Washington DOL Motorcycle Practice Test 9
- Questions50
- Correct to pass40
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. You are turning left from a one-way street onto another one-way street. Which lane should you use?
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Answer B: Turn from the far left lane into the far left lane of the new street
The general turning rule is to turn from the lane nearest the direction of the turn into the nearest lane of the new roadway, which on a one-way to one-way left turn means far left to far left.
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2. A deer has just crossed in front of you on a stretch signed for animal crossings. What is the best assumption?
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Answer B: More animals are likely to follow the first one
Deer travel in groups, so one animal crossing usually means others are about to follow, and a driver should slow and keep scanning both shoulders.
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3. You are stopped in a line of traffic waiting at a red light. What is the safest way to wait?
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Answer A: Stay in first gear, keep watching the mirrors and leave a way out
A vehicle approaching from behind may not stop in time, and staying in gear with a gap ahead lets the rider move out of the way.
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4. A driver stopped on suspicion of impaired driving refuses to take a chemical test. What happens?
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Answer D: A license penalty follows for the refusal itself
Under implied consent, holding a license means agreeing to testing, so a refusal brings its own suspension separately from anything the court decides.
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5. You are on a city street with two lanes in your direction, cars parked along the curb and driveways every few yards. Which lane is usually safer?
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Answer B: The lane farther from the curb, away from opening doors and vehicles pulling out
Most of the hazards on such a street come from the curb side, so the inside lane gives you more space and more time to react.
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6. A piece of farm machinery ahead of you is wider than its own lane. What should you do?
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Answer C: Hold back until you can see far enough to pass safely
Wide equipment leaves no gap inside the lane and may use part of the other side, so a pass needs a long clear view of the road ahead.
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7. Where is a road work ahead sign placed?
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Answer B: In advance of the work space or detour, so drivers are warned before reaching it
Advance warning signs are placed upstream of the work space or detour so that drivers have time to slow down and change lanes before reaching the activity.
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8. Where is ice most likely to form first on a cold day?
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Answer B: In shaded areas and on bridges and overpasses
Shaded spots stay cold longer and bridges and overpasses lose heat from below as well as above, so ice appears there before it appears elsewhere.
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9. How should a passenger behave through a turn?
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Answer B: Look over the operator's shoulder in the direction of the turn and avoid sudden movement
Looking over the operator's shoulder into the turn keeps the passenger aligned with the motorcycle, and avoiding sudden movement prevents unexpected changes in balance.
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10. Is dictating a message by voice a safe alternative to typing one?
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Answer C: No, it still takes attention from driving
Composing and checking a spoken message loads the mind and usually pulls the eyes to the screen anyway, so research finds it no safer than other phone use.
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11. What is the correct way to secure a load on a motorcycle?
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Answer C: Fasten it with elastic cords using several attachment points and check it at every stop
Several attachment points hold the load tight so it cannot shift or fall into the wheel or the chain, and checking at stops catches a load that has worked loose.
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12. After turning right you see a sign showing that your lane ends a short way ahead. What should you do?
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Answer B: Signal and merge into the next lane while there is still room
Merge early and smoothly while a gap is still available, rather than running out of pavement or forcing your way in at the last moment.
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13. What causes the side to side motion a rider feels when crossing a steel grid deck or rain grooves?
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Answer C: The tires following the ridges and grooves, which is normal and harmless
The tread follows the pattern in the surface, which produces a wandering feel. The motorcycle is not out of control, so relax on the bars and hold your speed.
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14. Why do watering eyes matter so much to a rider?
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Answer D: Blurred vision delays the moment you see and react to a hazard
Wind makes unprotected eyes water, and even a brief loss of clear vision at road speed costs you the distance you need to react.
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15. What does this sign require of the driver?
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Answer D: Reducing speed and being ready to stop at the intersection ahead
The advance notice asks the driver to slow and be ready to stop, while whether a stop is actually needed depends on the indication displayed on arrival.
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16. How is the yield sign shaped and colored?
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Answer C: A downward-pointing triangle with a wide red border and a red legend on white
The yield sign is a downward-pointing equilateral triangle with a wide red border and the legend in red on a white background, an outline used for no other message.
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17. How does the penalty change for a second or subsequent violation of Washington's electronic device law?
