What is on the Illinois Written Drivers Test?


Getting your driver's license is considered a rite of passage in the transition from a teenager into an adult. After you have spent hours studying the Illinois Driver's Manual and gathered the identification you need, you might want to know what is on the written test. This article will prepare you for some things that will come up on the test.

How Long Is the Illinois Written Drivers Test?

The Illinois written drivers test consists of a total of 35 questions. To pass the test, you must get at least 28 of the 35 questions correct (an 80% score). Once you pass, you'll get your learner's permit and are on the way to getting your driver's license. There is no time limit during the test, and if you fail, you may retake it as soon as the next day. 

What Type of Questions Are on the Illinois Written Drivers Test?

The 35 questions on the written test consist of either true and false or multiple-choice questions. Fifteen of these questions involve identifying road signs, and 20 questions require your knowledge of driving law.

Learn to Identify Road Signs

Since 15 of the 35 questions on the test will make you recall any possible road sign you have learned about, make sure you go over them multiple times. Here are a few of the tricky signs that may show up on the test:

  • Intersection in curve

  • Merging traffic entering from the right 

  • Right lane ends merge left

  • Narrow road ahead

  • Lane-use control signs

  • End divided highway

  • No overtaking

  • Shoulder drop-off

If you master these tricky traffic signs along with all of the basic ones, you will be just under halfway through passing your test.

Master Traffic Law and Safe Driving Techniques

The other 20 questions on your written driver's exam have to do with the traffic laws in the state of Illinois and how to drive safely. Just like when taking any other test, make sure to read each question thoroughly and pay attention to the exact wording. While the test isn't trying to trick you outright, some of the wording may be confusing at first.

Be sure to memorize anything involving distances as well, since they are easily mixed up. Here are a few examples of the questions on the test and their answers:

  • True or false: After making a complete stop and yielding to traffic or pedestrians within the intersection, it is permissible for drivers on a one-way street to turn left at a red light onto another one-way street that moves traffic to the left. True.

  • For what distance should a continuous turn signal be given when making a left or right turn in a business or residential district? Not less than 100 feet before turning.

  • In urban areas, drivers moving out of an alley, building, private road, or driveway need not come to a complete stop before entering the roadway if the roadway is clear of traffic. False.

  • Within how many feet is a driver required to dim the high beams before meeting another vehicle? 500 feet. This can be mixed up with the 300-foot distance when approaching a vehicle from behind.

Hit the Road in Illinois with Your New License

This guide will make sure you are prepared when you go to the DMV to take your written test. Before you take your driver's test, register for an Aceable driver's ed course. This class will prepare you for all that you need to know for your written test and keep you up to date on the rules of the road.

Skip The Classroom and Take Your Illinois Drivers Ed Course Online with Aceable!

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