Washington DOL Motorcycle Practice Test 8
- Questions50
- Correct to pass40
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. An exit ramp is separated from the highway by a triangle of pavement painted with white stripes. What may you do there?
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Answer C: Nothing; keep off it and choose either the lane or the ramp
The striped area between a ramp and the through lanes is not for driving, stopping or last-second changes of direction.
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2. On a Washington roadway with fewer than four lanes, how does the move-over law say a driver should get past a qualifying stopped vehicle?
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Answer B: By passing to the left at a safe distance
On a roadway with fewer than four lanes, Washington's move-over law directs drivers to pass to the left at a safe distance.
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3. You face a red light at an intersection that has no stop line and no marked crosswalk. Where must you stop?
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Answer C: Before entering the intersection
With no line and no crosswalk, the stopping point is the near edge of the intersecting roadway, close enough to see cross traffic but clear of it.
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4. Why should you make sure your turn signal has stopped flashing after a lane change?
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Answer A: A signal left flashing tells other drivers that you intend to move again
Other drivers act on your signals, so one that is left on gives them false information about what you are about to do.
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5. Your light turns green and a driver on the cross street enters against a red. What should you do?
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Answer D: Hold back and let that vehicle go through
Giving up a right of way you are entitled to is the only way to avoid a crash with a driver who has already failed to yield.
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6. What does a light drag of the rear brake do during a slow, tight turn?
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Answer C: It steadies the motorcycle and smooths out the power reaching the rear wheel
Working the rear brake against a slipping clutch takes the jerkiness out of the drivetrain and holds the machine steady through the turn.
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7. A pedestrian steps off the curb without looking your way. What should you assume?
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Answer B: That the person has not seen you at all, and be ready to stop for them
Defensive driving means assuming you have not been seen until there is clear evidence that you have.
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8. Which ability does alcohol usually affect first?
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Answer A: Judgment and self control
Alcohol reduces judgment and inhibition before a drinker notices any clumsiness, which is why an impaired driver often feels perfectly capable while already driving worse.
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9. You and an opposing driver reach a four-way stop at the same time and both of you are turning right. What should happen?
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Answer C: Both may turn at the same time into their own lanes
Two opposing right turns take drivers into different lanes without crossing, so both can proceed together once pedestrians are clear.
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10. When may you stop on the shoulder of a freeway?
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Answer A: Only in an emergency, moving completely off the travel lanes and switching on your hazard lights
The freeway shoulder is reserved for emergencies and for disabled vehicles, and a vehicle stopped there must be clear of the travel lanes with hazard lights on.
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11. May you stop in the striped triangle that separates an exit ramp from the freeway lanes?
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Answer A: No, it is not a lane and stopping there is dangerous
The striped gore area is not a travel lane or a shoulder, and a vehicle stopped there sits directly in the path of drivers correcting a late exit.
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12. You are approaching an uncontrolled intersection on a residential street where parked cars hide the cross street. What is the correct approach?
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Answer B: Slow enough to stop and creep out until you can see
Without a sign or signal you still have to be able to yield, and you cannot yield to traffic you have not seen.
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13. With the chin strap fastened, how can you check that a helmet is the right size?
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Answer A: Try to roll it forward off your head, since a good fit will not come off
The roll off test shows whether the helmet will stay on in a crash. If it can be rolled off the front of your head with the strap done up, it is too big.
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14. You are riding in the middle of a tight cluster of cars on a multilane road. What is the best way to improve your safety?
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Answer C: Ride slightly faster or slower to open space and get clear of the cluster
A rider hemmed in on all sides has nowhere to go, so change your speed a little to open an escape path and leave the crowd.
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15. What dollar amount in cash or approved securities may a Washington driver deposit with the state as an alternative to carrying liability insurance?
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Answer D: $60,000
Washington allows a driver to deposit $60,000 in cash or approved securities with the state as an alternative to carrying a liability insurance policy.
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16. School warning signs use which background and legend colors?
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Answer A: A black legend and border on a fluorescent yellow-green background
School warning signs carry a black legend and border on a fluorescent yellow-green background, a shade chosen so they stand out from ordinary yellow warning signs.
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17. Which clothing offers the best protection for a rider?
