Driving Conditions — Wisconsin Driver's License Practice Test

This section covers driving in difficult conditions such as fog, rain, ice, snow, and winter, along with rural hazards. The core advice is to plan ahead, stay home if the roads look icy or unsafe, and check your vehicle before leaving. When roads are slippery, icy, snow-covered, or have heavy rain, it is best to stay off the road, and bald (heavily worn) tires reduce traction and increase stopping distance, which is especially dangerous in bad weather.

In fog, rain, or other low-visibility conditions, drive at a lower speed, be ready to stop, and use your headlights, because vehicles may appear to be moving slower than they actually are and at night it is harder to judge the distance and speed of oncoming traffic. In severe weather, bridges and overpasses freeze before the rest of the roadway, so avoid rapid braking or sudden sharp turns to keep control. If your car does not have ABS, gently pump the brakes to help keep it from skidding on slippery roads. Hydroplaning is when your tires slide on top of water and can happen at low speeds if your tires are bald — if it happens, ease your foot off the gas, keep the wheel straight, and do not try to stop or turn until your tires grip the road again.

In winter, clear snow and ice from all windows, vehicle lamps, side mirrors, and license plates before driving; drive slowly, give extra room in front, and do not use cruise control on slippery roads. Turn on your headlights but do not use your high beams, and be especially alert on the first day of snowfall when people are not used to driving on it. Give snowplows at least 200 feet of room when their lights are flashing red, amber, or green. Rural hazards include slow tractors, farm equipment, and livestock; yield the right-of-way to livestock on or along the highway, do not honk because it may scare the animal, and no one under 16 years old can operate a farm tractor or self-propelled farm machinery on highways.