Sharing the Road — Illinois Driver's License Practice Test

This chapter covers how a driver shares the road with everyone else on it — pedestrians (including those with disabilities), children near schools and playgrounds, motorcyclists, bicyclists, low-speed electric bikes and scooters, and large vehicles like trucks and buses. Each group has its own vulnerabilities and specific rules drivers need to understand.

Motorcycles get particular emphasis because most crashes happen at intersections when a car turns left in front of one — a motorcyclist is legally entitled to the full width of the lane, so a driver should never share a lane with one. Bicyclists get a similar protection: drivers must leave at least 3 feet of space when passing, the same minimum distance required when passing a pedestrian walking on the road.

A common mistake is assuming a motorcycle can safely share a lane with a car because there's visually enough room — it's against the rules regardless of how much space appears available. Drivers also often forget the specific response required near a disabled vehicle on a four-lane highway: change lanes away from it if it's safe, and if not, simply slow down.