Minnesota DVS Motorcycle Practice Test 17

  • Questions40
  • Correct to pass32
  • Passing score80%
  • Minimum age16 years

40 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why; you need 32 correct answers to pass.

  1. 1. Is a helmet worth wearing on a short trip to a store a few blocks away?

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    Answer C: Yes, since many crashes happen close to home at ordinary street speeds

    A large share of motorcycle crashes occur on short, familiar trips at moderate speeds, and injuries at those speeds are still severe.

  2. 2. The road is icy and visibility is poor, but you are driving at the posted speed limit. Is this acceptable?

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    Answer A: No, because you may never drive faster than is safe for the conditions

    Under the basic speed rule a driver must travel at a speed that is reasonable for the actual conditions, so a legal posted speed can still be an unlawful and unsafe speed.

  3. 3. Which of these is an electronic message under Minnesota's hands-free law?

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    Answer B: A video call placed from one phone to another

    Minnesota Statutes 169.475 defines an electronic message to include e-mail, texts, instant messages, images and video calls, but not ordinary voice calls or data transmitted automatically.

  4. 4. Why is passing another vehicle a bad idea in dense fog?

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    Answer C: You cannot see far enough ahead to know the passing lane is clear

    A pass needs a clear view of the road well beyond the vehicle you are overtaking, and fog takes exactly that away.

  5. 5. Why are sign shapes and colors standardized across the whole country?

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    Answer D: So a driver knows the kind of message before reading it

    Uniform shapes and colors let a driver classify a sign as regulatory, warning or guide from a distance, before the legend can be read.

  6. 6. What does it mean to scan the road while driving?

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    Answer A: Moving your eyes constantly over the road, the sides and the mirrors

    Scanning keeps information coming in from every direction, while a fixed stare leaves you blind to everything else.

  7. 7. You want to turn right from a lane marked for through traffic and right turns, and the driver behind you wants to go straight. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Signal, stay in the lane and make the turn when it is safe

    A shared lane is the correct place to turn right from, so signal early and turn from the lane; the driver behind must wait or use another lane.

  8. 8. Why is the center portion of the lane a useful default on an open road?

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    Answer B: It keeps a space cushion on both sides and discourages lane sharing

    From the middle of the lane the rider has room to move either way, and no driver sees an obvious gap alongside to squeeze into.

  9. 9. You are waiting to turn and the traffic ahead has stopped. Where must you not come to rest?

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    Answer D: On the crosswalk, which people need in order to cross the street

    Stopping on a crosswalk forces pedestrians out into the traffic lanes to get around you, so you hold back before it instead.

  10. 10. A driver hunting for an on-ramp meets this sign at the mouth of the pavement ahead. What is the correct action?

    A red square with a wide white horizontal bar across the middle
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    Answer C: Keep out of that roadway and look for the proper approach elsewhere

    The restriction is absolute and does not depend on how much traffic is present, so the driver has to reach the highway by an approach built for entering vehicles.

  11. 11. Where does the restriction that starts at this sign come to an end?

    A yellow sign shaped like a horizontal triangle pointing right, with black lettering
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    Answer D: Where the centerline markings show that overtaking is allowed again

    The sign marks the start of the restricted section, and the centerline markings along the road show how far it runs and where overtaking becomes lawful again.

  12. 12. A bicyclist stops at a four-way stop just before you do. Who goes first?

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    Answer B: The bicyclist, who reached the intersection and stopped there before you did

    A bicyclist on the roadway follows the same right of way rules as a driver, so arrival order decides the turn.

  13. 13. A driver in the left lane of a freeway realizes only when level with this sign that the ramp beside it is the one they need. What is the correct action?

    A green rectangle with white lettering
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    Answer A: Carry on to the next interchange and turn back from there

    There is no safe way back to a ramp once it has been reached from the wrong lane, so the driver keeps going to the next interchange, where the ramps are built for that movement.

  14. 14. The vehicle ahead of you has pulled out to pass a truck. May you follow it out and pass as well?

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    Answer B: No, wait until it is done and judge the road for yourself

    You cannot see past the vehicle ahead of you, and if it has to abort the pass there is nowhere for either of you to go.

  15. 15. You are traveling beside a solid white lane line. What does it tell you?

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    Answer B: Crossing it is discouraged or prohibited, so stay in your lane

    A solid white line separates lanes going the same direction where lane changing is discouraged or prohibited, such as where a through lane meets a mandatory turn lane.

  16. 16. What does a marked crosswalk tell a driver approaching a corner?

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    Answer D: Where pedestrians are expected to cross and must be given way

    Crosswalk markings show pedestrians where to cross and warn drivers to yield to anyone using the crossing.

  17. 17. What does the solid white line running along the right side of a highway mark?

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    Answer A: The right edge of the traveled way

    A solid white edge line shows where the traveled way ends on the right, which is particularly useful at night and in poor visibility.

  18. 18. Another vehicle is passing you on a two-lane road. What should you do with your speed?

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    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.

  19. 19. You have stopped after a crash. Why should the engines of the vehicles involved be switched off?

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    Answer A: To reduce the risk of a fire starting around any fuel that has spilled

    Crashes often break fuel lines, and a running engine is a source of ignition, so switching off lowers the risk of fire.

