A car in the next lane slows to let someone use a crosswalk. What should you avoid?
Correct answer: Passing that vehicle at the crossing.
Do not pass a vehicle stopped or slowing for a pedestrian. The person may be hidden by that vehicle and about to enter your lane.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 83 (physical PDF page 91) — Laws for Drivers. ↗
You turn from the street into a parking-lot driveway while someone is walking across its entrance. Who must give way?
Correct answer: You must yield to the pedestrian.
Drivers must yield to pedestrians when turning into driveways and parking lots. Check the sidewalk crossing as part of the turn.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 83 (physical PDF page 91) — Laws for Drivers. ↗
You are waiting on the curb when DON’T WALK appears. What should you do?
Correct answer: Wait instead of starting across.
DON’T WALK means do not begin crossing. A person already in the crosswalk should finish; that exception does not invite a new crossing from the curb.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 83 (physical PDF page 91) — Laws for Pedestrians. ↗
Before crossing a one-way street on foot, which check does the manual recommend?
Correct answer: Look left, right and left again.
The manual advises looking left, right and left again even on a one-way street. Stay alert for turning vehicles and unexpected traffic.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 112 (physical PDF page 120) — Rules for Pedestrians. ↗
There is no sidewalk along the ordinary road where you need to walk. Where should you walk?
Correct answer: On the shoulder facing traffic.
Use an available sidewalk. If none exists, walk on the shoulder facing traffic; this is not permission to walk on an expressway or turnpike.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 112 (physical PDF page 120) — Rules for Pedestrians. ↗
A cyclist uses the full lane on an ordinary public street even though a bike lane is present. Which statement is correct?
Correct answer: The cyclist has the right to use the full lane.
Massachusetts allows bicyclists to use a full lane even where there is a bike lane. This does not authorize cycling on posted limited-access highways that prohibit bicycles.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 112 (physical PDF page 120) — Laws for Bicyclists: full lane. ↗
A cyclist needs both hands to control the bicycle safely and does not give a hand signal. What should a driver know?
Correct answer: The bicycle signaling rule allows that safety exception.
Bicyclists normally signal stops and turns, but the signal need not be continuous or made at all if both hands are needed for safe operation. Do not infer a guaranteed path from a missing signal.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 115 (physical PDF page 123) — Motorists in the Presence of Bicyclists: signaling. ↗
Two cyclists ride side by side on a road with two lanes in their direction. Which condition applies?
Correct answer: Stay within one lane without unnecessarily restricting overtaking.
No more than two bicycles may ride abreast. On a multilane road in that direction they must stay in one lane and not unnecessarily restrict a passing vehicle.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 113 (physical PDF page 121) — Laws for Bicyclists: side-by-side riding. ↗
You plan a left turn into a driveway. An oncoming bicycle is close enough to create an immediate hazard. What should you do?
Correct answer: Yield to the bicycle before turning.
The left-turn yielding duty includes an opposing bicycle in the intersection or close enough to be an immediate hazard. A bicycle is not exempt from that protection.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 115 (physical PDF page 123) — Motorists in the Presence of Bicyclists: left turns. ↗
A bicycle is traveling legally to the right of other traffic. Can a motorist dismiss a collision risk because the cyclist is on that side?
Correct answer: No; that position can be lawful and drivers must watch for it.
The manual explicitly recognizes bicycles riding to the right of motor traffic. That position is not a defense for a motorist who causes a crash.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 115 (physical PDF page 123) — Motorists in the Presence of Bicyclists: bicycles on your right. ↗
A cyclist reaches a red light at an otherwise empty intersection. Which rule applies?
Correct answer: Stop at the red light.
Bicyclists must stop at red lights and stop signs. An empty intersection does not change that requirement.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 113 (physical PDF page 121) — Laws for Bicyclists: signals. ↗
On a normal public street with no signs or markings providing otherwise, which way must a bicyclist ride?
Correct answer: In the same direction as traffic.
Ride with traffic unless signs or markings indicate otherwise. Do not confuse this with the rule for walking on a shoulder without a sidewalk.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 113 (physical PDF page 121) — Laws for Bicyclists: direction. ↗
Outside a business district, a cyclist considers riding on the sidewalk for safety. What local condition must be checked?
Correct answer: Whether local rules prohibit sidewalk cycling.
The manual allows sidewalk riding for safety outside business districts unless banned locally. Pedestrian priority still applies where riding is permitted.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 113 (physical PDF page 121) — Laws for Bicyclists: sidewalks. ↗
A cyclist approaches a pedestrian from behind on a shared-use path. What is required before passing?
Correct answer: Yield and give an audible signal, not a siren or whistle.
Cyclists on sidewalks or shared-use paths must yield to pedestrians and signal audibly before overtaking. The manual excludes sirens and whistles for that signal.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 113 (physical PDF page 121) — Laws for Bicyclists: sidewalk and shared-use path. ↗
A 14-year-old rides a bicycle on a public bicycle path. What head protection does Massachusetts require?
Correct answer: A secured helmet approved by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
A bicycle operator or passenger under 16 must wear the specified secured helmet on public ways or bicycle paths. The protected enclosed-trailer passenger exception does not apply to this bicycle rider.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 113 (physical PDF page 121) — Laws for Bicyclists: bicycle helmets. ↗
For a two-stage bicycle left turn, a rider crosses straight on green and stops in the box for the road being joined. What comes next?
Correct answer: Wait for that road’s green light, then cross straight again.
A two-stage left turn uses two separate straight crossings. After the first, the rider waits in the appropriate box for the next green; it is not one continuous diagonal turn.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual, revised April 2026, printed page 117 (physical PDF page 125) — Bicycle boxes: two-stage left turn. ↗
