Illinois SOS Motorcycle Practice Test 52

  • Questions25
  • Correct to pass20
  • Passing score80%
  • Minimum age16 years

Minimum age: 16 years; applicants aged 16 or 17 must also complete an IDOT-approved motorcycle training course

25 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why; you need 20 correct answers to pass.

  1. 1. 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.

  2. 2. What must you check about a load before riding away with it?

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    Answer C: That it does not cover the tail light, the brake light or the signals

    Luggage that hides the lights leaves drivers behind with no warning that the motorcycle is slowing or turning.

  3. 3. An oncoming vehicle keeps its high beam on and dazzles you. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Look toward the right edge of your lane and slow until it has passed

    Shifting your gaze to the right edge of the lane keeps you on line without staring into the glare, and slowing gives you time if something is hidden in it.

  4. 4. A driver ahead brakes for no reason you can see, again and again. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Increase your following distance and be ready for yet another stop

    Unexplained braking tells you the driver is unsure or distracted, so the safe answer is more room, not less.

  5. 5. Your light turns green, but a vehicle is still in the middle of the intersection. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Wait until the intersection is clear before you move ahead

    A green light means go only when the way is clear. Drivers already inside the intersection must be allowed to finish crossing.

  6. 6. A NO LEFT TURN sign carries a plaque reading 7 AM TO 9 AM MON TO FRI. What does the assembly mean?

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    Answer A: The turn is banned only during those hours on those days

    A time plaque limits the restriction to the periods shown, so outside those hours and days the left turn may be made normally.

  7. 7. What is the minimum period of license revocation for a second DUI conviction occurring within 20 years of the first, under Illinois law?

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    Answer B: Five years

    A second DUI conviction within a 20-year period carries a minimum five-year revocation of driving privileges.

  8. 8. On loose gravel or deep fresh snow, how does an antilock system affect the stopping distance?

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    Answer D: It can lengthen it, although you keep the ability to steer

    On loose surfaces a locked wheel piles up a wedge of gravel or snow that helps it stop, so the antilock stop can be longer even though steering still works.

  9. 9. What is the main function of the guide sign series?

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    Answer D: To identify routes and lead road users to their destinations

    Guide signs identify routes, name destinations and give distances, so drivers can navigate without stopping to consult a map.

  10. 10. A car in the lane to your left keeps drifting toward the line between you. Which portion of your lane should you move to?

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    Answer A: The right portion

    Moving to the far side of your lane buys distance and time if that driver keeps coming, and it may also make the motorcycle visible to a driver who had not noticed it.

  11. 11. You have a steady green ball to turn left, and the oncoming traffic gets a green left arrow. What does that mean for you?

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    Answer C: Oncoming vehicles will turn across your path, so you must wait

    A green ball is permissive, so when the oncoming side receives a protected arrow those vehicles have priority and you must yield until they clear.

  12. 12. A flagger turns the paddle to the orange face reading SLOW. What does that tell approaching drivers?

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    Answer D: Reduce speed and continue through the work area with care

    The SLOW face keeps traffic moving at a reduced speed while workers or equipment are close to the travel lanes.

  13. 13. What should a passenger be told about moving around on the motorcycle?

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    Answer A: To stay directly behind the operator and avoid sudden or unnecessary movement

    Unexpected movement by a passenger upsets the balance of the machine, most of all at low speed and while the motorcycle is leaned over in a turn.

  14. 14. Which clue tells you that a parked vehicle is about to pull into traffic?

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    Answer D: Exhaust smoke, brake lights, front wheels turned out or a driver in the seat

    A running engine, lit brake lights, turned wheels or a person behind the wheel all mean the vehicle may move. Slow down and give it room.

  15. 15. You are traveling at 55 mph and see a vehicle ahead moving at about 15 mph. What is the hazard?

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    Answer A: You reach it far sooner than you expect

    At a 40 mph difference you cover the gap in a few seconds, which is why drivers strike slow vehicles they saw in plenty of time.

  16. 16. What should a rider do if the front wheel locks during braking?

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    Answer A: Release the front brake immediately, then reapply it firmly

    A locked front wheel cannot steer or hold the motorcycle up, so the brake must be released to let the wheel roll again and then reapplied smoothly.

  17. 17. You are approaching a sharp curve. When should you reduce your speed?

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    Answer D: Before you enter the curve, so you can accelerate gently through it

    Braking hard inside a curve uses up the traction that is already being demanded for cornering, so the slowing must be finished before you enter.

  18. 18. What is the correct body position for riding over a bump or an obstacle?

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    Answer B: Rise slightly off the seat with your weight on the footrests, absorbing the shock with knees and elbows

    Coming slightly off the seat lets your legs and arms work as extra suspension instead of transferring the impact through your body and the handlebars.

  19. 19. Your green left-turn arrow goes out and a steady green ball stays lit. What may you do?

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    Answer A: Continue turning left, but only after yielding to oncoming traffic

    When the arrow ends and a green ball remains, the turn changes from protected to permissive, so it is still allowed but oncoming traffic goes first.

  20. 20. A friend who has been drinking insists on driving home. What is the right thing to do?

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    Answer B: Take the keys and arrange a sober ride, even if the friend objects

    An impaired driver is dangerous on any street at any speed, and coffee does not lower blood alcohol. Keeping the keys and finding another way home is the only safe choice.

  21. 21. You are following a car at night with the high beam on. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Switch to the low beam so the driver ahead is not blinded

    A high beam fills the mirrors of the vehicle ahead and blinds its driver, which is dangerous for the very driver most able to affect the rider.

  22. 22. You enter a corner faster than the turn can be taken. What is the most likely result?

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    Answer A: The vehicle runs wide and may cross into another lane

    Excess speed uses up the available grip, so the vehicle follows a wider arc than intended and drifts out of its lane.

  23. 23. On a rural road, the driver of a slow farm tractor ahead of you signals a left turn even though there is no road or driveway in sight. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Stay behind the tractor, because it may be turning into a field entrance

    Farm equipment often turns into fields through gaps you cannot see, and it may swing wide to do so. Passing a vehicle that is signaling a left turn is a common cause of crashes.

  24. 24. Your light turns green and a driver on the cross street enters against a red. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Hold back and let that vehicle go through

    Giving up a right of way you are entitled to is the only way to avoid a crash with a driver who has already failed to yield.

  25. 25. You are passing a line of slow traffic in the lane beside you and you notice a gap in that line ahead. What should you expect?

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    Answer A: A vehicle may pull out of that gap into your lane

    A gap in a slow line is an invitation to any driver waiting to turn out of a side street or to change lanes, and they are looking at the gap rather than at you.