New Mexico MVD Motorcycle Practice Test 49

  • 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. Why is wearing headphones over both ears a problem while driving?

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    Answer D: You may not hear horns, sirens or other warning sounds

    Hearing is part of your awareness of traffic. Covering both ears blocks emergency sirens, horns and the sound of an approaching vehicle you cannot yet see.

  2. 2. A school bus ahead of you has its red lights flashing and its stop arm extended. What are you required to do?

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    Answer A: Stop and stay stopped until the lights stop flashing and the bus starts moving

    Flashing red lights and an extended stop arm mean children are getting on or off, so traffic must stop and wait until the bus withdraws the signals and moves again.

  3. 3. Does using a hands free device remove the risk of distraction?

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    Answer A: No, the conversation still takes attention away from driving

    Hands free equipment removes the manual part of the distraction but not the mental part, and a driver deep in conversation can look straight at a hazard without registering it.

  4. 4. At a rural intersection a beacon flashes yellow toward the main road and red toward the side road. How is each approach treated?

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    Answer A: The main road slows and proceeds, the side road stops

    An intersection control beacon assigns flashing yellow to the road with priority and flashing red to the approach that must stop and yield.

  5. 5. A signal beside a fire station stays dark until apparatus is about to leave, when it shows yellow and then red. What must a driver do?

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    Answer B: Stop on the red and wait until the signal goes dark again

    An emergency vehicle signal is a real traffic signal, so its red indication must be obeyed while the apparatus pulls out into the street.

  6. 6. The word SCHOOL is painted in large letters across the roadway. What is it doing?

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    Answer D: Backing up the signs marking a school zone

    Word markings on the pavement reinforce a message that is already signed, and a driver looking at the road ahead cannot miss them.

  7. 7. The low sun is directly ahead and glare makes it hard to see. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Slow down, use the sun visor or sunglasses, and increase following distance

    Sun glare can hide pedestrians, brake lights and signals. Reducing speed and adding space gives you time to react to what you cannot yet see.

  8. 8. You have just merged onto a freeway from an entrance ramp. What should you do next?

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    Answer C: Settle into the right lane and build up speed before changing lanes

    Crossing lanes while you are still below the speed of the traffic forces other drivers to brake, so the speed comes first and the lane change second.

  9. 9. You and the driver facing you both have stop signs at a two-way stop. You are going straight and that driver is turning left. Who has the right of way?

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    Answer B: You do, and the turning driver must wait

    Between two opposing drivers who both stopped, the one going straight goes first and the left-turning driver yields.

  10. 10. A deer crosses the road in front of you and disappears into the trees. What should you expect?

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    Answer B: That other deer are likely to follow it across the very same stretch of road

    Deer usually move in groups, so one crossing the road is a warning that more may follow.

  11. 11. The posted limit is 55 mph, but heavy traffic and rain make that speed unsafe. What does the law expect of you?

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    Answer D: You must slow to a speed that is safe for the conditions

    The basic speed rule requires a speed that is reasonable for the traffic, weather and road, and that speed is often well below the posted maximum.

  12. 12. A sign with a blue background and a white legend and border tells road users about

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    Answer A: services such as fuel, food, lodging, hospitals and rest areas

    Blue is the background of the general service series, which points travelers toward the services available along or near the route.

  13. 13. 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.

  14. 14. A yellow diamond showing the silhouette of a deer warns that

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    Answer D: large animals may cross the road in that area

    The sign marks a stretch where animals are known to cross, so drivers should reduce speed and scan both roadsides, especially around dawn and dusk.

  15. 15. You reach an uncontrolled intersection at the same moment as a vehicle approaching from your left. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Proceed, but only once you see that driver slowing

    You have the right of way over the vehicle on your left, but a right of way is something the other driver has to give, so confirm it before you commit.

  16. 16. Is it acceptable to leave your vehicle across the entrance of an alley for a short time?

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    Answer A: No, the entrance must stay clear at all times

    Blocking an alley entrance traps the vehicles inside and can keep emergency services out, so it is prohibited however brief the stop.

  17. 17. What is the correct way to ride across a stretch of slippery pavement?

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    Answer C: Reduce speed before you reach it, avoid sudden moves, and use both brakes gently if you must brake

    The speed must come off before the slippery area, and once the tires are on it every input, braking included, has to be smooth and gentle.

  18. 18. The gates at a railroad crossing are down, and you can see that the road beyond them is clear. What is the correct action?

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    Answer A: Wait until the gates rise completely and the lights go out

    Lowered gates mean rail traffic is expected, and driving around them removes the only protection the crossing provides.

  19. 19. You are already leaned over in a curve when you see loose gravel spread across the road ahead. What is the best response?

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    Answer B: Slow gently, bring the bike more upright, and cross the gravel with steady throttle

    A leaned tire has little grip left for braking or for loose stones. Reduce speed smoothly, get the motorcycle as upright as the curve allows, and hold a steady throttle across the gravel.

  20. 20. The center line beside your lane is solid yellow while the opposite side has a broken yellow line. What does this mean?

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    Answer D: You may not pass, but traffic in the other direction may

    A solid yellow line on your side of the center marks a no-passing zone for your direction only, while the broken line grants the opposing direction a passing zone.

  21. 21. Why should two riders never travel side by side in the same lane?

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    Answer B: Because neither rider has room to swerve if a hazard appears

    Riding directly alongside another motorcycle removes the escape path each rider needs to avoid a hazard, a pothole or another vehicle.

  22. 22. Beyond this sign, cones and temporary signs lead traffic along a path that does not agree with the lines painted on the pavement. Which one must the driver follow?

    An orange diamond with black lettering
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    Answer C: The temporary arrangement, because it replaces the permanent layout while the work lasts

    Temporary traffic control set up for the work takes precedence over the permanent signs and markings, which no longer describe how the road is being used.

  23. 23. Besides air pressure, what should a rider look for when inspecting the tires?

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    Answer B: Tread depth, cuts, embedded objects and uneven wear

    Worn or damaged tires lose grip and can fail suddenly, and uneven wear also warns of a pressure or alignment problem.

  24. 24. Smoke and flames appear from the engine compartment after you stop. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Get everyone well away from the vehicle first, and then call the fire service

    A vehicle fire can spread within seconds, so people come out first and firefighting is left to the fire service.

  25. 25. A driver's destination lies along the street to the right, and this sign stands at that corner. How should the driver reach it?

    A white square showing an arrow turning right inside a red circle with a red diagonal line through it
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    Answer D: By going on and using a later intersection where turning is allowed

    When a movement is barred at one corner the driver has to reroute, normally by continuing and coming back to the destination from a permitted approach.