approaching driver to yield to traffic on the left that is already in the roundabout, then enter when a safe gap appears. Stopping inside the circle is not the intended procedure, and entering first or watching only the right side reverses the priority. Slow down at the approach, look left, and wait for space. That sequence helps preserve the counterclockwise flow and avoids forcing circulating traffic to brake.

13. 13. A Wisconsin instruction permit holder wants to practice with a licensed adult. Which license may that adult NOT be holding?

    1. A regular license held for five years
    2. A regular license held for exactly two years
    3. A probationary or occupational license
    4. A regular license held for ten years with no violations
    Show answer

    A probationary or occupational license. The person riding with a permit holder must have at least two years of licensed driving experience and a valid regular license. The handbook states that this license cannot be a probationary or occupational license. A regular license held two, five or ten years meets the experience rule. The person must also sit in the front passenger seat and be a qualified instructor or parent, guardian or spouse 19 or older, or a person 21 or older.

14. 14. A school bus has flashing red lights on the other side of a divided highway. What is the rule for you?

    
    1. You must stop unless the highway has four lanes
    2. You must stop at least 20 feet away every time
    3. You may pass only after the bus driver waves you through
    4. You do not have to stop when you are on the opposite side of the divided roadway
    Show answer

    You do not have to stop when you are on the opposite side of the divided roadway. The handbook makes an exception for a divided highway or roadway when you are on the side opposite the stopped school bus. A divided highway has a barrier between lanes traveling in opposite directions, so the driver in the other direction does not have to stop. The general 20 foot rule still applies when the bus is on your side or the road is not divided. Lane count and a hand signal do not determine this exception. Identify the physical separation first, then decide whether your side is opposite the bus.

15. 15. A Wisconsin applicant under 18 has no living parent. What may the applicant file instead of having a sponsor?

    1. A school report card
    2. A signed statement from a teacher
    3. A second vision test
    4. Proof of insurance
    Show answer

    Proof of insurance. Wisconsin lets certain minors file proof of insurance instead of having a sponsor. The list includes applicants under 18 who do not have a living parent, who do not live with their parents and are full-time students or earning a living, who are wards placed in foster care, or who are married to a spouse under 18. A report card, a teacher's statement or an extra vision test does not replace the sponsor's acceptance of liability, which is why insurance is the substitute.

16. 16. A school bus displays flashing red lights across an undivided Wisconsin roadway. What action is required?

    1. Continue because the bus is facing the other way
    2. Stop at least 20 feet away
    3. Stop only if children are visible
    4. Pass after slowing to 15 mph
    Show answer

    Stop at least 20 feet away. A school bus with flashing red lights requires traffic to stop at least 20 feet away. On an undivided roadway, the requirement applies whether the bus is on your side or the opposite side. The direction the bus faces does not create an exception, and children do not have to be visible before the duty begins. Slowing to 15 mph is still passing rather than stopping. Remain stopped while the red lights flash, watch for children, and proceed only after the lights have stopped. A divided roadway with a barrier is the separate situation where opposite side traffic may not need to stop.

17. 17. What does the Wisconsin handbook say is the only thing that will sober a driver up?

    1. A short nap in the vehicle
    2. Coffee
    3. Cold air
    4. Time
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    Time. Wisconsin's alcohol guidance is direct: time is the only thing that will sober you up. Coffee, cold air, or a quick nap may make someone feel more alert, but they do not remove alcohol from the body fast enough to make driving safe. The handbook also recommends a sober friend, family member, or cab instead of driving after drinking. The practical cue is any drinking before a trip: do not test your own alertness, arrange a ride and wait.

18. 18. How often are Wisconsin mile markers placed according to the handbook?

    1. Every one to two-tenths of a mile
    2. Only every ten miles
    3. Only at county borders
    4. Every five feet near intersections
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    Every one to two-tenths of a mile. Wisconsin mile markers, also called reference markers, are placed every one to two-tenths of a mile. That frequent spacing helps identify a location during highway incidents and can improve emergency response. Ten miles and county borders are far too sparse for the locating purpose described. Five feet near intersections is not how highway reference markers work. The cue is a tall, thin blue or green marker with route, direction, and mile information: use it to report where you are.

19. 19. What is a shared center lane used for?

    1. Passing slower vehicles in either direction
    2. Left turns or U-turns
    3. Driving straight through an intersection
    4. Parking while waiting for a turn
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    Left turns or U-turns. Wisconsin's shared center lane is reserved for vehicles turning left or making a U-turn, and vehicles from either direction may use it for that purpose. It is not a passing lane, through lane, or parking space. Enter only when the maneuver is safe, because opposing drivers may also be preparing to turn. The arrows and yellow markings should cue you to prepare for a turn rather than continue straight.

20. 20. How many answers must an applicant get right to pass Wisconsin's Knowledge test?

    1. 45 of 50
    2. 35 of 50
    3. 40 of 50
    4. 30 of 50
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    40 of 50. Wisconsin requires 40 correct answers on the 50-question Knowledge test, which is an 80 percent passing score. A result of 35 correct answers is only 70 percent, so it falls short even though it shows substantial preparation. The 45-answer option sets a tougher standard than the handbook describes, while 30 answers is below the stated threshold. Keep the test structure separate from the Highway Signs test: the signs test has its own 15-question format and 12-answer requirement. Remember the pairing as 50 questions and 40 needed for the general traffic-law test.