Illinois SOS Permit Practice Test 1
Test 1 of 10. Pick an answer for each question to see if it is right and why; your score appears at the end. You need 28 correct answers to pass, the same ratio as the real Illinois test.
- Questions35
- Correct to pass28
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age15 years
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1. What is the maximum fine for an Illinois driver under 21 convicted of illegally transporting alcohol, separate from any open container charge?
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Answer D: $1,500
Illinois sets a maximum fine of $1,500 for underage illegal transportation of alcohol, with license suspension on a first conviction and revocation on a second.
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2. 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.
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3. Does this sign settle who has the right-of-way at the intersection ahead?
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Answer D: No, it only gives notice of the intersection; the control there decides priority
A warning prepares the driver for what is coming but grants no priority, so whatever stop control, yield control, signal or right-of-way rule applies at the intersection is what decides.
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4. According to Illinois child passenger safety guidance, what should happen when a child aged 4 to 8 outgrows a forward-facing seat with an internal harness?
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Answer B: The child may transition to a belt-positioning booster seat
Illinois guidance says a child aged 4 to 8 who outgrows a forward-facing harnessed seat may transition to a belt-positioning booster seat.
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5. After an hour on a hot highway your tire pressure reads higher than it did in the morning. What should you do?
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Answer D: Nothing, because pressure rises when tires heat up
Air expands as the tire warms, so a hot reading is normally above the cold setting. Bleeding air off would leave the tire underinflated once it cooled.
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6. Under Illinois law, what must you do when approaching a stationary emergency or maintenance vehicle displaying flashing lights?
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Answer B: Yield, change to a lane away from the workers when possible, and reduce speed and proceed with caution
Illinois requires drivers to yield, move to a lane away from emergency workers when possible and reduce speed until safely past; where a lane change is not possible, drivers must slow down and proceed with caution.
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7. What is the Illinois school zone speed limit and when does it apply?
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Answer C: 20 miles per hour on school days between 6:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. when children are present and signs are posted
Illinois school zones are posted at 20 miles per hour and the limit applies on school days between 6:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. when children are present and the signs are posted.
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8. Why is standing water across a road dangerous even when it looks shallow?
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Answer B: It can hide a washed out roadbed, a deep hole or a missing cover
You cannot see the surface under the water, and floods commonly wash the roadbed away or lift covers off drains.
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9. Two solid white lines are painted between your lane and the lane beside it. What do they mean?
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Answer D: Crossing from one lane to the other is prohibited
Double solid white lines separate lanes of traffic going the same way and may not be crossed.
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10. 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.
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11. Which of these is one of the narrow exceptions letting an Illinois driver use a handheld phone that is not hands-free?
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Answer B: To report an emergency situation
Illinois law carves out a narrow exception allowing handheld phone use to report an emergency situation, alongside two other specific circumstances.
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12. You reach an intersection with no signs, signals or markings clearly before a vehicle that is approaching on your right. What is the rule?
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Answer B: You may go first because you got there first
At an uncontrolled intersection the first driver to arrive goes first; the yield to the right rule only settles a tie.
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13. Why is it useful to watch the vehicle two or three places ahead of you?
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Answer C: You get an earlier warning of slowing traffic than brake lights give
Trouble travels back through a line of traffic, so seeing it start several vehicles ahead gives you a head start on braking.
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14. How far before a turn must an Illinois bicyclist give a hand signal, according to state law?
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Answer A: Not less than the last 100 feet before the turn
Illinois law requires a bicyclist to signal not less than the last 100 feet before a turn, and while stopped waiting to turn.
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15. What warning does Illinois child passenger safety guidance give about a rear-facing car seat and a vehicle's front passenger airbag?
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Answer C: A rear-facing seat should never be placed in a front seat with an active airbag
Illinois child passenger safety guidance warns that a rear-facing child safety seat should never be placed in the front seat of a vehicle with an active passenger-side airbag.
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16. You cannot avoid a wide puddle that covers only the right half of your lane. What should you expect?
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Answer D: The water can tug the vehicle toward that side, so slow before it and grip the wheel
Water dragging on the tires of one side only pulls the vehicle that way. Reduce speed before you reach it and hold the wheel firmly.
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17. How much advance notice must an Illinois auto insurer generally give before canceling a policy for a reason other than nonpayment?
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Answer A: At least 30 days
Illinois requires an auto insurer to give at least 30 days' notice before canceling a policy for reasons other than nonpayment of premium, and at least 10 days for nonpayment.
