Iowa DOT Motorcycle Practice Test 51
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age14 years
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1. Which item does most to keep a rider comfortable in cold weather beyond a jacket and gloves?
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Answer B: A close fitting neck cover that stops air entering at the collar
Cold air funnelled in at the neck chills the whole body, so a snug neck tube or balaclava makes a large difference, while a loose scarf is a hazard because it can catch.
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2. What happens if a passenger leans the opposite way to the rider in a curve?
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Answer B: The motorcycle becomes harder to steer and may run wide in the curve
A passenger leaning against the turn fights the lean angle the rider has set, forcing extra steering effort and pushing the machine toward the outside of the curve.
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3. Why would this sign be installed on an approach?
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Answer B: Because the signal cannot be seen from far enough back for a driver to react in time
Advance notice of a signal is used where a crest, a curve, trees or a building keep the signal heads out of view until a driver is already too close to stop comfortably.
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4. You are traveling a long distance on a highway with three lanes in your direction, at about the speed of the surrounding traffic. Which lane is generally the best choice?
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Answer C: The center lane, which keeps you clear of merging traffic and of overtaking traffic
On a three-lane roadway the center lane avoids both the ramp traffic on the right and the overtaking traffic on the left, so it usually has the steadiest flow.
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5. You approach a traffic signal that has already been green since it first came into view. What should you expect?
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Answer B: That it may change at any moment, so be ready to stop
A signal already green when you first see it is well into its cycle, so a rider covers the brakes and plans a stop rather than assuming a clear run.
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6. A highway lane is marked with a large white diamond and signed as a high-occupancy vehicle lane. Who may use it?
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Answer B: Only vehicles carrying at least the number of occupants shown on the sign, during the posted hours
The diamond marking identifies a preferential lane whose occupancy requirement and hours of operation are stated on the accompanying signs.
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7. A rider in the middle of the group pulls over onto the shoulder. What should the sweep rider do?
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Answer C: Stop and stay with that rider while the rest of the group continues
The sweep exists so that no rider is ever left alone at the roadside, while the remainder of the group carries on to a safe place to wait.
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8. What is the what if habit of a defensive driver?
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Answer C: Thinking through what you would do if a hazard ahead of you turned bad
Rehearsing an answer before the hazard develops means you act at once instead of spending time deciding.
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9. A school sign combined with an AHEAD plaque, or with a plaque giving a distance in feet, forms an assembly that
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Answer B: warns of a school crossing located further along the road
The school advance crossing assembly is placed before the crosswalk to give drivers notice, while a different assembly marks the crossing itself.
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10. While you wait for the ambulance at a crash, what is the most useful help you can give?
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Answer C: Keep the person still and warm, and press down firmly on any heavy bleeding
Keeping an injured person still and warm and controlling bleeding are among the few things a bystander can safely do.
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11. 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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12. You have a green light at a school crossing, but the crossing guard steps out and holds up a stop sign toward you. What must you do?
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Answer A: Stop, because the crossing guard controls this crossing and outranks the signal
Directions from a crossing guard or a police officer take priority over signals and signs.
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13. What is the most effective way for a rider to be seen by other drivers?
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Answer C: Wear brightly colored reflective gear, or a reflective vest over dark clothing
The most common thing drivers say after a collision with a motorcycle is that they never saw it, and bright reflective gear on the helmet and torso is the largest visible surface the rider controls.
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14. Why is an underinflated tire especially risky on a long drive in hot weather?
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Answer C: It flexes more, builds up heat and can fail at speed
A soft tire flexes on every rotation, and that flexing makes heat that the hot road and high speed add to until the tire can come apart.
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15. On a long drive you notice repeated yawning, missed exits and drifting toward the lane line. What should you do?
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Answer C: Pull off at a safe place and sleep, or change drivers
Those are warning signs that sleepiness is already interfering with driving, and only rest restores alertness. Fresh air, music and caffeine do not reverse it.
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16. Your passenger wants to carry a bag in one hand during the ride. What should you tell them?
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Answer B: No, both hands are needed to hold on, so the bag must be secured on the machine
A passenger needs both hands on the operator or the handholds, and anything carried loose can be dropped into the wheel or pull the passenger off balance.
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17. You are driving on a two-lane road approaching the crest of a hill. Where should you position your vehicle?
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Answer D: Toward the right side of your lane, in case an oncoming vehicle is over the center line
You cannot see what is beyond a crest, and oncoming drivers sometimes drift across the center. Keeping right and slowing gives you a margin.
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18. A sign showing a walking figure inside a red circle with a diagonal slash stands at the start of a bridge. What does it mean?
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Answer C: People on foot may not use that roadway
The no pedestrians sign excludes people on foot from that roadway altogether, which is common on high-speed bridges and freeways.
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19. What do the grooves in a tire tread do on a flooded road surface?
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Answer B: They give the water a way to escape so the tread can touch the road
Tread grooves pump water out from under the tire so rubber can meet pavement. A worn tread moves less water, so hydroplaning starts sooner.
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20. You spot a deep pothole that the riders behind you will not be able to see until it is too late. What is the usual way to warn them?
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Answer B: Point at it with a hand or a foot on the side it lies on
Pointing at the hazard on the correct side tells the riders behind both that something is there and where in the lane it is.
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21. Why does this warning matter more on a motorcycle than in a car?
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Answer B: Because a sudden jolt can unsettle a two-wheeled machine and the rider can lose control
A jolt can push a motorcycle off line or lift a wheel, so a rider slows early, comes slightly off the seat and keeps a relaxed but firm hold on the handlebars.
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22. Traffic in a work zone is down to one lane in each direction, separated by a temporary double yellow line. May you pass?
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Answer C: No, temporary markings prohibit passing just as permanent ones do
A temporary marking has the same legal force as a permanent one, and a work zone is the last place with room to spare for an overtaking vehicle.
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23. A school crossing guard has returned to the curb but two children are still walking across the road. When may you go?
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Answer C: Only after the children have reached the far sidewalk
The guard leaving the road does not end your duty; you stay stopped until every child is clear of the roadway.
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24. A pedestrian is waiting to cross ahead of you and you have slowed down. What helps most?
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Answer D: Making eye contact, so that you both know you have seen each other
Eye contact confirms that you have seen each other; waving someone across can send them into the path of another vehicle.
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25. You are stopped at a red light ready to turn right when a person pushing a stroller steps into the crosswalk. What should you do?
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Answer A: Stay stopped until they have crossed your path
A turn on red gives way to every pedestrian in the crosswalk, and someone pushing a stroller has even less room to react.