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Answer D: Leather or sturdy synthetic gear covering the arms and legs completely
Leather and purpose built synthetics resist abrasion far better than ordinary clothing, and full coverage also guards against sun, wind chill and flying debris.
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18. How far before and after a qualifying stationary vehicle does Washington's move-over law define the protected zone?
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Answer C: 200 feet
Washington's move-over law defines the protected emergency or work zone as the adjacent lanes 200 feet before and after the qualifying vehicle.
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19. On a clear day with light traffic, a driver stays far below the maximum this sign sets. What can that cause?
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Answer B: Obstruction of the normal flow of traffic, which is prohibited in itself
Driving so slowly that other traffic is impeded is an offense in its own right when nothing about safety, weather or the road calls for it.
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20. A rider uses only the rear brake for a quick stop. What is the result?
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Answer B: A much longer stop, and a rear wheel that locks easily
With weight thrown forward the rear tire has little grip left, so it gives up only a small share of the available braking and skids under heavy pressure.
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21. A deer crosses the road in front of you and disappears into the trees. What should you expect?
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Answer B: That other deer are likely to follow it across the very same stretch of road
Deer usually move in groups, so one crossing the road is a warning that more may follow.
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22. A city transit bus ahead of you has stopped at the curb with its passenger door open. What does the law require of you?
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Answer D: Nothing special, but pass slowly and watch for people
The mandatory stop applies to a school bus showing red flashing lights, not to a transit bus, though a careful driver still slows for crossing passengers.
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23. You are driving through a neighborhood where several children are riding bicycles. What should you do?
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Answer C: Slow down and expect sudden, unpredictable moves
Young riders lack the judgment and the mirror habits of adults and may swerve or cross without looking, so lower speed is your only reliable margin.
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24. What is the minimum fine in Washington for riding a motorcycle without the required endorsement?
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Answer C: 389 dollars
Washington's current minimum fine for riding without a motorcycle endorsement is 389 dollars.
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25. On a Washington roadway with four or more lanes, what does the move-over law require when a qualifying emergency or work zone vehicle is stopped ahead?
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Answer A: Change lanes away from the vehicle, or slow down if unsafe
On a roadway with four or more lanes, Washington's move-over law requires changing lanes away from the qualifying vehicle, or slowing down if a lane change is not safe.
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26. Why do streetcar or light rail rails set into a street deserve extra care from a rider?
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Answer B: The groove alongside the rail can catch a front tire crossed at a shallow angle
The groove beside an embedded rail is just wide enough to trap a motorcycle tire, so cross rails at as steep an angle as your lane allows.
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27. Why should riding boots come above the ankle?
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Answer C: The ankle is easily broken and is left bare by a low shoe
The ankle takes a lot of damage when a motorcycle goes down or a foot is trapped, and a low shoe leaves it completely unprotected.
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28. Apart from other vehicles, who else must a driver let go first at this sign?
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Answer A: Pedestrians and cyclists already in or entering the crossing
The duty to give way covers every road user who has the right of way at that point, including people walking or cycling across the driver's path.
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29. A rectangular marker with alternating black and retroreflective yellow stripes set at a slant is used to
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Answer C: mark an obstruction, with the stripes sloping down toward the side on which traffic should pass
This striped panel is an object marker, and the direction in which the stripes slope shows the driver which side of the obstruction to pass on.
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30. At night you are judging your distance from the rider ahead by their tail light. What is the risk?
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Answer A: A single small light gives a poor sense of how far away it really is
Distance is very hard to judge from one small light in the dark, so riders should leave extra space rather than trust the impression the light gives.
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31. A yellow curve warning sign carries a yellow plaque showing a speed. What does that number mean?
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Answer D: The recommended maximum safe speed for the curve under ideal conditions
An advisory speed plaque on a yellow warning sign gives the recommended maximum speed for the hazard ahead when conditions are good.
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32. What should a rider understand about the horn on a motorcycle?
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Answer A: It is often weak and may not be heard, so it never replaces an escape route
A small horn competes with a closed car, a radio and traffic noise, so a rider plans a way out instead of trusting the horn to be heard.
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33. What is the main danger of grabbing the front brake lever abruptly?
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Answer D: The front wheel can lock, and a locked wheel cannot steer or balance
The front brake must be squeezed progressively so that weight transfers onto the front tire before full braking force is asked of it.