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18. Illinois law generally requires a bicyclist to ride near the right-hand edge of the roadway. In which situation is a cyclist allowed to move away from the edge and use more of the lane?
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Answer B: When the lane is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to safely travel side by side
Illinois law allows a cyclist to move away from the right-hand edge when the lane is a substandard width lane, too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side.
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19. What should you check on the hitch before towing a trailer?
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Answer B: That the coupler is locked and the safety chains are crossed underneath
The coupler must be latched and pinned, and the chains crossed under the tongue so they cradle it if the coupling lets go.
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20. You are backing out of a space in a parking lot. Who has the right of way?
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Answer D: Traffic already moving in the lane, and pedestrians walking behind you
A driver backing out must yield to vehicles and pedestrians already using the lane, because backing is the movement with the poorest view.
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21. An overhead lane-use control signal shows a steady red X above your lane. What does it mean?
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Answer B: You may not use that lane and must move out of it
A steady red X means the lane below it is closed to you, while a steady yellow X is the warning to prepare to vacate the lane and a downward green arrow means the lane is open.
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22. Does Illinois law restrict wearing a headset while driving, beyond just handheld phone use?
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Answer A: Yes, headsets covering both ears are generally prohibited while driving, though a single-sided headset or earpiece is permitted
Illinois law generally prohibits wearing a headset that covers both ears while driving, but a single-sided headset or earpiece used with a wireless device is permitted.
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23. In slow summer traffic the temperature gauge climbs into the red. What should you do first?
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Answer A: Turn off the air conditioner and turn on the heater to draw heat from the engine
The heater core acts as an extra radiator, and shutting off the air conditioner reduces engine load. If the gauge keeps climbing, pull over and shut off the engine, and never open a hot radiator cap.
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24. If an Illinois driver is convicted of DUI in another state, what happens to their Illinois driving record and privileges?
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Answer B: The out-of-state conviction is entered on their Illinois record and can result in revocation
Illinois enters an out-of-state DUI conviction on the driver's Illinois record, and it can result in revocation of Illinois driving privileges.
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25. A bicyclist ahead of you extends the left arm out with the forearm bent upward. What does that signal mean?
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Answer A: The bicyclist intends to turn right
Bicyclists use the same hand signals as drivers: left arm straight out means left, left arm bent up means right, and left arm bent down means stop or slow.
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26. What must you be sure of before you pull out to pass on a two-lane road?
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Answer A: That the road ahead is clear far enough for the whole pass
You need enough clear road to pull out, pass and return before any oncoming vehicle arrives, and you must judge that distance before you start.
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27. The lane you are in has a right-turn-only arrow painted on the pavement. What must you do?
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Answer C: Turn right, because a lane-use arrow is a legal requirement
Lane-use arrows painted on the pavement are regulatory markings, so a driver in that lane must travel in the direction shown.
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28. 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.
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29. Under Illinois' Zero Tolerance law, what happens to a driver under 21 found with any trace of alcohol while driving?
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Answer C: Driving privileges are suspended for a minimum of three months
Illinois suspends the driving privileges of a driver under 21 for at least three months when any trace of alcohol is found, and a DUI conviction under 21 brings a revocation of at least two years.
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30. A train has just cleared a crossing that carries two sets of tracks. What should you do?
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Answer B: Wait and look both ways for a second train
A passing train hides a second train on the other track, so wait until the signals stop and you can see that both tracks are clear.
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31. You are turning right from a one-way street onto a two-way street. Where should the turn end?
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Answer A: In the lane nearest the right curb of the street you are entering
A right turn starts and finishes as close to the right as practical, so you leave the one-way street from the right lane and arrive in the lane nearest the right curb.
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32. You are making a U-turn at a signal on a green left arrow. Who must you still watch for?
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Answer D: People in the crosswalk you will cross as you come around
Even a protected arrow does not clear the crosswalk, and a U-turn sweeps across a crosswalk that pedestrians may already be using.
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33. Besides the traffic behind you, what else must you check before moving into the next lane?
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Answer D: That there is room ahead in the new lane for your normal following distance
Moving into a gap that is too short leaves you tailgating the vehicle ahead with a vehicle close behind you.
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34. You are traveling at the same speed as a vehicle in the next lane, just behind its rear door. What should you do?
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Answer B: Change your speed so that you leave that driver's blind spot
That position is the classic blind spot. Slow slightly or move ahead so the other driver can see you before deciding to change lanes.
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35. 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.