Idaho MOTORCYCLE DMV Practice Test 14

An appropriate lane position can increase your ability to see and be seen. Being properly positioned in a lane can also help you avoid blasts of wind coming off of surrounding vehicles.

When it starts to rain, avoid riding in the center of the lane. Instead, ride in the tire tracks left by cars ahead of you. The left tire track is often best for riding, but this can vary based on traffic and other conditions.

Motorcyclists may pass on the right if there is unobstructed pavement with a width of at least eight feet to the right of the vehicle being passed. Motorcyclists, and other drivers, should never leave the road to pass another vehicle.

Wearing brightly-colored or reflective clothing can increase your chances of being seen by other road users.

When passing a row of parked cars, the left portion of the lane is generally safest for travel. This position will help you avoid hazards like doors being opened, people stepping out from between the parked cars, and cars pulling out of parking spaces. Always be ready to adjust your lane position to respond to changing road and traffic conditions.

It is not advisable to ride beside passenger vehicles or trucks. Doing so may place you in another vehicle's blind spot and the driver could move into your lane without realizing you are there.

If steering suddenly feels heavy, it is possible that your front tire has gone flat. Stop riding and check your tires as soon as possible.

Under normal conditions, you should maintain a following distance of at least three seconds. Increase your following distance any time conditions are less than perfect.

Googles will protect your eyes from the wind, but most windshields will not. A windshield is not an adequate substitute for goggles or a face shield.

To provide maximum grip and protection, riding gloves should be made of leather or a similar durable material.

In most cases, it is safest to ride straight within your lane to cross angled railroad or trolley tracks. Changing the angle of your path to cross tracks may send you into another lane, causing a collision with oncoming traffic.

In Virginia, a person with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher is considered intoxicated. Any intoxicated person is prohibited from operating a motor vehicle.

All passes must be completed within the posted speed limits and only in areas where passing is permitted.

You will get the most head and neck protection from a helmet that meets U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and state standards. The single most effective thing you can do to improve your chances of surviving a crash is wear a properly secured, good-quality helmet.

Warning signs are yellow with black lettering or symbols and provide important information to motorists about upcoming road conditions. This sign warns that a stop sign is ahead.

Motorcycles have blind spots, just like cars. You should always turn your head to check your blind spot before changing lanes.

In California, it is illegal for a person age 21 or older to operate a motorcycle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher. For a person under the age of 21, it is illegal to operate a motorcycle with a BAC of 0.01 percent or higher. It may be unsafe to operate a motorcycle even if you are under the legal limit.

After completing a turn or lane change, deactivate your turn signal. Leaving your signal on after moving to the right or left can confuse other road users.

At night, you should always ride at a lower speed than you would under similar conditions during the day. Doing so will give you a better chance of avoiding hazards. Additionally, increase your following distance and be flexible about your lane position.

Riding alongside another vehicle is dangerous because the vehicle could veer into your lane and sideswipe you. Additionally, the vehicle could block your escape route if a hazard arises.

Loads should be kept over, or in front of, the rear axle. Only experienced riders should carry loads on their motorcycle.

The front brake of a motorcycle is more powerful than the rear brake. It can provide three-quarters of the bike's total stopping power.

You should never rely on eye contact as an assurance that a driver has seen you. It is not uncommon for a driver to look directly at a motorcyclist and still fail to actually notice them.

More than one-half of collisions involving motorcycles and passenger vehicles are caused by drivers failing to properly yield the right-of-way to motorcyclists. Motorcyclists should never assume that drivers of larger vehicles will yield the right-of-way, even if they are legally required to do so.

After riding over an object on the roadway, you should pull off the road to check your tires and rims for damage before traveling any farther. Ensure that nothing is caught in the drive chain or belt before proceeding.