Washington DOL Motorcycle Practice Test 21
- Questions50
- Correct to pass40
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
-
1. A yellow sign shows a truck on a slope with the legend 7 PERCENT GRADE. What should a driver of a heavy vehicle do?
Show answer
Answer A: Select a lower gear before starting down
The percentage shows how steep the descent is, and choosing a low gear at the top lets the engine hold the vehicle back instead of the brakes overheating.
-
2. What does Washington do to the fine for passing a stopped school bus?
Show answer
Answer A: It is doubled
Washington doubles the fines for anyone who passes a stopped school bus.
-
3. May a Washington driver show proof of insurance to a law enforcement officer using a smartphone app?
Show answer
Answer B: Yes, the officer may view only the insurance data; the driver assumes risk to the device
Washington allows electronic proof of insurance, limits the officer to viewing only the insurance information, and places the risk of any device damage on the driver.
-
4. Every signal head at an intersection is flashing red in all directions. How should you treat the intersection?
Show answer
Answer C: As an all-way stop, stopping and then going in turn
Red flashing in every direction means each approach must stop, so the intersection works exactly like an all-way stop.
-
5. You are stopped at an intersection where bushes block your view of cross traffic. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer A: Edge forward slowly until you can see, then proceed when clear
Creeping forward a little at a time lets you gain a view without committing to the crossing. Never enter an intersection you cannot see into.
-
6. What kind of gloves are recommended for riding?
Show answer
Answer A: Full fingered gloves of leather or similar durable material
Full fingered leather or equivalent gloves improve grip on the controls and protect the hands, which riders instinctively put out in a fall.
-
7. You are about to pass a slower vehicle on a two lane road. What should you do with the gears?
Show answer
Answer B: Downshift before you begin, so the engine can accelerate strongly
A lower gear puts the engine in the part of its range where it accelerates best, which shortens the time spent in the oncoming lane.
-
8. Why is it dangerous to make a left turn from the second lane from the center?
Show answer
Answer C: Because a driver in the lane beside you is turning into the same space
Drivers in the proper turn lane are entitled to that space, and turning across them puts two vehicles into one path through the intersection.
-
9. Your exit from a three-lane highway is about a mile ahead on the right, and you are in the left lane. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer B: Start moving right now, one lane at a time
Plan ahead and change lanes one at a time well before the exit, so you never have to cut across several lanes at the gore.
-
10. Why should a rider glance down at the sidestand before pulling away?
Show answer
Answer A: A stand left down can catch the road and lever the rear wheel off the ground
A sidestand that is still down will dig into the pavement in a left turn and can lift the rear tire clear of the road.
-
11. You must park on soft ground or on asphalt softened by heat. What should you do about the sidestand?
Show answer
Answer A: Put a flat, firm object under the stand to spread the load
A sidestand concentrates the weight of the machine onto a very small area, and on soft ground it sinks in until the motorcycle falls over.
-
12. Why should riding clothing have no loose flapping parts?
Show answer
Answer B: Loose cloth can catch on the machine, and flapping tires the rider
Loose fabric can snag on the controls, the chain or a wheel, and the constant flapping and noise wear the rider out over a long ride.
-
13. The vehicle ahead of you has pulled out to pass a truck. May you follow it out and pass as well?
Show answer
Answer B: No, wait until it is done and judge the road for yourself
You cannot see past the vehicle ahead of you, and if it has to abort the pass there is nowhere for either of you to go.
-
14. Besides school signing, which warning signs may also use a fluorescent yellow-green background?
Show answer
Answer C: Pedestrian and bicycle warning signs
Pedestrian crossing, bicycle and playground warning signs may use either the standard yellow or the fluorescent yellow-green background, which draws extra attention where people outside vehicles are present.
-
15. A driver is following you far too closely. What is the best response?
Show answer
Answer D: Increase your own following distance and let the driver pass when it is safe
More room ahead of you means you can slow gradually instead of braking hard, which reduces the chance of being struck from behind, and letting the driver by removes the problem entirely.
-
16. Which set of qualities should eye protection for riding have?
Show answer
Answer A: Shatter resistant, free of scratches, and sealed against the wind
Riding eye protection has to survive an impact, let you see clearly and keep the air out, which is why plastic face shields and goggles are used instead of ordinary glasses.
-
17. A delivery truck is parked in your lane and you must use the oncoming lane to get around it. Who has the right of way?
