WI Permit Practice Test 16

All 20 questions in test 16

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. In Wisconsin, a bus lane ahead is painted red instead of plain black pavement. What should a driver do?

   1. Treat the color as decoration and drive in it freely
   2. Assume red paint means parking is allowed there
   3. Follow the street lettering and posted signage for that lane
   4. Ignore the lane because only white paint counts
   Show answer

   Follow the street lettering and posted signage for that lane. Bus and bike lanes might be painted red, green or gray to stand out, and drivers must follow the street lettering and posted signage that explain the lane. Color is not decoration, red paint does not invite parking, and colored lanes carry the same force as plain ones. Read the words painted in the lane and the sign beside it before deciding whether you may enter.

   Study this in the handbook: Lane lines, crosswalks and special lanes

2. 2. In Wisconsin, what makes reversible lanes different from normal lanes?

   1. Each lane changes its speed limit every hour
   2. Each lane is reserved only for buses all day
   3. Each lane allows parking during rush hour
   4. Each lane has different operational hours for its direction
   Show answer

   Each lane has different operational hours for its direction. Reversible lanes run in different directions at different times, so each lane has different operational hours for the direction it carries. Speed limits do not rotate hourly, the lanes are not bus-only all day, and rush hour parking is not permitted in them. Overhead signals show which direction may use the lane right now, so check them before you enter.

   Study this in the handbook: Lane lines, crosswalks and special lanes

3. 3. In Wisconsin, on a highway trip you need the direction and distance to a town ahead. Which sign provides that?

   1. A destination sign giving directions and distances to places
   2. A blue service sign listing fuel, food and lodging symbols only
   3. A mile marker showing route number and mile number only
   4. A warning sign alerting you to a hazard ahead on the road
   Show answer

   A destination sign giving directions and distances to places. Destination signs provide information about directions and distances to different places. On a highway trip, that is the sign family that names the town ahead and how far it is. Service signs point to fuel, food or lodging, mile markers state your position along the route, and warning signs flag hazards. Reading the destination sign early lets you choose lanes and exits without a late swerve toward the ramp.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory, destination and service signs

4. 4. In Wisconsin, what does an Access for the Disabled sign mark for a driver?

   1. Where any driver may park during lunch hour
   2. Where buses must stop to load passengers
   3. Where drivers may stop briefly to drop off passengers
   4. Where there is access for disabled people
   Show answer

   Where there is access for disabled people. An Access for the Disabled sign marks where accessible access is provided, guiding drivers and passengers who need it to the right entrance or space. It does not open that area to general lunch parking, bus loading, or brief drop off stopping. Respect the marking even for a brief stop. Keeping accessible access clear matters every hour of the day, not only when the lot looks busy.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory, destination and service signs

5. 5. In Wisconsin, when is it illegal to travel in a reserved lane?

   1. Only when a police officer is watching that lane
   2. Unless you operate the type of vehicle the lane is reserved for
   3. Only during the morning rush between local schools
   4. Only when the lane looks crowded with buses
   Show answer

   Unless you operate the type of vehicle the lane is reserved for. Traveling in a reserved lane is illegal unless you operate the type of vehicle the lane is reserved for, regardless of whether an officer is watching or how crowded the lane looks. The single everyday exception is briefly crossing the lane to turn within the next half block. Otherwise, stay in the general lanes and let buses, bikes or carpools use the space set aside for them.

   Study this in the handbook: Lane lines, crosswalks and special lanes

6. 6. In Wisconsin, a driver notices the car drifting from its lane from tiredness. What must happen?

   1. Speed up to reach home before falling asleep
   2. Open the window wide and continue the trip
   3. Pull over and rest, because lane drifting signals drowsiness
   4. Move to the left lane for a wider path
   Show answer

   Pull over and rest, because lane drifting signals drowsiness. Drifting from your lane is a listed warning that means pull over and rest, because a tired brain is already failing at basic tracking. Speeding home, cracking a window, or choosing a wider lane prolongs the failure until it becomes a crash. Find a safe lot or rest area and sleep, even briefly. Yawning, heavy blinking, and rumble strip hits carry the same message.

   Study this in the handbook: Distracted and drowsy driving

7. 7. In Wisconsin, while driving through a roundabout you realize your exit is one farther than you planned. What should you do?

   1. Keep your lane and continue around to the exit
   2. Switch lanes inside the roundabout to reach the sooner exit
   3. Stop inside the circle and wait for a gap across lanes
   4. Back up slightly to line up with the missed exit
   Show answer

   Keep your lane and continue around to the exit. While in a roundabout, do not switch lanes. If your exit is farther than planned, stay in your lane and continue around the circle to reach it. Cutting across lanes, stopping inside the circle, or backing up all conflict with that rule and with the flow of circulating traffic. The circle brings you back to every exit, so the safe correction costs one extra loop rather than a lane change beside another vehicle.

