WI Permit Practice Test 17

All 20 questions in test 17

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, how is driving classified after a measurable amount of a controlled substance has been used?

   1. As ordinary driving, if no alcohol was also used
   2. As operating while impaired under Wisconsin law
   3. As a minor equipment issue handled without arrest
   4. As legal driving, when the use happened days earlier
   Show answer

   As operating while impaired under Wisconsin law. Wisconsin classifies driving after a measurable amount of a controlled substance has been used as operating while impaired. The classification does not require alcohol alongside it, and it is far more serious than an equipment issue. A driver who has used a controlled substance should not drive while any measurable amount remains active. Arrange a sober ride instead of testing how the classification might apply.

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

2. 2. In Wisconsin, a driver needs to read directions and eat a meal. When should each be done?

   1. Read at red lights; eat on straight highways
   2. Read while rolling slowly; eat at stop signs
   3. Pull over to read directions; eat only when the car is parked
   4. Read directions aloud to yourself while driving
   Show answer

   Pull over to read directions; eat only when the car is parked. If you need to read directions, pull over to a safe location, and eat when your car is parked, not while driving. Red-light reading, rolling reading, and stop-sign eating all steal the eyes and hands driving requires. A passenger reading aloud can help on some trips, but the handbook rule for the driver is to stop the car for reading and eating. Park first, then navigate and dine.

   Study this in the handbook: Distracted and drowsy driving

3. 3. In Wisconsin, what do bald tires do to a vehicle handling and stopping?

   1. They improve grip because more rubber touches
   2. They shorten stops on wet pavement
   3. They matter only for trucks on highways
   4. They reduce traction and increase stopping distance
   Show answer

   They reduce traction and increase stopping distance. Bald tires, worn smooth of tread, reduce traction and increase stopping distance, which turns bad weather dangerous. Worn tread cannot channel water or bite snow, so grip falls instead of improving, and wet stops grow longer for cars as well as trucks. Check tread before winter and rainy seasons. Replacing worn tires is cheaper than the crash a long slide can cause.

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

4. 4. In Wisconsin, what is the proper purpose of using the car horn?

   1. To greet friends walking on the sidewalk
   2. To rush a slow driver at a green light
   3. To help prevent a crash by signaling that you are there
   4. To celebrate after passing a driving test
   Show answer

   To help prevent a crash by signaling that you are there. The horn exists to help prevent a crash by signaling another driver that you are there. Greetings, impatience at lights, and celebrations waste its warning value and train others to ignore it. Reserve the horn for moments when another driver seems unaware of you: drifting toward your lane, backing without looking, or stepping off a curb. A short tap usually does that job.

   Study this in the handbook: The horn, headlights and turn signals

5. 5. In Wisconsin, driving on a slippery winter road, what must the driver not use?

   1. Headlights during the daytime hours
   2. Cruise control on the slippery road
   3. The defroster on the windshield
   4. A lower speed than the posted limit
   Show answer

   Cruise control on the slippery road. Do not use cruise control on slippery roads, because the system will keep applying power when tires lose grip, worsening a slide before you can react. Headlights, defrosters, and slower speeds all help in winter. Your foot must own every acceleration decision on slick surfaces. Disengage cruise at the first hint of ice, snow, or heavy rain, and drive the car yourself.

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

6. 6. In Wisconsin, how are reversible lanes marked on the pavement?

   1. Each lane has double dashed yellow lines
   2. Each lane has a solid white edge only
   3. Each lane has a green bicycle symbol
   4. Each lane has a red crossbuck painted in
   Show answer

   Each lane has double dashed yellow lines. Reversible lanes are marked on the pavement with double dashed yellow lines for each lane, paired with special overhead lights that show current use. A plain white edge, a bicycle symbol, or a painted crossbuck would point to other road features. If you see double dashed yellow, treat direction as changeable and rely on the overhead signal before using the lane.

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

7. 7. In Wisconsin, a driver misses a freeway exit. What must the driver do?

   1. Continue to the next exit and re-enter; never back up
   2. Back up on the shoulder to reach the missed ramp
   3. Back up in the right lane if traffic is light
   4. Stop and reverse across the gore area markings
   Show answer

   Continue to the next exit and re-enter; never back up. If you miss your exit or turn, do not back up. Continue to the next exit and re-enter the road to get back. Backing on a shoulder, in a lane, or across the gore places you against traffic moving at full speed, where closing gaps shrink in seconds. The extra mile to the next exit is the cheapest recovery in driving. Build that patience before you need it.

