Utah MOTORCYCLE DMV Practice Test 1

A riding jacket and long pants should still be worn when riding in hot weather. In addition to their other safety benefits, they can protect a rider from heat exhaustion and dehydration.

You should select a helmet that meets U.S. Department of Transportation and state standards; fits snugly all the way around; and has no obvious defects, such as cracks, loose padding, or frayed straps.

To maintain proper balance, your feet should be placed firmly on the footrests and not dragged on the ground. Do not point your toes downward, as this may cause them to catch on the road. Keep your feet near the controls so you can reach them quickly, if needed.

Small vehicles, like motorcycles, can visually seem to be farther away and moving more slowly than they actually are. This phenomenon can make it difficult for others on the road to accurately judge the location and speed of a smaller vehicle.

While riding in a staggered formation is usually best, a group should switch into a single-file formation when turning, taking curves, or entering or exiting a highway.

In Utah, motorcyclists are allowed to use designated High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, regardless of the number of riders on their motorcycles.

To execute a swerve, press the handgrip on the side of your desired turn. Press on the opposite handgrip to return to your original direction after you are clear of the hazard.

While a two-second following distance is generally adequate, you should increase your following distance any time conditions would require a longer stopping distance, such as when the pavement is slippery due to poor weather conditions. Additionally, you should increase your following distance at night, if you cannot see through the vehicle ahead, and when traffic is heavy.

If your motorcycle has a sidecar, it is best for your passenger to ride in the sidecar. They should keep their hands inside the sidecar at all times.

The cornering characteristics of a three-wheeled motorcycle or a motorcycle with a sidecar differ from those of a two-wheeled motorcycle. The best path for a three-wheeler to take through a curve may not actually follow the curve. For example, you may need to move from the outside of the curve to the inside of the curve before straightening out your path.

Gloves should be made of leather or another durable material to provide proper protection for the wearer.

When someone consumes alcohol, impairment of driving and riding abilities begins well below the legal limit for intoxication. Even a single drink can cause significant impairment.

A plastic, shatter-resistant face shield can provide protection for your entire face in the event of a crash. Goggles can protect your eyes, but not the rest of your face. A face shield also provides routine protection from dirt, dust, insects, rain, and pebbles.

Without a helmet, a rider is five times more likely to sustain a critical head injury in a crash.

Because most crashes happen in broad daylight, you should always wear brightly-colored clothing while riding, even during the day.

If you are in the middle portion of your lane, you will have the greatest room for error if your control is disrupted by a wind blast from a passing vehicle.

Gloves designed for motorcycle riding are usually made of leather. In addition to improving your grip, gloves provide protection for a rider's hands and fingers.

It is possible to use both brakes while turning, but it must be done with great care. Some of the tires' usual traction is being used to make the turn while the motorcycle is leaning, so less traction is available for stopping.

To ride safely at night, you should reduce your speed, use your high beam headlight when you are not riding near other vehicles, and increase your following distance. Take advantage of vehicles ahead of you to provide clues about the upcoming road. Their headlights may help to illuminate the road ahead and their taillights will bounce up and down if the vehicle is being driven over bumps on the road.

While the basic techniques for safely passing and being passed are the same as when driving a car, visibility is more critical when riding a motorcycle. The smaller size of a motorcycle makes it easier for you to disappear into another vehicle's blind spot, or for the driver to fail to notice you even if they are able to see you.

At any speed, wearing a helmet will make you three times more likely to survive head injuries in the event of a crash than you would if not wearing a helmet.

Goggles and face shields can protect a rider's eyes from the wind. Windshields, eyeglasses, and sunglasses generally do not shield a rider's eyes adequately enough.

Strategies for safely riding at night include reducing your speed, increasing your following distance, using the lights of the car ahead to help see farther down the road, using your high beam headlight (unless following or meeting another vehicle), and being flexible about your lane position.

Most motorcycles have a manual transmission. Downshifting to a lower gear will slow you down.

In Utah, all motorcycle operators are encouraged to wear helmets, but those age 18 and older are not required to do so. To encourage helmet use, riders who are stopped for a moving traffic violation and who are above the age of 18 will have $8 of the fine waived if they were wearing a helmet at the time of the incident.