Iowa DOT Motorcycle Practice Test 14

  • Questions25
  • Correct to pass20
  • Passing score80%
  • Minimum age14 years

Minimum age: 14 years for a motorcycle instruction permit

25 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why; you need 20 correct answers to pass.

  1. 1. A black on white regulatory sign at an intersection reads NO TURNS. What may a driver do there?

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    Answer B: Only continue straight through the intersection

    The NO TURNS sign bans turns in every direction at that intersection, so the only lawful movement from that approach is straight through.

  2. 2. You are turning right on a red light where that is permitted. What does the law require first?

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    Answer B: A full stop, then yielding to traffic and pedestrians

    A right turn on red is allowed only after stopping completely and giving way to everyone who has the green, including people in the crosswalk.

  3. 3. A driver leaves the vehicle at the curb where this sign is posted and walks away for two minutes. Is that allowed?

    A white square showing the letter P inside a red circle with a red diagonal line through it
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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.

  4. 4. Where is a strong crosswind most likely to hit you suddenly?

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    Answer D: Coming out of a tunnel or a cut onto an open bridge

    Gusts arrive the moment you leave shelter, which is why bridge approaches and the ends of cuts and tunnels catch drivers out.

  5. 5. You are about to pull out of a driveway when someone on the sidewalk is walking toward it. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Wait, because traffic on the sidewalk has the right-of-way

    A vehicle entering the roadway from a driveway yields to people on the sidewalk as well as to traffic on the street.

  6. 6. Which warning sign keeps its yellow background even when it is used inside a work zone?

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    Answer D: The grade crossing advance warning sign

    The round grade crossing advance warning sign keeps its black legend on yellow inside temporary traffic control zones because the railroad hazard it describes is not temporary.

  7. 7. You are leaving a private driveway and entering a public street. What are you required to do?

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    Answer B: Stop and yield to traffic on the street and to pedestrians on the sidewalk

    A driver entering a roadway from a driveway, alley or private road must stop and yield to traffic on the roadway and to pedestrians on the sidewalk being crossed.

  8. 8. 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.

  9. 9. The route marker used for an Interstate highway is a shield with

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    Answer A: white numerals on a blue field under a red band carrying the word INTERSTATE

    The Interstate route marker is a cutout shield with a white border, the word INTERSTATE in white on red across the top and the route number in white on blue.

  10. 10. You must slow down in a curve but there is no room to straighten the motorcycle. What should you do?

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    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.

  11. 11. You want to turn right from a lane marked for through traffic and right turns, and the driver behind you wants to go straight. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Signal, stay in the lane and make the turn when it is safe

    A shared lane is the correct place to turn right from, so signal early and turn from the lane; the driver behind must wait or use another lane.

  12. 12. You are already inside an intersection when you realize you should be in the lane beside you. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Stay in your lane through the intersection and change lanes afterwards

    Drivers in an intersection are watching for cross traffic and turning vehicles, so an unexpected sideways move there is easily missed.

  13. 13. You expect to be out after dark on a sunny day's ride. What should you plan for eye protection?

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    Answer B: Carry a clear shield to change to when the light drops

    A tint that helps in daylight steals light you need at night, and riding with no eye protection is not the answer, so carry a clear shield and change it at dusk.

  14. 14. Where is this sign installed in relation to the hazard it announces?

    A yellow circle showing a black cross and the letters R R in the side quarters
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    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.

  15. 15. You arrive at an intersection with no signs, no signals and no markings at the same time as a vehicle on the road to your right. What must you do?

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    Answer B: Yield to the vehicle on your right

    At an uncontrolled intersection you must yield to a vehicle already in the intersection or approaching from your right.

  16. 16. 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.

  17. 17. You have a green light and are turning right while people are crossing the street you want to enter. Who goes first?

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    Answer B: The pedestrians, and you wait until they are clear of your path

    A green light permits the turn but does not remove the duty to yield to pedestrians already crossing the street you are turning into.

  18. 18. You are turning right where a paved trail crosses the road just past the corner. What should you look for?

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    Answer B: Cyclists and walkers arriving from either direction on the trail

    A shared use path carries two-way traffic on foot and on bicycles, so scan both directions along the trail before crossing it.

  19. 19. How can loose spokes be found on a spoked wheel?

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    Answer B: By tapping each spoke and listening for a dull sound instead of a clear ring

    A correctly tensioned spoke rings when tapped, while a loose one gives a flat, dull note that stands out from the rest of the wheel.

  20. 20. Why may the mirrors and the headlight need readjusting when a passenger is carried?

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    Answer D: Because the added weight changes the angle at which the motorcycle sits

    Weight on the rear of the motorcycle raises the front, which aims the headlight and the mirrors higher than the rider intends.

  21. 21. A ball rolls into the street from between parked cars ahead of you. What should you expect and do?

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    Answer A: Expect a child to follow it and be ready to stop

    A ball is usually followed by a child who is watching the ball and not the traffic. Slow down and be prepared to stop immediately.

  22. 22. A blue motorist service sign showing a fuel symbol and an arrow means that

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    Answer D: fuel is available in the direction shown, and the sign imposes no obligation

    Service signs are informational: they tell the driver what is available and in which direction, but they create no requirement.

  23. 23. What is the correct way to apply the front brake when you need maximum braking?

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    Answer C: Squeeze it progressively harder as weight settles onto the front tire

    Progressive pressure lets load build on the front tire before the braking force does, so the tire has the grip needed to handle it.

  24. 24. Apart from other vehicles, who else must a driver let go first at this sign?

    A downward pointing white triangle with a wide red border
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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.

  25. 25. Why should a rider reduce speed at night even on a familiar road?

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    Answer C: So the stopping distance stays inside the distance the headlight lights up

    At night you can only react to what the headlight shows, so keep your speed low enough that you can stop within the lit distance ahead.