WI Permit Practice Test 21

All 20 questions in test 21

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, what does a steady green arrow permit a driver to do?

   1. Drive straight through against a red light
   2. Turn opposite to the direction of the arrow
   3. Park in the lane the arrow points toward
   4. Turn in the direction the arrow points
   Show answer

   Turn in the direction the arrow points. A steady green arrow permits you to turn in the direction the arrow points, during a phase when oncoming and crossing traffic should be held. It does not license straight travel against red, turning against the arrow, or parking in the turn lane. Even on the arrow, watch for pedestrians in the crosswalk and for a driver who runs the red from the side street.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows

2. 2. In Wisconsin, a railroad sign has a Tracks out-of-service panel across it. What does that panel mean?

   1. Trains use the tracks only at night
   2. Drivers must stop longer than usual there
   3. The tracks are no longer in use
   4. Buses must still stop and open the door
   Show answer

   The tracks are no longer in use. A Tracks out-of-service panel placed across a railroad sign means the tracks are no longer in use. It does not limit trains to nighttime use, and it does not call for longer stops at the crossing. It also does not add a bus door rule at that crossing. Read the panel as information about those tracks: service there has ended, so the stop rule tied to active tracks is what changes.

   Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossing signs and rules

3. 3. In Wisconsin, as you reach a roundabout a semitruck is circulating ahead of you. What must you do?

   1. Enter beside the semitruck because trucks leave extra room
   2. Wave the semitruck through only if it signals to exit
   3. Yield to the semitruck already in the roundabout
   4. Follow the semitruck closely so cars behind cannot enter
   Show answer

   Yield to the semitruck already in the roundabout. As you reach a roundabout, yield to large vehicles such as semitrucks that are already circulating. A semitruck swings wide through the circle, so entering beside it or crowding behind it puts your vehicle where its trailer needs to travel. No signal or wave from the truck driver is needed to trigger the duty. Wait at the entrance, let the truck complete its path, and enter when the circle is clear of it.

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

4. 4. In Wisconsin, because seeing behind is hard, how should a driver treat backing up?

   1. Back up often to practice the skill daily
   2. Back up quickly to spend less time exposed
   3. Back up using only the backup camera screen
   4. Do as little backing up as possible
   Show answer

   Do as little backing up as possible. Because it is hard to see behind your vehicle, do as little backing up as possible and plan pull-through parking and routes that avoid reversing. Practice does not require daily backing in traffic, speed shortens your checking time, and a camera alone misses low and side hazards. When backing is unavoidable, move slowly, turn your body to look, and use a helper outside when one is available.

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

5. 5. In Wisconsin, what does a hospital access sign tell a driver?

   1. The route number of the road the hospital is on
   2. Which entrance ambulances must use first
   3. Which direction the hospital is located
   4. The distance from this sign to the hospital
   Show answer

   Which direction the hospital is located. A hospital access sign simply shows which direction the hospital is located, so a driver who needs care or is helping someone else can head the right way. It does not show a route number, assign ambulance entrances, or state the distance to the hospital. Follow its direction calmly and keep your driving smooth. In a medical emergency, steady driving gets you there more safely than rushing.

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

6. 6. In Wisconsin, driving in fog with reduced visibility, how can other vehicles mislead your judgment?

   1. They may appear to be moving slower than they actually are
   2. They always appear larger and closer than they are
   3. They appear to move faster on every road
   4. Their speed looks exact in any weather
   Show answer

   They may appear to be moving slower than they actually are. In reduced visibility, vehicles may appear to be moving slower than they actually are, so a gap that looks generous can close fast. Size and distance also distort, but the handbook warns specifically about underestimated speed. Slow down, lengthen following distance, and do not pull out based on a foggy guess. If you cannot judge an approaching speed, wait until the vehicle passes.

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

7. 7. In Wisconsin, when may a driver properly use high beams?

   1. Whenever the road has street lights burning brightly
   2. When following closely behind another car at night
   3. When no vehicles approach, or in unfamiliar or work areas
   4. While driving through thick fog at noon time
   Show answer

   When no vehicles approach, or in unfamiliar or work areas. High beams may be used when no vehicles are coming toward you, and they can help in an unfamiliar place or construction area where hazards hide. Street-lit roads, close following, and fog all call for low beams instead, because brights blind others or bounce back at you. Dim for every approaching vehicle and for the car ahead, then restore brights when the road is yours again.

