Tennessee Motorcycle practice
Tennessee 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
11 questions · pass with 9 correct. You get instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.
Study questions with answers
11 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 11 questions with answers
1. When rain begins to fall, which part of the lane usually offers a rider better traction?
Correct answer: The tire tracks left by cars
The center of the lane can be hazardous when wet, so when rain starts you should ride in the tire tracks left by other vehicles, often the left track.
Source: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual - Handling Dangerous Surfaces (Slippery Surfaces)
2. Before you leave the road to rest or check your motorcycle on a soft or grassy shoulder, what should you do?
Correct answer: Check that the surface is firm and slow down first
You should make sure the roadside surface is firm enough to ride on, and if it is soft grass or loose sand, slow way down before you turn onto it.
Source: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual - Crash Avoidance (Getting Off the Road)
3. When riding at night, why should you avoid overriding your headlight?
Correct answer: So you can stop within the distance your light shows
You should not let your total stopping distance exceed the distance your headlight illuminates, so slow down enough that you can stop within the range you can see.
Source: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual - Ride Within Your Abilities (Riding at Night)
4. If a dog begins chasing your motorcycle, what is the recommended way to handle it?
Correct answer: Approach slowly, then accelerate away
If chased by a dog, downshift and approach the animal slowly, then accelerate to leave it behind; do not kick at it, and keep control while looking where you want to go.
Source: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual - Crash Avoidance (Animals)
5. In traffic, is it better to hit a small animal in your lane or to swerve into another lane to avoid it?
Correct answer: Stay in your lane rather than risk hitting a car
If you are in traffic you should remain in your lane, since hitting something small is less dangerous to you than hitting something big like a car.
Source: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual - Crash Avoidance (Animals)
6. When crossing railroad tracks that run across your lane, what is usually the safest path?
Correct answer: Ride straight within your lane across them
It is usually safer to ride straight within your lane to cross tracks; turning to take them at a sharp angle can steer you into another lane of traffic.
Source: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual - Handling Dangerous Surfaces (Railroad Tracks)
7. If you must ride over a small obstacle you cannot avoid, at what angle should you approach it?
Correct answer: As close to 90 degrees as possible
If you have to cross a smaller obstacle, approach it at as close to a 90-degree angle as possible and rise slightly off the seat to absorb the shock.
Source: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual - Handling Dangerous Surfaces (Uneven Surfaces and Obstacles)
8. How are painted lane lines and surface markings likely to behave when they are wet?
Correct answer: They become slippery
Painted lines, steel plates, and surface covers offer poor traction, especially when wet, so a rider should treat them as slippery.
Source: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual - Handling Dangerous Surfaces (Slippery Surfaces)
9. How should you cross road or pavement seams that run parallel to your direction of travel?
Correct answer: Cross at an angle of at least 45 degrees
For tracks or seams running parallel to your path, move far enough away to cross them at an angle of at least 45 degrees, then make a deliberate turn so you are not thrown off balance.
Source: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual - Handling Dangerous Surfaces (Railroad Tracks and Pavement Seams)
10. When riding at night, how does the manual suggest you adjust your following distance?
Correct answer: Open up to three seconds or more
Because distances are harder to judge at night, you should open up a following distance of three seconds or more and allow more room to pass and be passed.
Source: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual - Ride Within Your Abilities (Riding at Night)
11. Why should a rider avoid the very center strip of a lane, especially at busy intersections?
Correct answer: Oil and grease collect there and reduce traction
Oil drippings and debris from cars collect in the center of the lane, so riding on heavy buildups of grease found at intersections and tollbooths reduces traction.
Source: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual - Ride Within Your Abilities (Lane Positions)
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Every Tennessee question is written from the official Tennessee 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