Practice breakdowns, emergency vehicles and railroad crossings: 19 questions based on the Rhode Island Driver's Manual, 13 of them on Rhode Island's own rules.
Pump the brake pedal repeatedly
Pumping may restore enough pressure; downshifting and the parking brake follow.
Source: Rhode Island Driver's Manual (April 2024), Total Brake Failure, PDF p. 43
Where the shoulder is nearest the road level
Slow gradually instead of braking hard.
Source: Rhode Island Driver's Manual (April 2024), Off Road Recovery, PDF p. 44
Shift to neutral while braking
After reaching an open area off the roadway, turn off the ignition.
Source: Rhode Island Driver's Manual (April 2024), Stuck Accelerator Pedal, PDF p. 44
Shift to neutral, hazards on, steer to shoulder
Steering is harder without engine power, so start moving out of traffic early.
Source: Rhode Island Driver's Manual (April 2024), Engine Failure, PDF p. 44
Grip the wheel and ease off the gas
Braking can make the vehicle swerve.
Source: Rhode Island Driver's Manual (April 2024), Blowout or Flat Tire, PDF p. 43
Remove your seat belt
Open a window before power windows lose electrical power; opening the door fills the car quickly.
Source: Rhode Island Driver's Manual (April 2024), Vehicle in Water, PDF p. 46
A mile and a half
That is why you should never try to beat a train to a crossing.
Source: Rhode Island Driver's Manual (April 2024), Railroad crossing information, PDF p. 46
Leave the car and run clear, opposite the train's direction
Debris from a collision travels in the same direction as the train.
Source: Rhode Island Driver's Manual (April 2024), Vehicle Stalls on Railroad Tracks, PDF p. 45
Ease off the gas, steer where you want to go
Keeping your foot away from the brake lets the vehicle slow gradually.
Source: Rhode Island Driver's Manual (April 2024), How to Control a Vehicle in a Skid, PDF p. 43
Press firmly and hold; pulsing is normal
Pumping can cancel the ABS feature and cause the brakes to lock.
Source: Rhode Island Driver's Manual (April 2024), How to Avoid Skidding, PDF p. 43
We wrote these practice questions from the facts in the Rhode Island Driver's Manual (Rhode Island Driver's Manual, April 2024 edition (cover date; 87 PDF pages; PDF pages equal the printed page numbers), the manual linked from the Division of Motor Vehicles' Operator Manuals page and read 2026-11-10 at dmv.ri.gov/media/966/download. dmv.ri.gov pages and that file are behind a Cloudflare check that blocks curl (HTTP 403), so the pages and the PDF were read in the built-in browser and the PDF text was extracted there and saved to sources/RI/handbook.txt (the 2024 PDF itself could not be saved with curl). An older manual dated rev. 08/2015 (Driver_Manual_FINAL.pdf) is still on dmv.ri.gov and was saved as sources/RI/handbook_2015.pdf only to compare editions. The manual says on PDF p. 6 that it is a guideline and not a legal document, so every legal rule used in questions was checked against R.I. Gen. Laws Title 31 on webserver.rilegislature.gov (sections read 2026-11-10, including laws amended in 2025). Out-of-date or inconsistent manual statements and how they were handled: (1) DUI and chemical test refusal (PDF pp. 61-63) count repeat offenses within 5 years, but R.I. Gen. Laws 31-27-2 and 31-27-2.1 count them within 10 years; questions use the statute. (2) Phones (PDF pp. 36-37) describe only the ban for drivers under 18 and texting; since July 2, 2025 (2025 P.L. ch. 401 and 402) 31-22-30 bars using a handset for any purpose while driving except hands-free, and 31-22-31 bars hand-held calls ($100 fine); questions use the statutes. (3) Full license age: PDF p. 14 says at least 17 years 6 months, 31-10-6(b)(3) says at least 17 and under 18; no question asks the age. (4) Fines: PDF pp. 27 and 59 give $85 for a child restraint violation and PDF p. 58 gives $500 for no proof of insurance, while the schedule in 31-41.1-4 shows $100 for a child restraint violation and 31-47-9 sets $100 to $500 for a first insurance offense; school bus penalty PDF p. 54 says $250 to $500 while 31-20-12 says up to $300 for a first offense ($250 to $500 applies to camera cases under 31-51-2.2); no question asks these fines except the insurance penalty, which follows 31-47-9. (5) Shared (two-way) left turn lane (PDF p. 38): the manual says no entry unless turning within 100 feet, but 31-15-19(2) allows driving in the lane up to 200 feet; the question uses 200. (6) Bicycle passing: PDF p. 55 advises 3 to 5 feet of clearance, while 31-15-18 defines a safe distance as enough to prevent contact if the cyclist falls, with no fixed number; the question uses the statute and bicycle_pass_ft is left open. (7) Permit validity: PDF p. 12 says the permit lasts until age 18 and can be renewed twice, the DMV New License Permits page says a permit may be renewed one time, and 31-10-6(b)(1) says valid one year; no question asks it. (8) The manual cites the car door law as 31-21-1 (PDF p. 56) but it is 31-21-14; the question cites 31-21-14. (9) Adult learners: the manual does not state the 30-day wait before an adult permit holder's road test; the DMV New License Permits page does, and the question cites that page. (10) Right-turn-on-red, the stop-sign three-second pause (PDF p. 32) and lane-position advice are manual guidance; only the first is also in statute (31-13-6(3)(i)(A)). (11) The older 2015 manual's license renewal ages (2-year license from age 68) and texting fines ($85 to $125) are superseded and not used. edition) and from official sources on road signs. Every answer links to its source, so you can check it and read more.
DMV Decoded is an independent guide, not a government agency. This practice test is not connected to the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles, and your actual test will have different questions. Study the handbook, and check the agency's website for current rules.