Motorcycle Practice Test

Motorcycle Intersections & Passing Practice Questions

Intersections & Passing makes up 7 of every 50 questions on a Tigertest Motorcycle practice test. Here are 10 of the 28 questions on it, each with the answer and the reason.

Updated 2026-11-10 by the Tigertest team. Based on the MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual used by nearly every state. Check your state's handbook for local rules.

1. 1. According to the MSF manual, where is the greatest potential for conflict between motorcycles and other traffic?

   • A.On rural two-lane highways
   • B.At intersections
   • C.On sharp freeway curves
   • D.In parking lots and driveways

   Answer: B. Intersections, including driveways and alleys where vehicles cross paths, carry the greatest potential for conflict. Open highways and curves have hazards too, but crossing traffic makes intersections the most likely crash spot.

2. 2. Which situation is the most common cause of crashes between motorcycles and cars at intersections?

   • A.A car rear-ending a stopped motorcycle
   • B.A rider sliding on a painted crosswalk
   • C.A motorcycle entering the intersection on a late yellow
   • D.A car turning left in front of the rider

   Answer: D. A driver turning left in front of an approaching motorcycle is the classic intersection crash. Drivers often misjudge a motorcycle's speed or fail to see it at all.

3. 3. A rider approaches an intersection where an oncoming car is waiting to turn left. What should the rider do?

   • A.Slow down, cover the brakes, and be ready
   • B.Move next to the center line to be noticed
   • C.Speed up to clear the intersection quickly
   • D.Flash the high beam and keep the same speed

   Answer: A. Reducing speed and covering the brakes cuts reaction time if the driver turns across your path. Speeding up or crowding the center line only increases the risk if the car turns.

4. 4. Over half of motorcycle and car crashes are caused by drivers doing which of the following?

   • A.Driving well over the speed limit
   • B.Changing lanes without a turn signal
   • C.Entering the rider's right-of-way
   • D.Following the motorcycle too closely

   Answer: C. The MSF manual notes that over one-half of motorcycle/car crashes happen when drivers enter a rider's right-of-way. That is why riders should never assume a driver sees them.

5. 5. You are approaching an intersection where a car waits on a side street to your right. Which lane position is generally best?

   • A.The paved shoulder outside the lane
   • B.Directly on the lane divider line
   • C.The left portion of your lane
   • D.The right portion, nearest the car

   Answer: C. Moving to the left portion of the lane puts more space between you and the car that could pull out, and keeps you in your lane. Riding on the shoulder or lane line is unsafe and often illegal.

6. 6. When approaching a blind intersection, where should a rider place the motorcycle within the lane?

   • A.Where drivers can see you soonest
   • B.Tight against the center line at all times
   • C.Always in the right third of the lane
   • D.Close behind a larger vehicle for protection

   Answer: A. Choose the lane position that brings you into the other drivers' field of vision at the earliest possible moment. Hiding behind a larger vehicle or using a fixed position regardless of the view defeats that purpose.

7. 7. A rider stops at a stop sign, but buildings and parked cars block the view of cross traffic. What should the rider do next?

   • A.Turn right first, then make a U-turn
   • B.Accelerate quickly across before traffic arrives
   • C.Sound the horn and proceed without looking
   • D.Edge forward slowly and stop again to look

   Answer: D. After stopping at the line, edge forward and stop again where you can see, leaning your body forward to look around obstructions. Darting out or relying on the horn leaves you exposed to traffic you cannot see.

8. 8. At a stop sign with an obstructed view, where should the rider make the second stop after edging forward?

   • A.Halfway across the far travel lane
   • B.Just short of the cross-traffic lane
   • C.Inside the first lane of cross traffic
   • D.Back behind the stop line again

   Answer: B. The second stop is made just short of where the cross-traffic lane meets your lane, where you can see without entering it. Stopping inside a travel lane puts you in the path of cross traffic.

9. 9. You are being passed by a car traveling in the lane to your left. Which lane position should you keep?

   • A.The shoulder until the car is past
   • B.The center portion of your lane
   • C.The left portion, close to the car
   • D.The far right edge of your lane

   Answer: B. Stay in the center portion of your lane when being passed. Riding close to the passing car exposes you to its mirrors and wind blast, while moving far right can invite the driver to crowd into your lane.

10. 10. Why should a rider avoid riding close to a vehicle that is passing in the next lane?

    • A.Drivers may think you plan to turn
    • B.It blocks the driver's view of the road
    • C.Your turn signals become harder to see
    • D.Its mirror or wind blast could hit you

    Answer: D. A passing vehicle's extended mirrors, objects thrown from windows, and wind blasts from large vehicles can strike or push a rider who is too close. Staying in the center portion keeps a buffer.