New Mexico MVD Motorcycle Practice Test 28

  • Questions25
  • Correct to pass18
  • Passing score72%
  • Minimum age13 years

Minimum age: 13 years with a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic RiderCourse for a Y or Z endorsement, 15 years otherwise

25 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why; you need 18 correct answers to pass.

  1. 1. You face a red light at an intersection that has no stop line and no marked crosswalk. Where must you stop?

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    Answer C: Before entering the intersection

    With no line and no crosswalk, the stopping point is the near edge of the intersecting roadway, close enough to see cross traffic but clear of it.

  2. 2. Where is a strong crosswind most likely to hit you suddenly?

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    Answer D: Coming out of a tunnel or a cut onto an open bridge

    Gusts arrive the moment you leave shelter, which is why bridge approaches and the ends of cuts and tunnels catch drivers out.

  3. 3. On a two-lane road with a broken yellow center line, may you cross it to turn into a driveway on the left?

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    Answer C: Yes, when it is safe and the oncoming lane is clear

    A broken center line may be crossed for a pass or for a left turn into a road or a driveway, once the oncoming lane is clear.

  4. 4. Why is this restriction so common beside fire hydrants, crosswalks and intersection corners?

    A white square showing the letter P inside a red circle with a red diagonal line through it
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    Answer C: To keep sight lines open and leave access for emergency crews

    A vehicle left in those places hides pedestrians from approaching drivers, blocks the path of turning vehicles and can keep firefighters from reaching a hydrant.

  5. 5. You realize you have just gone past your exit on a freeway. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Carry on to the next exit and turn around there

    A missed exit costs a few minutes, while backing up or cutting across the striped gore area puts you in the path of traffic that is not expecting it.

  6. 6. 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.

  7. 7. Does this sign settle who has the right-of-way at the intersection ahead?

    A yellow diamond showing a black cross
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    Answer D: No, it only gives notice of the intersection; the control there decides priority

    A warning prepares the driver for what is coming but grants no priority, so whatever stop control, yield control, signal or right-of-way rule applies at the intersection is what decides.

  8. 8. A traffic signal ahead is showing a flashing red light. What does it require?

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    Answer C: Stop completely, then go when the way is clear, as at a stop sign

    A flashing red light has the same meaning as a stop sign: stop completely, yield to traffic and pedestrians, then proceed when it is safe.

  9. 9. How should the brake light be checked before a ride?

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    Answer D: Confirm that the hand lever and the foot pedal each switch it on

    Many motorcycles use a separate switch for each brake control, so both the lever and the pedal have to be tested one at a time.

  10. 10. You have stopped on the shoulder of a busy freeway with a flat tire that you cannot change safely. Where should you and your passengers wait?

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    Answer A: Well away from the traffic side, behind a barrier or up the bank if there is one

    People struck on the shoulder are a common cause of roadside deaths, so wait away from the traffic side and behind any barrier.

  11. 11. Which action makes a wobble worse instead of better?

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    Answer A: Braking or accelerating to try to ride out of it

    Braking or adding power during a wobble can amplify it. Close the throttle gradually, hold the bars firmly and let the speed fall until the machine settles.

  12. 12. You are driving on the through road of a T-intersection and want to turn left into the side road. Oncoming traffic is approaching on the through road. What must you do?

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    Answer C: Yield to the oncoming traffic before you turn

    The vehicle waiting in the stem of the T yields to both of you, but you still owe the right of way to oncoming through traffic before turning across it.

  13. 13. What change in the road does this sign announce?

    A yellow diamond showing one black lane splitting into two around a central island
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    Answer B: The two directions of travel are about to be separated, and the driver must keep to the right of the separation

    Ahead the roadway splits into separate one-way roadways on either side of a median, so the driver stays to the right of the divider and no longer meets oncoming vehicles.

  14. 14. Where is ice most likely to form first on a cold day?

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    Answer B: In shaded areas and on bridges and overpasses

    Shaded spots stay cold longer and bridges and overpasses lose heat from below as well as above, so ice appears there before it appears elsewhere.

  15. 15. Parked cars block your view of a cross street you are about to enter. How should you proceed?

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    Answer A: Edge forward slowly until you can see along the cross street, then go

    Creeping forward buys a view of the cross street a little at a time, and it keeps the rider slow enough to stop if something is coming.

  16. 16. An overhead sign shows that the right lane is EXIT ONLY. What does that mean if you intend to stay on the highway?

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    Answer B: You have to move out of that lane before the exit

    An exit only lane leaves the highway completely, so a driver continuing on the highway has to change lanes before it does.

  17. 17. The left-turn signal facing you shows a flashing yellow arrow. What does it mean?

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    Answer C: You may turn left after yielding to oncoming traffic and to pedestrians

    A flashing yellow arrow permits a left turn but gives no protection, so you must yield to oncoming vehicles and to people in the crosswalk.

  18. 18. Why should riding clothing have no loose flapping parts?

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    Answer B: Loose cloth can catch on the machine, and flapping tires the rider

    Loose fabric can snag on the controls, the chain or a wheel, and the constant flapping and noise wear the rider out over a long ride.

  19. 19. The lane control signal above your lane changes to a steady yellow X. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Prepare to leave the lane, because it is about to be closed

    A steady yellow X is the warning that the lane below it is about to close, giving drivers time to move over before the red X appears.

  20. 20. How should a rider use the head and eyes in a turn?

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    Answer A: Turn only the head to look through the turn, keeping the eyes level with the horizon

    Turning just the head keeps the upper body from upsetting the motorcycle, and level eyes help the rider judge lean angle and direction.

  21. 21. A black and white regulatory sign facing traffic at a divided section reads KEEP LEFT. What does it require?

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    Answer D: Passing the island or obstruction on its left side

    Keep Left is posted at an island or obstruction that traffic must pass on the left, which is the opposite of the far more common Keep Right situation.

  22. 22. Why are motorcycles so often missed by other drivers?

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    Answer C: Their narrow shape is easily hidden in traffic

    A motorcycle presents a narrow outline that disappears behind pillars, mirrors and other vehicles, and it is harder to judge its speed and distance.

  23. 23. How does New Mexico define an off-highway motorcycle?

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    Answer B: A vehicle traveling on no more than two tires, with a straddle seat and handlebar steering

    New Mexico defines an off-highway motorcycle as a vehicle traveling on no more than two tires, with a seat designed to be straddled and handlebar-type steering.

  24. 24. A downpour has just started on a street with a visible dark strip down the middle of the lane. Where should you ride?

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    Answer A: In the left or right portion of the lane, away from the greasy center strip

    Dripped oil and grease build up in the center of the lane, and water floats that film to the top, so the tire tracks on either side offer better grip.

  25. 25. Why should a rider reduce speed at night even on a familiar road?

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    Answer C: So the stopping distance stays inside the distance the headlight lights up

    At night you can only react to what the headlight shows, so keep your speed low enough that you can stop within the lit distance ahead.