Georgia Motorcycle Permit Practice Test​​: Traffic Rules

Lane Usage Rules for Motorcycles

Georgia does not allow lane splitting. Ever. If traffic is stopped or crawling on I-285, the Downtown Connector (I‑75/85), or GA 400, you still can’t ride between lanes to get to the front. It feels efficient. Still illegal.

A motorcycle is entitled to the full lane, the same way a car is. People in Augusta, Macon, or Columbus might drift toward you like you’re supposed to “share.” You aren’t. You pick the lane position that keeps you visible and gives you an escape route.

Lane sharing is legal only in one narrow situation: two motorcycles may ride side by side in the same lane if they choose. A car can’t share your lane, even “just for a second,” and you can’t squeeze past a car in the same lane even if there’s space.

• Use the left, center, or right part of your lane to improve visibility and cushion space.
• Don’t pass a vehicle in your lane, even if it looks like you fit.
• Two motorcycles may ride abreast in one lane, but nobody is required to do it.
  This one trips people up.

On multi-lane roads, Georgia’s “keep right except to pass” idea shows up in test questions. If someone is overtaking you, you move right when it’s safe—even if you’re already at the posted speed limit. It’s not personal. It’s traffic flow.

And around metro Atlanta, watch the express lanes. Peach Pass corridors like I‑85 and the Northwest Corridor use double white lines in places. Don’t cross those to enter or exit. Not even briefly.

Right-of-Way for Riders

Right-of-way is where people bleed points, because it feels like common sense until the question is worded like a trap. At a busy intersection in Savannah, a left turn in Athens, or a quick merge near I‑20 ramps, you need the legal order, not the “courtesy wave” version.

A green light isn’t a shield. You still yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk, and you still yield to vehicles already in the intersection. If you’re turning left on a standard green, you generally yield to oncoming traffic going straight (or turning right). That’s the classic exam setup.

Stop signs are simple, but they must be done correctly: full stop behind the line, then proceed only when the way is clear. If two vehicles arrive at the same time at a four-way stop, the vehicle on the right goes first. If you’re turning left while the other vehicle is going straight, you yield. Clean and strict.

• Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, even when your light is green.
• On a left turn, yield to oncoming traffic unless you have a protected green arrow.
• At a four-way stop, if you arrive together, the vehicle on the right goes first.
  This one trips people up.

Georgia also uses flashing yellow arrows for left turns in a lot of places, especially metro suburbs. Flashing yellow arrow means you may turn left, but you must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. “May” isn’t “must.” Read the word.

One more that shows up often: the Move Over law. If you approach a stopped emergency vehicle, tow truck, utility vehicle, or DOT vehicle displaying flashing lights, you move over a lane when possible. If you can’t, you slow down significantly and pass with caution. Test writers love it because riders forget it applies to them too.

Look twice.
Assume you’re unseen.

Speed Limits and Legal Restrictions

Speed rules in Georgia aren’t only about the number on the sign. They’re also about what’s reasonable for conditions, where extra penalties kick in, and what creates a “bigger deal” charge even if you didn’t mean to push it.

The big one is Super Speeder. If you’re convicted of 75+ mph on a two-lane road or 85+ mph on any road, Georgia adds a $200 state surcharge on top of local fines. Miss that payment and you can end up with a license suspension. It stacks fast.

Work zones are another common test angle. Speed enforcement is active all over the state—from I‑520 in Augusta to the Downtown Connector in Atlanta—and construction zones often have sudden lane shifts and uneven pavement. On a bike, that’s not the place to gamble.

Also, Georgia follows the “basic speed rule”: you can be cited for driving too fast for conditions even if you’re under the posted limit. Summer storms around Savannah or Atlanta can knock visibility down in seconds. If your sightline shrinks, your speed should too.

• Super Speeder: 75+ on a two-lane road or 85+ anywhere triggers an extra $200 state fee.
• Work zones can mean higher fines and less room for error, especially on a motorcycle.
• You must slow for conditions, even when you’re under the posted number.
  This one trips people up.

A couple of legal “gotchas” are worth memorizing. Headlights are required from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise—and also anytime visibility is reduced. In Georgia that includes when your wipers are on. Wipers on. Lights on.

And yes, the Hands-Free law applies to riders. You can’t hold or support a phone while operating your motorcycle. Use hands-free gear or pull off the road and stop if you need to handle the device.

That’s what the georgia motorcycle driving test is really checking: do you know the rules before you’re surrounded by real traffic. Study them now. Test day feels calmer.