New Jersey MVC 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 40 correct answers to pass, the same ratio as the real New Jersey test.
- Questions50
- Correct to pass40
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age17 years
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1. How many points does New Jersey assess for exceeding the speed limit by 30 mph or more?
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Answer D: 5 points
The top speeding band, 30 mph or more over the limit, carries five points.
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2. On a typical motorcycle, which of these controls does the rider operate with the right hand?
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Answer C: The front brake lever
The front brake lever sits on the right handlebar and is squeezed with the right hand, while the clutch lever is on the left handlebar.
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3. What is the job of the hard outer shell of a motorcycle helmet?
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Answer D: To spread impact force and to resist objects punching through
The shell distributes a concentrated blow over a wide area and stops sharp objects from reaching the head, while the liner underneath absorbs the energy.
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4. You are approaching the entry of a modern roundabout. Who must you yield to?
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Answer C: Traffic already circulating in the roundabout, which approaches from your left
Traffic in a United States roundabout circulates counterclockwise, so drivers entering must look left and yield to vehicles already in the circulating roadway.
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5. You are on a one-way street with two marked lanes. May you pass a slower vehicle on the right?
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Answer A: Yes, using the right lane, provided that the move is safe and signaled
On a roadway with two or more marked lanes in your direction, moving into the free lane and going by is a normal lane change rather than an unlawful pass.
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6. You are circulating in a roundabout and a vehicle is waiting to enter ahead of you. What should you do?
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Answer D: Keep going, because circulating traffic does not stop for entering vehicles
Stopping in the circle to be polite surprises the drivers behind you and defeats the design; entering traffic is the side that waits.
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7. In a work zone, the flagger's instructions conflict with the pavement markings still visible on the road. Which do you follow?
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Answer B: The flagger, because a person directing traffic outranks the markings
An authorized flagger controlling a temporary traffic control zone overrides signs, signals and markings, and drivers must obey the flagger's signals.
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8. You are stopped at a steady red arrow pointing right, and no sign or state rule permits turning on a red arrow. May you turn right?
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Answer A: No, you must wait until the red arrow goes out and a green signal appears
A steady red arrow prohibits the movement it points to until a signal permitting it appears. Only a posted sign or a specific state rule allows a turn on a red arrow after a complete stop, so without one you must wait.
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9. Unless a sign says otherwise, what speed limit applies in a New Jersey suburban business or residential district?
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Answer C: 35 mph
Suburban business and residential districts default to 35 mph, ten above the limit set for ordinary business and residential districts.
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10. Traffic in your lane is backed up and the paved shoulder looks clear. May you drive along it to get past?
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Answer C: No, the shoulder is not a travel lane
Passing must be done within the roadway; driving on the shoulder to get around traffic is prohibited and surprises anyone entering from the right.
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11. You are driving in fog so thick that you can barely see the vehicle ahead. Which pavement marking is the best guide for staying in your lane?
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Answer A: The white edge line on the right side of the road
The right edge line keeps you positioned away from oncoming traffic and is easy to follow at low speed. Following tail lights closely tempts you to drive faster than you can see.
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12. Your face shield develops a crack across the middle. What should you do?
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Answer D: Replace the shield, because a crack scatters light and can fail
A cracked shield distorts your view, scatters light badly at night and can break apart in an impact, so it should be replaced rather than repaired.
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13. Why should you stay out of an intersection you cannot clear, even on a green light?
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Answer B: Because you would block cross traffic when their signal turns green
A vehicle stranded in the intersection blocks the cross street when its light turns green, which stalls the whole junction and traps emergency vehicles.
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14. Where does New Jersey's 55 mph speed limit apply?
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Answer D: On certain state highways and interstates, where it is posted
The 55 mph limit applies only on certain state highways and interstates where signs establish it; a non-posted rural roadway defaults to 50 mph.
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15. How does a rider judge whether the brake pads still have life left in them?
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Answer A: By looking at how much friction material is left on the pad
Pads are inspected visually for remaining thickness against the wear indicator, because a pad worn to its backing plate will destroy the disc.
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16. You feel fine twenty minutes after your last drink. Why is that a poor guide to driving?
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Answer B: Your blood alcohol level can still be rising
Alcohol keeps being absorbed for some time after the last drink, so a driver who feels able at the door can be more impaired a few miles down the road.
