Practice phone rules and other distractions: 19 questions based on the Rhode Island Driver's Manual, 11 of them on Rhode Island's own rules.
Yes, you are still driving
Only a vehicle pulled off the active road and safely stopped is not 'driving'.
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-30, R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-30(a)(1)
No, it is prohibited
A hearing aid and one-ear cell phone headset are among the exceptions.
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-23-51, R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-23-51(a)
Research shows no difference in risk
Both can divert attention enough to cause a collision.
Source: Rhode Island Driver's Manual (April 2024), Distracted Driving, PDF p. 18
$100
A second violation is $150.
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-11.9, R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-11.9(b)-(d)
Using a hands-free device
Hands-free use is allowed for adults but not for drivers under 18.
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-30, R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-30(c)
When parked and out of the flow of traffic
The safe choice is to leave the roadway and stop somewhere secure first.
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-30, R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-30(b)(3)
$100
The fine rises to $150 for a second violation and $250 for a third.
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-30, R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-30(d)
Drivers of every age
The law also bars using a handset for any other purpose while driving, apart from hands-free use.
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-30, R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-30(b)
No, hand-held calls are banned
Hands-free calls are allowed for adult drivers.
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-31, R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-31(b)
When the phone is mounted for hands-free use
A mounted device allows hands-free operation.
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-30, R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-30(b)(4)
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.