Highway & Freeway Driving — Maryland
Maryland motorcycle permit practice test: 341 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Highway & Freeway Driving: 17 questions.
Entering and exiting freeways, lane changes, overtaking and HOV lane rules.
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 | Highway & Freeway Driving |
| License test | Maryland Motorcycle permit test |
| Topic questions | 17 (5% of 341 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
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Questions (17)
1. Motorists entering a highway from an entrance ramp to your right may not see your motorcycle. To help the entering drivers, you should:
- Sound your horn.
- Flash your lights.
- Move to the left portion of your lane so they can share the lane, if necessary.
- Move into another lane, if necessary. ✓
Answer: D. Move into another lane, if necessary.
Move into another lane if one is open, so the driver entering from the ramp has room. The manual addresses merging traffic directly: drivers coming down an entrance ramp often don't notice a motorcycle already on the highway, so you should give them plenty of room. Its first suggestion is to change to another lane when one is available. If a lane change isn't possible, the manual says to adjust your speed to create space for the merging vehicle. The point is to keep a cushion between you and a driver who hasn't seen you, rather than staying in a spot where you get squeezed.
2. When changing lanes, you should:
- Signal, use your mirrors, and turn your head. ✓
- Signal and use your mirrors.
- Turn your head and change lanes.
- Signal and change lanes.
Answer: A. Signal, use your mirrors, and turn your head.
You should signal, use your mirrors, and turn your head. The manual treats a lane change as more than a mirror check. It says checking mirrors is not enough because motorcycles have blind spots, and before changing lanes you need to turn your head to look beside you for traffic. On a road with several lanes, check the lane next to you and the far lane too. The passing section also says to signal, use your mirrors, and turn your head to check the blind spot before moving over. Doing all three warns others and gives you a direct look at the space you want.
3. Before changing lanes, you should:
- Turn your head to check for vehicles in your blind spot. ✓
- Rely on your mirrors to show you all of your surroundings.
- Point in the direction of the lane change.
- Speed up to get ahead of other vehicles.
Answer: A. Turn your head to check for vehicles in your blind spot.
Before changing lanes, turn your head and look to the side to check your blind spot for other vehicles. The manual says mirrors alone are not enough, because motorcycles have blind spots just like cars. Before a lane change you should turn your head and look to the side for other vehicles. On a road with several lanes, it adds that you should check the lane next to you and the far lane too, since a driver further over may be aiming for the same space you want. Turning your head is how you find the traffic your mirrors miss.
4. Before changing lanes, motorcycle riders should turn their heads to look over their shoulders because:
- Motorcycles have blind spots, just like other vehicles. ✓
- They can catch the attention of other drivers by turning their heads.
- Mirrors are not really helpful.
- They should try to make eye contact with surrounding drivers.
Answer: A. Motorcycles have blind spots, just like other vehicles.
Before changing lanes, turn your head and look to the side because motorcycles have blind spots just like cars. The manual says mirrors alone are not enough. A motorcycle has blind spots, just as other vehicles do, so a rider must turn the head and look to the side before changing lanes. On a road with several lanes, the rider should also check the far lane and the lane next to them, since someone in the distant lane may want the same space. This head check is part of normal scanning, not a way to signal to others.
5. When preparing to pass another vehicle on the left, you should:
- Ride in the right portion of the lane.
- Ride in the left portion of the lane. ✓
- Get as close as possible to the vehicle in front of you.
- Not signal your intentions, as that may distract the driver you are passing.
Answer: B. Ride in the left portion of the lane.
When you get ready to pass on the left, stay in the left portion of your lane at a safe following distance before you make the move. The manual's passing steps start with lane position: ride in the left part of the lane while holding a safe gap behind the vehicle ahead. From there you can see farther down the road and other drivers are more likely to notice you. Only after you signal and check for oncoming traffic do you move into the left lane and speed up, picking a spot that gives you room rather than crowding the car. The manual also tells you not to hang around in the other driver's blind spot and to signal again before coming back.
6. When changing lanes, riders should:
- Rely only on their mirrors to identify other vehicles.
- Turn their head to look for traffic behind them. ✓
- Not worry about other traffic.
- Slam on the brakes to allow any vehicles in their blind spot to pass.
Answer: B. Turn their head to look for traffic behind them.
When changing lanes, turn your head to look for traffic behind and beside you. The manual says checking your mirrors is not enough because motorcycles have blind spots just like cars. Before you change lanes, you should turn your head and look to the side for other vehicles. On a road with several lanes, you also check the lane next to you and the far lane, since a driver in that distant lane may be heading for the same space you want. A head check lets you know what is around you before you move over.
7. To increase your line of sight when preparing to pass another vehicle on its left, you should:
- Ride in the left portion of your lane. ✓
- Ride in the right portion of your lane.
- Ride in the center portion of your lane.
- Try to stand up on your motorcycle.
Answer: A. Ride in the left portion of your lane.
To increase your line of sight before passing on the left, ride in the left portion of your lane. The manual's passing section tells you to set up in the left portion of the lane at a safe following distance. It says this widens what you can see and helps others see you. From there, you signal, watch for oncoming traffic, check mirrors, and turn your head to cover the blind spot before moving into the left lane when it is safe. That setup is specifically for preparing to pass on the left.
8. A group of riders should pass another vehicle:
- In a staggered formation.
- In a pyramid formation.
- One at a time. ✓
- In a splintered formation.
Answer: C. One at a time.
Riders should pass one at a time, with the lead rider pulling out first and then returning to the left position to make room for the next rider. The manual's passing-in-formation section says that on a two-lane highway, riders in a staggered formation should pass one at a time. It describes the lead rider pulling out and passing when safe, then returning to the left position and keeping passing speed to open room for the next rider. It does allow a group to pass as a unit on a freeway or interstate, so the one-at-a-time rule is the manual's guidance for the two-lane case. The bank answer fits that guidance.
9. Motorcyclists riding in a group should avoid pairing up because:
- A merging driver may not see both riders.
- Reflections from both helmets may make it difficult for the riders to see.
- Riding in pairs does not allow riders the necessary space to maneuver. ✓
- It is too difficult for riders on the left side of a pairing to exit a highway.
Answer: C. Riding in pairs does not allow riders the necessary space to maneuver.
Motorcyclists in a group should avoid pairing up because riding side by side does not leave each rider the space needed to maneuver. The manual tells riders not to ride directly beside another rider in one lane. Its reason is that if a car or hazard appears, the rider who is paired up has nowhere to move. Group riders can stay close, but they still need enough space cushion for each person to react. So the problem with pairing is the loss of room to maneuver, which is what the correct choice describes.
10. When preparing to pass another vehicle, you should ride in the left portion of your lane because:
- It increases your line of sight. ✓
- It decreases your line of sight.
- It makes it difficult to see beyond the vehicle.
- It allows the other driver to speed up.
Answer: A. It increases your line of sight.
Ride in the left portion of your lane because it increases your line of sight and makes you easier for others to see. The manual's passing steps say to set up in the left part of the lane at a safe following distance before you pass. From that position you can see farther down the road and oncoming traffic can see you sooner. Only after that do you signal, check for oncoming traffic, and use your mirrors and a head check before moving into the left lane and accelerating. So the left portion is a viewing and visibility position you take up before the pass itself, not a way to hide or hurry.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook