New Mexico MVD Motorcycle Practice Test 53
- Questions25
- Correct to pass18
- Passing score72%
- Minimum age13 years
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1. You are approaching a blind left hand curve. Which starting lane position gives the best view through it?
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Answer C: The right portion of your lane
On a left hand bend the outside of the lane is the right side, and moving there lets the rider see farther around the curve before entering it.
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2. How should cargo be carried on a motorcycle?
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Answer D: Kept low, in saddlebags or at about seat level
Keeping the load low preserves the center of gravity and the normal handling of the motorcycle, while a high load makes it top heavy and unstable.
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3. How does going a long time without sleep compare with drinking?
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Answer A: It can impair a driver in much the same way
Long periods awake produce slow reactions, poor judgment and lapses of attention that resemble the effects of alcohol, which is why fatigue counts as impairment.
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4. You are traveling beside another vehicle on a multilane highway at nearly the same speed. Why is this a poor position?
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Answer B: You may be sitting in that driver's blind spot with nowhere to go if they move over
Driving alongside removes your side escape route and often puts you where the other driver cannot see you. Speed up or drop back to open space beside you.
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5. Red pavement markings are used on a roadway to show that
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Answer A: it must not be entered from that direction
Red markings identify a roadway that is not to be entered or used, and they also mark the pavement of truck escape ramps.
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6. At what blood alcohol concentration can a New Mexico driver aged 21 or older be arrested for driving while intoxicated?
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Answer C: 0.08 percent or higher
New Mexico uses 0.08 percent for drivers 21 and older, and a conviction brings fines, mandatory treatment and an ignition interlock device.
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7. You signaled a lane change and the signal did not switch itself off afterwards. Why does that matter?
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Answer B: Other drivers may act on a turn you do not intend to make
A signal left on tells other drivers you are about to turn, and someone may pull out in front of you. Cancel it as soon as the maneuver is finished.
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8. What does the thick foam liner inside a certified helmet actually do in a crash?
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Answer C: It crushes so the head slows down over a longer time and distance
The crushable liner is the part that absorbs energy, letting the head decelerate gradually instead of stopping instantly against a hard surface.
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9. Some crosswalks are marked with two transverse lines and others with a row of wide bars laid along the direction of travel. Why is the second pattern used?
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Answer B: It is far easier for an approaching driver to see
Longitudinal bar patterns are used where extra visibility is wanted, such as an uncontrolled crossing or one near a school, because they show up much better from a car.
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10. Why should the leader of a group signal turns and lane changes early?
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Answer D: So the message has time to reach the riders at the back of the group
An early signal gives the whole formation, including the riders far back in the line, time to see the change and prepare for it.
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11. You are turning right from a one-way street onto a two-way street. Where should the turn end?
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Answer A: In the lane nearest the right curb of the street you are entering
A right turn starts and finishes as close to the right as practical, so you leave the one-way street from the right lane and arrive in the lane nearest the right curb.
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12. Why is it harder for a rider to judge distance and closing speed after dark?
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Answer D: Only lights are visible, so closing speeds are hard to read
At night you see lights rather than whole vehicles and the scene around them, which strips away the cues that tell you how far away something is and how fast it is closing.
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13. What is the basic rule for entering a roundabout?
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Answer B: Traffic already circulating goes first, and you wait for a gap
Entering traffic yields to vehicles already going around the circle, which is what keeps a roundabout moving instead of locking up.
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14. What is the correct order of actions when passing a vehicle on a two lane road?
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Answer D: Signal, check the mirrors and blind spot, pass in the left lane, signal and return
The rider signals and checks behind before moving out, completes the pass in the passing lane, then signals and checks again before returning.
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15. What is the first thing to do once your disabled vehicle is stopped on the shoulder?
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Answer A: Switch on the hazard warning lights so other drivers can see the vehicle
Hazard lights are the fastest way to make a stopped vehicle visible, and everything else can follow once traffic has been warned.
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16. At an intersection where turning right on red is permitted and no sign prohibits it, what must you do before turning?
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Answer A: Come to a complete stop and yield to pedestrians and cross traffic
A right turn on red is allowed only after a full stop, and the turning driver must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk and to traffic already using the intersection.
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17. Your route crosses a long steel grid bridge deck. What should you do about braking and speed while you are on the grating?
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Answer B: Keep a steady speed and do any braking before the grating, not on it
A steel deck makes the motorcycle weave and offers less grip, so set your speed before you reach it, ride straight across, and brake on solid pavement.
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18. Why must a rider pay attention to the turn signal after completing a turn or lane change?
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Answer A: Many motorcycle signals do not cancel themselves and can mislead other drivers
A signal left flashing tells other drivers the rider is about to turn again, and a driver may pull out in front of the motorcycle because of it.
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19. The driver ahead of you is straddling the lane line and is not signaling. How should you respond?
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Answer B: Stay back until you can see which lane that driver will take
A vehicle astride the line could move either way, so the only safe place is behind it where both possibilities are still covered.
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20. You are in the middle lane of a one-way street with three lanes when a police car approaches from behind with lights and siren. What should you do?
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Answer C: Pull to the nearest curb and stop clear of the lanes
On a one-way street you clear to whichever curb is closest, so the emergency vehicle gets a clear path down the open lanes.
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21. A driver is following you far too closely and you have a turn coming up. How should you slow down for it?
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Answer B: Signal early and slow gradually well before the turn
Early signals and gentle braking give a tailgater the time and distance they have failed to leave for themselves.
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22. You have stopped after a crash. Why should the engines of the vehicles involved be switched off?
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Answer A: To reduce the risk of a fire starting around any fuel that has spilled
Crashes often break fuel lines, and a running engine is a source of ignition, so switching off lowers the risk of fire.
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23. The light ahead is green but traffic beyond the intersection is backed up. What should you do?
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Answer B: Wait behind the intersection until there is room to clear it completely
You may not enter an intersection unless you can get completely through it, because stopping inside blocks cross traffic when the signal changes.
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24. You find yourself in a lane that must turn, you wanted to go straight, and you cannot change lanes safely. What should you do?
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Answer D: Make the required turn and find another route
Going straight from a mandatory turn lane surprises everyone around you, while a wrong turn costs only a few extra minutes.
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25. Why do drivers so often misjudge how fast an approaching motorcycle is traveling?
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Answer C: A narrow vehicle seems to grow slowly, so it appears further away
A small frontal area changes size slowly as it approaches, so drivers read a motorcycle as further away and slower than it really is. Never assume a waiting driver has judged your speed correctly.