Washington DOL Motorcycle Practice Test 11
- Questions50
- Correct to pass40
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. Which facility does this sign direct a traveler toward?
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Answer B: A hospital offering emergency care
This is the standard marker for medical care, used to lead a traveler to a hospital where emergency treatment is available.
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2. In a work zone, the flagger's instructions conflict with the pavement markings still visible on the road. Which do you follow?
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Answer B: The flagger, because a person directing traffic outranks the markings
An authorized flagger controlling a temporary traffic control zone overrides signs, signals and markings, and drivers must obey the flagger's signals.
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3. How does a wet road change the distance you need to stop?
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Answer C: It lengthens it, so you need a much bigger gap ahead
Water between the tire and the road cuts grip, so braking distance grows and the gap that works on dry pavement is no longer enough.
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4. Why can a mild afternoon still chill a rider dangerously on the highway?
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Answer B: Riding speed creates a wind chill well below the air temperature
Air moving over the body at highway speed strips heat far faster than still air, so a comfortable temperature at a standstill can cause serious chilling in an hour of riding.
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5. Which helmet style gives the rider the most coverage?
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Answer C: A full face helmet
A full face helmet covers the chin and jaw as well as the skull, protecting the area that open styles leave exposed.
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6. Why does the situation ahead of this sign deserve extra care from a motorcyclist?
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Answer C: Because a narrow machine is easy to overlook in a mirror or a blind spot
A motorcycle fills very little of a mirror and disappears easily into a blind spot, so the rider should adjust speed and lane position to stay visible where the streams come together.
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7. As you approach an intersection, what is a sound search pattern?
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Answer A: Look left, then ahead, then right, then left again before you enter
Traffic from the left reaches the rider first, so it is checked first and then rechecked, with the road ahead and the traffic from the right covered in between.
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8. In a normal signal cycle, what comes after a steady red indication?
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Answer A: A green indication that starts the next movement
Yellow is a warning that a movement is ending, so it never precedes a green; a red is followed by a green or a green arrow.
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9. Approaching the point this sign refers to, which hazard is most likely?
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Answer A: A vehicle pulling out from the entering road into the driver's path
The main risk is a driver on the entering road who misjudges the gap and pulls out, so covering the brake and being ready to slow is the sensible response.
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10. Your vehicle has stalled on railroad tracks and no train is in sight. After getting everyone away, whom should you call first?
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Answer B: The railroad emergency number posted on the blue sign at the crossing, giving the crossing number
Every public crossing has a blue emergency notification sign with a phone number and a crossing identification number. That call lets the railroad stop or slow trains before they reach you.
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11. You are driving through a long curve on a road with two lanes in your direction. What is correct?
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Answer A: Stay within your own lane all the way through, adjusting speed before you enter
Wandering out of your lane in a curve puts you into the path of a vehicle you cannot see, and the slowing belongs before the curve rather than in it.
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12. An overhead lane signal shows a flashing yellow X above your lane. What does it mean?
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Answer D: The lane may be used only for a left turn
A flashing yellow X marks a lane that may be used only to make a left turn; a steady yellow X is the one that warns you to leave the lane.
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13. How long should a head check before a lane change last?
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Answer D: A quick glance, so you do not lose track of what is happening ahead
Traffic ahead can change in a second, so the blind spot check is a fast glance and the rider returns attention to the road immediately.
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14. Your vehicle stalls on railroad tracks and you see a train approaching. What should you do?
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Answer D: Get everyone out and run toward the train at an angle away from the tracks
Leave the vehicle at once. Running toward the oncoming train and away from the tracks keeps you clear of the wreckage, which is thrown forward in the direction the train is moving.
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15. Why do groups agree on a set of hand signals before setting off?
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Answer B: Because engine noise and helmets make speech useless between moving machines
Riders cannot talk to each other while moving, so agreed signals for hazards, stops, fuel and single file keep the whole group informed.
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16. You are stopped at the yield line of a roundabout when an emergency vehicle comes up behind you with lights and siren. What should you do?
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Answer A: Stay out of the roundabout and pull over to the right of your lane if there is room
Never enter a roundabout ahead of an emergency vehicle and never stop inside one; wait clear of the entry so the crew can get through.
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17. A tractor-trailer is backing slowly across the roadway to enter a loading dock. What should you do?
