You intend to turn right at a red light. No sign prohibits the turn. What must you do first?
Correct answer: Stop completely, then yield to pedestrians and conflicting traffic before turning if safe.
Montana’s stated right-on-red exception requires a complete stop and yielding. Rolling through is not enough.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 30, physical PDF page 40: Steady red signal ↗
A steady yellow light appears as you approach, and you have enough room for a normal safe stop. What should you do?
Correct answer: Slow and stop rather than accelerate into the changing signal.
The handbook says yellow warns that red is coming and directs you to slow and prepare to stop. Do not speed up to beat the change.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 30, physical PDF page 40: Steady yellow signal ↗
A left-turn arrow is flashing yellow while an oncoming car approaches. What is required?
Correct answer: Yield and turn only when the path is safely clear.
A flashing yellow arrow permits a yielding, unprotected turn. It is not the same as a green protected-turn arrow.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 30, physical PDF page 40: Flashing yellow arrow ↗
You approach a flashing red traffic light. What should you do?
Correct answer: Stop completely, then proceed cautiously after yielding as required.
Flashing red requires a full stop. After stopping, use the applicable right-of-way rules and enter only when safe.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 30, physical PDF page 40: Flashing red signal ↗
Your approach has a flashing yellow traffic light. What is the appropriate response?
Correct answer: Slow down and proceed with caution while checking the intersection.
Flashing yellow calls for caution, not a guarantee of a clear path. It differs from flashing red’s full-stop instruction.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 31, physical PDF page 41: Flashing yellow signal ↗
All signal lights facing your approach are dark. No officer is directing traffic. What should you do?
Correct answer: Stop completely, then proceed cautiously using the intersection right-of-way rules.
The handbook expressly requires a stop at a nonfunctioning signal. Do not assume that traffic on another approach will behave correctly.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 30, physical PDF page 40: Nonfunctioning signals ↗
You are on a one-way street and want to turn left onto another one-way street. No sign or officer prohibits it. What does Montana permit at a red light?
Correct answer: A left turn after a complete stop and yielding, if it is safe.
The permission is limited to the described one-way-to-one-way movement. Stop and yield to pedestrians and conflicting traffic.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 30, physical PDF page 40: One-way-to-one-way left turn on red ↗
A 15-year-old has not taken a driver-training class and wants Montana’s ordinary learner permit. Must the applicant wait until 16 solely because no course was taken?
Correct answer: No; the current ordinary learner route is available at 15, subject to the tests and other requirements.
The current MVD page permits the non-driver-education learner route at 15. The handbook’s older age-16 wording is not current.
Source: Montana MVD, Drivers Under 18: Step 1, Learner Permit; current official page reviewed September 29, 2026 ↗
A student is 14½ and successfully participating in an approved Montana traffic-education course. What early learner route can apply?
Correct answer: A one-year learner license under the approved traffic-education provision.
The early route depends on approved traffic education and the statutory conditions. It is not an unrestricted license or an exception for informal instruction.
Source: Montana Code Annotated 2025, 61-5-106, subsection (2); current official text reviewed September 29, 2026 ↗
How long is an ordinary Montana learner license valid from issuance?
Correct answer: One year.
Permit validity is separate from the minimum holding period before progression. An expired permit does not authorize continued practice.
Source: Montana Code Annotated 2025, 61-5-106, subsection (1)(a); current official text reviewed September 29, 2026 ↗
A 16-year-old learner wants to practice with a licensed 19-year-old friend who is not a parent or guardian. What additional condition is required for that supervisor?
Correct answer: Permission from the learner’s parent or legal guardian.
For an ordinary minor learner, the statute permits a licensed adult age 18 or older with parent or guardian permission. The supervisor must also occupy the required beside-the-learner position.
Source: Montana Code Annotated 2025, 61-5-106, subsection (1)(b)(i); current official text reviewed September 29, 2026 ↗
A learner’s qualified supervisor proposes following in a second car during ordinary car practice. Does that satisfy the required position?
Correct answer: No; the licensed supervisor must sit beside the learner.
The ordinary car learner provision requires a licensed driver seated beside the learner. Motorcycle-specific visual-supervision provisions do not transfer to car practice.
Source: Montana Code Annotated 2025, 61-5-106, subsection (1)(a); current official text reviewed September 29, 2026 ↗