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Answer D: It is doubled compared to the first-offense amount
Washington doubles the penalty amount for a second or subsequent violation of the personal electronic device law.
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18. How does a NO OUTLET sign differ from a DEAD END sign?
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Answer B: It warns that a whole group of streets has no way out
No Outlet is posted where the road leads into a network of streets from which there is no through route, while Dead End refers to the single street itself.
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19. What does Washington insurance law require regarding underinsured motorist coverage on a new auto policy?
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Answer B: Insurers must include it unless rejected in writing
Washington requires insurers to include underinsured motorist coverage in new auto policies unless the named insured or spouse rejects it in writing.
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20. You are driving through a residential area where parked cars hide the side streets. What is the safest approach?
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Answer C: Slow down and cover the brake as you pass each opening
Where parked vehicles hide side streets and driveways, lower speed and a covered brake buy the time you lose in sight distance.
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21. Before making a U-turn on a narrow street, what should the rider do first?
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Answer A: Check that the street is wide enough and clear in both directions
A U-turn commits the rider to crossing both directions of traffic in a space the machine may not fit into, so both the width and the traffic are judged before starting.
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22. An ambulance has just gone by and traffic starts to move again. Why should you wait a moment before pulling back out?
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Answer B: Another emergency vehicle may be following the first one
Emergency calls often bring several vehicles, so check that nothing else is coming before you rejoin the traffic lane.
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23. The driver of a slow farm vehicle moves partly onto the shoulder and waves you past. Who is responsible for the pass?
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Answer A: You are, so pass only if you can see that the road is clear
A courtesy wave is not a traffic control, and the driver who changes lanes is the one answerable for the maneuver.
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24. Four vehicles reach a four-way stop from all four directions at the same instant. How is the deadlock resolved?
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Answer C: Each driver yields to the vehicle on the right and they go one by one
Yielding to the right applies to every driver, so the group untangles itself as drivers take turns rather than moving together.
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25. Blue pavement markings are used together with white markings at
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Answer D: parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities
Blue supplements the white markings of accessible parking spaces, which is the only assignment blue has on the pavement.
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26. You are about to pass a large truck on a two-lane highway. Which practice is correct?
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Answer A: Finish the pass without delay and expect wind turbulence beside the truck
Lingering beside a truck keeps you in its blind spot and exposes you to air turbulence. Pass on the left, keep moving, and move back only when you can see the whole truck in your mirror.
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27. What is the highest speed limit a Washington local authority may set on a designated shared street?
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Answer B: 10 miles per hour
Washington law caps a locally designated shared street speed limit at 10 miles per hour.
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28. At an intersection where every approach carries this sign, two drivers arrive at exactly the same instant. Which of them goes first?
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Answer C: The driver on the right
Order of arrival decides who goes first, and when two vehicles arrive together the driver on the right proceeds while the other gives way.
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29. How do stimulant drugs such as amphetamines or cocaine typically affect driving?
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Answer D: They can make the driver overconfident and more willing to take risks
Stimulants create a false sense of alertness and encourage aggressive, risky driving. When they wear off, sudden fatigue can follow.
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30. How does marijuana affect a driver?
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Answer C: It slows reaction time and impairs judgment of time and distance
Marijuana impairs coordination, attention and the ability to judge speed and distance. Driving while impaired by it is illegal everywhere, even where its use is legal.
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31. Why is a drive chain adjusted with too little slack a problem?
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Answer A: It strains the chain, the sprockets and the output shaft bearings
Suspension movement changes the distance between the sprockets, so a chain pulled tight at rest is stretched hard over bumps and wears everything it touches.
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32. For a first Washington DUI conviction, how long can the resulting driver's license suspension last?
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Answer A: 90 days to one year
A first Washington DUI conviction carries a license suspension ranging from 90 days to one year depending on the alcohol concentration involved.
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33. A pedestrian using a white cane or walking with a guide dog starts to cross the street ahead of you. What must you do?
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Answer A: Yield and stay stopped until the person has finished crossing
A white cane or guide dog identifies a pedestrian who may not be able to see your vehicle, so you must yield and wait rather than maneuver around the person. The horn can confuse the pedestrian or the dog.
