Iowa DOT Motorcycle Practice Test 57
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age14 years
-
1. A sign on a long descent points to a RUNAWAY TRUCK RAMP a mile ahead. What is that ramp for?
Show answer
Answer C: Stopping a vehicle whose brakes have failed
An escape ramp climbs into deep gravel or sand to bring a vehicle with failed brakes to a halt, so no one should stop or park in it.
-
2. What does a swerve actually consist of?
Show answer
Answer B: Two quick presses on the grips, one to go around and one to come back
A swerve is two separate countersteering inputs made back to back, so the machine leaves the original path and then returns to it.
-
3. A crash happens directly in front of you and vehicles are blocking both lanes. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer B: Stop at a safe distance, put on the hazards and warn the traffic behind
The greatest danger after a crash is a second collision, so stop short of it and make sure the traffic behind you can see the problem.
-
4. You are turning left from a two-way street onto a one-way street. Which lane should you enter?
Show answer
Answer C: The first lane open to traffic on the left side of the one-way street
Turn left from the lane closest to the center line and finish in the first available lane on the left of the one-way street, then change lanes if you need to.
-
5. What should motorcycle footwear provide?
Show answer
Answer B: Sturdy support above the ankle with hard, slip resistant soles
Boots that cover the ankle support and protect it, while hard slip resistant soles keep the rider steady at stops, and laces should be tucked in so they cannot catch.
-
6. Two lanes at the corner are marked for right turns. What does that require of you?
Show answer
Answer A: Keep your own lane through the turn and into the matching new lane
Dual turn lanes work only if each vehicle stays in its own lane all the way round and finishes in the corresponding lane of the new street.
-
7. Two solid white lines separate your lane from the lane beside it. What do they mean?
Show answer
Answer B: Crossing from one lane to the other is prohibited
A solid double white line marks a boundary that road users may not cross, such as the entrance to a preferential lane.
-
8. A funeral procession with headlights on is crossing an intersection when your light turns green. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer A: Wait and let the whole procession go through
Most states let a funeral procession stay together once the lead vehicle has lawfully entered an intersection, and in every state you must yield to vehicles already in the intersection, so wait until the line has passed.
-
9. Why does full riding gear matter on a short trip around the neighborhood?
Show answer
Answer D: Pavement takes skin off at 25 miles an hour just as it does at 55
Serious injuries happen at ordinary street speeds and close to home, so gear that is worth wearing on a long trip is worth wearing on a short one.
-
10. As speed rises, which part of the total stopping distance grows the fastest?
Show answer
Answer B: The braking distance, which grows far faster than speed itself
Perception and reaction distances grow in step with speed, but braking distance grows roughly with the square of speed, so it dominates at higher speeds.
-
11. You are about to slow down sharply for a turn. Which check comes first?
Show answer
Answer A: A look in the mirror to see how close the traffic behind you is
Any hard slowing needs a mirror check first, because the driver behind is the one who has to react to it.
-
12. What is the correct swerving technique?
Show answer
Answer D: Press the handgrip on the side you want to go and look toward the escape route
A swerve is two quick countersteering inputs, and because the motorcycle goes where the rider looks, the eyes belong on the open space.
-
13. What must a motorcycle be equipped with before it can safely carry a passenger?
Show answer
Answer B: A seat large enough for two people and a set of passenger footrests
A passenger needs a seat with room for both people without crowding and firm footrests to brace against.
-
14. In a work zone the temporary lane lines conflict with the old lines still visible on the pavement. Which do you follow?
Show answer
Answer C: The temporary markings, which show the current traffic pattern
Temporary markings define the traffic pattern in force, and the old lines are simply the layout that no longer applies.
-
15. The green arrow protecting your turn changes to a steady yellow arrow. What is it telling you?
Show answer
Answer A: The protected turn is ending and you should prepare to stop
A steady yellow arrow warns that the arrow movement is being terminated and that a red indication will follow.
-
16. Unless posted otherwise, what is the lawful speed in an Iowa suburban district?
Show answer
Answer C: 45 miles per hour
Iowa Code section 321.285 sets forty-five miles per hour in any suburban district, alongside twenty in a business district and twenty-five in a residence or school district.
-
17. Which sequence describes a well-made turn?
Show answer
Answer A: Signal, move into the correct lane, slow down, check, then turn
Tell others first, take your position, lose the speed before the corner, take a final look, and only then steer through the turn.
-
18. How should a rider use the head and eyes in a turn?
Show answer
Answer A: Turn only the head to look through the turn, keeping the eyes level with the horizon
Turning just the head keeps the upper body from upsetting the motorcycle, and level eyes help the rider judge lean angle and direction.
-
19. What should a rider remember about convex mirrors?
Show answer
Answer B: They show a wider view, but vehicles look farther away and slower than they are
The curved glass fits more of the scene into the mirror, and the price of that extra width is a distorted sense of distance and closing speed.
-
20. On a highway with mileage-based exit numbering, you have just passed exit 42 and are looking for exit 55. About how far is it?
Show answer
Answer B: Thirteen miles
With mileage-based numbering each exit takes the number of the nearest milepost, so subtracting one exit number from another gives the distance in miles.
-
21. You stop at a rest area because you are sleepy. How long a nap is usually recommended?
Show answer
Answer D: About fifteen to twenty minutes
A short nap of fifteen to twenty minutes restores useful alertness without leaving the grogginess a longer sleep can bring, and you should wait a few minutes before driving on.
-
22. What is the danger of riding in cold weather with thin gloves?
Show answer
Answer C: Cold, numb hands respond slowly and lose their feel for the controls
Wind chill at riding speed cools the hands quickly, and numb fingers are slower and less precise on the clutch, throttle and brake.
-
23. You want to turn right at a steady red light and no sign prohibits the turn. What is required?
Show answer
Answer B: Come to a complete stop, then yield to traffic and pedestrians before turning
A right turn on a steady red is permitted only after a complete stop and only after yielding to cross traffic and to pedestrians, and a posted sign can prohibit it entirely.
-
24. A shared-use path crosses the road ahead at a marked crossing and people are already crossing on it. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer C: Yield and let them finish crossing the road
People already crossing at a marked crossing have the right of way, and a path crossing is a crossing of the roadway like any other.
-
25. Another vehicle is passing you on a two-lane road. What should you do with your speed?
Show answer
Answer A: Hold your speed or ease off slightly to shorten the pass
Speeding up strands the passing driver in the oncoming lane, while a steady speed or a slight lift lets the pass finish quickly and safely.