Arizona MVD Motorcycle Practice Test 8

  • Questions30
  • Correct to pass24
  • Passing score80%
  • Minimum age16 years

30 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why; you need 24 correct answers to pass.

  1. 1. How does Arizona classify possession of an open container of liquor in the passenger compartment, and does a glove compartment count?

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    Answer C: A class 2 misdemeanor, and an unlocked glove compartment counts as part of the passenger compartment

    Arizona makes it a class 2 misdemeanor to possess an open container in the passenger compartment, which includes an unlocked glove compartment but excludes the trunk and any locked compartment.

  2. 2. Why does a long downhill grade lengthen the distance you need to stop?

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    Answer C: Because gravity keeps pulling the vehicle forward as you brake

    On a downgrade gravity works with the vehicle and against the brakes, so the same speed needs noticeably more distance than it would on level ground.

  3. 3. Studies of damaged helmets show that the most frequently struck area is which part?

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    Answer C: The chin and jaw area, which an open face helmet leaves uncovered

    The chin and face area takes a large share of helmet impacts, which is the main safety argument for a full face helmet over an open face one.

  4. 4. Where should the rider be looking during a U-turn?

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    Answer B: All the way around toward the point where the turn will finish

    A motorcycle follows the eyes, so turning the head to the exit of the turn keeps the machine coming round instead of drifting wide.

  5. 5. May you stop briefly across the sloped ramp that joins the sidewalk to the street at a corner?

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    Answer B: No, that ramp must stay clear for people using wheelchairs

    A curb ramp is the only way many people can get from the sidewalk to the crosswalk, so blocking it even briefly is prohibited.

  6. 6. When does a city change to the speed limit on a state highway running through it take effect in Arizona?

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    Answer A: Only when the director of the department has approved the alteration

    An Arizona local authority alteration of the maximum speed limit on a state highway, or an extension of one inside a municipality, has no effect until the director approves it.

  7. 7. You are traveling a long distance on a highway with three lanes in your direction, at about the speed of the surrounding traffic. Which lane is generally the best choice?

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    Answer C: The center lane, which keeps you clear of merging traffic and of overtaking traffic

    On a three-lane roadway the center lane avoids both the ramp traffic on the right and the overtaking traffic on the left, so it usually has the steadiest flow.

  8. 8. A sign at the curb reads Tow-Away Zone. What does it mean for you?

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    Answer C: That a vehicle left there can be removed at the owner's expense

    In a tow-away zone the vehicle can be removed immediately and the owner pays the towing and storage charges to get it back.

  9. 9. You have driven at 70 mph for an hour and then exit onto a town street. What is the common risk?

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    Answer B: Your sense of speed adapts, so 35 mph feels slow and you drive too fast

    After a long stretch at high speed the brain adapts, so town speeds feel unnaturally slow; check the speedometer instead of trusting the feeling.

  10. 10. How should a rider use a motorcycle fitted with antilock brakes in an emergency stop?

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    Answer D: Apply firm, steady pressure to both brakes and keep it there

    An antilock system releases and reapplies pressure far faster than a rider can, but only while the rider keeps holding the brakes on.

  11. 11. 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.

  12. 12. A police officer is directing traffic at an intersection and waves you through a red light. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Follow the officer, whose directions come before signs and signals

    Directions given by a police officer or an authorized flagger override signs, signals and pavement markings.

  13. 13. A yellow diamond showing a truck is posted beside a quarry entrance. What is it warning about?

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    Answer A: Trucks turning onto the highway from that entrance

    A truck crossing or trucks entering sign is used where heavy vehicles pull onto the road from a site, and they accelerate slowly once they are on it.

  14. 14. On a rural road, the driver of a slow farm tractor ahead of you signals a left turn even though there is no road or driveway in sight. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Stay behind the tractor, because it may be turning into a field entrance

    Farm equipment often turns into fields through gaps you cannot see, and it may swing wide to do so. Passing a vehicle that is signaling a left turn is a common cause of crashes.

