Iowa DOT Motorcycle Permit Practice Test 2025

SIgnal well ahead of your turn or lane change. At highway speeds, you should signal at least 5 seconds before changing lanes to give other drivers time to adjust. Signal even when there is no one else around.

In busy/rush hour/slow-moving traffic, motorcyclists tend to filter through traffic between lanes. Be aware of that when turning or changing lanes as motorcyclists are vulnerable and hard to spot.

Emergency vehicles with flashing lights and/or sirens on have the right-of-way in all situations. Ride to the right side of the road and stop until the emergency vehicle has passed you.

Alcohol is a depressant that will negatively affect your riding skills even if you only drink a single alcoholic beverage. Your judgment will often be affected before you feel other effects of intoxication.

A staggered formation is not suitable at all times. It should not, for example, be used when riding in curves or when entering or exiting a highway. In those situations, move into a single line instead.

You need to be careful when driving a motorcycle when tired as fatigue can affect your handling of the motorcycle. If you are tired before the trip even starts, consider taking a nap.

Motorcyclists must know when to stop and when to swerve. You won't be able always stop quickly, or always swerve to avoid an obstacle (you may end up in an even more dangerours situation if you swerve into oncoming traffic). A combination of the two, depending on the circumstances, is ideal. Learn when it is appropriate to stop and when to swerve.

Before you turn or change lanes, you need to do a shoulder check to look in your blind spot. If the road has several lanes, a driver may be driving in your blind spot and try to move into the same space you plan to take. A quick shoulder check will help you locate this vehicle.

Your motorcycle may weave slightly when riding over rain grooves or bridge gratings, but this "weave" is generally not hazardous. It is more dangerous to drive over at an angle in a zigzag pattern as you may fall over or move into another lane of traffic.

When it starts to rain, oil, grease, anti-freeze, and other vehicle fluids tend to gather in the center portion of the lane and bubble up. It's usually the most slippery just as it starts to rain until further rain has washed these fluids away.

After collisions with motorcycels, drivers often claim that they did not see the motorcycle at all. This can be explained by the motorcycle's smaller outline that is much harder to spot than a car. In addition, drivers often glance in their mirrors to look for vehicles and may miss the small outline of the motorcycle. Wear bright or reflective clothing to help others see you - or anything else you can do to increase visibility.

A staggered formation is when you ride in a zig-zag line. This enables you to maintain a space cushion around each rider while keeping close. A staggered formation is good for driving on straights, but not for turning riding curves, or when entering or leaving a highway.

If you notice that a person is unconscious, you need to check that he/she is breathing normally. Look and listen for breathing, look for chest movements, and feel for breath on your cheek.

Do not buy or use a motorcycle safety helmet that is not U.S. DOT compliant. They will not protect you as well in case of an accident since they typically lack the strength, size, and build quality to withstand a collision. Non-U.S. DOT compliant helmets are often referred to as novelty helmets, lids, loophole lids, or brain buckets.

Maintaining a sufficient following distance enables you to ride/drive less jerky and, as a consequence, use less fuel.

A wobble is when the front wheel and handlebars suddenly shake from side to side at any speed. Improper loading or incorrect tire pressure are the most common causes of wobble. If you are carrying a heavy load and experience wobble, lighten or shift the load. Check that the tire pressure, air shocks, damper,s and shock spring preload are at their recommended setting for the weight you are carrying.

While some of these alternatives affect the stopping distance, they will not affect your reaction time (how long it takes for you to hit the brakes).

Fatigue can have the same effects as alcohol, and can be just as dangerous. Fatigue slows down your reaction and response time, while also affecting your judgement and vision.

If you are group riding in a staggered formation, pass one at a time. Each rider has to decide when it is safe to pass and when the space cushion in front of the passed vehicle is large enough. Do not pass many at a time as it will greatly increase the risk of an accident when passing, and will require far more time to make a complete pass.

After re-fitting a wheel, make sure the wheels are aligned. Incorrect wheel alignment will lead to excessive wear and poor handling.

In the dark, other drivers won't see your bright clothes but they will spot reflective clothing. It will be especailly difficult for drivers to pick out a motorcycle's headlights or taillights among all other lights at night, so make it easy for them as possible. Don't risk your life by not wearing reflective clothing at night.