New Mexico MVD Motorcycle Practice Test 21
- Questions25
- Correct to pass18
- Passing score72%
- Minimum age13 years
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1. On a regulatory sign, what does a red circle with a diagonal slash drawn over a symbol mean?
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Answer D: The movement or action shown by the symbol is prohibited
A red circle with a diagonal slash is the standard way of showing that the movement pictured inside it, such as a U-turn or a right turn, is not allowed.
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2. You reach a red light with a sign reading NO TURN ON RED. What may you do?
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Answer D: Wait for the green; no turn is allowed while the light is red
That sign removes the usual permission to turn on red at the intersection, so you must wait for a green indication.
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3. Why should baggage be kept as low as possible on a motorcycle?
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Answer C: A high load raises the center of gravity and makes the machine unstable
Weight carried high changes the balance of the motorcycle and makes it feel top heavy in turns and in crosswinds.
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4. Where is the oil and grease strip in a lane usually widest and most slippery?
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Answer D: At toll plazas, bus stops and intersections where vehicles sit and idle
Oil and coolant drip most where vehicles stop, idle and pull away, so the center strip is widest and slickest at toll booths, bus stops and busy intersections.
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5. After a crash, what information should you exchange with the other driver?
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Answer B: Name, address, driver license, vehicle registration and insurance details
Identification, registration and insurance information are what the other party and the insurers need. Sensitive financial details are never required.
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6. At a four-way stop you and an opposing driver arrive together. You are going straight and the other driver is turning left across your path. Who goes first?
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Answer B: You do, because the left turn crosses your path
When two opposing drivers arrive together, the one going straight goes first and the left-turning driver yields.
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7. What is the earliest age at which New Mexico may issue a motorcycle license?
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Answer D: 13 years old
A 13 year old who completes the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic RiderCourse through the New Mexico Motorcycle Safety Program may be issued a motorcycle license with a Y or Z endorsement, which limits engine size.
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8. About how far behind a tractor-trailer does the driver's rear blind spot reach?
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Answer C: Around 30 feet
The area behind a large truck is hidden for roughly 30 feet, so a driver tucked in there cannot be seen at all.
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9. Which shape is used for the school advance warning sign and the school crossing sign?
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Answer B: An upward-pointing pentagon
The five-sided pentagon with its point up identifies school signing, so the outline alone tells a driver that children may be present.
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10. Which rough check suggests that a helmet is a novelty shell rather than a certified helmet?
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Answer C: It weighs about a pound, far less than a certified helmet
A certified helmet weighs roughly three pounds because of its shell and thick liner, while a novelty shell is very light. Weight is only a clue, and the certification label is the real check.
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11. 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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12. How should a long trip be broken up to keep the driver alert?
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Answer D: Stop for a break every couple of hours and share out the driving
Regular breaks and a change of driver are the only reliable answers to fatigue; caffeine only postpones it.
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13. When are the hazard warning lights properly used?
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Answer A: When your vehicle is stopped or barely moving and is a hazard
Hazard lights warn that your vehicle is an obstruction; they do not authorize illegal parking and they hide your turn signals while driving.
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14. 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.
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15. Apart from giving you room to stop, what else does a longer following gap do for you?
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Answer D: It widens your view of the road and the traffic ahead
Sitting further back lets you see past and around the vehicle in front, so hazards reach your eyes seconds earlier.
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16. How does becoming chilled affect a rider before any shivering is obvious?
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Answer D: It slows reactions and clouds judgment while the rider still feels fine
Cooling degrades reaction time and decision making before the rider notices it, so dress for the coldest part of the ride and stop to warm up rather than pressing on.
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17. A lane is marked with a large white bicycle symbol and chevrons, but there is no separate bicycle lane. What does it mean?
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Answer A: Bicyclists may use the whole lane, so follow or pass with care
A shared lane marking shows that bicyclists and drivers use the same lane and positions riders away from parked car doors, so passing means changing lanes.
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18. How is the rear brake applied on a standard motorcycle?
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Answer D: By pressing down a pedal with the right foot
The rear brake pedal is in front of the right footrest and should be pressed down smoothly rather than stamped on.
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19. You are approaching a highway-rail grade crossing marked only with a crossbuck sign. What does that sign require?
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Answer A: Yield to any approaching train and cross only when the tracks are clear
The crossbuck is a regulatory yield sign, and a train can never stop or steer around a vehicle, so the driver must always give way.
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20. A sign on a divided highway reads Keep Right Except to Pass. What does it require of you?
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Answer A: Use the left lane only to overtake, then return to a lane on the right
The left lane on such a highway is reserved for overtaking, so a driver who has finished a pass must move back to the right.
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21. Why is hard braking the wrong response to a tire blowout at speed?
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Answer C: Because it can pull the vehicle further out of line and start it spinning
With one tire gone the braking forces are uneven, so heavy braking increases the pull to one side and can spin the vehicle.
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22. A person with a guide dog is standing at the corner facing the street you are about to cross. What should you do?
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Answer D: Stop well back and wait quietly for them to decide
Blind pedestrians rely on engine sound to judge traffic, so stop back from the crossing and avoid the horn, which only confuses them.
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23. A set of reversible express lanes is closed off with gates and signs while it runs the other way. What must you never do?
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Answer C: Enter past a closed gate or a sign showing the lanes are closed
When reversible lanes are closed they may already be carrying traffic in the opposite direction, so entering past a gate can put you head-on into that traffic.
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24. To make a motorcycle lean into a turn at normal riding speed, the rider should:
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Answer C: Press forward on the handgrip on the side of the turn
This is countersteering: press left to lean left and go left, press right to lean right and go right.
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25. You are turning onto a street that has two lanes going your way. Which lane should you enter?
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Answer B: The lane closest to you, changing lanes later if you need to
Turn into the nearest lane going your direction and make any lane change afterwards, when you have signaled and checked that it is clear.