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34. Traffic ahead of you has stopped in your lane while the next lane is still moving. What is the first thing to do?
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Answer C: Slow down first and check the next lane before moving over
Braking is the action that keeps you from hitting the stopped traffic, and the lane change is only safe once you have looked.
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35. On a long uphill grade a second lane opens on the right and a sign directs slower traffic into it. You are towing a trailer and holding up a line of vehicles. What should you do?
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Answer A: Move into the right-hand lane and let the faster traffic use the left lane
A climbing lane exists so that slow vehicles can be passed safely, and the slower vehicle is the one that belongs in it.
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36. You are turning left at an intersection just beyond the crest of a hill. What is the added risk?
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Answer B: Oncoming vehicles appear with very little warning and close quickly
A crest hides approaching traffic until it is close, so the gap you thought was empty can fill in the time the turn takes.
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37. Which rain suit is the better choice for a rider?
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Answer A: A bright one with reflective panels, since rain cuts visibility
Drivers see less in the rain, so rain gear is exactly where bright color and reflective material pay off most.
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38. Traffic in your lane is backed up and the paved shoulder looks clear. May you drive along it to get past?
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Answer C: No, the shoulder is not a travel lane
Passing must be done within the roadway; driving on the shoulder to get around traffic is prohibited and surprises anyone entering from the right.
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39. Why does a rider on an unfaired motorcycle tire faster on a long highway ride than a driver would?
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Answer A: Constant wind pressure and noise drain energy hour after hour
Fighting wind pressure and enduring wind noise for hours is physically tiring, which is why wind protection and regular breaks matter on long rides.
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40. An orange sign reading END ROAD WORK is posted beside the highway. What does it mark?
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Answer C: The point where the work zone restrictions stop
The sign is installed at the downstream end of the temporary traffic control zone to tell drivers that normal conditions apply again.
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41. The blue signs mounted before a freeway interchange that carry the logos of individual businesses are
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Answer C: specific service signs, which show the brands available at that exit
Specific service signs, often called logo signs, list eligible businesses for categories such as gas, food, lodging, camping, attractions and 24-hour pharmacies at the upcoming interchange.
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42. Red pavement markings are used on a roadway to show that
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Answer A: it must not be entered from that direction
Red markings identify a roadway that is not to be entered or used, and they also mark the pavement of truck escape ramps.
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43. You are passing a large truck on an open highway in a strong crosswind. What should you expect?
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Answer A: A push toward the truck, then a push the other way as you clear it
The truck shelters you as you go by and then releases you into the full gust, so the load on the steering changes twice during the pass.
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44. The trapezoid sign shape is associated with
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Answer C: recreational and cultural interest area signing
The trapezoid is used for recreational and cultural interest area guide signs and for national forest route markers.
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45. The gates at a railroad crossing begin to come down as you approach. What must you do?
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Answer A: Stop and wait until the gates are fully raised and the lights stop flashing
Once the gates start down you must stop clear of the tracks and wait until they are fully raised and the warning lights have stopped.
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46. When must a passenger keep both feet on the footrests?
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Answer C: At all times, including while the motorcycle is stopped
Feet stay on the footrests even at a stop, because a foot put down or swung out can unbalance the motorcycle or be caught by the road.
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47. You have stopped at a stop line but parked cars hide the cross street. What comes next?
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Answer C: Edge forward to where you can see, stopping again if needed
The legal stop at the line is only the first stop; you then move up slowly to a point where you can see, and stop again if traffic requires it.
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48. Where should the weight of a load sit in relation to the rear axle?
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Answer A: Over the rear axle or in front of it
Weight placed behind the rear axle acts as a lever against the steering and can make the motorcycle wobble and handle and brake poorly.
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49. You are riding directly into a low sun that is glaring off your face shield. What should you do?
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Answer A: Slow down and assume that drivers ahead of you cannot see you either
Glare cuts what everyone can see, so lower speed buys reaction time, and a driver blinded by the same sun is even less likely to notice a motorcycle.
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50. Your light turns green while a pedestrian who started on the walk signal is still crossing in front of you. What must you do?
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Answer D: Let them finish crossing the road before you move off on your green light
A pedestrian who entered the crosswalk lawfully keeps the right of way until they reach the other side, whatever the signal now shows.