Illinois SOS Permit Practice Test 3
Test 3 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. Which part of the space around your vehicle can you control best?
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Answer A: The space ahead of you
You choose your own following distance, so the gap in front is the space you truly control and the one that gives you time to react.
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2. 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.
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3. Red pavement markings are used on a roadway to show that
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Answer A: it must not be entered from that direction
Red markings identify a roadway that is not to be entered or used, and they also mark the pavement of truck escape ramps.
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4. The road ahead is broken up with potholes and rough patches. What should you do?
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Answer C: Slow down, since a hole hit at speed can wreck a tire or wheel
A lower speed cuts the impact on tires, wheels and suspension and gives you time to choose a line through the rough surface.
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5. What range of driver's license suspension can follow an Illinois Scott's Law conviction, depending on severity?
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Answer B: 90 days to 2 years
A Scott's Law conviction in Illinois can carry a license suspension ranging from 90 days to 2 years depending on the severity of the violation.
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6. How is a third DUI conviction classified under Illinois law, and what is the minimum license revocation period?
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Answer C: A Class 2 felony with a minimum ten-year revocation
A third DUI conviction is a Class 2 felony in Illinois, carrying a minimum ten-year revocation of driving privileges and up to seven years in prison.
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7. When an Illinois insurer settles a total loss auto claim, what is the maximum betterment deduction it may take for wear, tear, missing parts, and rust?
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Answer D: $500
Illinois caps the betterment deduction an insurer may take for wear and tear, missing parts, and rust in a total loss settlement at $500.
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8. It is cold and the road looks wet, but you notice the tires of vehicles ahead are throwing up no spray. What does this suggest?
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Answer B: The surface has frozen and is probably icy
Water throws spray, but ice does not. A shiny road with no spray in freezing temperatures is a strong sign of black ice, so slow down and avoid sudden inputs.
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9. What does black ice usually look like from the driver seat?
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Answer C: A patch of pavement that simply looks wet or slightly glossy
Black ice is clear, so you see the dark road through it and read it as a wet patch. In freezing weather, treat any wet looking patch as ice.
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10. What cellphone rule applies to Illinois drivers under age 19?
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Answer B: All wireless and cellphone use is prohibited, including hands-free devices, except to contact emergency services
Illinois prohibits any wireless or cellphone use by a driver under 19, including hands-free devices, except in an emergency to reach law enforcement, a health care provider or an emergency services agency.
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11. Alcohol is classified as which kind of drug?
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Answer B: A depressant that slows the central nervous system
As a depressant, alcohol slows the brain and nervous system, which lengthens reaction time and dulls the coordination that driving depends on.
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12. You have finished a distracting task and your eyes are back on the road. What is true?
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Answer A: Your full attention takes a while to come back
Studies of drivers show attention lags behind the eyes for many seconds after a phone or a screen task, so the danger continues after the task is over.
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13. Crossing a parking lot on a hot day, you see a young child alone in a locked car. What should you do?
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Answer A: Call 911 right away and stay with the vehicle
The inside of a parked car can reach lethal temperatures within minutes, so a child left alone in one is an emergency.
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14. On a narrow residential street, why does parking tight against the curb matter so much?
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Answer C: Because fire trucks and ambulances need the width to get through
Cars parked even a foot out from the curb on both sides can narrow a street until a fire truck or ambulance cannot pass.
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15. How does Illinois classify a speeding conviction for 26 to 34 miles per hour over the posted limit?
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Answer C: A Class B misdemeanor requiring a mandatory court appearance
Illinois classifies speeding 26 to 34 mph over the limit as a Class B misdemeanor, which requires a mandatory court appearance.
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16. Why is it worth planning your route before a long drive?
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Answer B: So that you are not reading a map or a screen while the car is moving
A driver who knows the route is not navigating at the wheel, which is one of the commonest sources of distraction.
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17. Can an Illinois driver be convicted of DUI with a blood alcohol concentration below .08?
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Answer C: Yes, if driving ability is impaired
Illinois makes it illegal to drive at .08 or more, but a driver whose ability is impaired can still be convicted of DUI at a lower reading.
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18. When a school bus stops on a two-lane Illinois roadway to load or unload pupils, which vehicles must stop, and how close may they approach?
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Answer A: Vehicles in both directions must stop, at least 20 feet before reaching the bus
On a two-lane Illinois roadway, vehicles in all lanes of traffic must stop for a loading or unloading school bus, at least 20 feet before reaching it.
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19. What enhanced minimum penalty applies to a first DUI conviction in Illinois when the driver's BAC was .16 or higher?
