Arizona Motorcycle: Practice test - Practice Test 5

Loads carried in a sidecar should be secured so that they do not shift and affect the motorcycle's handling. Loads should be distributed toward the rear of the sidecar to reduce tipping of the nose of the sidecar in the event of a sudden left turn.

To reduce the risk of a collision when riding at night, be sure to reduce your speed and increase your following distance. Use the headlights of vehicles ahead of you to see farther down the road. You should always be flexible about your lane position, especially when riding at night.

A properly chosen lane position can optimize a number of safety factors. Your lane position should keep you out of other vehicles' blind spots, increase your ability to see and be seen, help you avoid surface hazards, help you avoid wind blasts from other vehicles, and provide you with an escape route from any hazards that might arise. You should be positioned in a way that discourages other drivers from trying to share your lane.

When passing parked vehicles, use caution. You may encounter vehicles pulling away from the curb or leaving parking spaces.

When riding at night, you can increase your line of sight by using the headlights of the vehicle in front of you to see the road ahead. Increase your following distance and reduce your speed when traveling in the dark.

By riding in the center portion of your lane, you will ensure that there is not a large space on either side of your motorcycle. Minimizing those spaces can help deter drivers from trying to share the lane with you.

Wearing a helmet while riding greatly improves your chances of avoiding serious injury to your head or neck in the case of a crash. A DOT-approved helmet will not restrict your vision to the sides.

You should not rely on eye contact to guarantee that a driver will yield to you. It is not uncommon for a driver to look directly at a motorcyclist and still fail to actually notice them.

You should always use both brakes every time you slow or stop.