Bad Weather & Night Driving — Idaho
Idaho motorcycle permit practice test: 295 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Bad Weather & Night Driving: 16 questions.
Rain, snow, ice, fog and night driving: visibility, traction and headlight use.
This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines.
| Topic / Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Topic | Bad Weather & Night Driving |
| License test | Idaho Motorcycle permit test |
| Topic questions | 16 (5% of 295 total) |
| Review status | This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines. |
Official handbook
Not yet verified
Advertisement
Questions (16)
1. If you are riding behind another vehicle at night, you can determine if there are bumps on the road ahead by:
- Listening for the other vehicle scraping against the pavement.
- Noticing the other vehicle’s taillights bouncing up and down. ✓
- Looking at the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead and trying to determine if it is bouncing.
Answer: B. Noticing the other vehicle’s taillights bouncing up and down.
You can spot bumps ahead at night by watching the taillights of the vehicle in front of you bounce up and down. The manual's night riding section tells you to use the car ahead, because its headlights show you the road better than your own high beam. It adds that taillights bouncing up and down can alert you to bumps or rough pavement. So the movement of the vehicle ahead is your early warning: if its lights bob, the surface under it is uneven and you should expect the same thing when you reach that spot.
2. When it starts to rain, it is usually best to:
- Ride in the center of the lane.
- Ride in the tire tracks left by cars. ✓
- Pull to the side of the road until the rain stops.
Answer: B. Ride in the tire tracks left by cars.
When it starts to rain, ride in the tire tracks left by cars. The manual warns that the center of a lane can be hazardous when wet, and tells you that once rain begins you should ride in the tire tracks left by vehicles. It notes the left tire track is often the best spot, depending on traffic and road conditions. The general slippery-surface guidance in the same section backs this up: slow down before the surface gets slick, stay smooth with speed, direction and braking, and ride on the least slippery part of the lane.
3. When it starts to rain, it is usually best to:
- Ride in the center of the lane.
- Pull onto the shoulder and wait for it to stop raining.
- Ride in the tire tracks left by other vehicles. ✓
Answer: C. Ride in the tire tracks left by other vehicles.
When it starts to rain, the best choice is to ride in the tire tracks left by other vehicles. The manual says the center of a lane can be hazardous when wet, and it tells riders to use the tire tracks left by vehicles when rain begins. It adds that the left tire track is often the best position depending on traffic and road conditions. That matches the bank answer. This guidance is about choosing a better part of the lane in wet conditions, not about leaving the road.
4. A plastic, shatter-resistant face shield can protect you from:
- Noise.
- Dust. ✓
- Glare.
Answer: B. Dust.
A plastic, shatter-resistant face shield protects you from dust, along with wind, dirt, rain, insects and pebbles thrown up by cars ahead. The manual lists what a face shield shields you from, and dust is on that list, along with wind, dirt, rain, insects and pebbles thrown up from cars ahead. It adds that these things are distracting and can be painful, so dealing with them takes your attention away from the road. That is why the shield is worth wearing. It also protects your whole face in a crash, while goggles only cover your eyes and a windshield is not a substitute.
5. Under normal riding conditions, one of the best ways to help others see your motorcycle is:
- To flash your lights.
- To keep your high beam headlight turned on. ✓
- To ensure that your motorcycle is painted a dark color.
Answer: B. To keep your high beam headlight turned on.
Keep your high beam headlight turned on when you are not following or meeting a car; that is the best visibility choice among these. The manual treats the headlight as a visibility tool and says a rider should have it on at all times. It adds that even the high beam can help others notice you. Elsewhere it says to run the high beam any time you are not behind or approaching another car, so under normal conditions with no car directly ahead or coming, the high beam gives you the most light and helps you be seen. The manual does not recommend flashing the lights or dark paint for this purpose.
6. What should you do if you must ride on a slippery surface?
- Slow down ✓
- Accelerate
- Make sudden moves
Answer: A. Slow down
When you have to ride on a slippery surface, slow down — reduce your speed before you reach it. The manual's slippery-surface advice starts with reducing speed: slow down before you get to the slick spot to lessen your chances of skidding, because the motorcycle needs more distance to stop. It adds that cutting speed before entering wet curves matters a lot. The other guidance on that page (smooth inputs, gradual brake pressure) works only if you have already slowed down, so speed reduction comes first.
7. When it starts raining, it is best to:
- Get off the road.
- Ride in the tire tracks left by other vehicles. ✓
- Ride in the center portion of the lane.
Answer: B. Ride in the tire tracks left by other vehicles.
When it starts raining, you should ride in the tire tracks left by other vehicles. The manual warns that the center of a lane can be hazardous when wet, and it gives a specific instruction for the start of rain: use the tracks vehicles have made. It adds that the left track often works best, depending on traffic and road conditions. The aim is to choose the least slippery part of your lane and stay smooth, since wet pavement gives your tires less grip. Getting off the road or aiming for the lane center does not follow that wet-weather guidance.
8. It can be difficult to ride right after it starts raining because:
- Some other drivers may not react quickly enough to the rain.
- Pavement will be especially slippery. ✓
- Other drivers do not drive fast enough in wet weather.
Answer: B. Pavement will be especially slippery.
Riding right after it starts raining is difficult because the pavement will be especially slippery. The manual lists wet pavement as a poor-traction surface and singles out the period just after rain begins, before surface oil has washed to the side of the road. That oily film makes the pavement especially slippery. On a motorcycle, poor traction raises the chance of a skid, so the manual tells riders to slow down before slippery surfaces and to avoid sudden changes in speed or direction. Because the question asks why riding is hard right after rain starts, the slippery pavement is the direct reason.
9. When it starts to rain, it is usually best to:
- Ride on the right side of the lane.
- Ride on the edge of the road.
- Ride in the tire tracks left by cars. ✓
Answer: C. Ride in the tire tracks left by cars.
When it starts to rain, the best choice is to ride in the tire tracks left by cars. The manual says the center of a lane can be hazardous when wet, and that once rain begins you should ride in the tire tracks left by vehicles. It notes the left tire track is often the best spot, depending on traffic and road conditions. Those tracks are where other vehicles have already pushed water aside, so you are riding on a less slippery part of the lane. Keep your speed down and stay smooth, since wet pavement lengthens your stopping distance.
10. When riding in the rain, you should:
- Ride down the center of your lane.
- Ride on the right side of your lane.
- Ride in tire tracks left by other cars. ✓
Answer: C. Ride in tire tracks left by other cars.
Ride in the tire tracks left by other cars. The manual says the center of a lane can be hazardous when it is wet, so once rain starts you should ride in the tire tracks left by vehicles. It adds that the left tire track is often the best position, depending on traffic and road conditions. The general slippery-surface advice also tells you to slow down before wet curves and avoid sudden moves, but the lane-position answer is the tire tracks. That is why the choice about riding in tire tracks matches the handbook.
Advertisement
Source
Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook