WI Permit Practice Test 20

All 20 questions in test 20

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, you reach an intersection controlled by a flashing red signal. How must you respond?

   1. Make a full stop, then proceed when it is safe
   2. Slow down and proceed with caution without stopping
   3. Stop only when cross traffic is already in the intersection
   4. Treat the signal as a green light for your direction
   Show answer

   Make a full stop, then proceed when it is safe. A flashing red signal requires a full stop, followed by proceeding when safe. That stop separates flashing red from flashing yellow, which calls for caution without the same stop. The duty applies even when the intersection looks empty, and the signal never acts as a green light. Stop at the line, look in every direction, yield to traffic and pedestrians already moving, and go only when your path is clear.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

2. 2. In Wisconsin, you are approaching an intersection when the traffic light turns steady yellow. What should you do?

   1. Speed up to enter before the light turns red ahead
   2. Enter at full speed whenever you are within one block
   3. Stop only if a police officer is watching the corner
   4. Slow down and stop before entering if possible
   Show answer

   Slow down and stop before entering if possible. At a steady yellow traffic light, slow down and stop before entering if possible. The yellow warns that red follows, so racing to beat it or entering at full speed from a block away works against the instruction. The duty holds without an officer present. If stopping safely is possible, stop behind the line; only a vehicle too close to stop safely should already be committed to clearing the intersection.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

3. 3. In Wisconsin, the car ahead is driving under the limit and you want to pass on a two-lane road. May you exceed the speed limit to complete the pass?

   1. Yes, by up to ten miles per hour while passing only
   2. Yes, whenever the oncoming lane looks empty for a mile
   3. No, exceeding the speed limit to pass is not allowed
   4. Yes, if you return to the limit within thirty seconds
   Show answer

   No, exceeding the speed limit to pass is not allowed. Exceeding the speed limit to pass another vehicle is not allowed. The limit stays in force during the whole pass, so a pass that only works above the limit is a pass to skip. An empty oncoming lane, a short burst, or returning to the limit afterward does not create an exception. Wait behind the slower vehicle until a legal pass fits within the limit, or stay in line if it never does.

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

4. 4. In Wisconsin, what should a driver do after seeing a Reduced Speed Ahead sign?

   1. Slow down and watch for a curb or slippery road ahead
   2. Speed up briefly to clear the slow area sooner
   3. Keep the same speed unless a police officer signals you to stop
   4. Stop fully and wait for the road to dry
   Show answer

   Slow down and watch for a curb or slippery road ahead. A Reduced Speed Ahead sign tells you to lower your speed before reaching the hazard it warns about. The handbook links the sign to a curb or a slippery stretch, so easing off early gives you time to adjust. Speeding up shortens your reaction time, and holding speed ignores the warning. A full stop is not required by this sign. Look past the sign for the curb or slick surface and slow before you reach it.

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

5. 5. In Wisconsin, how can a driver recognize a construction sign by its appearance?

   1. Green rectangle with white lettering about distances
   2. Blue square with white letters for nearby services
   3. Orange diamond or rectangle with black lettering and symbols
   4. Yellow pennant with black lettering about passing
   Show answer

   Orange diamond or rectangle with black lettering and symbols. Construction signs stand out by color and shape: they are orange diamonds or rectangles with black lettering and symbols, and they warn about people working on or near the road. Green rectangles give directions and distances, while blue squares point to services. A yellow pennant marks a no passing area. When you see orange with black markings, expect workers nearby and slow down.

   Study this in the handbook: Warning and construction signs

6. 6. In Wisconsin, your vehicle starts skidding sideways on a slippery curve. Which response follows the guidance for a skid?

   1. Brake hard and hold the wheel straight in the skid
   2. Steer away from the direction you want the car to travel
   3. Stay off the brake and steer where you want to go
   4. Accelerate to pull the front of the car straight again
   Show answer

   Stay off the brake and steer where you want to go. If a vehicle starts skidding on a slippery road, stay off the brake and steer where you want to go. Braking hard locks the slide in place, steering away from your intended path deepens it, and accelerating adds power the surface cannot use. Look at the path you want, steer smoothly toward it, and let speed fall until the tires regain grip and the car answers the wheel again.

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

7. 7. In Wisconsin, a driver wants to pass but space ahead of the target car is tight. What rule applies?

