Montana MVD Permit Practice Test 33

  • Questions33
  • Correct to pass27
  • Passing score82%
  • Minimum age14 years 6 months

Minimum age: 14 years 6 months while enrolled in an approved traffic education course; 15 years once that course is completed; 16 years without traffic education

33 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why; you need 27 correct answers to pass.

  1. 1. You are in the open lane where another lane is merging into yours. What is your part in the merge?

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    Answer A: Keep a steady speed and leave a gap for one vehicle to come in

    A merge works when each driver in the through lane lets one vehicle in, which keeps both lines moving instead of stopping them both.

  2. 2. What is the first thing to do once your disabled vehicle is stopped on the shoulder?

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    Answer A: Switch on the hazard warning lights so other drivers can see the vehicle

    Hazard lights are the fastest way to make a stopped vehicle visible, and everything else can follow once traffic has been warned.

  3. 3. A line beside your lane is painted about twice the normal width. What does the extra width convey?

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    Answer B: Greater emphasis on the restriction it carries

    Width is part of the marking code: a wide line carries more emphasis than a normal one, which is why it is used at gores and channelizing lines.

  4. 4. What do the grooves in a tire tread do on a flooded road surface?

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    Answer B: They give the water a way to escape so the tread can touch the road

    Tread grooves pump water out from under the tire so rubber can meet pavement. A worn tread moves less water, so hydroplaning starts sooner.

  5. 5. A high-occupancy vehicle lane is separated from the general lanes by a pair of solid white lines with a gap every so often. Where may you enter or leave it?

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    Answer D: Only at the openings where the solid lines are broken

    The solid lines forbid crossing, so entry and exit are limited to the designated openings where the marking is broken.

  6. 6. How does being tired change your total stopping distance?

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    Answer A: It lengthens it, because you take longer to notice and react

    Fatigue stretches perception and reaction time, and every extra fraction of a second is added distance before the brakes even begin to work.

  7. 7. At a freeway exit ramp, this sign normally backs up which other regulatory sign posted nearer to the ramp terminal?

    A red rectangle with white lettering
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    Answer D: The sign that forbids entering that roadway at all

    The two work as a pair at ramp terminals: one keeps drivers from turning in, and this one sits farther along to catch a driver who has already entered.

  8. 8. You have passed a large truck and want to move back into its lane. What should you see first?

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    Answer B: Both of its headlights in your rear-view mirror

    Seeing both headlights in your mirror means you are far enough ahead to be out of the truck's front no-zone before you move over.

  9. 9. You are slowing to turn right at an intersection and a bicyclist is riding beside your right side in a bike lane. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Let the bicyclist go through the intersection before you begin the turn

    Turning across the path of a bicyclist who is going straight causes the classic right-hook crash. The rider continuing straight has the right-of-way over your turn.

  10. 10. You want to pass on a two-lane road where several people are walking on the narrow shoulder ahead. What should you consider?

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    Answer D: There is no escape room if the pass goes wrong, so wait for a better place

    A pass depends on having somewhere to go if it goes wrong, and a shoulder occupied by pedestrians removes that option for both vehicles.

  11. 11. What is the lowest light transmission Montana allows on a front side window?

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    Answer C: 24 percent

    Montana bars a front side window below 24 percent light transmission, while windows behind the front seat may go down to 14 percent.

  12. 12. A driver reaches this sign and the intersecting roadway is completely clear. What is required?

    A downward pointing white triangle with a wide red border
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    Answer D: Slowing to a speed that allows stopping, then going on without stopping if the way stays clear

    This control asks the driver to slow down and be ready to stop, and a full stop becomes necessary only when traffic or pedestrians would otherwise be interfered with.

  13. 13. You feel dizzy and get a headache while driving with the windows closed. What could be the cause and what should you do?

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    Answer D: An exhaust leak letting carbon monoxide into the cabin, so open the windows and stop to get fresh air

    Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, and headache, dizziness and drowsiness are early signs. Get fresh air at once and have the exhaust system inspected.

  14. 14. A freeway sign reads BUSES ONLY ON SHOULDER 6 AM TO 9 AM. Who may drive on the shoulder then?

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    Answer A: Only the vehicles named on the sign, during the hours shown

    Shoulder running is granted by the sign to the class of vehicle and the hours the sign names, and it does not turn the shoulder into a general travel lane.

  15. 15. You are stopped in a shared through and right-turn lane with your right signal on, and a bicyclist rides up along your right side. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Let the bicyclist clear the intersection or move ahead before you turn

    A cyclist alongside your right side is in the path your turn will sweep across, so wait until that space is clear before turning.

  16. 16. A small plate under a stop sign reads CROSS TRAFFIC DOES NOT STOP. What is it telling you?