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Answer C: Stop and wait until the truck has finished the maneuver
A backing truck driver has a very limited view and the trailer can swing unexpectedly. Trying to squeeze past in either direction risks being crushed.
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18. What is the correct order of a pass on a two-lane road?
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Answer A: Check ahead and behind, signal left, move out, accelerate past, signal right and return
A pass begins with the decision that the road is clear and ends with a signaled return, and each step warns other drivers before the vehicle moves.
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19. Why must a tank bag be strapped down properly rather than simply laid on the tank?
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Answer D: Because a bag that slides can reach the controls or your hands
Braking pushes anything loose on the tank forward toward the handlebars, where it can jam the steering or interfere with the levers.
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20. What is the best path through a curve where you can see all the way to the exit?
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Answer A: Start toward the outside, move toward the inside, then drift back out
Entering wide, cutting toward the inside and running back out straightens the path, which means less lean angle for the same speed and a better view.
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21. Washington's basic speed rule requires a driver's speed to be reasonable and prudent with regard to what kind of hazards?
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Answer B: Hazards that exist now and hazards that could develop
Washington's basic speed statute requires drivers to have regard for both actual, currently existing hazards and potential hazards that could develop.
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22. What fine does Washington's Department of Licensing cite for a first violation of talking or texting while holding a wireless device?
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Answer C: $124
Washington's Department of Licensing lists $124 as the fine for talking or sending text messages while holding a wireless device.
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23. Why are pedestrians and cyclists a special risk on unlit streets at night?
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Answer A: Dark clothing can make them invisible until they are very close
A person in dark clothing reflects almost no light and may not appear until they are inside your stopping distance, so cut your speed where people may be about.
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24. You need to reverse direction on a busy street. Which choice is usually safest?
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Answer D: Driving around the block and using the intersections instead
Going around the block uses normal turns at controlled intersections instead of stopping across live traffic lanes.
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25. What does this sign warn a driver about?
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Answer A: Traffic from another roadway will enter the same lane ahead
Two traffic streams come together into one lane beyond this point, so drivers on both roadways have to adjust speed and spacing to fit together.
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26. At a railroad crossing with no gates and no flashing lights, the crossbuck is normally combined with which sign?
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Answer C: A yield sign, or a stop sign where an engineering study calls for one
At a passive crossing the crossbuck forms an assembly with a yield sign, or with a stop sign when an engineering study or engineering judgment supports it, so the driver knows who must give way to the train.
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27. How far forward should a rider sit on the seat?
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Answer D: Far enough forward that the arms are slightly bent on the grips
Slightly bent arms let the rider steer with the handlebars instead of using the arms to prop up the upper body.
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28. A driver leaves the vehicle at the curb where this sign is posted and walks away for two minutes. Is that allowed?
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Answer B: No, leaving the vehicle unattended there is prohibited whatever the length of the absence
Walking away leaves the vehicle parked, and the prohibition holds regardless of how long the driver is gone or whether the engine is left running.
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29. A yellow diamond on an exit ramp shows a truck tipping over onto two wheels. Which drivers does it concern most?
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Answer D: Those in tall vehicles carrying a high load
The truck rollover sign warns that the curve can overturn a vehicle with a high center of gravity, so such drivers must slow well below the normal ramp speed.
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30. Where should a rider with a disabled motorcycle try to stop?
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Answer D: Well clear of the traffic lanes, off the shoulder where there is room
Getting completely away from moving traffic protects the stopped rider and anyone helping, and a shoulder alone is not a safe place to work on a machine.
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31. When downshifting as the motorcycle slows, what keeps the rear tire from skidding?
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Answer A: Easing the clutch lever out smoothly instead of releasing it abruptly
Letting the clutch out gradually lets engine speed and road speed match, so the rear wheel is not forced to slow suddenly.
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32. You have a green light and are turning right. Pedestrians are stepping off the curb into the crosswalk you are about to cross. What should you do?
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Answer B: Wait and let them cross before completing your turn
A green light does not release a turning driver from yielding to pedestrians already in the crosswalk of the street being entered.
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33. You are first in the queue at a red light with a marked crosswalk. Where should your vehicle stop?
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Answer A: Behind the stop line, so that the crosswalk stays clear
Stopping short of the line keeps the crosswalk usable for people on foot and keeps your vehicle out of the path of turning traffic.