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34. A grade crossing is marked only with a crossbuck and has no lights or gates. What does the crossbuck require of you?
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Answer C: Yield to rail traffic and cross only when no train is approaching
The crossbuck requires road users to yield the right-of-way to rail traffic, so you must look and listen and be ready to stop.
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35. What is a rider looking for when inspecting the control cables?
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Answer A: Kinks, fraying and stiff or notchy movement
A frayed strand or a kinked outer will eventually jam or snap, which can leave a rider without a clutch, a throttle or a front brake.
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36. During a pre-ride check, what should the throttle do when it is released?
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Answer A: Snap back to the closed position on its own
A throttle that does not close by itself can leave the engine running fast when the rider expects it to slow, so a sticking cable must be repaired before riding.
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37. You are riding a shaded back road in autumn and reach a mat of wet leaves covering the pavement. What should you expect?
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Answer D: Traction can be nearly as poor as ice, so slow down before you reach them
Wet leaves are slick and they hide whatever is underneath, so reduce speed before the patch and cross it upright without braking or turning.
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38. A driver extends the left arm out the window and bends it upward at the elbow. What does this signal mean?
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Answer B: A right turn
The left arm bent upward at the elbow is the standard hand signal for a right turn.
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39. A steady green downward arrow is displayed above the lane you are in. What does it tell you?
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Answer A: You may drive in that lane
A green downward arrow means the lane beneath it is open for travel in your direction.
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40. A diamond-shaped sign is used to
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Answer A: warn of a condition on or next to the road that may call for caution
The diamond is the standard shape of the warning series, which alerts drivers to conditions that would otherwise not be obvious in time to react.
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41. You find that the road surface has turned to sheet ice. What speed is appropriate?
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Answer A: A crawl, slow enough that you could stop without braking hard
Ice can cut grip to a fraction of normal, so stopping takes many times the usual distance and only a crawl leaves any margin.
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42. An overhead lane-use control signal shows a steady red X above your lane. What does it mean?
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Answer B: You may not use that lane and must move out of it
A steady red X means the lane below it is closed to you, while a steady yellow X is the warning to prepare to vacate the lane and a downward green arrow means the lane is open.
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43. You are riding in the right hand lane of a freeway and vehicles ahead are merging on from an entrance ramp. What is the best response?
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Answer C: Change lanes if you safely can, or adjust speed to open a gap for them
Merging drivers are looking over a shoulder for a gap and easily miss a motorcycle, so the rider makes room rather than waiting to be seen.
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44. Traffic is entering the freeway from a ramp ahead of you and you are in the right lane. What should you do?
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Answer C: Move to another lane if it is safe, or adjust your speed to make room
Merging drivers may have little room to adjust. Helping them in by changing lanes or easing your speed prevents conflicts even though they must legally yield to you.
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45. You reach a stretch of road covered by moving flood water of unknown depth. What is the correct decision?
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Answer D: Turn around and take another route
About a foot of moving water is enough to carry away most cars, and the roadbed under the water may already be washed out, so the only safe choice is to turn around.
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46. You and the driver facing you both have stop signs at a two-way stop. You are going straight and that driver is turning left. Who has the right of way?
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Answer B: You do, and the turning driver must wait
Between two opposing drivers who both stopped, the one going straight goes first and the left-turning driver yields.
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47. How should a group plan its rest stops on a long day?
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Answer A: Around the rider who tires first, with breaks before anyone is worn out
Fatigue destroys judgment long before a rider admits to it, so the break schedule follows the least rested rider rather than the strongest one.
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48. A motorcycle in your group develops a mechanical problem on a busy highway. What is the best response?
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Answer C: Signal the group off at the next exit or wide, safe pull off area
A narrow shoulder beside fast traffic is a dangerous place to gather, so the group moves on to a spot where every machine is well clear of the roadway.
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49. Two solid white lines separate your lane from the lane beside it. What do they mean?
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Answer B: Crossing from one lane to the other is prohibited
A solid double white line marks a boundary that road users may not cross, such as the entrance to a preferential lane.
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50. A pedestrian signal changes to a flashing upraised hand. What does that indication mean?
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Answer C: Do not start crossing, but finish a crossing already begun
The flashing upraised hand is the pedestrian change interval: nobody may start to cross, but a pedestrian already in the crosswalk may continue to the far side or to a median.