Washington DOL Motorcycle Practice Test 7
- Questions50
- Correct to pass40
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. What does black ice usually look like from the driver seat?
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Answer C: A patch of pavement that simply looks wet or slightly glossy
Black ice is clear, so you see the dark road through it and read it as a wet patch. In freezing weather, treat any wet looking patch as ice.
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2. How long is a driver's license revoked after a second Washington DUI conviction within seven years?
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Answer B: Two years
A second DUI conviction within seven years brings a minimum two-year Washington license revocation, which continues until sobriety program requirements under the DUI statute are also satisfied.
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3. Two roads come together at a shallow angle under a MERGE sign, with no yield line on either one. What is expected of you?
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Answer D: Adjust your speed and position so you blend smoothly into the other traffic
A merge means neither road ends at a stop; drivers adjust speed and position so that the two streams fit together without stopping.
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4. A sign at the intersection prohibits U-turns, but the opening looks wide and clear. What may you do?
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Answer B: Obey the sign and turn around somewhere else
A prohibition applies whatever the traffic looks like at that moment, usually because of sight distance or conflicts you cannot see from the lane.
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5. Why is an inexperienced rider a poor choice to lead a group?
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Answer C: The leader picks the pace, the gaps and the hazards for everyone behind
Every decision the leader makes is imposed on the riders behind, so leading demands more traffic judgment than any other position in the group.
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6. You are approaching the crest of a hill and cannot see the road beyond it. What should you do?
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Answer C: Slow down and keep well to the right
Beyond a blind crest there may be a stopped vehicle, a cyclist or an oncoming driver crossing the center line, so reduce speed and hold your own side.
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7. You have stopped on the shoulder of a highway and want to rejoin the traffic. What is the correct way?
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Answer D: Signal, build up speed along the shoulder, then merge into a gap
Entering a fast lane at a slow speed is what causes the conflict, so the shoulder is used to gain speed before the merge in the same way as an acceleration lane.
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8. A group has just stopped at a stop sign. How should the formation be restored?
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Answer B: Riders should pull away one at a time and take up the stagger once moving
Motorcycles need room to pull away and get up to speed, so the staggered formation is taken up again only after the riders are rolling.
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9. You are stopped at a stop sign where your road ends at a two-way through street and you plan to turn left. What must you yield to?
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Answer B: Traffic from both directions and any pedestrians crossing
A left turn from the stem of a T crosses the near lane and joins the far one, so you give way to traffic in both directions and to pedestrians.
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10. What change in the road does this sign announce?
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Answer B: The two directions of travel are about to be separated, and the driver must keep to the right of the separation
Ahead the roadway splits into separate one-way roadways on either side of a median, so the driver stays to the right of the divider and no longer meets oncoming vehicles.
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11. Two vehicles reach a four-way stop at the same moment from adjacent roads. Who should go first?
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Answer A: The driver on the right
When two drivers stop at a four-way stop at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.
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12. What are painted curb markings mainly used for?
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Answer D: Conveying parking and stopping regulations
Colored curbs tell drivers where waiting or parking is restricted, and because the exact color meanings are set locally a driver should also read the posted signs.
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13. Roughly how far does a vehicle travel at 55 mph during the few seconds a driver spends reading a text message?
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Answer D: About the length of a football field
Sending or reading a message takes the eyes off the road for about five seconds, which at 55 mph covers roughly the length of a football field with nobody watching the road.
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14. A notification appears on your smart watch while you are driving. What should you do?
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Answer B: Treat it as you would a phone and leave it
A watch screen demands the same eyes and the same attention as a phone, and a wrist is no safer a place to read a message than a dashboard.
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15. What do the letters in the SEE riding strategy stand for?
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Answer B: Search, Evaluate, Execute
Riders search for hazards, evaluate how those hazards could interact, and execute a plan by adjusting speed, position or communication.
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16. Which of these places should never be used to turn your vehicle around?
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Answer C: The driveway of a fire station or the roadway in front of it
Turning around in or in front of a fire station driveway can block emergency vehicles leaving, and most states prohibit it.
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17. A train has just cleared a crossing that carries two sets of tracks. What should you do?
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Answer B: Wait and look both ways for a second train
A passing train hides a second train on the other track, so wait until the signals stop and you can see that both tracks are clear.
