While driving, you pick up a phone to read a routine personal text. What should you do instead?
Correct answer: Wait until safely stopped out of traffic before reading it.
Montana’s handbook recommends waiting until safely stopped before phone use. This is a safety decision, not a claim that every local phone ordinance is identical.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 49, physical PDF page 59: Phone-free driving recommendation ↗
A heavy loose object is resting on the rear seat before a trip. What is the safer preparation?
Correct answer: Secure it so sudden braking or a turn will not send it into the driving area.
Secure loose objects so they cannot strike occupants or roll into the pedal area during sudden movement.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 13, physical PDF page 23: Loose objects ↗
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 ↗
You have a circular green light and want to turn left across approaching traffic. What does the green light allow?
Correct answer: Turn only after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians and finding a safe opening.
A circular green is not a protected left-turn arrow. Check the actual conflict paths before turning.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 31, physical PDF page 41: Unprotected turns ↗
Your light turns green while a vehicle is still clearing your path through the intersection. What should you do?
Correct answer: Wait until the vehicle has safely cleared before entering.
Check the actual intersection before moving. The green indication does not make an occupied path safe.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 40, physical PDF page 50: Intersection clearance ↗
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 ↗
A traffic officer directs you to stop even though your signal is green. Which direction controls?
Correct answer: Stop as the officer directs.
When an officer is directing traffic, follow the officer’s instructions rather than conflicting signs or signals.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 37, physical PDF page 47: Orders of officers and flaggers ↗
A pedestrian began crossing on the permitted signal and is still in the crosswalk when the pedestrian display starts flashing. What should you do?
Correct answer: Yield and allow the pedestrian to finish crossing safely.
The handbook tells pedestrians who already began crossing to continue. Drivers must still protect their crossing rather than treating the change as permission to crowd them.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 30, physical PDF page 40: Pedestrian signals ↗
The crossing gate is down but you cannot see a train. May you drive around it?
Correct answer: No; stay stopped until the gate is raised, lights stop flashing and the tracks are clear.
A lowered gate is not optional merely because the train is out of view. Check all tracks before proceeding after the warnings end.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 33, physical PDF page 43: Gates and flashing lights ↗
One train passes and begins to clear your view. Why should you keep checking the crossing instead of following it immediately?
Correct answer: Another train may be approaching on a different track or close behind.
A first train can hide another train. Wait for the warning devices to permit movement and verify that every track is clear.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 53, physical PDF page 63: Multiple-track crossings ↗
Rain, poor visibility and a curve make the posted speed unsafe. What should you do?
Correct answer: Reduce speed for the actual conditions, even below the posted limit.
Posted limits are intended for ideal conditions. The manual calls for lower speeds for curves, poor weather, limited visibility and other hazards.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 38, physical PDF page 48: Speed for conditions ↗
Your speed increases as traffic moves out of a slow area. How should the space ahead change?
Correct answer: Increase the gap so the greater speed does not leave too little stopping room.
Higher speed requires more distance to react and stop. Do not let acceleration consume the following space.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 59, physical PDF page 69: Adjusting speed ↗
A large truck blocks your view ahead. What is the safer following choice?
Correct answer: Leave additional room so you can see more of the road and respond sooner.
The handbook calls for even more room behind a truck or bus. Visibility, not only braking ability, is a reason to increase the gap.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 65, physical PDF page 75: Following drivers who cannot see you ↗
Why is total stopping distance longer than the distance traveled after pressing the brake pedal?
Correct answer: The vehicle also travels while you perceive the hazard and react.
Total stopping distance includes recognition and reaction before braking, as well as the braking distance itself. Fatigue and poor conditions can worsen the result.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 63, physical PDF page 73: Seeing and stopping ↗
A slower vehicle is ahead near a hillcrest that hides oncoming traffic. What should you do?
Correct answer: Wait for a place with a clear view and enough room for a safe, permitted pass.
An obstructed view can conceal a vehicle in the passing path. A slow vehicle ahead does not make a blind pass safe.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 67, physical PDF page 77: Passing, hills and curves ↗
The car ahead is waiting to turn left, and the only space to its right is the shoulder. May you use that shoulder to pass?
Correct answer: No; the handbook prohibits leaving the pavement or using the shoulder to pass.
Permission to pass on the right in certain circumstances does not authorize using the shoulder. Wait for a lawful safe path.
Source: Montana Driver Manual, Revised April 2024, printed page 38, physical PDF page 48: Passing on the right ↗
