District of Columbia DC DMV Motorcycle Practice Test 34
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. Why is passing on a curve prohibited even when the traffic seems light?
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Answer C: You cannot see far enough around it to know the lane is clear
A pass is only as safe as the distance you can see, and a curve hides the very lane the maneuver uses.
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2. What must you do before changing lanes, in addition to signaling and checking your mirrors?
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Answer D: Glance over your shoulder to check the blind spot the mirrors do not cover
Mirrors leave an area beside and behind the vehicle that they cannot show, so a quick head check is needed before the vehicle moves sideways.
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3. Why should you avoid parking over tall dry grass or a pile of dead leaves?
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Answer B: Because the hot exhaust can set the dry material on fire
The exhaust system stays hot for a long time after a drive and can ignite dry vegetation underneath the vehicle.
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4. A small yellow plaque showing a speed number below a curve warning sign gives
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Answer C: the speed recommended for the condition being warned about
The advisory speed plaque belongs to the warning series and states the speed judged safe for the condition ahead under good circumstances, not a regulatory limit.
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5. In a work zone, the flagger's instructions conflict with the pavement markings still visible on the road. Which do you follow?
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Answer B: The flagger, because a person directing traffic outranks the markings
An authorized flagger controlling a temporary traffic control zone overrides signs, signals and markings, and drivers must obey the flagger's signals.
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6. You are waiting to turn left at a solid green light with no green arrow. Oncoming traffic is approaching. What should you do?
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Answer A: Yield to the oncoming traffic and turn only when there is a safe gap
A solid green light permits the left turn but does not protect it, so you must yield to oncoming vehicles and to pedestrians before turning.
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7. How does DC law treat a driver's refusal to submit to a chemical test at a later hearing or trial?
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Answer A: The refusal is admissible in evidence
DC law makes evidence of the refusal admissible in any civil or criminal proceeding arising from the conduct alleged before the arrest.
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8. You are stopped at a stop sign where your road ends at a two-way through street and you plan to turn left. What must you yield to?
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Answer B: Traffic from both directions and any pedestrians crossing
A left turn from the stem of a T crosses the near lane and joins the far one, so you give way to traffic in both directions and to pedestrians.
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9. What is a good rule for any task you want to do inside the vehicle?
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Answer D: If it needs more than a moment, do it stopped
A glance of a second or two is manageable, but any task that runs longer belongs to a stopped vehicle, because the road does not pause while you do it.
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10. In near freezing weather, which part of an otherwise clear road is most likely to still be icy?
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Answer D: A shaded dip under trees or beside a rock cut
Sun clears most of the road, but shaded hollows never warm up and can hold ice long after the rest of the pavement is dry.
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11. Your passenger has ridden on other people's motorcycles before. What should you do before setting off?
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Answer A: Brief them anyway, because your machine and your instructions differ
Handholds, footrests, exhaust position and the signals a rider uses all vary from machine to machine, so every passenger is briefed on the machine they are about to ride on.
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12. A large panel mounted on a trailer at the roadside displays a flashing arrow pointing left. What does it tell you?
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Answer B: Move into the lane to your left
An arrow panel directs traffic out of a closed lane, so the arrow shows the direction you must move rather than the shape of the road ahead.
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13. A snow squall cuts visibility to almost nothing while you are on a highway. What must you not do?
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Answer D: Stop in a travel lane and wait for the squall to blow through
A vehicle stopped in a lane in a whiteout is invisible until someone hits it. Slow gradually and keep moving until you can leave the roadway completely.
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14. What does DC law say about an open container of alcohol inside a vehicle parked on a public street?
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Answer B: It is prohibited, and the offense can carry up to 60 days of imprisonment
DC law bans drinking or possessing an open container of alcohol in or upon a vehicle in or upon any street, alley, park or parking area, with a penalty of up to 60 days.
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15. 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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16. At a four-way stop you and an opposing driver arrive together. You are going straight and the other driver is turning left across your path. Who goes first?
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Answer B: You do, because the left turn crosses your path
When two opposing drivers arrive together, the one going straight goes first and the left-turning driver yields.
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17. What counts as a complete stop at a stop sign?
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Answer C: The wheels stop turning before the stop line
A legal stop means the vehicle is no longer moving, made at the stop line or before entering the crosswalk or intersection.
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18. A center lane is marked with a broken yellow line on each side and is controlled by overhead lane signals. How is that lane used?
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Answer A: It carries traffic one way or the other according to the signals
A reversible lane is marked with broken yellow lines on both sides and its direction of travel is set by the lane control signals above it.
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19. You back into an unattended parked car in a lot and cause visible damage. What must you do?
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Answer A: Try to find the owner, or leave a note with your name and contact details, and report the crash
Hitting an unattended vehicle carries the same duties as any crash. Leaving without identifying yourself is a hit-and-run offense.
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20. What is the purpose of the padding built into the shoulders, elbows and knees of riding gear?
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Answer C: It absorbs impact energy at the joints most likely to strike first
Armor at the joints spreads and absorbs the force of an impact in the places that usually hit the ground first in a fall.
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21. In heavy fog at night on a rural two-lane road, which marking best helps a driver hold position?
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Answer C: The solid white line along the right edge
Steering by the right edge line keeps a driver clear of oncoming traffic, while watching the center line tends to pull the vehicle toward it.
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22. A yellow sign reads SOFT SHOULDER. What is it telling you?
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Answer C: The shoulder may not carry the weight of a vehicle
A soft shoulder is unpaved and can let a wheel sink, so a driver who leaves the pavement there may lose control or become stuck.
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23. What should a rider look for in rain gear?
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Answer A: A riding rain suit that fits close and will not balloon or tear at speed
Rain gear designed for riding stays sealed and stays put in the airstream, while loose garments can flap, tear or interfere with the controls.
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24. What happens when tires are driven underinflated for a long time?
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Answer D: They wear at the edges, they run hot and they are more likely to fail
An underinflated tire flexes too much, which wears the shoulders and builds up heat that can destroy the tire.
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25. You and the driver facing you both have stop signs at a two-way stop. You are going straight and that driver is turning left. Who has the right of way?
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Answer B: You do, and the turning driver must wait
Between two opposing drivers who both stopped, the one going straight goes first and the left-turning driver yields.