A 3-minute lesson from the North Carolina course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
About two-thirds of NC motorcycle crashes involve a car, and usually the car driver is at fault and says they never saw the motorcycle. Riders have little protection, so look twice before turning or changing lanes.
Sharing the road with motorcycles and mopeds:
Give them the same right-of-way consideration as any vehicle
Motorcycles get the full width of their lane; pass by changing lanes, as for a car
Mopeds ride on the right side of the lane; pass at least two feet to the left
Leave enough room that your windstream can't make the rider lose control
Be especially watchful at intersections, when changing lanes and when entering from a driveway. Motorcycles and mopeds can be hidden in blind spots and are even harder to see in many left turns.
Many small motorcycles accelerate slowly and may not hold speed uphill. Most stop faster than cars, but slower with a second rider or on poor surfaces.
DWI laws apply to moped operators, and moped riders must follow all the rules of the road. Riders and passengers wear an FMVSS 218 helmet with the strap secured.
You're turning left and see what looks like a gap in oncoming traffic. Look again for a motorcycle: in many left-turn situations they're the hardest vehicles to spot, and the car driver is usually at fault in these crashes.
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 the lane is a motorcycle entitled to use?
Only the right half of the lane
Only the left half of the lane
No dedicated space — motorcycles must share a lane with a car
The full width of the lane
Answer: The full width of the lane
Motorcycles are entitled to the full width of their lane.