  20. 20. Why do riders keep the headlight burning in broad daylight?

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    Answer B: It makes the motorcycle easier for other drivers to pick out

    A motorcycle is a narrow target that other drivers overlook easily, and a lit headlight is one of the few things that makes it stand out at a distance.

  21. 21. How does a NO OUTLET sign differ from a DEAD END sign?

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    Answer B: It warns that a whole group of streets has no way out

    No Outlet is posted where the road leads into a network of streets from which there is no through route, while Dead End refers to the single street itself.

  22. 22. 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.

  23. 23. An angry driver is following you closely and gesturing at you. What is the safe response?

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    Answer B: Drive to a police station or to a busy public place and call for help

    Never stop to confront an aggressive driver and never lead one home; go somewhere public and get the police involved.

  24. 24. A crash happens directly in front of you and vehicles are blocking both lanes. What should you do?

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    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.

  25. 25. A sign on a long descent points to a RUNAWAY TRUCK RAMP a mile ahead. What is that ramp for?

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    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.

  26. 26. You are already inside an intersection when you realize you should be in the lane beside you. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Stay in your lane through the intersection and change lanes afterwards

    Drivers in an intersection are watching for cross traffic and turning vehicles, so an unexpected sideways move there is easily missed.

  27. 27. You are approaching the entry of a modern roundabout. Who must you yield to?

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    Answer C: Traffic already circulating in the roundabout, which approaches from your left

    Traffic in a United States roundabout circulates counterclockwise, so drivers entering must look left and yield to vehicles already in the circulating roadway.

  28. 28. Why does full riding gear matter on a short trip around the neighborhood?

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    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.

  29. 29. A lane along the right edge is set off by a solid white line and marked with a bicycle symbol. How should a driver treat it?

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    Answer B: Stay out of it except for the short distance needed to turn or cross where that is allowed

    A marked bicycle lane is set aside for bicycle traffic, and motor vehicles may enter it only briefly where turning or crossing is permitted.

  30. 30. You have shut the engine off with the kill switch because the throttle stuck open. What comes next?

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    Answer D: Keep the clutch in, brake to a stop off the road, and find the cause

    With the engine off and the clutch pulled in the motorcycle is only coasting, so brake to a stop clear of traffic and inspect the throttle cable and grip before restarting.

  31. 31. A driver on the street this sign governs is preparing to turn left at the next corner. Which lane should the vehicle be in beforehand?

    A black rectangle with a white arrow and white lettering
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    Answer A: The lane closest to the left curb

    All the traffic here runs the same way, so nothing is coming toward the driver and the turn is taken from the extreme left lane rather than from beside the middle of the roadway.

  32. 32. No plaque stating days or hours accompanies this sign at the intersection. When does the restriction apply?

    A white square showing an arrow turning left inside a red circle with a red diagonal line through it
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    Answer D: At all times, since nothing limits it to particular periods

    A regulatory restriction runs continuously unless a supplemental plaque states the days or hours during which it applies.

  33. 33. A pedestrian is crossing at a corner where no crosswalk is painted on the pavement. What is your duty?

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    Answer A: Yield, because a legal crosswalk exists at the corner even without paint

    Every intersection has a crosswalk whether or not it is marked, and drivers must yield to pedestrians crossing there.

  34. 34. When should you enter a destination into a navigation device?

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    Answer B: Before you start driving, or after parking in a safe place

    Programming a route is a visual, manual and mental task at the same time, so it belongs to the moments before the vehicle moves rather than to any point in traffic.

  35. 35. An oncoming vehicle at night has its high beams on and you are being dazzled. Where should you look?

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    Answer A: Toward the right edge of your lane

    Looking toward the right edge line keeps you on course while sparing your eyes the worst of the glare. Slow down and do not retaliate with your own high beams.

  36. 36. You are approaching a driveway where a car waits to pull out and the driver is looking your way. What should you assume?

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    Answer D: The driver may not have seen you, so cover the brakes and be ready to slow

    Looking in your direction is not proof that a driver has registered a motorcycle, so cover the brakes and be ready to slow until the car is clearly staying put.

  37. 37. What does a broken line indicate, whatever color it is painted?

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    Answer C: That crossing it is permitted

    A broken line always describes a permissive condition, and the color then tells the driver whether the traffic beyond it runs the same way or the opposite way.

  38. 38. Which of these vehicles does the Minnesota Move Over law also protect?

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    Answer A: A postal service vehicle with its warning lights on

    Minnesota Statutes 169.18 lists postal service, solid waste and recycling collection vehicles among the authorized vehicles the Move Over duty protects.

  39. 39. The signal ahead has a sign prohibiting left turns, and your route needs a left. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Go straight on and find a legal place to turn and come back

    A turn prohibition applies to every driver, so you continue through and reach your route by another legal turn.

  40. 40. A driver who wants to reverse direction arrives at this sign. What is allowed?

    A white square showing a U shaped arrow inside a red circle with a red diagonal line through it
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    Answer C: Going on and reversing direction only where the maneuver is permitted

    The restriction removes that maneuver at that spot entirely, so the driver has to continue and turn the vehicle around at a place where it is not prohibited.