Oregon DMV Motorcycle Practice Test 38

  • Questions25
  • Correct to pass20
  • Passing score80%
  • Minimum age16 years

25 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why; you need 20 correct answers to pass.

  1. 1. Where is signing of this kind normally placed along a freeway?

    A green rectangle with white lettering
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    Answer D: Ahead of the interchange and again at the exit, so a driver can reach the correct lane in time

    Guide information for an interchange is repeated on the approach and at the ramp, because a driver who learns about the exit only at the last moment has no room left for a safe lane change.

  2. 2. At what blood alcohol concentration does Oregon law presume that a driver 21 or older is impaired?

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    Answer C: 0.08 percent

    Oregon presumes impairment at a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or more, although a driver may still be arrested for DUII at a lower level.

  3. 3. What does black ice usually look like from the driver seat?

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    Answer C: A patch of pavement that simply looks wet or slightly glossy

    Black ice is clear, so you see the dark road through it and read it as a wet patch. In freezing weather, treat any wet looking patch as ice.

  4. 4. You brake hard on a wet road and need to steer around a stalled car. How do antilock brakes help you do that?

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    Answer B: They stop the wheels locking, so the tires can still turn the vehicle

    Locked wheels slide and cannot change direction. By preventing lockup the system lets you brake at full force and steer at the same time.

  5. 5. What is the basic rule for entering a roundabout?

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    Answer B: Traffic already circulating goes first, and you wait for a gap

    Entering traffic yields to vehicles already going around the circle, which is what keeps a roundabout moving instead of locking up.

  6. 6. Why is backing up on a freeway or on its shoulder prohibited?

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    Answer A: Traffic arrives far too fast to expect a vehicle moving the wrong way

    Freeway traffic closes on a stopped or reversing vehicle at highway speed and has almost no time to react to something moving against the flow.

  7. 7. How does higher speed affect the outcome of a crash?

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    Answer A: It leaves less time to react and greatly increases the force of impact

    Speed shortens the time available to avoid a hazard and raises the energy released in an impact, so both the likelihood and the severity of a crash increase.

  8. 8. You are approaching the crest of a hill and cannot see the road beyond it. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Slow down and keep well to the right

    Beyond a blind crest there may be a stopped vehicle, a cyclist or an oncoming driver crossing the center line, so reduce speed and hold your own side.

  9. 9. You are on a city street with two lanes in your direction, cars parked along the curb and driveways every few yards. Which lane is usually safer?

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    Answer B: The lane farther from the curb, away from opening doors and vehicles pulling out

    Most of the hazards on such a street come from the curb side, so the inside lane gives you more space and more time to react.

  10. 10. What identifies a helmet as certified to the federal motorcycle helmet standard?

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    Answer C: A label showing DOT and the words FMVSS No. 218 CERTIFIED

    Certified helmets carry a label with the DOT symbol and the wording FMVSS No. 218 CERTIFIED, together with the maker's name and the model.

  11. 11. What should be adjusted on the motorcycle before carrying a passenger?

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    Answer C: The suspension and the tire pressure, following the owner's manual

    The extra weight compresses the suspension and loads the tires, so both should be set to the values the manufacturer specifies for riding with a passenger.

  12. 12. A friend who has been drinking insists on driving home. What is the right thing to do?

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    Answer B: Take the keys and arrange a sober ride, even if the friend objects

    An impaired driver is dangerous on any street at any speed, and coffee does not lower blood alcohol. Keeping the keys and finding another way home is the only safe choice.

  13. 13. A school sign paired with a plaque showing a diagonal downward-pointing arrow is installed

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    Answer D: at the school crossing itself, or as close to it as possible

    The diagonal downward arrow points at the crossing, so this assembly is placed at the crossing location rather than in advance of it.

  14. 14. 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.

  15. 15. You are driving through a neighborhood where several children are riding bicycles. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Slow down and expect sudden, unpredictable moves

    Young riders lack the judgment and the mirror habits of adults and may swerve or cross without looking, so lower speed is your only reliable margin.

  16. 16. Is it acceptable to drive with your vehicle straddling the line between two lanes?

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    Answer D: No, you must drive as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane

    A vehicle astride the line takes up two lanes and leaves the drivers around it unable to predict where it will go.

  17. 17. Your road ends at a T-intersection with no signs or signals. Who has the right-of-way?

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    Answer A: Traffic on the through road, and you must yield before entering

    A driver on a road that ends at a T-intersection must yield to traffic on the through road that continues past the junction.

  18. 18. In heavy stop-and-go traffic, why does using both lanes right up to a merge point help?

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    Answer D: It stores the queue in two lanes, so the backup is shorter

    Filling both lanes halves the length of the queue and keeps it away from the traffic upstream, which is why alternating at the merge point works better when traffic is slow.

  19. 19. You have dropped some distance behind the rest of your group. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Keep your own safe pace, because the group should slow to bring you back

    Chasing the group means riding beyond a comfortable pace, so the responsibility sits with the leader to slow down until the formation is whole again.

  20. 20. Where is reflective material most effective at attracting a driver's attention at night?

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    Answer A: On the arms, legs and helmet, where the movement draws the eye

    Reflective patches that move as the rider rides are noticed sooner than static ones, and a helmet sits high where drivers are already looking.

  21. 21. When may a passenger get off the motorcycle?

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    Answer D: Only after the rider has stopped, braced the machine and said so

    A passenger climbing off before the rider is ready removes weight from the back of a machine the rider is still holding upright, which can drop it.

  22. 22. Before pulling out to pass on a two lane road, which lane position gives the best view of the road ahead?

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    Answer B: The left portion of your lane

    Moving to the left of your own lane lets you see past the vehicle ahead and judge the oncoming lane before committing any part of the machine to it.

  23. 23. May you park at the curb immediately next to a railroad crossing?

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    Answer A: No, you must leave the crossing and its approach clear

    Parking beside a crossing hides the tracks and the signals from approaching drivers and leaves no room for a vehicle that has to clear the rails.

  24. 24. On a two-directional, two-lane Oregon highway where a lane change away from a stopped vehicle with hazard lights is not possible, what must a driver do?

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    Answer D: Reduce speed to at least 5 miles per hour under the posted or designated speed limit

    ORS 811.147 requires a driver on a two-directional, two-lane highway, where changing lanes away from a stopped vehicle displaying hazard or warning lights is not an option, to reduce speed to at least 5 mph under the posted or designated speed limit.

  25. 25. How should a rider take curves while carrying a passenger?

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    Answer A: More slowly than when riding alone

    The extra weight raises the center of gravity and makes the motorcycle respond more slowly, so curves have to be taken at a lower speed.