Wisconsin WisDOT DMV Permit Practice Test 2

Test 2 of 10. Pick an answer for each question to see if it is right and why; your score appears at the end. You need 40 correct answers to pass, the same ratio as the real Wisconsin test.

A country road through dairy farmland with red barns, a typical landscape of Wisconsin
  1. 1. What does a traction control system do?

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    Answer A: It limits wheel spin when you accelerate

    Traction control cuts power or brakes a spinning wheel so the tires can grip when you pull away or accelerate on a slippery surface.

  2. 2. What kind of trip is a Wisconsin occupational license NOT allowed to cover?

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    Answer B: A trip to visit friends or attend a purely social event

    Wisconsin's occupational license excludes recreational purposes such as visiting friends or attending social events, while allowing work, school, medical, and household trips.

  3. 3. In which crash must the police always be notified?

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    Answer D: Any crash in which somebody has been injured or killed, whatever the damage

    Injury or death always makes a crash reportable, whatever the amount of vehicle damage or the opinions of the drivers.

  4. 4. A regulatory sign posted at the start of a road reads LENGTH LIMIT 30 FEET. What does it control?

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    Answer B: The overall length of vehicle allowed on that road

    Some states post a length limit where tight curves or narrow structures lie ahead; it bars vehicles or combinations longer than the figure shown from using that road.

  5. 5. Your vehicle does not have antilock brakes and you must stop quickly on a slippery road. What is the correct technique?

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    Answer B: Apply the brakes firmly without locking the wheels, releasing slightly if they lock

    Locked wheels slide and cannot steer. Squeezing the brakes to just short of lockup, and easing off if they lock, gives the shortest stop with control.

  6. 6. Where in the United States may a motorcycle ride between lanes of traffic?

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    Answer C: Only where a state has specifically authorized it

    Riding between lanes is prohibited in most states and permitted only where a state law expressly allows it, so a rider must know the rule for the state being ridden in.

  7. 7. At a stop sign with a painted stop line and a crosswalk, where must you stop?

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    Answer D: At the stop line, before it and before the crosswalk

    You stop at the stop line first, and only if there is no stop line do you stop before the crosswalk, and only if there is neither do you stop before entering the intersection.

  8. 8. You are circulating in the inner lane of a two-lane roundabout, your exit is next, and a vehicle is beside you in the outer lane. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Keep circulating around the island and take that same exit on your next time around

    You may not cut across a vehicle in the outer lane; if you cannot exit safely, continue around the circle and try again.

  9. 9. Since June 30, 2009, how has Wisconsin's seat belt law changed the way officers can enforce it?

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    Answer A: Officers can stop and ticket a driver for a seat belt violation alone, just like any other traffic violation

    Wisconsin adopted primary enforcement for its seat belt law effective June 30, 2009, letting officers stop and ticket a driver for the seat belt violation alone.

  10. 10. Your light is green but the traffic beyond the intersection is stopped and there is no room on the far side. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Wait behind the line until you can clear the far side

    Entering an intersection you cannot clear blocks the cross traffic when their signal turns green, so you wait behind the line.

  11. 11. A driver ignores this sign and passes on the opposite side. What is the main risk?

    A white vertical rectangle with a black border and black legend
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    Answer B: Ending up on the wrong side of a divider, facing traffic coming the other way

    The sign settles which side of a fixed divider is the legal one, so taking the other side sends the vehicle into the opposing stream or straight at the obstruction.

  12. 12. You pass into a work zone with a reduced speed limit but you see no workers. What speed applies?

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    Answer D: The posted work zone limit, whether or not workers are present

    A posted work zone speed limit is a regulatory limit in force at all times, and narrow lanes and uneven surfaces remain dangerous when nobody is working.

  13. 13. A driver hunting for an on-ramp meets this sign at the mouth of the pavement ahead. What is the correct action?

    A red square with a wide white horizontal bar across the middle
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    Answer C: Keep out of that roadway and look for the proper approach elsewhere

    The restriction is absolute and does not depend on how much traffic is present, so the driver has to reach the highway by an approach built for entering vehicles.

  14. 14. You brake hard in a vehicle with antilock brakes and feel the pedal pulsing under your foot. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Keep firm, steady pressure on the pedal and steer where you need to go

    The pulsing is the system releasing and reapplying the brakes so the wheels keep rolling, which is what lets you steer while braking. Pumping the pedal defeats it.

  15. 15. How often may a Wisconsin driver use Traffic Safety School to reduce demerit points, and how quickly must DMV be notified after finishing the course?

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    Answer B: Once every three years, and DMV must be notified within 30 days of completion

    Wisconsin allows a driver to reduce demerit points through Traffic Safety School only once every three years, and requires notifying DMV within 30 days of finishing the course.

  16. 16. A tow truck with flashing amber lights is loading a car on the shoulder ahead. How should you treat it?

