Rhode Island driving lesson · Vehicle Equipment & Signs
Equipment You Must Inspect
A 3-minute lesson from the Rhode Island course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Rhode Island law (R.I.G.L. 31-38-4) requires you to keep your vehicle serviceable and its required equipment working. A quick walk-around and a glance at your dashboard lights can catch problems before they cause a crash.
Know the rule
Lap and shoulder belts working together reduce the risk of death and serious injury by almost 50%. They keep you from hitting the wheel or dashboard and keep you inside the vehicle.
Airbags supplement safety belts. Children and infants should always ride in the back seat of vehicles with passenger-side airbags, and some drivers may need to move their seats back to create a safety zone.
Brakes: don't wait for the pedal to touch the floor. If the car pulls to one side or the pedal feels spongy, get it checked. The parking brake must also work properly.
Check headlights, taillights, turn signals, brake, backup, running, parking and instrument lights, and clean off grime and salt. Some lights need a second person to check.
Winter snow, ice and salt can block the sensors used by advanced safety systems—know where yours are and keep them clear. Mirrors, muffler, horn and wipers also need regular service.
You push a quarter into your tire's tread and the grooves are very shallow. If the tread is less than 2/32 of an inch, the tire is illegal—replace it with the same type (don't mix radial and bias-belted).
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
What minimum tire tread depth is required to legally drive on a tire in Rhode Island?
4/32 of an inch
1/32 of an inch
2/32 of an inch
6/32 of an inch
Answer: 2/32 of an inch
You may not drive on a tire with less than 2/32 of an inch of tread.