Washington DOL Motorcycle Permit Practice Test 2025

Do not wear a windshield as a substitute for a face shield or goggles; they all do their intended job well but not much else. For example; face shields protect your face, goggle protect the eyes only, a windshield protects part of your body from wind/rain but will not protect your eyes from wind or rain.

if you're wearing sunglasses, remove them as your vision will be significantly reduced if you're wearing sunglasses when riding in a tunnel.

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.

The braking distance increases quickly, especially when driving at high speeds. It’s important that you keep a sufficient following distance so that you have enough time to safely stop if anything happens.

Even though skilled and experienced riders are better able to adapt their driving to avoid tight spots, they may still end up in a tight spot at some point in time. It's, therefore, vital that you know about collision-avoidance maneuvers even if you ride very carefully. Learn about collision-avoidance maneuvers such as knowing when to swerve and when to stop quickly. It could save your life.

Breathing is the first thing you need to check if you notice that a person is unconscious. Look and listen for breathing, look for chest movements, and feel for breath on your cheek.

Always use both brakes at the same time to come to a stop, especially if you have to stop quickly.

All drivers should try to make space for merging vehicles if possible, such as moving to an adjacent lane, if open, or adjusting the speed to open up space for the merging driver. Riders have to be especially careful as drivers are less likely to spot them as they merge.

The front brake provides about 75% of the braking power. If you underbrake the front tire, and overbrake the rear, it's likely you won't have enough braking power to stop in time. You should use both the front and rear brakes when emergency braking. Just be careful to not slam the front brakes as it may lead to you flying over the motorcycle - practice, practice, practice!

The closer you ride to the vehicle in front, the more it restricts your view of the road ahead. Motorcyclists have to be especially careful about this as they may need to swerve or quickly turn to avoid potholes or hazards on the road.

In slippery conditions, always use both brakes. While neither brake will be as effective, you can use both brakes for maximum braking pressure. The front brake is still more effective than the rear brake, even on slippery surfaces.

Motorcycles are not designed to carry lots of cargo, but they can carry small loads that are properly positioned and fastened. If you place the load too high, you will raise the center of gravity and shift the balance of the motorcycle. This will make it much harder to control - so keep all loads low.

Drivers behind may not expect you to slow down, so you want to give some sort of warning before coming to a stop. By gently tapping the brakes a few times you will activate the brake lights and give a queue to drivers behind that you intend to slow down. It's especially important to do this before slowing down where people may not expect you to slow down, or before any tight or fast turns off high-speed roads.

Elastic cords are a great way to keep your loads tight to prevent loads from becoming loose or catching in the wheel or chain. However, elastic cords must be checked during the trip. Stop frequently to make sure nothing has moved or worked loose.

Drunk driving is one of the main causes of road fatalities. Alcohol affects your riding and driving abilities (such as your reaction time and judgment) and will make you overconfident. Intoxicated drivers will almost certainly collide at a higher speed than sober drivers.

As the driver hasn’t turned off the ignition, he/she may attempt to enter traffic suddenly. In most cases, the driver will look for approaching traffic before pulling out into traffic, but that isn’t always the case.

Always look for an indication that a driver may pull out, such as a turning movement in the front wheels.

All of these is the equivalent of "one standard drink", and they are all the same. What matters is how many you drink.

Blind spots are especially dangerous for motorcycles due to their smaller form factor. If you are in another drivers blind spot, they may not spot you as they do their shoulder check and may change lanes without warning. Never drive in the blind spot of others if you can avoid it - speed up or drop back.

If you see a stopped bus, watch out for pedestrians. They might not be able to see you and cross unexpectedly.

Motorcyclists have to see the road ahead so they can scan for potholes or other road hazards that other vehicles would not care about. However, a 2-3 second following distance is not enough for you to safely avoid a collision in all conditions if the vehicle in front has to brake. You also need to consider your reaction time, the condition of your brakes, the weather conditions, and much more.