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

8. 8. In Wisconsin, when should a driver choose a Y-turn instead of a U-turn?

   1. On highways where traffic moves fastest
   2. At intersections with a green arrow showing
   3. On any street where parking is allowed
   4. In residential areas on streets too narrow for a U-turn
   Show answer

   In residential areas on streets too narrow for a U-turn. A Y-turn should be used only in residential areas on streets too narrow for a U-turn, where traffic is slow and driveways give room for the three-part maneuver. Highways, arrow-controlled corners, and ordinary parking streets do not call for it. Even in a neighborhood, check every direction at each stage, because you will briefly face and reverse across the street.

9. 9. In Wisconsin, avoiding a crash by turning, where must the driver never steer?

   1. Toward an empty shoulder beside the road
   2. Into the oncoming lane of traffic
   3. Toward a clear gap in the same direction
   4. In the direction the vehicle should travel
   Show answer

   Into the oncoming lane of traffic. When turning to avoid a crash, always steer in the direction you want the vehicle to go. Never steer into the oncoming lane of traffic. An empty shoulder beside the road, a clear gap in the same direction, and the direction the vehicle should travel are all proper targets named against that ban. The oncoming lane is the one direction the rule rules out completely.

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

10. 10. In Wisconsin, you need to turn left across traffic and a shared center lane runs along the middle of the road. What is that center lane used for?

    1. Passing slow vehicles on the left at highway speed
    2. Making left turns or U-turns from the center lane
    3. Parking while waiting for a passenger at the curb
    4. Traveling straight through intersections to avoid signals
    Show answer

    Making left turns or U-turns from the center lane. A shared center lane is used for left turns or U-turns. Drivers enter it to wait clear of through traffic, then complete the turn when opposing lanes are safe. It is not a passing lane, a parking space, or a through lane for skipping intersections. Enter the center lane only to turn, watch for opposing drivers using it for their own turns, and leave it promptly once your turn is finished.

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

11. 11. In Wisconsin, what is the basic job of solid yellow lines on a two-way road?

    1. To separate lanes going the same direction
    2. To mark the right edge of the traffic lane
    3. To show where pedestrians should walk
    4. To separate traffic going in opposite directions
    Show answer

    To separate traffic going in opposite directions. Solid yellow lines separate traffic going in opposite directions, placing a clear boundary between your lane and opposing flow. White lines separate same-direction lanes, and a solid white edge line marks the right edge. Pedestrians belong in crosswalks and sidewalks, not on yellow center lines. Staying to the right of the yellow boundary keeps you out of the opposing lane except where a legal turn or pass applies.

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

12. 12. In Wisconsin, before a winter drive, which parts must be cleared of snow and ice?

    1. All windows, lamps, side mirrors and license plates
    2. Only the front windshield center area ahead
    3. Only the roof, to lighten the vehicle load
    4. Only the front license plate of the vehicle
    Show answer

    All windows, lamps, side mirrors and license plates. Before winter driving, clear snow and ice from all parts of the vehicle, especially all windows, lamps, mirrors and license plates. A peephole in the windshield, a cleared roof alone, or one plate leaves you blind and invisible to others, and flying snow can blind followers. Brush the whole car, including roof and lights, before moving. Five minutes of clearing prevents a season of regret.

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

13. 13. In Wisconsin, besides age, what must a parent check for a child safety seat fit?

    1. The brand the vehicle maker prefers for all of its child seats
    2. The seat manual for its weight and height requirements
    3. The size of the rear seat in the vehicle
    4. The age of the vehicle model year
    Show answer

    The seat manual for its weight and height requirements. Besides age, check the child safety seat manual for its weight and height requirements, because a child can outgrow a seat by size before the birthday guideline. Brand preference, rear seat size, and vehicle year do not measure fit. Weigh and measure your child, compare with the manual limits, and move to the next seat stage on time. A correctly sized seat holds the child where crash forces are managed best.

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

14. 14. In Wisconsin, warning lights are flashing at a railroad crossing as a train approaches. What must you do before crossing?

    1. Cross as soon as the train passes, while lights still flash
    2. Wait until the lights stop flashing and the track is clear
    3. Cross when the gate arm starts rising, without looking
    4. Cross slowly between flashes if no second train is heard
    Show answer

    Wait until the lights stop flashing and the track is clear. Before crossing railroad tracks when warning lights are active, wait until the lights stop flashing and the track is clear. A passing train can hide a second one, so the end of the first train does not end the duty. A rising gate or a quiet moment between flashes does not either. Stay behind the crossing until the lights stop, then look along every track before driving across.