   Study this in the handbook: Roundabouts, metered ramps and funeral processions

8. 8. In Wisconsin, you are about to enter a roundabout while traffic is already moving around the circle. What must you do before entering?

   1. Enter quickly before the circulating traffic reaches you
   2. Stop in the circle entrance until every lane is empty for a full minute
   3. Drive into the circle and make circulating drivers slow for you
   4. Yield to the traffic already circulating in the roundabout
   Show answer

   Yield to the traffic already circulating in the roundabout. Drivers entering a roundabout must yield to traffic already in the roundabout. That circulating traffic keeps moving, and the entering driver waits for a safe gap. Entering quickly ahead of it, or expecting circulating drivers to slow down, reverses the duty. A timed one minute wait is not required either; a safe gap after yielding is the standard. Watch the circle to your left, yield, and enter only when your path is clear.

   Study this in the handbook: Roundabouts, metered ramps and funeral processions

9. 9. In Wisconsin, roads are snow covered with heavy rain falling. What is the best decision before a trip?

   1. Drive, but only behind a snowplow closely
   2. Drive, because rain removes snow quickly
   3. Drive at the limit to finish before dark
   4. Stay off the road and do not drive in those conditions
   Show answer

   Stay off the road and do not drive in those conditions. When surfaces are slippery, icy, snow covered, or under heavy rain, the best choice is to stay off the road and not drive. Following a plow closely, trusting rain to clear snow, or racing darkness all accept extreme risk for ordinary trips. Delay departure, work from home, or let conditions pass. Employers and family prefer a late arrival over a crash report.

   Study this in the handbook: Bad weather, skids, winter and rural roads

10. 10. In Wisconsin, until what age must children generally ride in a booster seat?

    1. Until age eight, after the child safety seat years
    2. Until age four, the same as a safety seat
    3. Until age twelve in every vehicle
    4. Only until the child enters kindergarten
    Show answer

    Until age eight, after the child safety seat years. Children generally ride in a child safety seat until age four and in a booster seat until age eight, because boosters position adult belts on strong hip and shoulder bones. Ending boosters at four, extending them to twelve for all, or stopping at kindergarten all miss the stated ages. Always check the seat manual for its weight and height limits, which can adjust timing for your child.

    Study this in the handbook: Points, seat belts, child seats and insurance

11. 11. In Wisconsin, your engine suddenly stops working while you are driving on a busy road. What should you do?

    1. Hold the steering wheel, keep the key on, and pull to the side when safe
    2. Turn the key off right away and coast to a stop wherever you happen to be
    3. Shift into park while the car is still rolling toward the shoulder
    4. Stop in your travel lane and wait there until help arrives for you
    Show answer

    Hold the steering wheel, keep the key on, and pull to the side when safe. If the engine stops working while driving, hold the steering wheel and keep the key in the on position, then pull the car to the side of the road when it is safe. Steering will be hard to turn, so expect extra effort. Turning the key off, shifting into park while rolling, or stopping in a travel lane are not the listed steps. Steer smoothly toward a safe place off the road and stop there.

    Study this in the handbook: Avoiding crashes, crash duties and roadside emergencies

12. 12. In Wisconsin, two slow vehicles travel ahead of you in the same direction and the passing lane is clear. How many may you pass at one time?

    1. Both vehicles at once, if the passing lane looks empty
    2. Both vehicles, if you signal before starting the pass
    3. Only one vehicle at a time when passing on the left
    4. Neither vehicle, because passing is never allowed there
    Show answer

    Only one vehicle at a time when passing on the left. When passing another vehicle, pass only one vehicle at a time on the left. Taking two vehicles in one long pass doubles your time beside traffic and in the opposing or passing lane. Signaling correctly does not widen that limit, and passing itself is not banned. Complete the first pass, reestablish your gap and view, and only then judge whether a second separate pass is safe and legal.

    Study this in the handbook: Turns, passing, backing and parking

13. 13. In Wisconsin, what is the job of a regulatory sign at the roadside?

    1. To warn drivers about a hazard far ahead
    2. To tell drivers the rules of the road
    3. To show directions and distances to places
    4. To point drivers toward fuel and hospitals
    Show answer

    To tell drivers the rules of the road. Regulatory signs tell drivers the rules of the road, such as speed limits and prohibited turns, and those rules must be obeyed. Warning signs alert you to hazards, destination signs give directions and distances, and service signs point to fuel or hospitals. When you see a square or rectangular regulatory panel, read it as a rule that applies right there, not as optional advice.

    Study this in the handbook: Regulatory, destination and service signs

14. 14. In Wisconsin, how is a U-turn described, and what warning comes with it?