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18. A pedestrian waiting at a curb faces a steady upraised hand. What does that indication mean?
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Answer A: Do not start to cross in that direction
A steady upraised hand forbids entering the crosswalk, while a flashing hand only forbids starting a new crossing.
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19. What is the standard reissue fee to reinstate a Washington driver's license after a suspension unrelated to DUI?
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Answer D: $75
Washington's standard reissue fee to reinstate a suspended license is $75.
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20. Which of these vehicle types is exempt from Washington's standard proof-of-financial-responsibility statute?
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Answer A: A moped
Washington exempts mopeds, motor-driven cycles and wheeled all-terrain vehicles from the standard proof-of-financial-responsibility statute that applies to ordinary vehicles.
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21. What changes most when a rider moves from a light motorcycle to a much heavier one?
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Answer A: It takes longer to stop and is harder to hold up at low speed
Extra mass means longer stopping distances and more effort in slow maneuvers and when holding the machine up, so build up gradually on an unfamiliar heavy motorcycle.
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22. A yellow diamond shows an arrow bent into a series of reversing turns. What does it warn about?
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Answer A: Three or more changes of direction close together
The winding road sign replaces a string of separate curve signs where several bends follow one another with only short straights between them.
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23. A single solid white line separates two lanes running in the same direction. What is it telling drivers?
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Answer A: Changing lanes there is discouraged
A solid white lane line discourages lane changing, typically where merging or weaving would create a hazard.
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24. How much more energy must your brakes absorb if you double your speed?
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Answer D: About four times as much, since energy rises with the square of speed
Kinetic energy grows with the square of speed, so twice the speed means about four times the energy and a far longer braking distance.
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25. A square sign with a red field, a wide white horizontal bar and the words DO NOT ENTER tells a driver that
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Answer B: the roadway ahead must not be entered from that point
The do not enter sign is posted at the end of a one-way roadway or ramp to keep traffic from driving into it against the flow.
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26. On the Interstate system, what do the odd-numbered one and two digit routes have in common?
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Answer D: They run mainly north and south
Odd numbers are given to north and south Interstates and even numbers to east and west ones, with the numbers rising toward the north and the east.
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27. The front brake lever feels soft and travels almost to the handgrip. What should the rider do?
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Answer D: Leave the motorcycle where it is until the brake system has been inspected
A spongy lever usually means air or fluid loss in the system, and a brake in that condition can fail completely under hard use.
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28. A school crossing guard has returned to the curb but two children are still walking across the road. When may you go?
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Answer C: Only after the children have reached the far sidewalk
The guard leaving the road does not end your duty; you stay stopped until every child is clear of the roadway.
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29. You are involved in a collision, even a minor one. What is your first legal duty?
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Answer A: Stop at or near the scene without blocking traffic more than necessary
Every driver involved in a crash must stop at the scene, and leaving before meeting that duty is a serious offense. Move the vehicles only as far as needed to clear the traffic lanes.
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30. The temperature gauge climbs toward the red while you sit in slow moving traffic. What should you do?
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Answer A: Get out of the traffic as soon as it is safe and let the engine cool
A stationary motorcycle gets almost no airflow through the engine or radiator, so the cure is to stop creeping along in traffic and let it cool.
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31. On a multi-lane street, a yield line is painted well back from an unsignalized crosswalk rather than right at it. Why?
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Answer D: So drivers in the other lanes can see the pedestrian
Setting the yield line back keeps a stopped vehicle from hiding a crossing pedestrian from drivers in the next lane, which is a common cause of these crashes.
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32. What does a shaft final drive need checked before a ride?
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Answer D: The fluid level in the final drive housing, and any sign of leaks
A shaft drive runs in its own oil bath, so the pre-ride check is the fluid level and any leak around the housing seals rather than tension or slack.
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33. What does research say about the effect of a full coverage helmet on a rider's ability to see and hear traffic?
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Answer B: It leaves the view and the useful hearing a rider needs largely intact
Certified helmets leave far more peripheral vision than a rider needs to check traffic, and riders wearing them still hear the sounds that matter.
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34. You reach the end of the acceleration lane and there is still no gap in the traffic. What should you do?
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Answer B: Slow down and merge behind the traffic rather than forcing your way in
Merging behind the traffic costs you only a little speed, while forcing into a space that is not there puts you alongside a vehicle with nowhere to go.