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17. You are turning left across tracks that run along the center of the street. What should you do before crossing them?
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Answer B: Look along the tracks in both directions and cross only when clear
Rail vehicles running in the street can arrive from either direction and cannot stop quickly, so look along the tracks before you turn across them.
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18. Where should the rider be looking during a U-turn?
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Answer B: All the way around toward the point where the turn will finish
A motorcycle follows the eyes, so turning the head to the exit of the turn keeps the machine coming round instead of drifting wide.
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19. Where is reflective material most effective at attracting a driver's attention at night?
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Answer A: On the arms, legs and helmet, where the movement draws the eye
Reflective patches that move as the rider rides are noticed sooner than static ones, and a helmet sits high where drivers are already looking.
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20. Why should you make sure your turn signal has stopped flashing after a lane change?
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Answer A: A signal left flashing tells other drivers that you intend to move again
Other drivers act on your signals, so one that is left on gives them false information about what you are about to do.
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21. Permanent signs must be retroreflective or lighted so that
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Answer A: they show the same shape and color at night as by day
Retroreflective sheeting throws headlight light back to the driver, so a sign keeps its daytime shape and color after dark.
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22. On an overhead guide sign, the small exit number panel sits above the left-hand end rather than the right. What does that placement tell you?
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Answer A: The exit leaves from the left side of the roadway
The exit number plaque is placed on the side from which the ramp leaves, which gives advance notice of the unusual left-hand exit.
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23. A large electronic advertising sign beside the road catches your eye. What should you do?
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Answer A: Glance briefly and return your eyes to the road
Bright changing displays are designed to hold attention, so treat them like any roadside object and give them no more than a brief glance.
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24. The route marker used for an Interstate highway is a shield with
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Answer A: white numerals on a blue field under a red band carrying the word INTERSTATE
The Interstate route marker is a cutout shield with a white border, the word INTERSTATE in white on red across the top and the route number in white on blue.
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25. What does a yield sign require of a driver?
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Answer A: Slow down, and stop when necessary, so conflicting traffic can go first
A yield sign obliges the driver to reduce to a speed suited to conditions and to stop when needed so that conflicting traffic or pedestrians are not interfered with.
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26. A pedestrian using a white cane or walking with a guide dog starts to cross the street ahead of you. What must you do?
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Answer A: Yield and stay stopped until the person has finished crossing
A white cane or guide dog identifies a pedestrian who may not be able to see your vehicle, so you must yield and wait rather than maneuver around the person. The horn can confuse the pedestrian or the dog.
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27. What happens when a New Jersey driver accumulates six or more points within three years?
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Answer A: A surcharge of $150 plus $25 for each additional point
Six points within three years brings a 150 dollar surcharge, with 25 dollars added for every point above six, charged in addition to court fines.
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28. What should be done with a group that has grown too large to manage?
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Answer D: Split it into smaller groups, each with its own leader and sweep rider
Smaller sub groups stay together more easily and are easier for other drivers to pass, and each one needs its own leader and sweep rider.
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29. What is the New Jersey speed limit on a rural roadway with no posted speed limit sign?
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Answer B: 50 mph
New Jersey sets 50 mph as the limit on non-posted rural roadways; 55 mph and 65 mph apply only where signs say so.
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30. Your group reaches a work zone where the lane has been narrowed by cones and the surface is uneven. What should the formation do?
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Answer B: Move to single file and give each rider the whole width of the lane
A narrowed or broken surface leaves no spare room inside the lane, so riders need the full lane width each and must drop into single file.
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31. What is the most common cause of rear-end collisions?
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Answer C: Following too closely to stop in time
A driver who leaves too little space has no room to perceive, react and brake when the vehicle ahead slows, which is why space management prevents rear-end crashes.
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32. You are riding up an entrance ramp to merge onto a freeway. What should you do?
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Answer D: Build up to traffic speed on the ramp, then signal and check the blind spot
Matching the speed of freeway traffic before merging avoids forcing others to brake, and a head check covers the area the mirrors do not show.
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33. What color scheme does a standard stop sign use?
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Answer B: White legend and border on a red background
The stop sign carries a white legend and border on a red background, the color set aside for stop, yield and prohibition messages.
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34. On a divided highway you see a median opening marked for authorized vehicles only. May you use it to turn around?
