Iowa DOT Motorcycle Practice Test 55
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age14 years
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1. Rain is falling and the outside temperature reads close to 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Why is that dangerous?
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Answer A: The rain can freeze on contact and glaze the road with ice
Near freezing, rain landing on cold pavement can turn to a glaze of ice almost at once, so a road that looks merely wet may have no grip at all.
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2. An emergency vehicle is stopped on the shoulder ahead with its lights flashing. What does the move over principle require?
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Answer D: Change lanes away from it, or slow down if you cannot
Move over laws ask you to give responders an empty lane, and where traffic or a two-lane road makes that impossible, you slow down instead.
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3. You have a green light and are turning right. Pedestrians are stepping off the curb into the crosswalk you are about to cross. What should you do?
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Answer B: Wait and let them cross before completing your turn
A green light does not release a turning driver from yielding to pedestrians already in the crosswalk of the street being entered.
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4. You are following a large truck on a two-lane road and cannot see past it. What should you do before deciding to pass?
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Answer D: Drop back so that your view of the road ahead opens up
Distance is what buys you a view around a large vehicle, and no decision to pass can be made from a position where you cannot see.
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5. A driver has to stop for a train at this sign. How far back from the nearest rail should the vehicle be held?
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Answer C: No closer than roughly fifteen feet
A train and its load overhang the rails, so stopping no closer than about fifteen feet keeps the vehicle outside the space the train actually sweeps.
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6. How long can cannabis affect a driver?
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Answer A: For hours after the strongest effects have passed
Slowed reactions, poor tracking and weak judgment of distance can last for hours, well beyond the point where the user believes the effects are over.
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7. A school sign paired with a plaque showing a diagonal downward-pointing arrow is installed
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Answer D: at the school crossing itself, or as close to it as possible
The diagonal downward arrow points at the crossing, so this assembly is placed at the crossing location rather than in advance of it.
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8. Someone appears seriously injured after a crash. What should you generally do?
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Answer C: Call for emergency help and avoid moving the person unless there is an immediate danger such as fire
Moving an injured person can worsen spinal or internal injuries, so summon trained help and leave the person in place unless staying there is more dangerous than moving.
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9. Some states allow a left turn against a red light. Which movement is it?
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Answer A: A left turn from a one-way street onto another one-way street
The movement generally allowed on red is one-way to one-way, because the turn does not cross any lane of oncoming traffic; a few states also extend it to a two-way street turning onto a one-way street.
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10. What is the best way to handle fatigue on a long ride?
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Answer C: Take rest breaks regularly and dress to keep wind and cold out
Wind, vibration and cold tire a rider faster than a driver, and the safe answer is planned breaks and protective clothing rather than pressing on.
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11. What is the recommended way to park a motorcycle at a curb?
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Answer C: At an angle, with the rear wheel touching the curb
Backing the rear wheel to the curb at an angle keeps the motorcycle clear of traffic and lets the rider ride out forward instead of backing into the lane.
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12. Why does a motorcycle feel less stable at very low speed when a passenger is aboard?
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Answer B: The passenger's weight sits high and to the rear, so balance is easier to upset
A second person adds mass above and behind the rear axle, so slow speed maneuvers such as pulling away, walking pace turns and stops demand more care.
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13. The car ahead drifts across the lane line and back again several times. What should you do?
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Answer C: Assume that the driver is distracted or impaired, and keep well back
Drifting is a classic sign of a distracted, drowsy or impaired driver, and distance is your protection from all three.
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14. An object thrown up by another vehicle strikes your face shield. What should you do?
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Answer C: Keep both hands on the handlebars and your eyes on the road, then stop when it is safe to check
Letting go of the handlebars or looking away is far more dangerous than the impact itself, so keep control first and inspect the damage after you have stopped safely.
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15. Why is hard braking the wrong response to a tire blowout at speed?
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Answer C: Because it can pull the vehicle further out of line and start it spinning
With one tire gone the braking forces are uneven, so heavy braking increases the pull to one side and can spin the vehicle.
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16. Why should reflective material be placed on the front, back and sides of a rider's gear?
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Answer D: A driver may approach the rider from any of those directions
Threats come from ahead, behind and from the sides at intersections, so reflective material should be visible from every direction a vehicle can approach.
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17. A large insect splatters on your face shield and blocks part of your view. What should you do?
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Answer D: Keep control, look through a clear part, and clean it at the next stop
Taking a hand off the bars or riding with your eyes closed is far more dangerous than a partly obscured view, so keep riding and clean the shield when you are stopped.
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18. Your passenger keeps leaning out to one side to see the road ahead. What should you do?
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Answer B: Ask them to stay in line with you and look over your shoulder instead
Leaning out shifts the combined weight sideways and unsettles the machine, and a passenger can see far enough by looking past the rider's shoulder.
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19. Where is the oil and grease strip in a lane usually widest and most slippery?
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Answer D: At toll plazas, bus stops and intersections where vehicles sit and idle
Oil and coolant drip most where vehicles stop, idle and pull away, so the center strip is widest and slickest at toll booths, bus stops and busy intersections.
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20. How do strong emotions affect driving?
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Answer B: They narrow your attention and make risky decisions more likely
Anger, worry and excitement all take attention away from the driving task and push drivers toward decisions they would not normally make.
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21. What happens to a motorcycle's ground clearance when a passenger is carried?
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Answer A: It is reduced, so parts touch down at a smaller lean angle
The extra load compresses the suspension and lowers the machine, so footrests and other parts can drag on the road sooner in a turn.
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22. Once you are moving, which way of using a navigation device costs you the least attention?
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Answer B: Listening to the spoken directions
Voice guidance lets you keep your eyes on the road, while anything that needs the screen takes glances that add up over a trip.
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23. You have just had bad news and you feel very upset. What should you do?
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Answer B: Wait until you have calmed down, or else let somebody else drive
Strong emotion takes attention away from the road as surely as alcohol or fatigue, so it is a reason not to drive yet.
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24. A steady green arrow pointing left is displayed for your turning lane. What does it tell you?
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Answer D: The turn is protected because conflicting traffic is being held
A steady green arrow gives a protected movement in the direction shown, although you still yield to pedestrians and to any vehicle already inside the intersection.
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25. Which part of the space around your vehicle can you control best?
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Answer A: The space ahead of you
You choose your own following distance, so the gap in front is the space you truly control and the one that gives you time to react.