New Mexico MVD Motorcycle Practice Test 48

  • 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. The drive chain breaks or comes off while you are riding. What should you do first?

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    Answer A: Close the throttle and brake to a stop clear of the roadway

    A broken chain or belt takes the drive away at once, so the rider closes the throttle, slows under control with both brakes and stops well off the roadway.

  2. 2. An orange sign reads RIGHT LANE CLOSED AHEAD. What is the correct response?

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    Answer A: Move left in good time and keep a steady pace

    The sign is placed well before the taper so that drivers can merge smoothly rather than braking hard where the lane actually closes.

  3. 3. 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.

  4. 4. A person in a wheelchair is traveling in the roadway because the sidewalk is blocked by construction. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Pass slowly with plenty of room, or wait

    A blocked sidewalk leaves the person no choice but the road, and a chair cannot move aside quickly, so pass wide and slow or wait for room.

  5. 5. You need to reverse direction on a busy street. Which choice is usually safest?

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    Answer D: Driving around the block and using the intersections instead

    Going around the block uses normal turns at controlled intersections instead of stopping across live traffic lanes.

  6. 6. About how much alcohol can the body eliminate per hour?

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    Answer A: About one standard drink

    The liver removes alcohol at a nearly fixed rate of roughly one standard drink per hour. Drinking faster than that raises the blood alcohol level, and nothing speeds the process.

  7. 7. A driver ignores this sign and passes on the opposite side. What is the main risk?

    A white vertical rectangle with a black border and black legend
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    Answer B: Ending up on the wrong side of a divider, facing traffic coming the other way

    The sign settles which side of a fixed divider is the legal one, so taking the other side sends the vehicle into the opposing stream or straight at the obstruction.

  8. 8. Your motorcycle has a grab rail behind the passenger seat. What should the passenger know about using it?

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    Answer C: It is fine to hold, but they must still brace against acceleration

    A rail behind the passenger gives a secure grip but does nothing to stop them sliding backward, so they still need to expect the machine to pull away.

  9. 9. You are parked legally, but a police officer tells you to move the vehicle. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Move it as directed, because an officer overrides the signs

    Directions from a police officer or a firefighter take precedence over signs and markings, whether they are directing traffic or clearing a street.

  10. 10. You are passing a large truck on an open highway in a strong crosswind. What should you expect?

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    Answer A: A push toward the truck, then a push the other way as you clear it

    The truck shelters you as you go by and then releases you into the full gust, so the load on the steering changes twice during the pass.

  11. 11. Where should the least experienced riders be placed in a group?

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    Answer C: Just behind the leader

    Placing newer riders just behind the leader keeps the pace manageable for them and lets the more experienced riders behind keep an eye on them.

  12. 12. May you stop in the striped triangle that separates an exit ramp from the freeway lanes?

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    Answer A: No, it is not a lane and stopping there is dangerous

    The striped gore area is not a travel lane or a shoulder, and a vehicle stopped there sits directly in the path of drivers correcting a late exit.

  13. 13. Two vehicles reach a four-way stop at the same moment from adjacent roads. Who should go first?

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    Answer A: The driver on the right

    When two drivers stop at a four-way stop at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.

  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 have begun to move into the next lane when the gap you were aiming for closes. What is the safest action?

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    Answer C: Return to your own lane, cancel the signal and wait for a better gap

    An unfinished lane change leaves you in a space that no longer exists, and the lane you came from is still yours.

  16. 16. You stop at a rest area because you are sleepy. How long a nap is usually recommended?

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    Answer D: About fifteen to twenty minutes

    A short nap of fifteen to twenty minutes restores useful alertness without leaving the grogginess a longer sleep can bring, and you should wait a few minutes before driving on.

  17. 17. As a general rule, how far should you travel along a center two-way left-turn lane before you turn?

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    Answer C: Only a short distance, just enough to slow down and wait for a gap

    The center lane is for making or preparing a left turn, so you enter it only shortly before the turn and never travel along it as a through lane; several states set a specific limit such as 200 or 300 feet.

  18. 18. Another driver has pulled out to pass you. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Stay in your lane, keep your speed steady or ease off, and let the pass finish

    Accelerating while being passed forces the other driver to stay in the opposing lane longer, so the safe response is to hold or slightly reduce speed and stay right.

  19. 19. A white regulatory sign near a state line reads BUCKLE UP IT IS THE LAW. What is it doing?

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    Answer A: Reminding occupants that belt use is required

    The safety belt sign restates a law that already applies, and it is usually placed where drivers enter a state or a long rural stretch.

  20. 20. Which of these does NOT affect how fast alcohol reaches the bloodstream?

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    Answer A: How confident the drinker feels

    Food, the strength of the drinks and the speed of drinking all change how fast alcohol is absorbed, but a drinker's confidence changes nothing at all.

  21. 21. You are slowing to turn right at an intersection and a bicyclist is riding beside your right side in a bike lane. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Let the bicyclist go through the intersection before you begin the turn

    Turning across the path of a bicyclist who is going straight causes the classic right-hook crash. The rider continuing straight has the right-of-way over your turn.

  22. 22. A sign on a freeway restricts trucks to the two right-hand lanes. What should a car driver expect in those lanes?

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    Answer A: More heavy vehicles and slower changes of speed

    A truck lane restriction concentrates heavy vehicles on the right, and those vehicles accelerate, brake and change lanes far more slowly than cars.

  23. 23. Why is it better for a passenger to hold the rider's waist or hips rather than the rider's shoulders?

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    Answer A: Weight held low is less likely to disturb the rider's steering

    Pulling on the shoulders feeds the passenger's movement straight into the rider's arms and handlebars, while a grip at the waist keeps that weight low and central.

  24. 24. A bee gets inside your jacket while you are riding. What is the recommended action?

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    Answer B: Pull off the road and stop before you try to deal with the insect

    Being stung hurts, but losing control while swatting hurts much more, so ride to a safe place, stop and then deal with the insect.

  25. 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.