Washington State Knowledge Test Sharing the Road 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is lane splitting, and what is its legal status in Washington State?
- Riding between lanes of traffic; it is legal
- Riding on the shoulder; it is legal in emergencies
- Riding between lanes of traffic; it is illegal (Correct answer)
- Sharing a lane with another motorcycle; it is legal
Correct answer: Riding between lanes of traffic; it is illegal
Lane splitting, which is riding a motorcycle between lanes of moving or stopped traffic, is illegal in Washington State.
Question 2: When a large truck is making a wide right turn in Washington, drivers behind it should:
- Pass the truck on the right to avoid the backup
- Stay back and allow the truck space to complete the turn (Correct answer)
- Honk to alert the driver
- Move into the bike lane to go around
Correct answer: Stay back and allow the truck space to complete the turn
Large trucks often need to swing wide to the left before turning right; staying back allows them to complete the maneuver safely.
Question 3: In Washington, what does it mean when you see a pedestrian on the sidewalk waiting at an intersection?
- The pedestrian has not yet entered the crosswalk, so you may proceed normally
- You must yield because the pedestrian intends to cross (Correct answer)
- The pedestrian must wait for a walk signal before you yield
- You must stop only if the pedestrian steps into the road
Correct answer: You must yield because the pedestrian intends to cross
Washington law requires drivers to yield to pedestrians waiting at crosswalks who clearly intend to cross, not just those already in the roadway.
Question 4: What is the safest way to pass a horse and rider on a Washington road?
- Honk to alert the rider of your approach
- Slow down, move over, pass wide and slowly, and avoid sudden movements (Correct answer)
- Maintain normal speed to minimize time next to the horse
- Flash your headlights to get the rider's attention
Correct answer: Slow down, move over, pass wide and slowly, and avoid sudden movements
Horses can be startled by sudden movements, sounds, or speed; slow down, give wide clearance, and avoid anything that might frighten the animal.
Question 5: In Washington, farm equipment traveling on public roads must be:
- Treated like any regular vehicle
- Yielded to, as it cannot easily stop or maneuver (Correct answer)
- Prohibited from using public roads
- Passed as quickly as possible to minimize traffic disruption
Correct answer: Yielded to, as it cannot easily stop or maneuver
Farm equipment is large, slow, and difficult to stop; drivers should be patient, slow down, and yield space when encountering it on public roads.
Question 6: What should a driver do when a school bus stops and extends its stop-arm on a divided highway in Washington?
- Stop in both directions as on undivided roads
- Stop only if on the same side of the median as the bus (Correct answer)
- Slow to 20 mph and proceed cautiously
- Only drivers directly behind the bus must stop
Correct answer: Stop only if on the same side of the median as the bus
On a divided highway with a raised median separating traffic, only vehicles on the same side of the median as the stopped school bus must stop.
Washington State Knowledge Test Sharing the Road 2
What is lane splitting, and what is its legal status in Washington State?