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Answer B: A mandatory minimum fine of $500 and 100 hours of community service
A first DUI conviction with a BAC of .16 or higher carries an enhanced mandatory minimum fine of $500 plus 100 hours of community service.
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20. You are about to drive a rental car that you have never driven before. What should you do?
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Answer A: Adjust the seat and the mirrors and find the controls before moving off
Hunting for the wipers or the lights in traffic is a distraction, so learn the layout while the vehicle is stopped.
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21. Under Illinois' basic speed law, in which of these situations must a driver reduce speed below the posted limit even without a separate warning sign?
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Answer D: When approaching and going around a curve, or approaching a hill crest
Illinois' basic speed law requires drivers to reduce speed when approaching and going around a curve or approaching a hill crest, among other listed hazards.
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22. Why should you dim the instrument panel and keep interior lights off when driving at night?
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Answer C: Bright light inside the vehicle reduces your ability to see the dark road ahead
Your eyes adapt to the brightest light they see. A bright cabin keeps them from adjusting to the darkness outside and creates reflections on the windshield.
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23. Under Illinois' Child Passenger Protection Act, who is responsible for providing an approved child safety seat to anyone who transports a child under age 8?
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Answer B: The parent or legal guardian of the child
Illinois' Child Passenger Protection Act places responsibility on the parent or legal guardian of a child under 8 to provide an approved child safety seat to anyone who transports the child.
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24. What should you do with the key and your belongings when you leave the vehicle in a public lot?
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Answer D: Take the key with you, lock up and put valuables out of sight
Most vehicle thefts are opportunistic: a key left behind or a bag in plain view is the invitation.
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25. Someone stops drinking heavily at two in the morning and drives to work at eight. What is true?
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Answer A: They may still be impaired and over the limit
The body removes alcohol at a slow, fixed rate, so a heavy night can leave a driver impaired well into the next morning no matter how they feel.
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26. A traffic signal is dark and you reach the intersection at the same moment as a vehicle on your right. Who goes first?
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Answer A: The vehicle on your right, as at any all-way stop
A dark signal is treated as an all-way stop, and the usual tie-breaker then applies: the vehicle on the right goes first.
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27. When a school bus stops on a one-way Illinois roadway to load or unload pupils, how many lanes of traffic must stop?
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Answer A: All lanes of traffic, regardless of the number of lanes
On a one-way Illinois roadway, all lanes of traffic must stop for a loading or unloading school bus, regardless of how many lanes exist.
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28. What is the rule about leaving a child or a pet in a parked vehicle?
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Answer A: Never do it; the inside can turn deadly hot very quickly
The inside of a parked vehicle heats far faster than the air outside, and cracking a window does not prevent it, so a child or animal must never be left there.
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29. How should the outside mirrors be aimed to reduce your blind spots?
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Answer A: Outward, so each one covers the lane beside you rather than repeating the inside mirror
Mirrors aimed too far inward show you the same road three times and leave a large gap beside the vehicle, so aiming them outward shrinks the blind spot.
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30. You are turning left at an intersection just beyond the crest of a hill. What is the added risk?
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Answer B: Oncoming vehicles appear with very little warning and close quickly
A crest hides approaching traffic until it is close, so the gap you thought was empty can fill in the time the turn takes.
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31. 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.
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32. Two solid white lines separate your lane from the lane beside it. What do they mean?
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Answer B: Crossing from one lane to the other is prohibited
A solid double white line marks a boundary that road users may not cross, such as the entrance to a preferential lane.
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33. What happens to the driving privileges of an Illinois driver under 21 convicted of possessing or consuming alcohol, even when not caught driving impaired?
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Answer C: Suspension for 6 months on a first conviction and 12 months on a second, plus a possible fine and jail time
Illinois suspends the driving privileges of an under-21 offender convicted of possessing or consuming alcohol for 6 months on a first conviction and 12 months on a second, plus a possible fine of up to $2,500 and up to a year in jail.
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34. What is the correct first step when parallel parking behind an empty space?
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Answer D: Signal, pull up alongside the vehicle in front of the space, then back slowly into it
Parallel parking is done in reverse from a position alongside the vehicle ahead of the space, because backing in lets the rear wheels guide the vehicle to the curb.
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35. You are driving on an open highway in a strong crosswind. What is the safest adjustment?
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Answer A: Reduce speed and keep a firm grip, expecting gusts on bridges and beside large vehicles
Gusts hit hardest in open gaps, on bridges and when passing high-sided vehicles, so a lower speed and a firm grip let you correct before you are pushed out of your lane.