Show answer
Answer D: The oncoming traffic, because their lane is clear
The driver whose own lane is obstructed waits, because using the other lane is a favor from oncoming traffic, not a right.
-
18. If a cited Washington driver later proves to the court that valid insurance existed at the time of the citation, what may the court assess before dismissing the case?
Show answer
Answer D: Up to $25 in administrative costs
Washington allows a court to assess up to $25 in administrative costs when dismissing a citation after the driver later proves valid coverage existed.
-
19. You are turning left at an intersection and an oncoming bicyclist is approaching in the bike lane. What must you do?
Show answer
Answer B: Yield and complete the turn only after the bicyclist has passed
A bicycle in the roadway has the same right of way as a vehicle, so a left-turning driver must yield to an oncoming rider just as to an oncoming car.
-
20. What is the best way to handle fatigue on a long ride?
Show answer
Answer C: Take rest breaks regularly and dress to keep wind and cold out
Wind, vibration and cold tire a rider faster than a driver, and the safe answer is planned breaks and protective clothing rather than pressing on.
-
21. Studies of damaged helmets show that the most frequently struck area is which part?
Show answer
Answer C: The chin and jaw area, which an open face helmet leaves uncovered
The chin and face area takes a large share of helmet impacts, which is the main safety argument for a full face helmet over an open face one.
-
22. Why is a wet road at night harder to read than the same road in daylight?
Show answer
Answer A: The wet surface reflects light away and swallows the lane markings
A film of water sends your headlight beam onward instead of back to you, so lines, edges and people in dark clothing almost disappear.
-
23. What condition does this sign warn a driver about?
Show answer
Answer B: Another road joins the road being traveled, from one side
It announces a side road entering the main roadway, so the driver should expect vehicles waiting to pull out and other vehicles slowing to turn in.
-
24. On a hot summer day you notice long black strips of crack sealant snaking across the pavement. What should a rider know about them?
Show answer
Answer A: They soften in heat and can be slippery, especially under a leaned tire
Crack sealant gets soft and greasy in the heat, so treat those strips as a low traction surface and avoid braking or hard cornering on them.
-
25. Someone appears seriously injured after a crash. What should you generally do?
Show answer
Answer C: Call for emergency help and avoid moving the person unless there is an immediate danger such as fire
Moving an injured person can worsen spinal or internal injuries, so summon trained help and leave the person in place unless staying there is more dangerous than moving.
-
26. Why should the leader of a group signal turns and lane changes early?
Show answer
Answer D: So the message has time to reach the riders at the back of the group
An early signal gives the whole formation, including the riders far back in the line, time to see the change and prepare for it.
-
27. What is the correct body position for riding over a bump or an obstacle?
Show answer
Answer B: Rise slightly off the seat with your weight on the footrests, absorbing the shock with knees and elbows
Coming slightly off the seat lets your legs and arms work as extra suspension instead of transferring the impact through your body and the handlebars.
-
28. Does Washington's move-over statute explicitly cover an ordinary disabled vehicle that is only using its hazard lights, with no other warning equipment?
Show answer
Answer A: No, the law lists specific qualifying vehicles, and hazard lights alone are not one of them
Washington's move-over statute lists specific categories of qualifying vehicles and equipment, and an ordinary disabled vehicle using only its hazard lights is not one of them.
-
29. On a typical motorcycle, which of these controls does the rider operate with the right hand?
Show answer
Answer C: The front brake lever
The front brake lever sits on the right handlebar and is squeezed with the right hand, while the clutch lever is on the left handlebar.
-
30. A driver passes this sign and the signal beyond it is already showing green. What is the safest response?
Show answer
Answer C: Ease off the accelerator and be ready to stop, because an indication that has been showing for a while is about to change
A signal that has been displaying the same indication for some time is close to changing, so arriving at a controlled speed with the brake covered is safer than accelerating to beat it.
-
31. Which sign shape is reserved for one message only, the requirement to stop?
Show answer
Answer A: The octagon
The octagon is used for the stop sign and for no other message, so the outline alone identifies the requirement even when the legend is hard to read.
-
32. Where is this sign installed in relation to the hazard it announces?
Show answer
Answer A: Far enough before the hazard that a driver can slow down and stop short of it
This is an advance warning sign, placed on the approach so a driver has time to react before reaching a crossing that a curve or a crest may be hiding.
-
33. A pedestrian near the curb is staring at a phone and not looking at traffic. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer A: Slow down and be ready to stop, because the pedestrian may step out without looking
Distracted pedestrians step into the street without checking. Assume they have not seen you and give yourself time and space to stop.
