Iowa Car / Permit: Sharing the Road Practice Test

Question 1

How much room must you give a motorcycle when you overtake it?

Accepted Answer

The whole lane, never sharing it with the rider — Give the rider the entire lane rather than crowding into the same lane alongside the machine.

Answer

Half the lane is sufficient

Answer

Three feet of clearance

Answer

Only as much room as the rider signals for

Question 2

What following distance does the Iowa manual recommend behind a motorcycle?

Accepted Answer

Three to four seconds — Leave three to four seconds so the rider has room to swerve or brake, and drop back farther when the pavement is wet or slick.

Answer

One second

Answer

Half a car length

Answer

Two seconds

Question 3

What does Iowa require of a driver overtaking a bicyclist?

Accepted Answer

Move fully into the other lane and leave the rider the whole lane — You must change lanes completely and hand the rider the full lane, exactly as you would for any other vehicle.

Answer

Straddle the lane line while passing

Answer

Sound the horn and squeeze past

Answer

Pass on the right shoulder

Question 4

How fast do snowplows normally travel on Iowa roads?

Accepted Answer

Roughly 25 to 35 mph — Plows usually work at roughly 25 to 35 mph, and drivers who fail to allow for that slow pace sometimes strike them from behind.

Answer

Around 10 mph

Answer

Around 45 mph

Answer

The posted speed limit

Question 5

The car ahead of you in the next lane stops for no reason you can see near a crosswalk. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Hold back, because a pedestrian you cannot see may be crossing — Never overtake a vehicle that has stopped or is slowing for a pedestrian; someone you cannot yet see may be crossing in front of it.

Answer

Pass quickly before traffic backs up

Answer

Sound your horn to move the driver along

Answer

Change lanes and continue at the same speed

Question 6

You have just passed a large truck. When is it safe to move back into its lane?

Accepted Answer

Once the truck's front end appears in your rearview mirror — Wait until the truck's front end appears in your rearview mirror, so you do not force a heavy vehicle that needs far more room into a sudden braking situation.

Answer

As soon as your rear bumper clears the cab

Answer

Whenever the truck flashes its headlights

Answer

Immediately, because trucks stop faster than cars

Question 7

Where are collisions between cars and motorcycles most likely to happen in Iowa?

Accepted Answer

At intersections — The manual identifies intersections as the most common location, so confirm you have seen the motorcycle and judged its speed before turning or entering.

Answer

On interstate straightaways

Answer

In parking lots

Answer

On gravel shoulders

Question 8

Which side must you never use to pass a working snowplow?

Accepted Answer

The shoulder side — Plows push snow toward the shoulder, so passing on the shoulder side is prohibited; wait for a safe opportunity and allow extra room, since blades can extend beyond the vehicle.

Answer

The side with the center line

Answer

Either side is acceptable if you signal

Answer

The downhill side

Question 9

In crashes involving large trucks, what share of the deaths are car occupants, according to the Iowa manual?

Accepted Answer

78 percent — The manual reports that people in the car, usually the driver, account for 78 percent of the fatalities in these collisions.

Answer

About 25 percent

Answer

About 40 percent

Answer

About 95 percent

Question 10

After passing a bicyclist, when may you move back toward the right?

Accepted Answer

Once the rider shows up in your rearview mirror — Hold your position until the rider becomes visible in your rearview mirror, which confirms you are far enough past to return safely.

Answer

As soon as your front bumper clears the bicycle

Answer

After counting to two

Answer

Whenever the rider waves you over

Question 11

You are alongside a semi and the truck's mirror does not show you the driver's face. What does that tell you?

Accepted Answer

You are in a blind spot and the driver very likely cannot see you — If the mirror does not show you the driver, you are sitting in a no-zone and the driver almost certainly cannot see your vehicle.

Answer

The mirror is probably out of adjustment

Answer

You are close enough to be seen anyway

Answer

The truck must be empty

Question 12

A tractor-trailer ahead of you swings out to the left before turning right. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Stay back and never squeeze between the truck and the curb — Truck drivers often need that extra room to complete a right turn and cannot see vehicles beside or behind them, so never slip into the gap between the truck and the curb.

Answer

Move up alongside the trailer on the right

Answer

Pass on the left while the truck is turning

Answer

Sound your horn so the driver moves over

Iowa Car / Permit: Sharing the Road practice test

Study questions with answers

1. How much room must you give a motorcycle when you overtake it?

2. What following distance does the Iowa manual recommend behind a motorcycle?

3. What does Iowa require of a driver overtaking a bicyclist?

4. How fast do snowplows normally travel on Iowa roads?

5. The car ahead of you in the next lane stops for no reason you can see near a crosswalk. What should you do?

6. You have just passed a large truck. When is it safe to move back into its lane?

7. Where are collisions between cars and motorcycles most likely to happen in Iowa?

8. Which side must you never use to pass a working snowplow?

9. In crashes involving large trucks, what share of the deaths are car occupants, according to the Iowa manual?

10. After passing a bicyclist, when may you move back toward the right?

11. You are alongside a semi and the truck's mirror does not show you the driver's face. What does that tell you?

12. A tractor-trailer ahead of you swings out to the left before turning right. What should you do?

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