District of Columbia DC DMV Motorcycle Practice Test 50
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. How long should a head check before a lane change last?
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Answer D: A quick glance, so you do not lose track of what is happening ahead
Traffic ahead can change in a second, so the blind spot check is a fast glance and the rider returns attention to the road immediately.
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2. You must cross tracks or pavement seams that run in nearly the same direction as your path of travel. What should you do?
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Answer C: Move far enough away to cross at an angle of at least 45 degrees, then turn sharply across
A shallow crossing lets the groove catch and steer the front wheel, so the rider sets up to cross at 45 degrees or more and makes one deliberate turn across it.
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3. This sign is still standing late at night, and nobody is working. What should the driver assume?
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Answer B: The layout may still be altered, so the same care and reduced speed apply
Narrowed lanes, shifted alignments, dropped pavement edges and parked equipment remain overnight, so the hazard does not end when the crew goes home.
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4. A reduced speed limit posted with this sign and a plaque giving hours is in force
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Answer C: during the hours shown on the plaque, or while the beacon is flashing
A school speed limit applies during the periods stated on the plaque or while the attached beacon flashes, and the regular limit governs outside those periods.
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5. Rain has been falling steadily for half an hour. How does traction compare with the first minutes of the shower?
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Answer C: It usually improves somewhat, because the early oil film has washed away
Rain floats oil and dust to the top at first, so the road is most slippery in the early minutes, and a longer downpour rinses much of that film away. The pavement is still wet and grips less than when it is dry.
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6. 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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7. Someone has stepped into a marked crosswalk in the middle of a block ahead of you. What should you do?
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Answer A: Slow down, stop before the markings and let the person cross the street
A marked mid-block crosswalk carries the same duty as one at a corner: give way to the person crossing, stopping if that is what letting them cross safely takes.
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8. Your light turns green, but a vehicle is still in the middle of the intersection. What should you do?
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Answer D: Wait until the intersection is clear before you move ahead
A green light means go only when the way is clear. Drivers already inside the intersection must be allowed to finish crossing.
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9. At night you are waiting to turn left and can see only the headlights of an approaching vehicle. Why should you allow a bigger margin?
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Answer D: Because lights alone make speed and distance hard to judge
With no other visual cues, two points of light give you very little information about how fast the vehicle is closing, so leave extra margin.
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10. A large truck passes and hits you with a blast of wind. Which lane position leaves you the most room for error?
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Answer A: The center portion of the lane
A rider in the center portion of the lane has space on both sides to absorb the push of a wind blast without being shoved out of the lane.
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11. A driver on a hands free call looks straight at a red light and drives through it. What best explains this?
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Answer B: The eyes saw it but the brain did not process it
Attention, not eyesight, decides what a driver actually sees, and a loaded mind can leave a driver looking straight at a hazard without registering it.
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12. A yellow diamond showing the silhouette of a deer warns that
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Answer D: large animals may cross the road in that area
The sign marks a stretch where animals are known to cross, so drivers should reduce speed and scan both roadsides, especially around dawn and dusk.
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13. 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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14. A police officer in the intersection raises a hand toward you although your signal is green. What should you do?
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Answer B: Stop and wait for the officer to wave you on
An officer directing traffic overrides signals and signs, and drivers must follow the officer even when the light says otherwise.
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15. During a pre-ride check, what should the throttle do when it is released?
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Answer A: Snap back to the closed position on its own
A throttle that does not close by itself can leave the engine running fast when the rider expects it to slow, so a sticking cable must be repaired before riding.
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16. You cannot avoid an obstacle lying in the road. At what angle should you try to cross it?
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Answer D: As close to 90 degrees as possible
Meeting the obstacle squarely keeps the front wheel from being deflected sideways as it climbs over the edge.
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17. Your group arrives at a stop sign at a busy crossroad. How should each rider treat it?
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Answer C: Stop and pull out only when there is an adequate gap of your own
Following the machine ahead through a junction without looking is a common cause of group crashes, because the gap the leader used has already closed.
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18. From which lane should a permitted U-turn be started?
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Answer A: The lane nearest the center line, the same one used for a left turn
A U-turn is begun from the far left lane for your direction, the same position used for a left turn, so you do not cut across traffic beside you.
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19. Why does a rider on an unfaired motorcycle tire faster on a long highway ride than a driver would?
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Answer A: Constant wind pressure and noise drain energy hour after hour
Fighting wind pressure and enduring wind noise for hours is physically tiring, which is why wind protection and regular breaks matter on long rides.
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20. A speed limit sign carries a second panel reading TRUCKS 55. What does that panel do?
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Answer B: It sets a lower legal limit for trucks
A truck speed limit panel is regulatory, so trucks are bound by the lower figure while other traffic keeps to the main limit.
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21. How long do points remain on a DC driving record?
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Answer A: Two years
DC DMV keeps assessed points on the driving record for two years.
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22. Some toll facilities use signs and markings with a purple background or a purple stripe. What do they identify?
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Answer D: Lanes reserved for vehicles with an electronic toll account
Purple is assigned to lanes and ramps restricted to vehicles with a registered electronic toll collection account, so drivers without one must stay out.
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23. You have tied a load down with cords that are longer than you need. What should you do with the loose ends?
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Answer D: Secure the loose ends so nothing can reach the chain, the wheel or the road
A dangling cord can be caught by the rear wheel or the chain and jam it, which can lock the wheel without any warning to the rider.
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24. 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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25. You arrive at an intersection where the traffic signals are completely dark after a power failure. What should you do?
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Answer A: Treat the intersection as an all-way stop and take turns
When a signal is dark or out of order, drivers on every approach must stop and proceed in turn, exactly as at a four-way stop.