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35. You are ready to pull out of a parallel parking space into the traffic lane. What should you do?
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Answer C: Signal, check the mirror and blind spot, and wait for a gap
A driver leaving a parking space must yield to traffic already in the lane, so signal, look for the gap and only then move out.
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36. A pedestrian signal displays a steady walking person symbol. What does it mean for a pedestrian at that corner?
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Answer B: The pedestrian may start crossing in the direction of the signal
The steady walking person permits a pedestrian to begin the crossing, while still yielding to vehicles already lawfully in the intersection.
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37. In normal operation, which indication always comes between a green and a red on the same signal face?
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Answer C: A steady yellow
The yellow change interval must follow every green or green arrow, so a signal can never jump straight from green to red.
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38. A yellow diamond shows a car with wavy lines behind its rear tires. What is the warning?
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Answer D: The surface loses grip badly when it is wet
The slippery when wet sign marks a stretch where traction falls off sharply in rain, so speed and braking must be reduced well in advance.
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39. You approach an intersection where the signal is flashing yellow. What should you do?
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Answer D: Slow down and cross the intersection with caution
A flashing yellow signal warns you to slow down and cross with care; it does not require a stop, but it does not give you priority either.
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40. Which of these is announced with the same family of signs as the facility shown here?
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Answer A: A rest area for travelers
A rest area belongs to the same motorist service series, which points travelers toward facilities such as fuel, food, lodging and medical care.
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41. How long is a Washington motorcycle instruction permit valid and how many may a rider obtain?
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Answer B: 180 days, renewable one time, and only two permits within a 5-year period
A Washington motorcycle instruction permit expires after 180 days and may be renewed one time before it expires, and a rider is allowed only two permits within a 5-year period.
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42. What is the purpose of the padding built into the shoulders, elbows and knees of riding gear?
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Answer C: It absorbs impact energy at the joints most likely to strike first
Armor at the joints spreads and absorbs the force of an impact in the places that usually hit the ground first in a fall.
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43. A yellow diamond shows an arrow that doubles back on itself. What kind of curve lies ahead?
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Answer C: A turn of 135 degrees or more, nearly doubling back
The hairpin curve sign is used where the road changes direction by 135 degrees or more, and it is normally backed up by chevrons or a large arrow through the bend.
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44. Besides the sunset-to-sunrise window, when else does Washington law require a vehicle to display lighted headlights?
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Answer B: Whenever visibility drops so low that vehicles can't be seen 1,000 feet ahead
Washington also requires headlights any time insufficient light or unfavorable atmospheric conditions keep people and vehicles from being clearly seen at a distance of 1,000 feet.
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45. How does Washington law define a moped in terms of engine size and top speed?
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Answer C: 50cc or less, 2 horsepower or less, capped at 30 miles per hour
Washington defines a moped as having an engine no larger than 50cc, producing no more than 2 horsepower, and capable of no more than 30 miles per hour on level ground.
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46. You are on an entrance ramp joining a busy freeway. What should you do with your speed in the acceleration lane?
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Answer D: Build it up to about the speed of the traffic you are joining
Merging works when your speed matches the traffic stream, because a large speed difference forces the drivers already on the freeway to brake or swerve.
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47. You are turning right onto a one-way street. Which lane of that street should you enter?
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Answer C: The lane closest to the right curb
Even though every lane on a one-way street runs your way, a right turn must end in the lane nearest the right curb; you may change lanes afterwards when it is safe.
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48. Why is an underinflated tire especially risky on a long drive in hot weather?
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Answer C: It flexes more, builds up heat and can fail at speed
A soft tire flexes on every rotation, and that flexing makes heat that the hot road and high speed add to until the tire can come apart.
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49. You are in the right-hand of two left-turn lanes and the vehicle beside you starts to drift toward your lane during the turn. What should you do?
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Answer B: Slow slightly, keep to your own lane and give the other vehicle room
Drivers commonly drift wide in dual turn lanes, so hold your own line, ease off and leave space rather than racing or crowding the other vehicle.
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50. A sign with a blue background and a white legend and border tells road users about
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Answer A: services such as fuel, food, lodging, hospitals and rest areas
Blue is the background of the general service series, which points travelers toward the services available along or near the route.