Iowa DOT Motorcycle Practice Test 5

1. According to the Iowa Motorcycle Operator's Manual, what must you wear to take the Iowa motorcycle skills test?

• A A helmet, long pants, and shoes that fully cover the feet
• B A reflective vest only
• C Any clothing you choose, since Iowa has no rider gear rule
• D A helmet only, with no clothing requirement

2. Why are ordinary denim jeans a poor choice for riding?

• A They are too heavy and hold too much heat during a long summer ride
• B They restrict movement so much that a rider cannot reach the controls
• C They wear through in a slide, giving little abrasion protection
• D They attract static that can interfere with the motorcycle electrics

3. Under Iowa law, what must a motorcycle have before it may legally carry a passenger?

• A A seat designed for more than one person or an extra attached seat, plus footrests for the passenger
• B Only a padded backrest fitted behind the operator's seat for the passenger
• C Only a windshield measuring at least ten inches above the center of the handlebars
• D No extra equipment at all, as long as the passenger holds on to the operator or to the motorcycle frame

4. A single solid white line separates two lanes running in the same direction. What is it telling drivers?

• A Changing lanes there is discouraged
• B The lane turns into a parking lane ahead
• C You must stop before crossing it
• D Oncoming traffic uses the next lane

5. What is the correct order of steps for taking a turn or a curve?

• A Look, roll, press, slow
• B Press, slow, roll, look
• C Roll, look, slow, press
• D Slow, look, press, roll

6. On a rural road, the driver of a slow farm tractor ahead of you signals a left turn even though there is no road or driveway in sight. What should you do?

• A Pass on the left right away, because the signal is probably a mistake
• B Stay behind the tractor, because it may be turning into a field entrance
• C Pass on the right, since the tractor will move left out of your way
• D Sound your horn so the driver cancels the turn and lets you pass

7. You are circulating in a roundabout and a vehicle is waiting to enter ahead of you. What should you do?

• A Stop inside the circle and wave the waiting driver into the gap ahead of you
• B Move over to the outside lane so that the driver has room to come in
• C Sound the horn to warn the waiting driver to stay where they are
• D Keep going, because circulating traffic does not stop for entering vehicles

8. When may an Iowa motorcycle rider overtake and pass within the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken?

• A Whenever the vehicle being overtaken is traveling below twenty miles per hour
• B Only when the vehicle being overtaken is itself a motorcycle or a motorized bicycle
• C Whenever the lane is at least twelve feet wide and the pavement is dry and clear
• D Never, under any circumstances at all, even when both vehicles happen to be motorcycles

9. Your light is green but the traffic beyond the intersection is stopped and there is no room on the far side. What should you do?

• A Wait behind the line until you can clear the far side
• B Move into the intersection so you are ready when traffic starts again
• C Move up and stop on the crosswalk, which is outside the intersection
• D Enter and turn right instead

10. Besides alcohol, what else makes a driver guilty of operating while intoxicated under Iowa law?

• A Any amount of a controlled substance present in the blood or urine
• B Only a controlled substance level above the numeric limit set in the statute
• C Only prescription medication taken without a valid prescription
• D Only illegal drugs consumed within the hour before driving

11. A strong wind is blowing across an open stretch of road. Besides the gusts, what else should you watch for?

• A Branches, dust and loose objects blown into your path
• B Pavement that expands in the wind and forms ridges across the lanes
• C Traffic signals that switch to flashing yellow whenever it is windy
• D Headlights that dim because the wind cools the engine and the alternator

12. What must a driver be ready to do along the stretch of road where this sign is posted?

• A Sound the horn to move children out of the way
• B Pass stopped vehicles quickly to clear the area
• C Hold normal speed, since children only cross at corners
• D Slow down and stop for a child who steps into the roadway

13. What do the letters in the SEE riding strategy stand for?

• A Stop, Enter, Exit
• B Search, Evaluate, Execute
• C Signal, Ease, Engage
• D Scan, Estimate, Escape

14. You are about to pass a slower vehicle on a two lane road. What should you do with the gears?

• A Shift up one gear first, because a taller gear pulls harder at higher speed
• B Downshift before you begin, so the engine can accelerate strongly
• C Slip into neutral until you are alongside, then select a gear to pull past
• D Leave the transmission alone, since gear choice has no effect on acceleration

15. On a typical motorcycle, which of these controls does the rider operate with the right hand?

• A The clutch lever
• B The gearshift lever
• C The front brake lever
• D The rear brake pedal

16. Which action becomes clearly more risky beyond this sign?

• A Using the left side of the roadway to overtake
• B Checking the mirrors carefully before slowing down
• C Keeping the vehicle to the right of the centerline at all times
• D Signaling well before making a turn off the roadway

17. What is the statutory speed limit on Iowa highways that are part of the interstate road system?

• A 65 miles per hour
• B 70 miles per hour
• C 75 miles per hour
• D 80 miles per hour

18. What must an Iowa applicant under eighteen do before receiving an intermediate or full driver's license valid for a motorcycle?

• A Ride at least fifty supervised miles with a licensed rider following in a separate car
• B Wait until the eighteenth birthday, because Iowa issues no such license to a minor
• C Pass a second written examination covering motorcycle equipment standards only
• D Successfully complete an approved motorcycle education course

19. A yellow pennant, an isosceles triangle with its long axis horizontal, is reserved for which message?

• A Narrow bridge
• B Steep grade
• C Soft shoulder
• D No passing zone

20. You are leaving a freeway by an exit ramp. Where should you slow down?

• A In the through lane, so the machine is already slow when the ramp begins
• B On the shoulder alongside the exit, which leaves the ramp itself clear
• C Only once the ramp has joined the road at the end of the interchange
• D On the ramp itself, after you have left the through lane

21. How long does the Iowa DOT suspend driving privileges for a move over violation that causes another person's death?

• A Ninety days
• B One hundred eighty days
• C One year
• D Two years

22. An Iowa crash caused apparent property damage of 2,000 dollars and no law enforcement agency investigated it. How soon must the driver send a written report to the department?

• A Within twenty-four hours
• B Within forty-eight hours of the crash
• C Within ten days
• D Within seventy-two hours

23. When does Iowa require a motor vehicle on a highway to display lighted headlamps?

• A From sunset to sunrise, and when conditions hide people and vehicles at 500 feet
• B From one hour after sunset until one hour before sunrise, and at no other time at all
• C Only when rain, fog, snow or sleet is actually falling on the roadway
• D From sunset to sunrise only, whatever the weather conditions may be

24. You have stopped after a crash. Why should the engines of the vehicles involved be switched off?

• A To reduce the risk of a fire starting around any fuel that has spilled
• B To make sure that the vehicles cannot roll while you exchange details
• C To keep the battery charged for the lights that you may need later on
• D To stop the airbags from inflating a second time by themselves

25. You are behind a snow plow working on a highway. What is the correct way to drive?

• A Pass on the right, where the plow has already cleared the road
• B Follow closely in the cleared track to get the best traction
• C Stay well back and do not try to pass it
• D Pass on the left, because the plow always works the right side