   1. Pass anyway, because the other vehicle must move over
   2. Do not pass unless there is enough room in front of that vehicle
   3. Sound the horn so the vehicle creates room
   4. Pass halfway, then decide whether to finish
   Show answer

   Do not pass unless there is enough room in front of that vehicle. Do not pass unless there is enough room in front of the vehicle you want to pass, and remember other vehicles do not have to move to let you pass. The space for your return must exist before you pull out, not be created by horn pressure or a halfway commitment. Wait for a longer gap, even if that means following longer. A delayed pass is always cheaper than a head-on meeting.

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

8. 8. In Wisconsin, after finishing a backing maneuver, what must a driver do before re-entering traffic?

   1. Accelerate immediately to match traffic speed
   2. Honk twice, then pull out without looking
   3. Wait five minutes with the engine off
   4. Scan left and right before moving back into traffic
   Show answer

   Scan left and right before moving back into traffic. When you finish backing up, scan left and right before moving back into traffic, because the street picture changed while your attention faced backward. Accelerating blindly, honking as a substitute for looking, or waiting with the engine off all fail to gather current information. A fresh scan shows the cyclist or car that arrived during your maneuver. Look, judge the gap, then move.

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

9. 9. In Wisconsin, on a long drive you notice yourself yawning and blinking frequently behind the wheel. What does that warn you to do?

   1. Open the window and keep driving until you reach the next town ahead on your route
   2. Drink coffee and continue at the same steady speed
   3. Turn the radio louder and sing to stay alert longer
   4. Pull over and rest, because yawning or blinking frequently warns you
   Show answer

   Pull over and rest, because yawning or blinking frequently warns you. Yawning or blinking frequently is a warning sign that a driver should pull over and rest. Cold air, coffee, and loud music can mask sleepiness briefly, but none of them removes the warning the body is sending. Find a safe place to stop, rest before drowsiness deepens, and resume only when alert. A driver who keeps going on those warnings risks drifting without ever noticing the departure.

   Study this in the handbook: Distracted and drowsy driving

10. 10. In Wisconsin, you are in a crash where someone is injured and your car still runs. Which statement about leaving is correct?

    1. You may leave once you have a phone number exchanged
    2. It is a crime to leave the scene of an injury crash
    3. You may leave if your vehicle can still be driven away
    4. You may leave after moving your car off the roadway
    Show answer

    It is a crime to leave the scene of an injury crash. When someone is injured in a Wisconsin crash, it is a crime to leave the scene. A phone number exchange, a drivable car, or clearing the roadway does not convert departure into a lawful choice; moving off the road and leaving the scene are different acts. Stop, call for help, remain with the vehicles clear of traffic, and give your information to responders and the other driver.

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

11. 11. In Wisconsin, in which direction does traffic move inside a roundabout?

    1. Clockwise around the center
    2. Straight across the center island
    3. In whichever direction is shortest
    4. Counterclockwise around the center
    Show answer

    Counterclockwise around the center. Traffic in a roundabout moves counterclockwise, so every entry yields to traffic coming from the left. Clockwise travel, cutting across the island, or choosing the shortest direction would meet circulating cars head-on. Follow the circle, keep speed low, and exit with a right signal at your street. The one-way circulation is what lets roundabouts replace stop-and-wait intersections with steady flow.

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

12. 12. In Wisconsin, why do route number signs change shape and color from road to road?

    1. The shape changes with the weather at the county line
    2. The shape and color depend on the type of road being traveled
    3. The color shows the speed limit for that road
    4. The shape shows which lane trucks must use
    Show answer

    The shape and color depend on the type of road being traveled. Route number signs vary because their shape and color depend on the type of road you are traveling on, such as county, state, U.S. or interstate. Weather does not reshape them, and neither speed limits nor truck lanes are coded into the outline. By reading the shape, you know which road system you are on, which confirms that you are following the correct route to your destination.

13. 13. In Wisconsin, what lines border a shared center lane on each side?

    1. Double white lines with green arrows above
    2. Red lines with white diamonds below
    3. Solid yellow and dashed lines in each lane
    4. Blue lines with parking symbols painted in
    Show answer

    Solid yellow and dashed lines in each lane. A shared center lane is bordered by solid yellow and dashed lines in each lane, a pairing that signals a two-way turn lane rather than a normal travel lane. White diamonds mark reserved lanes, and overhead arrows belong to reversible or flex lanes. Recognizing the yellow pairing early helps you avoid drifting into the center lane as if it were a through lane.

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

14. 14. In Wisconsin, traffic is backed up just beyond a railroad crossing. What should a driver do?

