California DMV Motorcycle Practice Test 3
Test 3 of 6. Pick an answer for each question to see if it is right and why; your score appears at the end. You need 20 correct answers to pass, the same ratio as the real California test.
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age15 years 6 months
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1. You are waiting to turn left at a solid green light with no green arrow. Oncoming traffic is approaching. What should you do?
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Answer A: Yield to the oncoming traffic and turn only when there is a safe gap
A solid green light permits the left turn but does not protect it, so you must yield to oncoming vehicles and to pedestrians before turning.
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2. In California, what blood alcohol concentration makes it illegal to drive for a person over 21?
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Answer D: 0.08 percent or higher
California prohibits driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher for drivers over 21 years old.
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3. How soon must a California driver report a collision that injured or killed someone to the CHP or the local police?
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Answer B: Within 24 hours of the collision
Section 20008 requires a written report to the California Highway Patrol, or to the city police department where the crash happened, within 24 hours of a collision causing injury or death.
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4. How many attempts does California allow on the knowledge test before an applicant must reapply?
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Answer D: Three
California allows three attempts to pass the knowledge test on one application; after that the applicant must reapply and pay again.
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5. What does California law allow a driver under 18 to do with a cell phone while driving?
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Answer A: Only make an emergency call
California bars minors from using a cell phone or electronic wireless device to answer calls or send messages, allowing only calls for emergency purposes.
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6. What penalty does California set for a first conviction of driving while the license is suspended or revoked?
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Answer D: Up to six months in county jail, a fine of $300 to $1,000, or both
Section 14601.1 punishes a first offense with up to six months in county jail, a fine of not less than $300 and not more than $1,000, or both.
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7. What minimum liability limits will California require beginning January 1, 2035?
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Answer A: $50,000 for one person, $100,000 for two or more, $25,000 for property
Section 16056 adds $20,000, $40,000 and $10,000 to the current figures from January 1, 2035, producing minimums of $50,000, $100,000 and $25,000.
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8. What point totals make a California driver a presumptively negligent operator?
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Answer A: Four points in 12 months, six in 24 months or eight in 36 months
Section 12810.5 presumes a driver to be a negligent operator at four or more points in 12 months, six or more in 24 months, or eight or more in 36 months.
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9. What changes most when a rider moves from a light motorcycle to a much heavier one?
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Answer A: It takes longer to stop and is harder to hold up at low speed
Extra mass means longer stopping distances and more effort in slow maneuvers and when holding the machine up, so build up gradually on an unfamiliar heavy motorcycle.
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10. What is California's position on lane splitting by motorcycles?
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Answer A: It is legal for motorcycles to share a lane with other vehicles
The California Driver's Handbook states that sharing lanes with motorcycles is legal, a practice known as lane splitting, and warns drivers never to pass a motorcycle within the same lane.
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11. Why is reflective material more useful than bright color once it is dark?
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Answer C: It throws headlight light back toward the driver, while color goes unseen
Color needs daylight to be seen, while reflective material returns the beam of an approaching vehicle straight back to its driver.
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12. Which vehicles require a California driver to move over and slow down?
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Answer D: Stationary emergency vehicles or tow trucks with flashing amber warning lights and stopped road work vehicles
California requires drivers to move over and slow down for stationary emergency vehicles or tow trucks displaying flashing amber warning lights and for stopped road work vehicles with emergency or amber lights.
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13. A delivery truck is parked in your lane and you must use the oncoming lane to get around it. Who has the right of way?
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Answer D: The oncoming traffic, because their lane is clear
The driver whose own lane is obstructed waits, because using the other lane is a favor from oncoming traffic, not a right.
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14. How soon must a person who establishes residency in California obtain a California driver license?
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Answer D: Within 10 days of establishing residency in the state
Section 12505 lets a new resident drive on an out-of-state license for no more than 10 days after establishing residency, and driving for employment requires a California license immediately.
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15. How many points does California add to a driving record for a conviction of driving under the influence?
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Answer C: Two points
Section 12810 assigns two points to a conviction under section 23152 or 23153, the same count it gives reckless driving and failing to stop after a collision.
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16. You are about to accelerate hard to merge with traffic. What should you have arranged with your passenger?
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Answer D: That you warn them beforehand so they can tighten their grip
A passenger who is not expecting a burst of acceleration is thrown backward, and the sudden shift of weight upsets the machine just when the rider needs it settled.
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17. What does California law say about wearing earphones while driving or riding a bicycle?
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Answer D: They may not cover or be inserted in both ears at the same time
Section 27400 forbids a person operating a motor vehicle or bicycle from wearing a headset covering, or earplugs or earphones in, both ears, with exceptions for emergency and maintenance workers and for hearing aids.
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18. You are inside a tunnel with no shoulder when an ambulance comes up behind you with lights and siren. What should you do?
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Answer D: Keep going at a safe speed and pull over once you are clear of the tunnel
Stopping in a tunnel or on a narrow bridge blocks the only lane, so continue at a safe speed to the first place where you can pull clear.
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19. Before pulling out to pass on a two lane road, which lane position gives the best view of the road ahead?
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Answer B: The left portion of your lane
Moving to the left of your own lane lets you see past the vehicle ahead and judge the oncoming lane before committing any part of the machine to it.
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20. Why does even a small reduction in speed matter so much where people are walking?
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Answer D: Because a pedestrian struck at a lower speed is far more likely to survive
The chance that a pedestrian survives falls steeply as impact speed rises, so a few miles per hour can decide the outcome.
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21. Do hazard lights make it legal to leave your vehicle in a no parking zone?
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Answer A: No, they warn other drivers but do not permit the parking
Hazard lights are a warning device, not a permit; the parking restriction applies whether they are flashing or not.
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22. What is the danger of riding in cold weather with thin gloves?
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Answer C: Cold, numb hands respond slowly and lose their feel for the controls
Wind chill at riding speed cools the hands quickly, and numb fingers are slower and less precise on the clutch, throttle and brake.
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23. Why is texting considered one of the most dangerous distractions?
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Answer B: It combines visual, manual and cognitive distraction at the same time
Reading or writing a message takes your eyes off the road, at least one hand off the controls and your attention off driving simultaneously.
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24. What does California require of drivers aged 70 and older when the license expires?
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Answer A: They must renew in person and pass a vision test
The California Driver's Handbook states that drivers 70 and older must renew in person and pass a vision test, and that other exams may be required in some cases.
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25. You are about to pass a slower vehicle on a two lane road. What should you do with the gears?
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Answer B: Downshift before you begin, so the engine can accelerate strongly
A lower gear puts the engine in the part of its range where it accelerates best, which shortens the time spent in the oncoming lane.