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    Answer B: Give it the same room as an emergency vehicle

    Tow operators, utility crews and highway workers face the same danger from passing traffic, so move over or slow down for their flashing amber lights too.

  17. 17. Why is texting considered one of the most dangerous distractions?

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    Answer B: It combines visual, manual and cognitive distraction at the same time

    Reading or writing a message takes your eyes off the road, at least one hand off the controls and your attention off driving simultaneously.

  18. 18. You are approaching a horse and rider on a country road. What about your horn?

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    Answer C: Do not sound it at all, because the noise can frighten the animal

    A startled horse is dangerous to its rider and to you, so pass wide and slow and leave the horn alone.

  19. 19. How long should a young child ride in a rear-facing child seat?

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    Answer D: Until the child outgrows the height or the weight limit of the seat

    Rear facing is the safest position and should be kept until the child reaches the top height or weight allowed by the seat.

  20. 20. You come around a bend and find loose sand spread across your lane. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Ease off the gas, avoid sudden braking or steering, and keep straight

    Loose material acts like ball bearings under the tires; smooth inputs preserve what little grip remains, while sudden braking or steering breaks it.

  21. 21. What do white lane lines painted between travel lanes indicate?

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    Answer A: Traffic in the adjacent lane moves in the same direction as you

    White markings separate lanes carrying traffic in the same direction and mark the right edge of the roadway.

  22. 22. In Wisconsin, what should you do when approaching an emergency vehicle stopped with its lights flashing?

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    Answer C: Move into the lane that is not nearest the stopped vehicle, or slow down

    Wisconsin requires drivers to move into the lane not nearest the stopped emergency vehicle, or to slow down when a lane change is not possible.

  23. 23. A vehicle coming toward you has drifted into your lane. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Slow down, sound the horn, flash your lights and steer to the right if possible

    Moving right gives the other driver space to recover and keeps you out of the lane they are most likely to return to. Braking reduces the force of any impact.

  24. 24. Once a Wisconsin driver becomes eligible to reinstate driving privileges after certain violations, how long must an SR-22 filing stay in effect?

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    Answer B: Three years from the reinstatement eligibility date

    Wisconsin requires an SR-22 to remain on file for three years from the date the driver becomes eligible to reinstate driving privileges.

  25. 25. An ambulance with lights and siren is coming toward you on an undivided two-lane road. What must you do?

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    Answer A: Pull to the right edge and stop until it passes

    On an undivided road, drivers in both directions clear the way, pulling to the right edge and stopping.

  26. 26. A driver is thinking about overtaking a slower vehicle and sees this sign a short distance ahead. What does it mean for that pass?

    A yellow sign shaped like a horizontal triangle pointing right, with black lettering
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    Answer B: The pass must be finished before the restricted section begins

    The sign marks the start of a section where passing is prohibited, so a driver may not be on the left side of the road beyond it; any pass has to be completed before that point or not started at all.

  27. 27. How can you keep space at the sides of your vehicle in heavy traffic?

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    Answer D: Drive in the gaps between the other vehicles rather than beside them

    Travelling in the open spaces rather than alongside others keeps a way out open on at least one side.

  28. 28. Four vehicles reach a four-way stop from all four directions at the same instant. How is the deadlock resolved?

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    Answer C: Each driver yields to the vehicle on the right and they go one by one

    Yielding to the right applies to every driver, so the group untangles itself as drivers take turns rather than moving together.

  29. 29. Why should heavy objects in the passenger compartment be secured?

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    Answer A: Because loose objects fly forward in a crash and can injure the people

    Anything loose keeps traveling at the speed of the vehicle when the vehicle stops, so it strikes the occupants with great force.

  30. 30. A city transit bus at a stop ahead of you switches on its left signal. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Slow and let the bus pull back into traffic

    A bus needs a long gap to rejoin traffic, and yielding to a signaling transit bus keeps the whole line of traffic moving safely.

  31. 31. Why is being predictable an important part of driving safely?

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    Answer A: Because other road users are able to plan around what you are doing

    Other drivers make their decisions from what they expect you to do, so surprises are what produce collisions.

  32. 32. A broken white line separates your lane from the lane beside it. What does it indicate?

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    Answer C: Both lanes carry traffic in the same direction and lane changes are permitted

    White lines separate lanes of traffic moving in the same direction, and a broken white line means changing lanes across it is permitted when it is safe.

  33. 33. What must the owner of a Wisconsin low-speed vehicle carry, and what equipment is it excused from displaying?

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    Answer A: Motor vehicle liability insurance, and it need not display a slow-moving vehicle emblem

    Wisconsin requires a low-speed vehicle to carry motor vehicle liability insurance, but exempts it from displaying the slow-moving vehicle emblem that other slow vehicles must use.

  34. 34. You are stopped at a stop sign waiting to turn onto a highway where traffic moves at 55 mph. How should you choose your gap?