    Study this in the handbook: Railroad crossing signs and rules

15. 15. In Wisconsin, you approach a stopped emergency vehicle with flashing lights on the shoulder. Which lane should you use?

    1. The lane that is not nearest the stopped emergency vehicle
    2. The lane nearest it, to pass as close as traffic allows
    3. The shoulder behind it, stopping until its lights turn off
    4. Either lane at full speed, because its lights are only flashing
    Show answer

    The lane that is not nearest the stopped emergency vehicle. When approaching a stopped emergency vehicle with flashing lights, use the lane not nearest the stopped vehicle. That space protects responders working outside their vehicle. Passing close in the nearest lane, stopping behind it on the shoulder, or holding full speed in either lane all shrink that protection. If a lane change cannot be made safely, slow down substantially and pass with maximum care.

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

16. 16. In Wisconsin, another vehicle is passing your vehicle in the same direction on a two-lane road. What responsibility do you have?

    1. Yield to the vehicle that is passing your vehicle
    2. Speed up so the passing vehicle cannot get ahead of you
    3. Move left to block the pass until the road widens
    4. Brake hard without warning to punish the passing driver
    Show answer

    Yield to the vehicle that is passing your vehicle. When a vehicle is passing your vehicle in the same direction, you are responsible for yielding to the passing vehicle. Hold your speed and lane, and do not race, block, or brake check the driver who is already committed beside you. Your steady behavior gives that driver the room and time to complete the pass and return safely. Once the vehicle is clear ahead, rebuild your normal following distance.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way

17. 17. In Wisconsin, what pace should a driver generally keep with surrounding traffic?

    1. Always drive faster than the flow to lead it
    2. Always drive slower than the flow for safety
    3. Change speed often to stay unpredictable
    4. Keep the same speed as others on the road
    Show answer

    Keep the same speed as others on the road. Try to keep the same speed as others on the road, because a smooth flow with few passes is safer than constant overtaking. Leading the flow at excess speed, trailing far below it, or varying speed unpredictably all multiply conflicts. Passing other vehicles can cause crashes, so each pass needs a clear reason and a safe zone. Match the lawful flow and let aggressive drivers go ahead.

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

18. 18. In Wisconsin, you finish parallel parking along a curb on a level street. How far from the curb should your vehicle sit?

    1. About a foot away from the curb when finished
    2. About three feet away, to leave room for opening doors
    3. Touching the curb with both tires along its length
    4. About two feet away on every level street parking
    Show answer

    About a foot away from the curb when finished. After parallel parking, the vehicle should sit about a foot away from the curb. Three feet projects the car into the travel lane, two feet still leaves it wide of the curb line, and rubbing the curb risks tire and wheel damage. Straighten the wheels, center the car between its neighbors, and check the curb distance in the mirror before setting the brake and leaving.

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

19. 19. In Wisconsin, a school bus on the opposite side of an undivided road displays flashing red lights. What must you do?

    1. Continue past, because the bus faces the opposite direction
    2. Stop at least 20 feet from the school bus
    3. Pass slowly after checking that no children are visible
    4. Stop only if the bus driver gestures for you to stop
    Show answer

    Stop at least 20 feet from the school bus. A school bus displaying flashing red lights requires you to stop at least 20 feet from it, whether the bus is on your side of the road or the opposite side of an undivided roadway. Passing slowly, waiting for a gesture, or continuing because the bus faces away all ignore that duty. Stay stopped while the red lights flash, watch for children crossing, and move only after the lights stop.

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

20. 20. In Wisconsin, a steady red arrow controls your turning lane at an intersection. What does that arrow require?

    1. Stop, then turn when the cross street looks empty
    2. Slow down and turn with caution, as you would at a flashing yellow light
    3. Come to a full stop and wait for the light to turn green
    4. Yield to pedestrians, then turn against the red arrow
    Show answer

    Come to a full stop and wait for the light to turn green. A steady red arrow requires the driver to come to a full stop and wait for the light to turn green. Unlike a plain red light, the arrow does not open a stop-then-turn path for its lane. Slowing with caution or yielding and turning anyway borrows rules from other signals. Hold your stop behind the line until the arrow changes, then turn while still watching for pedestrians.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights and arrows