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

8. 8. In Wisconsin, you are following a motorcycle on a road where traffic stops often. Why should you give it extra room?

   1. Motorcycles need the room to weave between lanes of traffic
   2. Motorcycles are required to stop at every intersection ahead
   3. Motorcycles cannot use their brakes on wet pavement at all
   4. Motorcycles can stop faster than most vehicles
   Show answer

   Motorcycles can stop faster than most vehicles. Motorcycles can stop faster than most vehicles, so following one closely leaves too little room when it brakes. That shorter stopping ability, not weaving, intersection rules, or an inability to brake when wet, is why extra following room matters. Add space behind a motorcycle, watch its brake light and rider posture, and expect a quicker stop than a car would make at the same signal or hazard ahead.

   Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, emergency vehicles and school buses

9. 9. In Wisconsin, your approach to an intersection is controlled by an inverted red and white triangle. What must you do?

   1. Give right of way to other vehicles before entering
   2. Stop and remain stopped for one full minute at the sign
   3. Expect a railroad crossing immediately beyond the intersection
   4. Follow the lane reserved for buses through the intersection
   Show answer

   Give right of way to other vehicles before entering. The downward pointing red and white triangle instructs the driver to yield right of way to other vehicles. Approach slowly, inspect the intersecting traffic, and enter only when the movement can be made without forcing others to brake or swerve. It is not a timed stop order, a railroad warning, or a bus lane marker. A full stop can still be the safe choice when traffic or visibility demands it before entering.

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

10. 10. In Wisconsin, how does a driver signal stopping or slowing down by hand?

    1. Point the hand straight out the window
    2. Bend the elbow and point the hand up
    3. Point the hand down toward the ground
    4. Tap the roof three times quickly
    Show answer

    Point the hand down toward the ground. To signal stopping or slowing by hand, point your hand down toward the ground from the driver window. A straight arm means left turn and an upward bent arm means right turn, while roof tapping has no standard meaning. Use the downward signal when your brake lights fail or when you slow unexpectedly, so the driver behind you gets warning before your speed drops.

    Study this in the handbook: The horn, headlights and turn signals

11. 11. In Wisconsin, driving through a diverging diamond interchange, what must a driver follow to stay on the right path?

    1. The car ahead, even if it changes lanes late
    2. The painted lines from the old road pattern
    3. Memory of how the interchange worked when you drove it last year
    4. The signs, signals and road markings through the interchange
    Show answer

    The signs, signals and road markings through the interchange. This special interchange guides drivers smoothly through different exits and entrances and helps with safety, so follow the signs, signals and road markings rather than habit. The car ahead may itself be lost, old patterns no longer apply, and last year layout may have changed. Let the pavement guide your lane position, obey each signal, and stay in your marked lane until the interchange ends and normal lane order returns.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic stops, deer and emergency vehicles in roundabouts

12. 12. In Wisconsin, how does a driver signal leaving a roundabout?

    1. Turn on the left turn signal while inside the roundabout circle
    2. Turn on the right turn signal as the exit is reached
    3. Honk twice just before the exit
    4. Flash hazard lights while exiting
    Show answer

    Turn on the right turn signal as the exit is reached. As you reach your exit in a roundabout, turn on your right turn signal and exit. That signal tells drivers waiting to enter that your path is leaving the circle. A left signal inside the circle states the wrong intent, honking does not signal an exit, and hazard flashers announce a problem instead. Signal as the exit is reached, so waiting drivers read the message in time to use the gap.

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

13. 13. In Wisconsin, the limit on a clear dry road is posted at 35 and your car could safely travel faster. What does that posted number mean?

    1. The maximum speed allowed in good driving conditions
    2. A suggested speed you may exceed when the road is clear
    3. The minimum speed every driver must maintain there
    4. The average speed traffic is expected to travel there
    Show answer

    The maximum speed allowed in good driving conditions. A speed limit sign indicates the maximum speed allowed in good driving conditions. It is neither a suggestion that a clear road invites exceeding, nor a minimum to maintain, nor an average to match. Even that maximum can be too fast when visibility or surfaces worsen. Treat the posted number as a ceiling, then choose a speed at or below it that fits the road you can actually see.

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

14. 14. In Wisconsin, parking downhill on a street, which way must the wheels be turned?