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Answer D: No, those openings are for emergency and maintenance vehicles
Official crossovers are reserved for emergency and highway maintenance use; turning there puts a slow vehicle across high-speed traffic.
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35. When should a helmet be replaced?
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Answer B: After a crash, or if the shell is cracked or the straps are frayed
The energy absorbing liner is designed to crush once, so a helmet that has taken an impact or shows damage no longer offers full protection.
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36. You find that the road surface has turned to sheet ice. What speed is appropriate?
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Answer A: A crawl, slow enough that you could stop without braking hard
Ice can cut grip to a fraction of normal, so stopping takes many times the usual distance and only a crawl leaves any margin.
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37. A car is waiting at a side street to pull out as you approach the intersection. What speed adjustment helps most?
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Answer B: Slow enough that you could still stop before reaching the intersection
Covering the brakes and reducing speed turns a possible collision into a stop the rider can actually make if the driver moves out.
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38. When is a driver or rider most likely to need hand and arm signals instead of the vehicle turn signal lamps?
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Answer D: When the lamps have failed or cannot be seen because of glare or a load
Hand and arm signals replace or reinforce the lamps whenever the lamps do not work or cannot be seen clearly by other road users.
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39. Which set of qualities should eye protection for riding have?
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Answer A: Shatter resistant, free of scratches, and sealed against the wind
Riding eye protection has to survive an impact, let you see clearly and keep the air out, which is why plastic face shields and goggles are used instead of ordinary glasses.
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40. What is the best way to handle fatigue on a long ride?
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Answer C: Take rest breaks regularly and dress to keep wind and cold out
Wind, vibration and cold tire a rider faster than a driver, and the safe answer is planned breaks and protective clothing rather than pressing on.
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41. Which of these does NOT affect how fast alcohol reaches the bloodstream?
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Answer A: How confident the drinker feels
Food, the strength of the drinks and the speed of drinking all change how fast alcohol is absorbed, but a drinker's confidence changes nothing at all.
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42. When are the hazard warning lights properly used?
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Answer A: When your vehicle is stopped or barely moving and is a hazard
Hazard lights warn that your vehicle is an obstruction; they do not authorize illegal parking and they hide your turn signals while driving.
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43. Where do the greatest number of collisions involving motorcycles occur?
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Answer D: At intersections
Intersections concentrate crossing and turning paths, and the most common single event is a car turning left across the path of an oncoming motorcycle.
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44. At a four-way stop you and an opposing driver arrive together. You are going straight and the other driver is turning left across your path. Who goes first?
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Answer B: You do, because the left turn crosses your path
When two opposing drivers arrive together, the one going straight goes first and the left-turning driver yields.
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45. How do the traffic laws apply to riders traveling in a group?
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Answer D: Every rider is responsible for obeying the law on their own machine
Riding in company changes nothing legally, and each rider answers individually for speed, signals and every other rule of the road.
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46. What is the first thing to do once your disabled vehicle is stopped on the shoulder?
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Answer A: Switch on the hazard warning lights so other drivers can see the vehicle
Hazard lights are the fastest way to make a stopped vehicle visible, and everything else can follow once traffic has been warned.
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47. Why do safety agencies put head protection first among riding gear?
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Answer A: Because head injuries are the leading cause of death in motorcycle crashes
Head injury is the most common cause of death in motorcycle crashes, which is why a certified helmet is the single most important piece of gear.
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48. Under New Jersey's Safe Passing Law, what must a driver do when a four-foot gap around a cyclist is impossible?
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Answer B: Slow to 25 mph and be prepared to stop until passing is safe
Where four feet is not available the driver must slow to 25 mph and be ready to stop until the pass can be made safely.
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49. Why should two riders never travel side by side in the same lane?
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Answer B: Because neither rider has room to swerve if a hazard appears
Riding directly alongside another motorcycle removes the escape path each rider needs to avoid a hazard, a pothole or another vehicle.
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50. You are in the right-hand lane of a multilane street and that lane becomes a right-turn-only lane ahead, but you want to go straight. What should you do?
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Answer B: Change into a through lane before you reach the markings for the turn lane
A lane-use arrow is a regulatory marking, so a driver who wants to continue straight has to leave that lane before it becomes a mandatory turn lane.