Roadwise States Louisiana Driving lessons Motorcycles Louisiana driving lesson · Sharing the Road
Motorcycles A 3-minute lesson from the Louisiana course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Read time 3 minutes
Course unit Sharing the Road
Checkpoint questions 6
Source pages 85, 86 Motorcycles are narrow and easy to miss, and riders have little protection. Over two-thirds of car/motorcycle crashes happen when a driver turns in front of a rider. Look twice, then look again.
Know the rule
A motorcycle's small profile makes it seem farther away and slower than it really is. Riders are often hidden in blind spots or missed in a quick glance.
Handbook p. 85 ↗ Know the rule
Over two-thirds of car/motorcycle collisions happen because the other driver turned in front of the motorcyclist.
Handbook p. 85 ↗ Know the rule
Intersections are the most likely place for car/motorcycle collisions, usually because the driver didn't see the motorcycle and turned into its path.
Handbook p. 86 ↗ Know the rule
A motorcycle is allowed the full width of a lane; never share a lane with one. Pass it as you would any vehicle, not too fast or too close.
Handbook p. 86 ↗ Know the rule
Riders shift position in the lane, often riding in the left portion to see and be seen, and move suddenly to avoid potholes, wind or railroad tracks.
Handbook p. 86 ↗ Know the rule
Don't assume what a rider will do until the move has clearly started; motorcycle turn signals may not shut off automatically.
Handbook p. 86 ↗ Know the rule
A motorcycle's single headlight and taillight can blend into other traffic lights. Dim your headlights for motorcycles just as for other vehicles.
Handbook p. 86 ↗ Know the rule
The wind blast from large, fast-moving vehicles can blow a motorcycle out of control.
Handbook p. 86 ↗ Put it into practice
You're waiting to turn left and see a single headlight coming. It may be closer and faster than it looks. Take a second look, then a third, and wait if you aren't sure.
Check your understanding Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
How much of a traffic lane is a motorcycle entitled to? The full width of the lane Half of the lane, to share with cars Only the right edge of the lane A quarter of the lane Answer: The full width of the lane
Motorcycles are entitled to a full lane, and drivers should not try to share it with them.
Handbook p. 86 ↗ What is the recommended following distance behind a motorcycle? 1 second 4 seconds 2 seconds 10 seconds Answer: 4 seconds
A 4-second following distance gives the cyclist room to maneuver or stop in an emergency.
Handbook p. 86 ↗ What is the most common cause of car/motorcycle collisions? The motorcyclist speeding excessively Motorcycle mechanical failure A car turning into the rider's path The motorcyclist running a red light Answer: A car turning into the rider's path
Over two-thirds of these crashes result from a driver turning into the motorcyclist's path.
Handbook p. 85 ↗ Why does a motorcycle sometimes appear farther away and slower than it actually is? Motorcycles accelerate faster than cars Riders usually ride below the limit Riders keep to the left edge of the lane Its small size makes it hard to judge Answer: Its small size makes it hard to judge
A motorcycle's small profile can trick a driver's depth perception, making a second look essential.
Handbook p. 85 ↗ Should you dim your headlights for an oncoming motorcycle the same way you would for a car? Yes, just as for other vehicles No, high beams are fine for motorcycles Only if the motorcycle flashes its lights first Only on unlit roads Answer: Yes, just as for other vehicles
Motorcyclists deserve the same headlight courtesy as any oncoming vehicle.
Handbook p. 86 ↗ Turn signals on a motorcycle: Always cancel automatically after a turn Blink faster as the turn gets closer Are used only for left turns May not cancel on their own after a turn Answer: May not cancel on their own after a turn
Because motorcycle signals may not self-cancel, a driver shouldn't assume an active signal reflects the rider's true intention.
Handbook p. 86 ↗ Previous lesson Bicycles Next lesson Large trucks About the source Roadwise’s Louisiana course uses the driver handbook edition supplied with this study pack. This lesson cites source pages 85, 86. The linked PDF is a third-party mirror of the handbook, rather than a government-hosted page.
Open the handbook source PDF · View the source edition
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