    1. Cross and stop on the tracks until the traffic ahead starts moving
    2. Creep onto the tracks to keep the line moving
    3. Shift into neutral on the tracks and wait
    4. Wait and do not cross until there is room on the other side
    Show answer

    Wait and do not cross until there is room on the other side. Never start across railroad tracks unless there is room for your whole vehicle on the other side. Stopping on the tracks, even briefly to keep a line moving, leaves the vehicle sitting where a train travels. Stay behind the crossing until traffic ahead clears enough space for the full vehicle. Room on the far side, not the gap in front of the first rail, decides when crossing may begin.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossing signs and rules

15. 15. In Wisconsin, you enter a high speed highway from an entrance ramp. What does the acceleration lane let you do before merging?

    1. Speed up in the acceleration lane to merge with traffic flow
    2. Stop at the end of the ramp and wait until the whole highway looks empty
    3. Merge at ramp speed and make highway drivers slow for you
    4. Pass vehicles on the ramp to reach the highway first
    Show answer

    Speed up in the acceleration lane to merge with traffic flow. An acceleration lane on a high speed roadway gives you room to speed up as you merge with traffic flow. Use the ramp and lane to reach near the speed of the highway stream, then slip into a gap. Stopping at the end, merging slowly so others must brake, or racing vehicles on the ramp all waste that design. Judge the gap early and adjust speed smoothly rather than braking on the highway.

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

16. 16. In Wisconsin, you reach an intersection while another driver is still inside it finishing a turn. Who should yield?

    1. The driver in the intersection yields to you at the edge
    2. You yield to the driver still in the intersection
    3. Whoever signals first enters and finishes the turn first
    4. Both drivers share the intersection at the same time
    Show answer

    You yield to the driver still in the intersection. When you reach an intersection and another driver is still in it finishing a turn, you should yield to that driver. The vehicle already inside has begun its movement lawfully, and entering beside it crowds the space it needs to clear. Signaling earlier does not take that priority, and sharing the intersection is not the rule. Wait at the edge until the turning driver clears, then proceed.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way

17. 17. In Wisconsin, you are stopped at a red light and it turns green while cross traffic is still clearing. What must you do before going?

    1. Allow the cross traffic to clear before going ahead
    2. Go at once, because green always clears the intersection
    3. Enter slowly and weave between the clearing vehicles
    4. Honk so the clearing drivers hurry out of your way
    Show answer

    Allow the cross traffic to clear before going ahead. When a red light turns green, allow cross traffic to clear before going ahead. A vehicle still clearing the intersection keeps its space even after your signal changes. Entering at once, weaving between clearing vehicles, or honking them forward all risk a collision in the middle of the box. Pause, watch the last clearing vehicle and any late pedestrian, and start only when the way is empty.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

18. 18. In Wisconsin, backing into a right-side parallel space, which way is the wheel first turned?

    1. All the way to the left, opposite the parking side
    2. All the way to the right, matching the side being parked on
    3. Straight back first, with no wheel turn at all
    4. Halfway toward the curb, then straighten at once
    Show answer

    All the way to the right, matching the side being parked on. Backing into a parallel space, turn the wheel all the way toward the side you are parking on: right for a right-side space, left for a left-side space, and move slowly backward. Opposite lock, straight reversing, or a timid half turn will not swing the rear into the space at the right angle. Full lock at crawling speed is what tucks the car in cleanly.

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

19. 19. In Wisconsin, you are in a minor crash with no injuries and your vehicle can still move. What should you do when it is safe?

    1. Move the vehicle off the road when it is safe to do so
    2. Leave the vehicle blocking traffic where the crash happened
    3. Stop in the middle of the road and exchange information there
    4. Drive away without stopping, because nobody was injured
    Show answer

    Move the vehicle off the road when it is safe to do so. If a crash has no injuries and the vehicle can move, move the vehicle off the road when safe. A drivable car left blocking traffic or sitting mid-road for paperwork invites a second crash. Driving away entirely skips the duties that still apply. Clear the lanes first, then exchange information and document the scene from a safe position off the traveled way.

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

20. 20. In Wisconsin, how does ABS help during an emergency stop?

    1. Wheels lock firmly for the shortest stops possible
    2. The system steers the car around danger itself
    3. Wheels keep from locking, so stopping has little or no skid
    4. The system works only below twenty miles hourly
    Show answer

    Wheels keep from locking, so stopping has little or no skid. ABS helps you stop with little or no skidding by keeping the wheels from locking up when you brake, while you apply firm, continuous pressure until the vehicle stops or danger passes. Locked wheels lengthen stops and remove steering, the system does not steer for you, and it works at road speeds. Braking hard and steering gently can combine under ABS, unlike older braking technique.

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