Sharing Lane With Cars Practice Questions
9 free sample motorcycle questions about sharing lane with cars, with the correct answer, a full explanation, and a source reference for each. Want to test yourself instead of just reading the answers? Find your state's free practice test.
1. Why should riders be cautious around vehicles making right turns at intersections?
A driver preparing to turn right may not check thoroughly for a motorcycle approaching from behind along the curb or in a bike lane, creating a collision risk.
Source: National: NHTSA/MSF motorcycle safety guidance
2. Why is maintaining a cushion of space around the motorcycle in traffic important?
Maintaining a cushion of space on all sides of the motorcycle in traffic gives a rider time to react and a path to escape if traffic conditions suddenly change.
Source: National: NHTSA/MSF motorcycle safety guidance
3. Why should riders assume some car drivers may not accurately judge how fast a motorcycle is approaching?
Because motorcycles are smaller, drivers may misjudge their speed or distance more easily than they would for a car, so riders should ride defensively at intersections and when being passed.
Source: National: NHTSA/MSF motorcycle safety guidance
4. Why should a rider assume that some drivers simply haven’t seen them, even in plain view?
A motorcycle’s narrower silhouette against a busy background is genuinely easier for a driver’s eyes to skip over than a car would be.
Source: National: MSF/AAMVA motorcycle safety guidance
5. Why should a rider check mirrors and blind spots carefully before changing lanes, just as when passing?
A motorcycle has blind spots just like any other vehicle, so a direct check beyond the mirrors is still necessary before changing lanes.
Source: National: MSF/AAMVA motorcycle safety guidance
6. Why should a rider be cautious riding near parked cars, watching for opening doors?
A car door opening without warning directly into a rider’s path is a genuine, well-documented hazard when passing parked cars closely.
Source: National: MSF/AAMVA motorcycle safety guidance
7. Why might a rider position themselves to be visible in a specific mirror of the vehicle ahead?
A simple rule of thumb is that if a rider can see a driver’s mirror, the driver likely has a chance of seeing the rider in it too.
Source: National: MSF/AAMVA motorcycle safety guidance
8. Why should a rider avoid weaving between lanes in slow traffic where it isn’t clearly permitted?
Frequent lane changes near slow or stopped traffic raise the chance that a driver won’t anticipate the motorcycle’s next move, increasing collision risk.
Source: National: MSF/AAMVA motorcycle safety guidance
9. Why is it useful for a rider to make eye contact or otherwise confirm a driver’s awareness before proceeding through a shared space, like a driveway or parking lot exit?
Confirming a driver has actually noticed the motorcycle, rather than assuming it based on right-of-way alone, adds a real margin of safety in shared spaces.
Source: National: MSF/AAMVA motorcycle safety guidance