    1. A three-part turn used for narrow residential streets
    2. One smooth U-shaped motion, and the turn can be very dangerous
    3. A backing maneuver requiring a helper outside
    4. A turn that is always allowed at every intersection
    Show answer

    One smooth U-shaped motion, and the turn can be very dangerous. A U-turn is one smooth U-shaped motion that ends with you traveling in the opposite direction, and the handbook warns it can be very dangerous. It is not the three-part residential Y-turn, it does not require an outside helper, and it is not allowed everywhere. Before attempting one, check mirrors, traffic, and any prohibiting sign, and choose a spot with clear views both ways.

    Study this in the handbook: Turns, passing, backing and parking

15. 15. In Wisconsin, at what speed should a driver try to enter when merging with traffic?

    1. At the same speed the traffic is currently moving
    2. Much slower, so traffic must brake to make room
    3. Much faster, so traffic must yield to the merger
    4. At a full stop, then accelerate from the merge point
    Show answer

    At the same speed the traffic is currently moving. When you merge, try to enter at the same speed traffic is currently moving, so your car slots into a gap without forcing braking or swerving. Entering far slower makes others brake, entering far faster claims space you do not own, and stopping at the merge point destroys your momentum. Use the acceleration lane to match speed, pick your gap early, and blend in smoothly.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and the sight distance rule

16. 16. In Wisconsin, what must a merging driver avoid forcing other drivers to do?

    1. Check their mirrors before changing lanes
    2. Change speed or direction because of the merge
    3. Use their turn signals at intersections
    4. Keep a following distance behind trucks
    Show answer

    Change speed or direction because of the merge. A good merge avoids forcing another driver to change speed or direction because of you. Mirror checks, signals, and following distance are duties those drivers already owe on their own. Your job is timing: match speed in the acceleration lane, choose a gap that fits, and enter without cutting across. If no gap fits, adjust your speed on the ramp rather than pushing into the lane.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and the sight distance rule

17. 17. In Wisconsin, when must a driver present proof of insurance to an officer?

    1. Only after a crash with injuries occurs during a trip
    2. Only at the yearly vehicle inspection
    3. Only when registering a new vehicle
    4. Whenever a police officer requests proof of insurance
    Show answer

    Whenever a police officer requests proof of insurance. You must present proof of insurance if a police officer requests it. That duty applies when an officer asks, not only after a crash with injuries. It is not limited to a yearly inspection visit or to registering a new vehicle. Valid liability insurance must cover the vehicle before it is driven at all, and the proof must be presented when the request is made.

    Study this in the handbook: Points, seat belts, child seats and insurance

18. 18. In Wisconsin, a 19-year-old driver asks whether a small amount of alcohol is allowed in their system while driving. What limit applies?

    1. 0.08 percent, the limit the driver has heard for adults
    2. 0.02 percent, if the driver feels fully alert tonight
    3. 0.00 percent, with no alcohol allowed in the system
    4. 0.05 percent, if a parent is riding in the front seat
    Show answer

    0.00 percent, with no alcohol allowed in the system. For drivers under the age of 21, the legal alcohol concentration allowed while driving is 0.00 percent. That zero figure means no alcohol may be in the system while driving, however alert the driver feels and whoever is riding along. Nonzero figures borrowed from adult driving or from other states do not apply to a 19-year-old in Wisconsin. The only safe plan under 21 is complete separation of drinking and driving.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and implied consent

19. 19. In Wisconsin, parking uphill where there is no curb, which way must the wheels be turned?

    1. All the way left, before the car is parked
    2. All the way right, before the car is put in park
    3. Straight ahead, with only the brake holding
    4. Toward the center line of the roadway
    Show answer

    All the way right, before the car is put in park. Parked uphill without a curb, turn your wheels all the way to the right before putting the car in park, so a rollback steers the car off the road rather than into traffic. Left turns point a rolling car toward the center, straight wheels let it gather speed backward, and center aiming is the failure itself. Add the parking brake, and test that the car holds before walking away.

    Study this in the handbook: Turns, passing, backing and parking

20. 20. In Wisconsin, while circulating inside a roundabout, what speed and lane rule applies?

    1. Speed up to clear the circle quickly
    2. Change lanes to the shortest path out
    3. Keep speed low and stay in your lane
    4. Stop at each exit to check traffic
    Show answer

    Keep speed low and stay in your lane. Inside a roundabout, keep your speed low and stay in your lane, because exits, crosswalks and other entries appear in quick succession. Speeding to clear, cutting lanes for a shorter path, or stopping at exits all break the flow and invite rear or side crashes. A calm, steady pace lets you signal and exit cleanly while others read your intentions.

    Study this in the handbook: Roundabouts, metered ramps and funeral processions