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Am I Ready for the Michigan Permit Test?
12-question diagnostic · 4 easy, 4 medium, 4 hard · Updated July 12, 2026
Twelve questions, deliberately mixed: four easy, four medium, four of the hardest in our verified Michigan bank. The real test needs 80% — but a diagnostic this short needs a margin, so read your result like this: 11+ of 12, you're ready to book; 9–10, you're close — drill the 25 hardest first; below that, work the full test ladder before test day.
Answer each question to see the explanation. Your score is tallied against the real passing bar at the end.
1. Points are placed on your Michigan driving record:
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: Only after you are convicted of a moving violation
Each traffic violation has a point value set by the Michigan Vehicle Code, but points are placed on your record only after you are convicted of the moving violation. Once posted, points remain on your record for two years from the date of conviction.
2. When it begins to rain, the road is most slippery during:
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Correct answer: The first half hour, before oil is washed away
Roads are most slippery during the first half hour of rain, because oil dropped from passing vehicles has not yet been washed away. Slow down, be especially cautious at intersections, and allow at least twice the normal following distance.
3. To enroll in Segment 1 of Michigan driver education, how old must a teen be?
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Correct answer: At least 14 years, 8 months old, with parent or guardian permission
A teen must be at least 14 years, 8 months old and have a parent or guardian’s permission to start Segment 1 of driver education. Segment 1 is the classroom-and-road course that begins Graduated Driver Licensing.
4. When you approach any railroad crossing, you should:
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Correct answer: Slow down and look both ways before crossing
Slow down and look both ways at every railroad crossing. Trains can take a mile or more to stop, and an approaching train is closer and moving faster than it appears.
5. A passenger car traveling 55 mph can stop in about 130 feet. A commercial truck at the same speed needs about:
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Correct answer: 400 feet
Because of their size and weight, commercial vehicles cannot stop or maneuver as quickly as a car. A truck traveling 55 mph takes about 400 feet to stop — roughly three times the distance a passenger car needs.
6. You will be required to undergo a driver assessment reexamination if, within a two-year period, you accumulate:
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Correct answer: 12 or more points (or six or more one-point violations)
If you have six or more one-point violations, or 12 or more points on your driving record within a two-year period, you will be required to undergo a driver assessment reexamination.
7. Hydroplaning happens when:
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Correct answer: Your tires ride up on top of the water on a wet road
Hydroplaning occurs when your tires ride on top of the water on a wet road, which can cause a loss of control. Worn tires, low tire pressure and driving too fast all make hydroplaning more likely.
8. What minimum score must a teen earn on the Segment 1 state exam to complete it?
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Correct answer: A minimum of 70 percent
Segment 1 requires at least 24 hours of classroom instruction, 6 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction, 4 hours of observation, and a minimum of 70 percent on the Segment 1 state exam. Teens under 18 take this in-course exam rather than the adult office test.
9. At a railroad crossing with an advance-warning sign, if a train is coming you must stop:
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Correct answer: No more than 50 feet and no less than 15 feet from the nearest rail
When a train is coming, all vehicles must stop no more than 50 feet and no less than 15 feet from the tracks. Trains overhang the tracks by at least three feet on each side.
10. When passing on a two-lane road, you must return to your lane before you get within:
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Correct answer: 200 feet of any oncoming vehicle
You must complete your pass and return to your lane before you get within 200 feet of any oncoming vehicle. Never pass more than one vehicle at a time or follow too closely when another vehicle is passing slower traffic.
11. Before taking the driving skills test, how much supervised driving must a Level 1 teen log?
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Correct answer: A minimum of 50 hours, including 10 hours at night
A Level 1 driver must keep a driving log and complete a minimum of 50 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours at night, before taking the driving skills test.
12. On a freeway posted at 70 mph, school buses and trucks are restricted to:
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Correct answer: 65 mph
On freeways with a 70 mph limit, school buses and trucks are restricted to 65 mph. On freeways posted below 70 mph, buses and trucks are restricted to 55 mph.
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