Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles and mopeds

Key points

1. When passing a vulnerable road user, leave at least 4 feet.

   Source: Handbook p. 49

   “When you pass a vulnerable road user, you must leave a safe passing distance of at least four feet between your vehicle and the road user.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 49

2. One in four motor vehicle deaths involves a pedestrian.

   Source: Handbook p. 49

   “One in four motor vehicle deaths involve a pedestrian.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 49

3. The White Cane Law requires you to stop completely for a blind pedestrian crossing the street.

   Source: Handbook p. 50

   “The White Cane Law requires you to stop completely for a blind pedestrian crossing a street.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 50

4. When passing a bicycle or moped, lower your speed first; your vehicle's wind can knock a rider off balance.

   Source: Handbook p. 50

   “When passing a bicycle or moped: • Lower your speed. The wind caused by your vehicle can throw a rider off balance.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 50

5. Keep at least 4 seconds behind a motorcycle.

   Source: Handbook p. 43

   “Keep more space (at least four seconds) behind a motorcycle than you would for another vehicle.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 43

6. Never crowd into a lane with a motorcycle; it is illegal and very dangerous.

   Source: Handbook p. 52

   “Crowding into a lane with a motorcycle is illegal and very dangerous.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 52

7. Cars turning left in front of oncoming motorcycles cause many crashes.

   Source: Handbook p. 52

   “Cars or trucks turning left in front of an oncoming motorcycle cause a lot of crashes.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 52

8. A moped's maximum speed must be 30 mph or lower.

   Source: Handbook p. 52

   “Its maximum speed must be thirty (30) miles per hour (mph) or lower.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 52

9. A Low Speed Vehicle has four wheels and can only go 20 to 25 mph.

   Source: Handbook p. 54

   “A Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) has four wheels and can only go between 20 and 25 mph.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 54

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Massachusetts practice test

1. 1. When passing a bicycle or moped in Massachusetts, what does the manual list first?

   1. Pass as closely as possible to save time
   2. Sound the horn repeatedly
   3. Lower your speed
   4. Speed up to shorten the pass
   Show answer

   Lower your speed. The manual's checklist for passing a bicycle or moped begins with lowering your speed. A slower pass gives you time to judge the space, gives the rider less wind blast, and lets you stop if the bike swerves around a pothole. Repeated horn use startles riders, passing close is the crash the rule prevents, and speeding up removes your margin. After lowering speed, give the rider room and do not cut back to the right until you are safely past.

2. 2. How much space does the Massachusetts manual tell you to keep behind a motorcycle compared with another vehicle?

   1. Two seconds
   2. The same three seconds
   3. At least four seconds
   4. One second, because motorcycles stop quickly
   Show answer

   At least four seconds. Motorcycles can stop faster than cars in good conditions and are harder to judge in bad ones, so the manual asks for at least four seconds behind a motorcycle instead of the usual three. Two seconds or one second leave no room if the rider brakes hard or falls. The extra second also gives the rider space to avoid a pothole or a patch of sand without you closing on them. Never share a lane with a motorcycle.

3. 3. What must a Massachusetts driver do for a blind pedestrian crossing a street with a white cane or guide dog?

   1. Stop completely
   2. Slow down and go around
   3. Sound the horn to warn them
   4. Yield only if they are in a marked crosswalk
   Show answer

   Stop completely. The White Cane Law gives blind pedestrians a stronger protection than ordinary yielding: when a person with a white cane or a guide dog is crossing, you must stop completely. Going around them or honking can frighten and disorient someone who is navigating by sound, and the law is not limited to marked crosswalks. Wait until the pedestrian has fully cleared your path, then proceed. The white cane and the guide dog are the legal signals to look for.

Source: the Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Chapter 2: Safety First. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.