    1. All the way to the left, away from the curb
    2. Straight ahead, with no brake needed
    3. All the way to the right, with the emergency brake set
    4. To the right only if no curb exists
    Show answer

    All the way to the right, with the emergency brake set. Parked downhill, move your wheels all the way to the right and set the emergency brake, so a forward roll steers into the curb or road edge instead of down the hill. Left turns, straight wheels without a brake, or limiting the rule to curbless streets all surrender that protection. Downhill rolls build speed fastest, making wheel direction and the brake a paired habit.

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

15. 15. In Wisconsin, stopped for a school bus with flashing red lights, when may a driver proceed?

    1. As soon as the last child steps off the bus
    2. While lights still flash, if no children show
    3. Only after the red lights stop flashing, watching for children
    4. After honking to warn children to hurry along
    Show answer

    Only after the red lights stop flashing, watching for children. Proceed only once the red lights on the school bus have stopped flashing, and watch for children the whole time, because children may cross late or dart back. The last child stepping off, an apparently empty road, or a warning honk does not end the stop early. Stay at least twenty feet from the bus until the lights die, then move only after a fresh scan for small pedestrians.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, emergency vehicles and school buses

16. 16. In Wisconsin, what speed principle should guide a driver on any road, posted limit or not?

    1. Drive at the fastest speed the car can hold
    2. Drive five units faster than traffic to stay ahead
    3. Drive slowly only when a police car is present
    4. Drive at a speed where you can always safely stop
    Show answer

    Drive at a speed where you can always safely stop. The basic speed principle is to drive where you can always safely stop for what appears ahead. The posted limit is a ceiling, not a promise that the ceiling is safe in rain, darkness or traffic. Chasing the fastest pace or outrunning traffic removes your stopping margin, and police presence does not change physics. If you could not stop in the clear space you see, you are too fast.

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

17. 17. In Wisconsin, what does a county road sign look like?

    1. Shield shaped with red on top and blue below
    2. Rectangular with rounded edges, white with black lettering
    3. Badge shaped and grey with black lettering
    4. Jug shaped and white with black lettering
    Show answer

    Rectangular with rounded edges, white with black lettering. A county road sign is rectangular with rounded edges and carries black lettering on a white background. The shield with red and blue marks an interstate, the badge shape marks a U.S. route, and the jug shape marks a state road. Learning each outline helps you tell road systems apart at a glance, which matters when directions refer to a county trunk highway.

18. 18. In Wisconsin, trees, buildings and parked vehicles block your view as you approach an intersection. How should you approach?

    1. Approach at the posted speed, because you have no stop sign
    2. Speed up to spend less time inside the intersection
    3. Stop only after entering far enough to see around the blockage
    4. Approach the blocked intersection at a slow pace
    Show answer

    Approach the blocked intersection at a slow pace. When trees, buildings, or parked vehicles block your view at an intersection, approach at a slow pace. A slow approach buys time to spot cross traffic, pedestrians, and bicyclists hidden by the blockage. Posted speed, a quick dash through, or rolling deep into the intersection to see all spend that time instead. Creep forward with your foot ready on the brake until the full crossing picture is visible.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way

19. 19. In Wisconsin, before crossing traffic at a driveway exit, who must the driver check for?

    1. Other vehicles and pedestrians before crossing
    2. Only vehicles larger than the driver car
    3. Only pedestrians who have pressed a crossing signal button
    4. Only traffic coming from the left side
    Show answer

    Other vehicles and pedestrians before crossing. Do not cross traffic until it is safe, and check for other vehicles and pedestrians before you cross. Limiting the check to large vehicles only, button-only pedestrians, or traffic from one side misses the motorcycle, the child, and the car approaching from the other side. Scan the full width of the road you will cross, including sidewalks at both ends, then cross promptly without dawdling in the lanes.

    Study this in the handbook: The four second rule and space around you

20. 20. In Wisconsin, in a crash where someone is injured, where should an involved driver wait if it is safe?

    1. Walk into the roadway to direct traffic by hand
    2. Stay in the vehicle if it is safe to do so
    3. Leave the scene to find witnesses nearby
    4. Move the vehicles to the nearest parking lot
    Show answer

    Stay in the vehicle if it is safe to do so. If someone is injured or killed, stay in the vehicle if it is safe to do so, after calling 911 and staying on the scene without moving the vehicles. Directing traffic on foot, hunting witnesses away from the scene, or moving vehicles exposes you and destroys evidence. Rescue and traffic control belong to responders who arrive with lights, training, and authority.

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