RI DMV Defensive Driving Techniques 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You are driving on I-95 in heavy rain and your car begins to hydroplane. What should you do?
- Ease off the accelerator and steer straight until traction returns (Correct answer)
- Brake hard immediately
- Accelerate to power through the water
- Turn the wheel sharply toward the shoulder
Correct answer: Ease off the accelerator and steer straight until traction returns
Easing off the gas and keeping the wheel steady lets the tires regain contact, while braking or sharp steering can cause a skid.
Question 2: How should you adjust your following distance when driving in rain, fog, or snow?
- Increase it well beyond the normal 3-4 seconds (Correct answer)
- Keep it exactly the same
- Reduce it so you can see the car ahead better
- Following distance only matters on dry roads
Correct answer: Increase it well beyond the normal 3-4 seconds
Slick roads and reduced visibility lengthen stopping distances, so you need more time and space to react.
Question 3: Another driver cuts you off and makes an obscene gesture. What is the best defensive response?
- Stay calm, increase your distance, and avoid eye contact (Correct answer)
- Follow them to get their plate number
- Gesture back so they know you're upset
- Pull alongside to confront them
Correct answer: Stay calm, increase your distance, and avoid eye contact
Refusing to engage and creating distance defuses road rage situations before they escalate.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of checking your mirrors every 5-8 seconds?
- To stay constantly aware of traffic around and behind you (Correct answer)
- To check your appearance
- To watch only for police vehicles
- It is only necessary before parking
Correct answer: To stay constantly aware of traffic around and behind you
Frequent mirror checks keep your mental picture of surrounding traffic current so nothing surprises you.
Question 5: Before changing lanes, a defensive driver should signal, check mirrors, and then do what?
- Glance over their shoulder to check the blind spot (Correct answer)
- Change lanes immediately since mirrors show everything
- Honk the horn twice
- Slow down to half the speed limit
Correct answer: Glance over their shoulder to check the blind spot
Mirrors leave blind spots on both sides, so a shoulder check is the only way to confirm the lane is clear.
Question 6: You see a ball roll into the street in a residential Providence neighborhood. What should you anticipate?
- A child may run into the street after it, so slow down and be ready to stop (Correct answer)
- Nothing, since a ball is not a hazard
- The ball will roll away on its own
- Other drivers will stop for you
Correct answer: A child may run into the street after it, so slow down and be ready to stop
Defensive driving means anticipating that a child often follows a ball into the road.
Question 7: When driving at night on an unlit rural road, you should adjust your speed so that you can what?
- Stop within the distance illuminated by your headlights (Correct answer)
- Match the speed of daytime traffic
- Reach your destination on schedule
- Keep your high beams on around all traffic
Correct answer: Stop within the distance illuminated by your headlights
If you cannot stop within your headlight range, you are overdriving your headlights and cannot avoid unseen hazards.
RI DMV Defensive Driving Techniques 3
You are driving on I-95 in heavy rain and your car begins to hydroplane.
What should you do?