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34. How much space should you hold behind the rider who is directly ahead of you in your own portion of the lane?
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Answer D: At least two seconds
Riders sharing the same track keep a following distance of at least two seconds so they have the time and the room to react to a hazard.
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35. According to national crash research, how effective are helmets at preventing fatal injuries to motorcycle riders?
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Answer C: About 37 percent effective
Federal estimates put helmet effectiveness at roughly 37 percent for riders and about 41 percent for passengers in preventing fatal injuries.
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36. Besides the traffic behind you, what else must you check before moving into the next lane?
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Answer D: That there is room ahead in the new lane for your normal following distance
Moving into a gap that is too short leaves you tailgating the vehicle ahead with a vehicle close behind you.
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37. Is it acceptable to drive with your vehicle straddling the line between two lanes?
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Answer D: No, you must drive as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane
A vehicle astride the line takes up two lanes and leaves the drivers around it unable to predict where it will go.
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38. Where should the least experienced riders be placed in a group?
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Answer C: Just behind the leader
Placing newer riders just behind the leader keeps the pace manageable for them and lets the more experienced riders behind keep an eye on them.
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39. How does alcohol typically affect a driver's vision?
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Answer D: It blurs vision, weakens night vision and narrows attention to the sides
Alcohol slows the eye muscles and the brain's processing of what is seen, degrading focus, night vision, depth perception and awareness of movement at the edges of the field of view.
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40. You stop at a rest area because you are sleepy. How long a nap is usually recommended?
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Answer D: About fifteen to twenty minutes
A short nap of fifteen to twenty minutes restores useful alertness without leaving the grogginess a longer sleep can bring, and you should wait a few minutes before driving on.
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41. A large truck ahead of you in a roundabout is using part of both lanes as it goes around. What is the correct response?
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Answer B: Stay back and give it room until it leaves the roundabout
Long vehicles need extra width to get around the central island, so drivers behind must hold back rather than share the space beside them.
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42. You are turning onto a street that has two lanes going your way. Which lane should you enter?
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Answer B: The lane closest to you, changing lanes later if you need to
Turn into the nearest lane going your direction and make any lane change afterwards, when you have signaled and checked that it is clear.
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43. Where is a U-turn most clearly unsafe and generally prohibited?
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Answer D: On a curve or near a hill crest, where other drivers cannot see you
U-turns are barred where approaching drivers cannot see you in time, such as on a curve or near the top of a hill.
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44. You signaled a lane change and the signal did not switch itself off afterwards. Why does that matter?
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Answer B: Other drivers may act on a turn you do not intend to make
A signal left on tells other drivers you are about to turn, and someone may pull out in front of you. Cancel it as soon as the maneuver is finished.
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45. What does the RESERVE position on a fuel supply valve do?
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Answer C: It draws on the small amount of fuel left at the bottom of the tank
A fuel supply valve normally offers OFF, ON, RESERVE and PRIME, and RESERVE taps the last of the fuel so the rider can reach a station.
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46. You realize you have driven several miles without remembering any of it. What kind of distraction is this?
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Answer C: Cognitive distraction, because your mind was not on driving
Daydreaming or being lost in thought is a cognitive distraction. Your eyes may be on the road, but your brain is not processing what they see.
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47. You feel fine twenty minutes after your last drink. Why is that a poor guide to driving?
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Answer B: Your blood alcohol level can still be rising
Alcohol keeps being absorbed for some time after the last drink, so a driver who feels able at the door can be more impaired a few miles down the road.
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48. Which quality matters most in a face shield?
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Answer B: It resists penetration and is free of deep scratches
A shield has to stop objects thrown up from the road and stay clear enough for undistorted vision, and it needs some airflow so that it does not fog.
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49. You are about to pass a long tractor-trailer on a two-lane road. What should you expect?
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Answer B: You will need more clear road, since the vehicle is much longer
A tractor-trailer can be 70 feet long, so passing it takes more distance and more time than passing a car at the same speed difference.
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50. Trees block the view along the tracks as a driver approaches this sign. What approach speed is correct?
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Answer B: Slow enough to stop before the nearest rail once a train comes into view
Where the view along the track is obstructed, the only safe speed is one that still leaves stopping distance after a train first becomes visible.