-
34. What should you do with the key and your belongings when you leave the vehicle in a public lot?
Show answer
Answer D: Take the key with you, lock up and put valuables out of sight
Most vehicle thefts are opportunistic: a key left behind or a bag in plain view is the invitation.
-
35. Why is hearing protection recommended even under a full face helmet?
Show answer
Answer D: Long term exposure to wind and road noise can cause permanent hearing damage
Airflow around a helmet produces high noise levels, and good hearing protection lowers that noise while still letting the rider hear horns and sirens.
-
36. You are about to descend a long steep grade. How should you control your speed?
Show answer
Answer D: Select a lower gear before starting down and use the brakes in firm, brief applications
Engine braking in a lower gear carries most of the load down the grade, while continuous brake pressure overheats the brakes and reduces their effectiveness.
-
37. What is the danger of riding in cold weather with thin gloves?
Show answer
Answer C: Cold, numb hands respond slowly and lose their feel for the controls
Wind chill at riding speed cools the hands quickly, and numb fingers are slower and less precise on the clutch, throttle and brake.
-
38. What tells you that you are following the rider ahead of you too closely in a group?
Show answer
Answer C: You have stopped being able to see the road surface ahead of them
If the machine ahead blocks your view of the pavement it is about to cross, you will not see a hazard until you are already on it.
-
39. You find yourself in a lane that must turn, you wanted to go straight, and you cannot change lanes safely. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer D: Make the required turn and find another route
Going straight from a mandatory turn lane surprises everyone around you, while a wrong turn costs only a few extra minutes.
-
40. Rain has been falling steadily for half an hour. How does traction compare with the first minutes of the shower?
Show answer
Answer C: It usually improves somewhat, because the early oil film has washed away
Rain floats oil and dust to the top at first, so the road is most slippery in the early minutes, and a longer downpour rinses much of that film away. The pavement is still wet and grips less than when it is dry.
-
41. Which part of the body operates the gearshift lever?
Show answer
Answer B: The left foot
The gearshift lever sits ahead of the left footrest and is moved up or down with the left foot.
-
42. What is the basic rule for entering a roundabout?
Show answer
Answer B: Traffic already circulating goes first, and you wait for a gap
Entering traffic yields to vehicles already going around the circle, which is what keeps a roundabout moving instead of locking up.
-
43. You are traveling beside another vehicle on a multilane highway at nearly the same speed. Why is this a poor position?
Show answer
Answer B: You may be sitting in that driver's blind spot with nowhere to go if they move over
Driving alongside removes your side escape route and often puts you where the other driver cannot see you. Speed up or drop back to open space beside you.
-
44. You are approaching the entry of a modern roundabout. Who must you yield to?
Show answer
Answer C: Traffic already circulating in the roundabout, which approaches from your left
Traffic in a United States roundabout circulates counterclockwise, so drivers entering must look left and yield to vehicles already in the circulating roadway.
-
45. How should braking and swerving be combined?
Show answer
Answer C: Brake before or after the swerve, never during it
Traction can be spent on turning or on braking, and asking for both at once during a swerve is very likely to cause a skid.
-
46. What should a pre-ride check of a belt final drive look for?
Show answer
Answer C: Correct tension, plus cracks, frayed edges and missing teeth
A belt is inspected for tension and for damage such as cracks, missing teeth and worn edges, and unlike a chain it is never lubricated.
-
47. You must slow down in a curve but there is no room to straighten the motorcycle. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer A: Brake gently at first and reduce the lean angle as your speed comes down
Braking and turning compete for the same traction, so brake pressure has to stay light while lean angle is high and can grow as the machine comes upright.
-
48. How should you follow a school bus in traffic?
Show answer
Answer A: Far enough back to see its lights and stop in time
A school bus stops often and with little warning, so a longer following distance gives you time to see the lights come on and stop clear of it.
-
49. The center line beside your lane is a broken yellow line. What does it allow?
Show answer
Answer D: You may cross into the opposing lane to pass when it is safe and clear
A broken yellow center line marks a passing zone where traffic in that direction may cross into the opposing lane to pass when the way ahead is clear.
-
50. What is the first thing to do once your disabled vehicle is stopped on the shoulder?
Show answer
Answer A: Switch on the hazard warning lights so other drivers can see the vehicle
Hazard lights are the fastest way to make a stopped vehicle visible, and everything else can follow once traffic has been warned.