Iowa DOT Motorcycle Practice Test 50
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age14 years
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1. How does alcohol change the time a driver needs to respond to a hazard?
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Answer A: It slows it, so stopping takes longer
Alcohol is a depressant that lengthens the time between seeing a hazard and acting on it, which adds directly to the distance needed to stop.
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2. Compared with dry pavement, how much room does a vehicle need to stop on packed snow?
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Answer D: Several times as much
Grip on packed snow is a fraction of that on dry pavement, so stopping distance grows several times over. Antilock brakes help you steer, not stop shorter.
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3. You are on a one-way street with two marked lanes. May you pass a slower vehicle on the right?
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Answer A: Yes, using the right lane, provided that the move is safe and signaled
On a roadway with two or more marked lanes in your direction, moving into the free lane and going by is a normal lane change rather than an unlawful pass.
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4. On a wet road, how should a driver adjust after passing this sign?
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Answer B: Start braking earlier, because a slippery surface lengthens the stopping distance
A wet surface lengthens stopping distance, so the extra warning distance should be spent braking gently and early instead of late and hard.
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5. A passenger is getting on at the roadside. Which side should they use if the exhaust and the sidestand allow it?
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Answer B: The side away from moving traffic, clear of the hot exhaust
Getting on and off away from passing vehicles keeps the passenger out of traffic, and the side chosen must also keep their leg clear of the hot exhaust.
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6. The car ahead of you slows down for no reason that you can see. Should you pull out and pass?
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Answer B: No, find out why it is slowing before you commit to the other lane
A driver usually slows for something, such as a turn, a hazard or a pedestrian, and that something is often exactly where your pass would take you.
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7. Besides serving the revocation, what must an Iowa driver complete before a license revoked under the intoxication chapter is reinstated?
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Answer D: A course for drinking drivers plus substance use evaluation and any recommended treatment
Iowa Code section 321J.17 requires the person to enroll in and complete a course for drinking drivers and to submit to evaluation and treatment, with proof presented before reinstatement.
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8. You reach a T intersection where the cross street has a ONE WAY sign pointing to the right. What may you do?
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Answer B: Turn right only, because the street carries traffic in that direction
The arrow shows the only direction traffic may travel, so the only legal movement from the terminating road is a right turn.
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9. Is it a good idea to shift into neutral and coast down a long hill to save fuel?
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Answer B: No, you lose engine braking and some control of the vehicle
In neutral the engine cannot help slow the vehicle, so the brakes do all the work and can overheat. Stay in gear so the drivetrain helps hold your speed.
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10. Why are dawn and dusk especially difficult times to be seen on a motorcycle?
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Answer A: Low contrast light makes a small vehicle blend into the scene
In the flat light of dawn and dusk a motorcycle blends into its background, so bright color, reflective material and the headlight matter most at exactly those hours.
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11. In Iowa, if you cannot safely change lanes when approaching a stopped emergency vehicle with flashing lights, what does the law require?
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Answer D: Reduce speed below the posted speed limit and be prepared to stop
Iowa Code section 321.323A requires drivers who cannot change lanes to reduce speed to a reasonable and proper speed that is less than the posted speed limit and to be prepared to stop.
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12. What alcohol concentration will cause the Iowa DOT to revoke the license of a driver under 21?
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Answer B: .02 or more
Iowa Code section 321J.2A prohibits a person under the age of twenty-one from operating with an alcohol concentration of .02 or more and requires revocation of the license.
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13. You have a steady green ball to turn left, and the oncoming traffic gets a green left arrow. What does that mean for you?
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Answer C: Oncoming vehicles will turn across your path, so you must wait
A green ball is permissive, so when the oncoming side receives a protected arrow those vehicles have priority and you must yield until they clear.
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14. 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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15. When should a rider add a layer on a ride that is turning cold?
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Answer D: Before you start to feel cold, at the next convenient stop
Once a rider is chilled it takes a long time to warm up again, and cold hands and slowed reactions cost control, so add layers before the cold takes hold.
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16. You are approaching a yield sign and no other vehicle is anywhere in sight. What does the sign require?
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Answer A: Slow down and be ready to stop, but stop only if needed
A yield sign requires you to slow and give way, and to stop only when traffic or pedestrians make stopping necessary.
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17. What are painted curb markings mainly used for?
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Answer D: Conveying parking and stopping regulations
Colored curbs tell drivers where waiting or parking is restricted, and because the exact color meanings are set locally a driver should also read the posted signs.
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18. Where is the no passing zone pennant sign installed?
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Answer A: On the left side of the roadway
The pennant is placed on the left side of the roadway at the beginning of the no-passing zone, in the field of view of a driver who is thinking about overtaking.
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19. Why should you stay out of an intersection you cannot clear, even on a green light?
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Answer B: Because you would block cross traffic when their signal turns green
A vehicle stranded in the intersection blocks the cross street when its light turns green, which stalls the whole junction and traps emergency vehicles.
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20. What does Iowa require of a fourteen-year-old applying for a driver's license valid only for a motorized bicycle?
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Answer A: A vision test, a written examination on the rules of the road, and a moped education course
Iowa Code section 321.189 allows this license from age fourteen after a vision test or vision report and a written examination on the rules of the road, and adds an approved motorized bicycle education course for applicants under sixteen.
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21. You are driving on a rural road with no sidewalk. Where should you expect to meet pedestrians?
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Answer A: Walking toward you on your side of the road
Where there is no sidewalk, pedestrians are taught to walk facing traffic, so they appear on your side of the road coming toward you.
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22. How should a motorcycle helmet fit?
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Answer A: Snugly all the way around, without shifting or lifting off the head
A snug helmet stays in place during a crash, while one that moves or lifts can come off at the moment it is needed most.
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23. A yellow sign shows a truck on a slope with the legend 7 PERCENT GRADE. What should a driver of a heavy vehicle do?
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Answer A: Select a lower gear before starting down
The percentage shows how steep the descent is, and choosing a low gear at the top lets the engine hold the vehicle back instead of the brakes overheating.
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24. What is the friction zone of the clutch?
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Answer A: The range of lever travel where power starts to reach the rear wheel
Easing the clutch lever into the friction zone lets the engine drive the rear wheel gradually, which is what makes a smooth start from a stop possible.
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25. An oncoming vehicle keeps its high beam on and dazzles you. What should you do?
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Answer C: Look toward the right edge of your lane and slow until it has passed
Shifting your gaze to the right edge of the lane keeps you on line without staring into the glare, and slowing gives you time if something is hidden in it.