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    Answer D: Traffic on the cross street is not required to stop at all

    The plate warns that the other road is uncontrolled, so you must wait for a gap instead of expecting anyone to take turns with you.

  17. 17. Where is a three-point turn most clearly a bad idea?

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    Answer A: On a busy street near a curve, where approaching drivers cannot see you

    The maneuver leaves you blocking the road for several seconds, so it needs light traffic and a long clear view; a blind curve gives neither.

  18. 18. What is the safest way to handle an unrestrained pet or a child who needs attention while you are driving?

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    Answer D: Secure pets before the trip and pull over safely before attending to a child

    A loose animal or an urgent situation in the back seat can capture a driver's attention completely, so restrain pets beforehand and stop in a safe place when someone needs help.

  19. 19. A driver sees this sign on a quiet road with no other traffic in either direction. What is the correct response?

    A yellow circle showing a black cross and the letters R R in the side quarters
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    Answer C: Slow down, look and listen for a train, and be ready to stop

    The sign gives advance notice of a highway-rail grade crossing, so the driver reduces speed, checks both directions along the tracks and keeps enough room to stop short of the rails.

  20. 20. How does heavy cargo on a roof rack change the way a vehicle handles?

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    Answer D: It raises the center of gravity, so the vehicle tips more in turns and needs gentler steering

    Weight carried high makes the vehicle lean more and roll over more easily, and extra weight lengthens stopping distance. Drive slower and steer smoothly with a loaded roof.

  21. 21. On a long drive you notice repeated yawning, missed exits and drifting toward the lane line. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Pull off at a safe place and sleep, or change drivers

    Those are warning signs that sleepiness is already interfering with driving, and only rest restores alertness. Fresh air, music and caffeine do not reverse it.

  22. 22. A school crossing guard steps into the roadway and holds up a stop paddle. What must you do?

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    Answer D: Stop and stay stopped until the guard and the children have left the road

    A crossing guard directs traffic with legal authority; you must remain stopped until both the guard and the children are clear of the roadway.

  23. 23. How far from the nearest rail of a railroad crossing does Montana prohibit parking?

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    Answer D: 50 feet

    Montana prohibits stopping, standing or parking within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing.

  24. 24. You have a steady green ball to turn left, and the oncoming traffic gets a green left arrow. What does that mean for you?

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    Answer C: Oncoming vehicles will turn across your path, so you must wait

    A green ball is permissive, so when the oncoming side receives a protected arrow those vehicles have priority and you must yield until they clear.

  25. 25. A mixed drink is made with two shots of spirits. How much alcohol is that?

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    Answer C: About two standard drinks

    A standard drink is a fixed amount of pure alcohol, so a glass poured with two measures counts as two drinks however it is served.

  26. 26. Within what distance of an oncoming vehicle must a Montana driver stop projecting the uppermost beam?

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    Answer D: 1,000 feet

    Montana requires a beam that does not project into the eyes of an oncoming driver within 1,000 feet, and bars the uppermost beam within 500 feet behind another vehicle.

  27. 27. You stop at the curb on a busy street to let passengers out. What should you tell them?

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    Answer A: To get out on the curb side, away from traffic

    Passengers should always leave on the side away from moving traffic, which keeps both them and the door out of the travel lane.

  28. 28. A curb lane is marked BUS ONLY 7 AM TO 9 AM. What may the driver of a car do?

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    Answer A: Use the lane outside those hours

    A part-time bus lane is reserved only during the posted period, and outside it the lane serves general traffic like any other.

  29. 29. A sign at the approach to a bridge reads WEIGHT LIMIT 10 TONS. What does the figure set?

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    Answer B: The heaviest vehicle the bridge may legally carry

    A weight limit sign is a regulation based on what the structure can bear, and it applies to the loaded weight of the whole vehicle.

  30. 30. A vehicle in front of you has already begun turning left into a driveway when the gap you were waiting for opens up. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Wait and let that driver finish the turn

    A vehicle that has lawfully started a maneuver keeps the right of way until it is finished.

  31. 31. You brake hard on a wet road and need to steer around a stalled car. How do antilock brakes help you do that?

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    Answer B: They stop the wheels locking, so the tires can still turn the vehicle

    Locked wheels slide and cannot change direction. By preventing lockup the system lets you brake at full force and steer at the same time.

  32. 32. You must slow suddenly on a highway and a vehicle is following close behind you. What helps prevent a rear-end collision?

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    Answer D: Tapping the brake pedal early so your brake lights flash a warning

    Early brake light flashes give the driver behind more time to react, and slowing gradually instead of suddenly reduces the chance of being struck.

  33. 33. What is wrong with slowing to a crawl at a stop sign and then rolling on through?

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    Answer C: It is not a stop, and you may miss a pedestrian or cross traffic

    A rolling stop is a violation and it also cuts short the moment you need in order to look carefully in each direction before entering.