Illinois SOS Motorcycle Practice Test 53
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. A person with a guide dog is standing at the corner facing the street you are about to cross. What should you do?
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Answer D: Stop well back and wait quietly for them to decide
Blind pedestrians rely on engine sound to judge traffic, so stop back from the crossing and avoid the horn, which only confuses them.
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2. 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.
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3. The red lights on a stopped school bus go out and the bus begins to move away. What should you do?
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Answer B: Move off slowly and keep watching for children near the road
Children who have just left the bus may still be near the roadway or crossing behind it, so pull away gently and keep looking for them.
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4. The oil pressure warning light comes on while you are riding. What should you do?
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Answer D: Stop as soon as it is safe and shut the engine off
That light warns that the engine may not be receiving oil, and every extra minute of running risks destroying it.
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5. A yellow diamond shows a car with wavy lines behind its rear tires. What is the warning?
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Answer D: The surface loses grip badly when it is wet
The slippery when wet sign marks a stretch where traction falls off sharply in rain, so speed and braking must be reduced well in advance.
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6. What is the purpose of carrying a first aid kit in your vehicle?
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Answer D: It lets you treat cuts and bleeding while the help is on its way
A kit is for simple first aid such as controlling bleeding until trained help arrives, not a substitute for calling for that help.
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7. You spot a deep pothole that the riders behind you will not be able to see until it is too late. What is the usual way to warn them?
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Answer B: Point at it with a hand or a foot on the side it lies on
Pointing at the hazard on the correct side tells the riders behind both that something is there and where in the lane it is.
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8. At many crossings the walk indication appears only after a button is pressed. What happens if a pedestrian does not press it?
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Answer B: The signal may cycle without showing a walk indication
An actuated pedestrian phase is called in by the pushbutton, so without it the controller may serve the vehicle movements alone.
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9. What should a rider do before riding an unfamiliar or borrowed motorcycle?
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Answer B: Locate and try the controls, then ride cautiously until used to the machine
Turn signals, horn, headlight switch, fuel valve and engine cut-off switch sit in different places on different models, and hunting for them in traffic is dangerous.
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10. A driver sees this sign on a quiet road with no other traffic in either direction. What is the correct response?
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Answer C: Slow down, look and listen for a train, and be ready to stop
The sign gives advance notice of a highway-rail grade crossing, so the driver reduces speed, checks both directions along the tracks and keeps enough room to stop short of the rails.
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11. Why is it worth planning your route before a long drive?
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Answer B: So that you are not reading a map or a screen while the car is moving
A driver who knows the route is not navigating at the wheel, which is one of the commonest sources of distraction.
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12. What enhanced minimum penalty applies to a first DUI conviction in Illinois when the driver's BAC was .16 or higher?
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Answer B: A mandatory minimum fine of $500 and 100 hours of community service
A first DUI conviction with a BAC of .16 or higher carries an enhanced mandatory minimum fine of $500 plus 100 hours of community service.
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13. Why is a sign reading BRIDGE ICES BEFORE ROAD worth heeding even when the road itself is merely wet?
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Answer C: Cold air passes under a bridge as well as over it
A bridge deck loses heat from below as well as above, so it can be frozen while the road on either side of it is only wet.
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14. How should a group merge onto a busy highway from an entrance ramp?
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Answer D: One rider at a time into gaps in traffic, re-forming once all are on
Each rider needs a gap and enough speed of their own, so the group merges individually and only takes up the staggered formation again afterward.
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15. When should you move into the lane you need for a turn?
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Answer D: Well before the intersection, as soon as you know your route
Getting into the correct lane early lets other drivers read your intentions and keeps you from making a sudden lane change at the corner.
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16. Why should a rider reduce speed at night even on a familiar road?
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Answer C: So the stopping distance stays inside the distance the headlight lights up
At night you can only react to what the headlight shows, so keep your speed low enough that you can stop within the lit distance ahead.
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17. A freeway sign reads BUSES ONLY ON SHOULDER 6 AM TO 9 AM. Who may drive on the shoulder then?
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Answer A: Only the vehicles named on the sign, during the hours shown
Shoulder running is granted by the sign to the class of vehicle and the hours the sign names, and it does not turn the shoulder into a general travel lane.
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18. A minor drop has left the clutch lever bent, although it still works. What should be done?
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Answer B: Have the lever replaced before the motorcycle is ridden again
A bent lever has already been weakened and can break off in use, leaving the rider without that control at the worst possible moment.
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19. How should riders in a staggered formation pass another vehicle?
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Answer D: One rider at a time
Passing one rider at a time keeps each pass short and prevents the group from occupying the other lane longer than necessary.
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20. Which clothing color is most likely to get a rider noticed in daylight?
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Answer B: Bright orange, yellow or green, which contrast with backgrounds
High visibility colors stand out against road, foliage and vehicles, which helps drivers pick a motorcycle out of a busy background during the day.
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21. 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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22. What does black ice usually look like from the driver seat?
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Answer C: A patch of pavement that simply looks wet or slightly glossy
Black ice is clear, so you see the dark road through it and read it as a wet patch. In freezing weather, treat any wet looking patch as ice.
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23. What is the recommended way to park a motorcycle at a curb?
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Answer C: At an angle, with the rear wheel touching the curb
Backing the rear wheel to the curb at an angle keeps the motorcycle clear of traffic and lets the rider ride out forward instead of backing into the lane.
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24. Which is an early warning that fatigue is affecting your riding?
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Answer D: You miss turns and signs and have to think about routine actions
Fatigue shows up first as slower thinking and missed information, so treat lapses in attention as a signal to stop and rest.
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25. What fine range applies to a first violation of Illinois' Scott's Law?
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Answer B: $250 to $10,000
The Illinois State Police publishes a fine of $250 to $10,000 for a first Scott's Law violation and $750 to $10,000 for a second or subsequent violation.