Practice question

What is a recommended action to take when you want to communicate your intentions on the road?

  1. Ignore other traffic
  2. Use hand signals
  3. Speed up
  4. Drive without signals

Answer: B — Use hand signals

Using hand signals is the recommended action to communicate your intentions on the road. Hand signals are a clear and effective way to inform other drivers, motorcyclists, and pedestrians of your planned maneuvers, such as turning or stopping. This communication can help enhance safety by making your intentions visible to others around you, thereby reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings that could lead to accidents. Proper communication on the road is critical, especially on a motorcycle, where visibility and predictability are key factors in maintaining safety. Hand signals serve as an important supplement to the motorcycle’s turn signals, especially in situations where the turn signals may not be noticed or when riding with gloves that might make using electronic signals challenging. In contrast, ignoring other traffic, speeding up, and driving without signals do not promote safe riding practices. These actions can increase the risk of collisions and create dangerous situations for the rider and others on the road.

Practice more: Washington Motorcycle Permit Practice Test →