Virginia DMV Motorcycle Practice Test 9
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age15 years 6 months
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1. You are traveling at the same speed as a vehicle in the next lane, just behind its rear door. What should you do?
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Answer B: Change your speed so that you leave that driver's blind spot
That position is the classic blind spot. Slow slightly or move ahead so the other driver can see you before deciding to change lanes.
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2. A car is waiting at a side street to pull out as you approach the intersection. What speed adjustment helps most?
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Answer B: Slow enough that you could still stop before reaching the intersection
Covering the brakes and reducing speed turns a possible collision into a stop the rider can actually make if the driver moves out.
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3. You arrive at an intersection where the traffic signals are completely dark after a power failure. What should you do?
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Answer A: Treat the intersection as an all-way stop and take turns
When a signal is dark or out of order, drivers on every approach must stop and proceed in turn, exactly as at a four-way stop.
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4. Why do safety agencies put head protection first among riding gear?
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Answer A: Because head injuries are the leading cause of death in motorcycle crashes
Head injury is the most common cause of death in motorcycle crashes, which is why a certified helmet is the single most important piece of gear.
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5. As a center two-way left-turn lane reaches an intersection, the markings change into a single left-turn lane. What does that mean for you?
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Answer D: From that point it serves one direction only, so use it just to turn left
Where the shared lane becomes a marked turn bay it belongs to one direction of travel, and only vehicles making that left turn may occupy it.
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6. Your light turns green, but a vehicle is still in the middle of the intersection. What should you do?
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Answer D: Wait until the intersection is clear before you move ahead
A green light means go only when the way is clear. Drivers already inside the intersection must be allowed to finish crossing.
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7. Without a depth gauge, how can a rider tell that a tire has worn out?
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Answer A: The tread has worn down level with the wear bars set into the grooves
Wear bars are molded across the bottom of the tread grooves, and once the tread surface reaches them the tire has no usable depth left.
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8. Loose gravel has been swept into the middle of your lane on a downhill bend. Which controls are affected most?
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Answer D: Steering and braking, since the loose stones roll under the tires
Gravel rolls between rubber and pavement, so the tires can neither turn the vehicle nor slow it as they would on a clean surface.
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9. At what blood alcohol concentration is an adult driver considered to be driving under the influence in Virginia?
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Answer C: 0.08 percent or more
Virginia law makes it unlawful to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or more, the threshold that defines per se intoxication for an adult driver.
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10. What happens in Virginia after a second conviction for a demerit point traffic violation committed while the driver was under age 18?
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Answer A: The driving privilege is suspended for 90 days
In Virginia a first such conviction requires a driver improvement clinic, a second brings a 90 day suspension, and a third brings revocation for one year or until the driver turns 18, whichever is longer.
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11. In near freezing weather, which part of an otherwise clear road is most likely to still be icy?
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Answer D: A shaded dip under trees or beside a rock cut
Sun clears most of the road, but shaded hollows never warm up and can hold ice long after the rest of the pavement is dry.
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12. You pass into a work zone with a reduced speed limit but you see no workers. What speed applies?
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Answer D: The posted work zone limit, whether or not workers are present
A posted work zone speed limit is a regulatory limit in force at all times, and narrow lanes and uneven surfaces remain dangerous when nobody is working.
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13. Why must the handlebars be kept square during a hard straight line stop?
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Answer B: Because a front wheel turned under heavy braking can put the machine down
With the front tire loaded to its limit, any steering input asks it to do two jobs at once and the front end can wash out instantly.
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14. 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.
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15. You are traveling at 55 mph on a rural road and come up behind a horse-drawn buggy. What is the main danger?
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Answer D: You close on it very quickly because it moves at walking pace
A buggy travels only a few miles an hour, so the gap closes far faster than drivers expect and there is very little time to brake once you see it.
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16. Beyond the point this sign refers to, which movement becomes unlawful?
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Answer D: Driving on the far side of the separation, against the flow
Once the two directions are separated, each roadway carries one-way traffic, so crossing to the other side means driving into oncoming vehicles.
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17. What do the letters in the SEE riding strategy stand for?
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Answer B: Search, Evaluate, Execute
Riders search for hazards, evaluate how those hazards could interact, and execute a plan by adjusting speed, position or communication.
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18. You are moving at walking pace through a crowded parking area. Which combination gives the steadiest control?
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Answer B: Steady throttle, the clutch held in the friction zone and light rear brake
Slipping the clutch in the friction zone against a steady throttle and a light drag of rear brake keeps power smooth and the machine stable below walking speed.
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19. Why is parking against the flow of traffic dangerous even when nobody complains?
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Answer D: Because you had to cross traffic to get there and must cross again to leave
Parking on the wrong side means driving against traffic at both ends of the stop, and your reflectors and lights face the wrong way while you are there.
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20. Why do experienced riders cover the clutch lever and the brake lever in heavy traffic?
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Answer B: It shortens the time needed to react if they suddenly have to stop
With fingers already resting on the levers the rider skips the time it takes to reach for them, which shortens overall stopping distance.
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21. Which clothing offers the best protection for a rider?
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Answer D: Leather or sturdy synthetic gear covering the arms and legs completely
Leather and purpose built synthetics resist abrasion far better than ordinary clothing, and full coverage also guards against sun, wind chill and flying debris.
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22. You are in a marked passing zone but a steady stream of oncoming traffic is coming toward you. What does the broken center line allow?
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Answer C: A pass only when the road is clear, so you have to stay behind
A passing zone marks where the sight distance is adequate, but it never gives permission to enter a lane that another vehicle is occupying.
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23. Why does a motorcycle feel less stable at very low speed when a passenger is aboard?
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Answer B: The passenger's weight sits high and to the rear, so balance is easier to upset
A second person adds mass above and behind the rear axle, so slow speed maneuvers such as pulling away, walking pace turns and stops demand more care.
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24. A square sign with a red field, a wide white horizontal bar and the words DO NOT ENTER tells a driver that
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Answer B: the roadway ahead must not be entered from that point
The do not enter sign is posted at the end of a one-way roadway or ramp to keep traffic from driving into it against the flow.
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25. 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.