North Carolina Motorcycle practice
North Carolina Motorcycle: Hazards & Road Surfaces practice test
Gravel, wet pavement, grooved roads, and railroad tracks — reading and handling surfaces that matter far more on two wheels.
Content reviewed against official driver handbooks · August 12, 2026
16 questions · pass with 13 correct. You get instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.
Study questions with answers
12 sample Hazards & Road Surfaces questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.
Show all 12 questions with answers
1. If a small object is thrown up and strikes you or your face shield, what should you do?
Correct answer: Watch the road, keep both hands on the bars, then pull off when it is safe
Keep your gaze on the road ahead and both hands on the grips; deal with any damage only after you have safely pulled off.
Source: NC Motorcyclists' Handbook — Flying Objects
2. Riding across rain grooves or bridge gratings often makes a motorcycle weave. What should you do?
Correct answer: Relax, hold a steady speed, and go straight across
The wandering feeling is generally not dangerous; relax, hold a steady speed, and ride straight across rather than zigzagging.
Source: NC Motorcyclists' Handbook — Handling Dangerous Surfaces
3. Why are distances harder to judge at night?
Correct answer: Shadows and light contrasts you rely on are missing or distorted
Your eyes rely on shadows and light contrasts to gauge distance and speed, and those cues are missing or distorted under artificial light.
Source: NC Motorcyclists' Handbook — Increasing Conspicuity
4. Is the average greasy center strip a reason to avoid the middle of the lane?
Correct answer: No; unless the road is wet, the center usually has adequate traction
Unless the road is wet, the narrow oily strip still leaves enough traction to ride on, so no part of the lane, including the center, must be avoided.
Source: NC Motorcyclists' Handbook — Keeping Your Distance
5. If a dog chases your motorcycle, what is the recommended way to handle it?
Correct answer: Approach slowly, then accelerate away as you reach it
Downshift and approach the animal slowly, then accelerate away as you reach it, leaving it behind while keeping control of the bike.
Source: NC Motorcyclists' Handbook — Animals
6. At what angle should you try to cross an obstacle you cannot avoid riding over?
Correct answer: As close to a 90-degree angle as possible
Approach an unavoidable obstacle as close to a 90-degree angle as you can so your tires meet it squarely.
Source: NC Motorcyclists' Handbook — Handling Dangerous Surfaces
7. When crossing an obstacle, what should you do with the throttle just before contact?
Correct answer: Roll on slightly to lighten the front end
Roll on the throttle slightly just before contact to lighten the front end as the tire meets the obstacle.
Source: NC Motorcyclists' Handbook — Handling Dangerous Surfaces
8. How should you react to a large animal such as a deer in your path?
Correct answer: Brake and be ready to stop
Large animals are unpredictable, so brake and prepare to stop rather than trying to ride past them.
Source: NC Motorcyclists' Handbook — Animals
9. How wide is the oily strip that collects in the center of a lane?
Correct answer: About two feet
The greasy center strip left by cars is usually no more than about two feet wide, so you can ride to either side of it and still stay centered.
Source: NC Motorcyclists' Handbook — Keeping Your Distance
10. What is usually the safest way to cross railroad or trolley tracks that run across your lane?
Correct answer: Ride straight across, staying in your own lane
It is usually safer to ride straight across within your own lane; turning to hit them at a full 90 degrees may carry you into another lane.
Source: NC Motorcyclists' Handbook — Handling Dangerous Surfaces
11. After riding over an object in the road, what should you do?
Correct answer: Pull off and inspect the tires and rims for damage
Get off the road and inspect the tires and rims for any damage before continuing on.
Source: NC Motorcyclists' Handbook — Handling Dangerous Surfaces
12. When is wet pavement usually most slippery?
Correct answer: Just after it starts to rain, before oil washes away
Roads are slickest right after rain begins, before the surface oil has been washed toward the edges.
Source: NC Motorcyclists' Handbook — Handling Dangerous Surfaces
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Every North Carolina question is written from the official North Carolina driver handbook and checked against its current edition. DMV Test Free is a free, independent study resource — not affiliated with any DMV or government agency. About DMV Test Free