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    Answer A: Wait for a much larger gap than the one you would accept on a city street

    Fast traffic covers ground while you are still accelerating, so the gap that feels adequate at 25 mph is dangerously short at highway speed.

  35. 35. A signal stands part way up a freeway entrance ramp and turns green briefly again and again. How many vehicles does such a signal normally release on each green?

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    Answer A: One for each lane of the ramp

    A ramp control signal releases a single vehicle per lane on each green so that vehicles reach the merge one at a time instead of in a bunch.

  36. 36. A Wisconsin driver was convicted of failure to yield and must complete a course to satisfy the court's right-of-way requirement. Which course choice also reduces demerit points?

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    Answer B: Traffic Safety School, since it both satisfies the requirement and reduces points

    Wisconsin's Traffic Safety School can satisfy a right-of-way conviction's course requirement while also reducing demerit points, unlike a standalone Right-of-Way course, which does not reduce points.

  37. 37. A United States numbered route is normally marked with

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    Answer C: black numerals on a white shield

    The U.S. route marker is a white shield carrying black numerals, which sets it apart at a glance from the red, white and blue Interstate shield.

  38. 38. In a work zone a flagger signals you to stop, but the sign beside the road says the lane is open. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Obey the flagger

    A flagger controls the work zone in real time and the instruction outranks the signs and markings, which cannot reflect what is happening at that moment.

  39. 39. A school sign combined with an AHEAD plaque, or with a plaque giving a distance in feet, forms an assembly that

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    Answer B: warns of a school crossing located further along the road

    The school advance crossing assembly is placed before the crosswalk to give drivers notice, while a different assembly marks the crossing itself.

  40. 40. You want to stop briefly and the only space is in the travel lane alongside a vehicle already parked at the curb. Is this allowed?

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    Answer D: No, double parking blocks a travel lane and is prohibited

    Stopping in the roadway beside a parked vehicle removes a lane from traffic and forces other drivers to swerve around you, which is why double parking is prohibited.

  41. 41. Which of these would appear as a symbol on a blue general service sign?

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    Answer A: A hospital

    General service signs cover facilities such as hospitals, fuel, food, lodging, camping, telephones and rest areas, all shown in white on blue.

  42. 42. You come up behind a group of cyclists riding two abreast on a narrow rural road. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Wait for a clear stretch and pass them as one group

    Passing a group as a single unit when the way ahead is clear is safer than several rushed passes, and cutting through the group leaves nobody any escape room.

  43. 43. On a Wisconsin divided highway with a physical median, must drivers in the opposing lanes stop for a school bus loading or unloading children on the other side?

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    Answer A: No, drivers in the opposing lanes on a divided highway with a physical median are not required to stop

    Wisconsin excuses drivers in opposing lanes from stopping for a school bus when a physical median divides the highway, though a painted center line without a physical barrier does not qualify for that exception.

  44. 44. Before a Wisconsin teen ever logs the 50 hours of supervised practice, what classroom and behind-the-wheel minimums does the driver education course itself require?

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    Answer B: 30 hours of classroom instruction, 6 hours behind the wheel, and 6 hours of observation

    Wisconsin's teen driver education requirement is 30 hours of classroom time plus 6 hours behind the wheel and 6 hours of observation, separate from the later supervised practice logged with a sponsor.

  45. 45. What are painted curb markings mainly used for?

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    Answer D: Conveying parking and stopping regulations

    Colored curbs tell drivers where waiting or parking is restricted, and because the exact color meanings are set locally a driver should also read the posted signs.

  46. 46. A white regulatory sign near a state line reads BUCKLE UP IT IS THE LAW. What is it doing?

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    Answer A: Reminding occupants that belt use is required

    The safety belt sign restates a law that already applies, and it is usually placed where drivers enter a state or a long rural stretch.

  47. 47. You are starting from a stop on a snowy, icy street and the drive wheels begin to spin. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Ease off the accelerator and start again more gently

    Spinning tires polish the surface and dig in. Very gentle pressure on the accelerator, and a higher gear if you have one, gives the tires the best chance to grip.

  48. 48. What is the benefit of looking far down the road rather than just ahead of the hood?

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    Answer A: You steer with smaller corrections and you see trouble in plenty of time

    A distant view steadies your steering and gives you time to plan, because you meet hazards after you have already seen them.

  49. 49. Why can an oncoming vehicle that looks comfortably far away leave you far less room than you expect?

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    Answer D: You and that vehicle close the gap at the sum of both your speeds

    Two vehicles approaching at 55 mph each close the distance between them at about 110 mph, so the gap disappears in half the time you would expect.

  50. 50. Your vehicle breaks down on a busy highway. What is the safest course of action?

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    Answer D: Get it as far off the roadway as possible, switch on the hazard lights and keep clear of the traffic lanes

    A vehicle left in or beside a travel lane is a hazard, so move it well off the road, make it conspicuous with hazard lights and keep yourself away from passing traffic.