  15. 15. How should a rider approach a curve whose radius keeps tightening the further you go into it?

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    Answer A: Enter more slowly than the curve first appears to need, saving lean for the exit

    In a decreasing radius curve the sharpest part comes last, so a slower entry leaves both speed and lean angle in reserve for where they are needed.

  16. 16. How should a rider dress for a long ride in very hot weather?

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    Answer C: In ventilated riding gear that still covers the arms and legs

    Mesh and vented riding gear flows air while keeping its abrasion protection and shading the skin, so heat is not a reason to ride uncovered.

  17. 17. You expect to be out after dark on a sunny day's ride. What should you plan for eye protection?

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    Answer B: Carry a clear shield to change to when the light drops

    A tint that helps in daylight steals light you need at night, and riding with no eye protection is not the answer, so carry a clear shield and change it at dusk.

  18. 18. Which federal standard must a motorcycle helmet meet to be sold for on-road use in the United States?

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    Answer B: FMVSS No. 218

    Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 218 sets the impact, penetration and retention requirements for motorcycle helmets sold in the United States.

  19. 19. What is the correct way to ride across a stretch of slippery pavement?

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    Answer C: Reduce speed before you reach it, avoid sudden moves, and use both brakes gently if you must brake

    The speed must come off before the slippery area, and once the tires are on it every input, braking included, has to be smooth and gentle.

  20. 20. What does a sign showing a bicycle inside a red circle with a diagonal slash prohibit?

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    Answer D: Riding a bicycle on that roadway

    This is a selective exclusion sign, used where bicycles are banned from a road such as a freeway or a tunnel.

  21. 21. How must an Arizona driver carry proof of financial responsibility?

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    Answer B: Evidence must be in the vehicle, and it may be displayed electronically on a portable device

    Arizona requires evidence of current financial responsibility for the vehicle to be inside the vehicle while it is driven, and the evidence may be shown in electronic form.

  22. 22. 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.

  23. 23. Traffic is heavy and crawling where a sign warns that your lane ends and two lanes must become one. What is the best practice?

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    Answer C: Use the lane to the end, then take turns merging one by one

    In stop-and-go traffic the zipper merge, using both lanes up to the merge point and then alternating, keeps the queue shorter and traffic moving; in free-flowing traffic move over as soon as it is safe.

  24. 24. What does a flashing yellow traffic light mean?

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    Answer B: Slow down and proceed with caution

    A flashing yellow lets you enter the intersection cautiously after yielding to pedestrians and to conflicting traffic that is already there.

  25. 25. You are about to drive a rental car that you have never driven before. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Adjust the seat and the mirrors and find the controls before moving off

    Hunting for the wipers or the lights in traffic is a distraction, so learn the layout while the vehicle is stopped.

  26. 26. You are approaching a sharp curve. When should you reduce your speed?

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    Answer D: Before you enter the curve, so you can accelerate gently through it

    Braking hard inside a curve uses up the traction that is already being demanded for cornering, so the slowing must be finished before you enter.

  27. 27. Traffic is backed up just past the exit you want to use at a single-lane roundabout. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Wait at the yield line until you can pass through and exit

    You must not enter a roundabout unless you can clear it, because stopping inside blocks every other entry.

  28. 28. A large truck ahead of you swings toward the left just before turning right at an intersection. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Stay back and never try to move into the gap between the truck and the curb

    Long vehicles need extra room and often swing wide to complete a right turn, so the space that opens on their right closes again as the trailer sweeps through it.

  29. 29. How far ahead should you normally be looking while driving?

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    Answer D: About 12 to 15 seconds of travel ahead

    Looking that far ahead, roughly a block in town and much farther on a highway, gives you time to see a problem developing and adjust before it becomes an emergency.

  30. 30. You have just passed a vehicle on a two-lane road. When may you return to your lane?

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    Answer B: When you can see the whole vehicle in your inside mirror

    Seeing the entire vehicle you passed in your rearview mirror shows there is room to pull back in without cutting it off.