Iowa DOT Motorcycle Practice Test 24
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age14 years
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1. Your vehicle is burning at the roadside. How far away should everyone keep?
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Answer D: At least a hundred feet away from the vehicle and upwind, out of the drifting smoke
Burning vehicles give off toxic smoke and parts such as tires and struts can burst, so keep a long distance and stay upwind.
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2. An overhead sign shows that the right lane is EXIT ONLY. What does that mean if you intend to stay on the highway?
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Answer B: You have to move out of that lane before the exit
An exit only lane leaves the highway completely, so a driver continuing on the highway has to change lanes before it does.
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3. A bicyclist ahead of you extends the left arm out with the forearm bent upward. What does that signal mean?
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Answer A: The bicyclist intends to turn right
Bicyclists use the same hand signals as drivers: left arm straight out means left, left arm bent up means right, and left arm bent down means stop or slow.
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4. A dog runs out and chases your motorcycle. What is the recommended response?
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Answer D: Downshift and approach slowly, then accelerate away as you reach the animal
Approaching slowly keeps the dog aiming at where you are now, and accelerating as you reach it leaves the animal behind without a sudden swerve.
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5. 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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6. About how far ahead do low beam headlights let you see on a dark road?
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Answer B: About 250 feet
Low beams light roughly 250 feet of road, and high beams roughly 350 to 500 feet, which sets the limit on a safe night speed.
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7. What is true about the oily strip down the center of a traffic lane?
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Answer D: It usually gives enough traction, but heavy buildups where vehicles idle should be avoided
Passing tires keep the central strip largely clear, but the thick deposits that collect at busy intersections and toll booths really are slick.
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8. What happens to your field of vision as your speed increases?
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Answer C: It narrows, so you notice less at the sides of the road
The faster you travel, the more your useful field of view narrows toward the center, so a hazard coming from the side is seen late or missed altogether.
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9. On an unlit road, about how far ahead do high beams normally let you see?
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Answer D: About 350 to 500 feet ahead of the vehicle
High beams light roughly 350 to 500 feet of road and low beams far less, which is why night speeds have to be chosen around the beam, not the limit.
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10. How long does the Iowa DOT suspend driving privileges for a move over violation that causes another person's death?
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Answer C: One year
Iowa Code section 321.323A requires the department to suspend the violator's driver's license or operating privileges for one year when the violation causes a death.
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11. At an intersection where turning on a red arrow is not permitted, the signal shows a red left arrow next to a steady green ball. What may you do?
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Answer D: Go straight or turn right if permitted, but not left
An arrow controls only the movement it points to, so here the red arrow stops the left turn while the green ball still allows the other movements.
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12. 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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13. A sign at the signal reads LEFT TURN ON GREEN ARROW ONLY. The ball turns green but no arrow appears. What may you do?
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Answer C: Wait, because your turn is allowed only while the arrow is showing
The sign removes the permissive turn, so the left is legal only during the green arrow and you must wait behind the line until it appears.
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14. What counts as a complete stop at a stop sign?
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Answer C: The wheels stop turning before the stop line
A legal stop means the vehicle is no longer moving, made at the stop line or before entering the crosswalk or intersection.
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15. Driving at night you notice that the raised markers along the line beside you are throwing back red light. What does that tell you?
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Answer C: You are facing traffic and must get off that roadway
Red retroreflection is shown only toward traffic that should not be there, so a red return means the vehicle is heading the wrong way.
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16. You are waiting to pull out of a driveway when a bicyclist comes along the bike lane in front of you. What must you do?
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Answer D: Wait until the bicyclist has gone past
A driver leaving a driveway yields to everything already on the road, and a bike lane is part of the roadway.
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17. Two drivers each have three drinks, one over three hours and one in half an hour. What is the difference?
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Answer C: The fast drinker reaches a higher peak level
The liver removes alcohol at a steady rate, so drinking faster than the body can clear it pushes the blood alcohol level much higher.
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18. What is the benefit of looking far down the road rather than just ahead of the hood?
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Answer A: You steer with smaller corrections and you see trouble in plenty of time
A distant view steadies your steering and gives you time to plan, because you meet hazards after you have already seen them.
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19. Partway through a tight turn in a parking area you realize the motorcycle will not come around in the space available. What is the safest thing to do?
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Answer C: Stop, put a foot down and reposition the motorcycle before trying again
At very low speed there is no cost to stopping and starting the turn over, while forcing a turn the space does not allow simply drops the machine.
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20. A face shield keeps fogging up in cool, damp weather. What helps?
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Answer A: Cracking the shield open slightly, or using an anti fog shield
Fog forms when warm breath meets a cold shield, so moving a little air behind the shield or using an anti fog design is the safe fix.
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21. You are stopped at a stop sign on a two-way stop intersection and the cross street has no stop signs at all. What does that mean for you?
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Answer A: You yield to all cross traffic no matter how long that takes
At a two-way stop only your direction is controlled, so there is no taking turns; you wait for a gap big enough to enter safely.
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22. What matters most about the armor built into a riding jacket?
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Answer B: That it sits over the joints and stays there during a fall
Armor only works where it is, so the jacket must fit closely enough that the pads stay over the shoulders, elbows and spine when the rider hits the ground.
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23. Another driver cuts you off and you feel your temper rising. What should you do?
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Answer A: Take a breath, drop back and let it go, because the whole trip matters more
Retaliation turns a moment of bad driving into a crash, and dropping back costs you only a few seconds.
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24. What identifies a helmet as certified to the federal motorcycle helmet standard?
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Answer C: A label showing DOT and the words FMVSS No. 218 CERTIFIED
Certified helmets carry a label with the DOT symbol and the wording FMVSS No. 218 CERTIFIED, together with the maker's name and the model.
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25. How much should you normally reduce your speed on a road covered with packed snow compared with dry conditions?
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Answer C: By about half
Packed snow roughly doubles the distance needed to stop, so a common guideline is to cut speed by about half. On ice, slow to a crawl.