Washington Speed and Following Distance Practice Questions

Speed and Following Distance questions

1. 1. What does a posted minimum speed limit mean?

   1. A. Driving below it is unlawful
   2. B. It is only advisory
   3. C. It applies only to trucks

   Answer: A — Driving below it is unlawful

   Where a minimum is posted, travelling below it obstructs traffic and is unlawful when conditions allow the minimum.

2. 2. Why is driving much slower than surrounding traffic hazardous?

   1. A. It uses more fuel
   2. B. It is always unlawful
   3. C. It creates speed differences

   Answer: C — It creates speed differences

   Crashes are driven by differences in speed, so a very slow vehicle in fast traffic creates repeated passing conflicts.

3. 3. What two components make up total stopping distance?

   1. A. Reaction time and steering input
   2. B. Thinking distance and braking distance
   3. C. Braking distance and tyre wear

   Answer: B — Thinking distance and braking distance

   Total stopping distance is the distance travelled while reacting plus the distance travelled while braking.

4. 4. What happens to braking distance as speed increases?

   1. A. It grows much faster than the increase in speed
   2. B. It grows in direct proportion to speed
   3. C. It stays roughly the same

   Answer: A — It grows much faster than the increase in speed

   Braking distance rises far more steeply than speed, which is why small speed increases lengthen stops dramatically.

5. 5. How can you protect yourself from a driver following too closely?

   1. A. Brake sharply to warn them
   2. B. Match their speed exactly
   3. C. Increase the space in front

   Answer: C — Increase the space in front

   With more room ahead, you can slow gently instead of braking hard in front of a tailgater.

6. 6. Why should you avoid driving directly beside a large truck?

   1. A. It is unlawful on interstate highways
   2. B. Trucks have large blind spots along both sides
   3. C. Trucks brake much faster than cars

   Answer: B — Trucks have large blind spots along both sides

   A truck's side blind spots are long; sitting in them means the driver cannot see you if they need to change lanes.

7. 7. What causes a skid in most cases?

   1. A. Asking more of the tyres than they can give
   2. B. A mechanical fault in the steering
   3. C. Under-inflated tyres alone

   Answer: A — Asking more of the tyres than they can give

   A skid begins when a driver demands more grip than the tyres and road surface can supply.

8. 8. What should you do if the rear of your vehicle begins to skid to the right?

   1. A. Brake hard and steer left
   2. B. Accelerate and hold the wheel straight
   3. C. Ease off and steer into the skid, to the right

   Answer: C — Ease off and steer into the skid, to the right

   Steering into the skid realigns the vehicle; hard braking usually deepens the loss of control.

9. 9. What is hydroplaning?

   1. A. The engine loses power in deep water
   2. B. Tyres riding on a film of water
   3. C. The brakes overheat and stop working

   Answer: B — Tyres riding on a film of water

   When water builds up faster than the tread can clear it, the tyre lifts off the surface and steering and braking are lost.

10. 10. What should you do if your vehicle begins to hydroplane?

    1. A. Ease off the accelerator and hold the wheel steady
    2. B. Brake firmly and steer toward the shoulder
    3. C. Accelerate to push through the water

    Answer: A — Ease off the accelerator and hold the wheel steady

    Sudden braking or steering while hydroplaning causes a spin when the tyres regain grip.

11. 11. Which factors make hydroplaning more likely?

    1. A. Low speed and freshly grooved new tyres
    2. B. Cold weather and a dry road surface
    3. C. Higher speed, worn tyres, and standing water

    Answer: C — Higher speed, worn tyres, and standing water

    Speed and tread depth determine how much water the tyre can move out of the way each revolution.

12. 12. What should you do if your brakes fail while driving?

    1. A. Steer into oncoming traffic to slow down
    2. B. Pump the pedal and use the parking brake
    3. C. Switch off the ignition immediately

    Answer: B — Pump the pedal and use the parking brake

    Pumping may restore pressure, and the parking brake plus engine braking can slow the vehicle to a controlled stop.

13. 13. What should you do if your accelerator sticks open?

    1. A. Shift to neutral, brake, and steer off the road
    2. B. Switch off the engine while moving at speed
    3. C. Pump the accelerator repeatedly and continue

    Answer: A — Shift to neutral, brake, and steer off the road

    Neutral disconnects the engine from the wheels while keeping the steering and brakes powered.

14. 14. Your right wheels drop off the pavement onto a soft shoulder. What is the correct response?

    1. A. Steer back onto the pavement immediately
    2. B. Brake hard and turn sharply left
    3. C. Ease off, hold the wheel, steer back when slowed

    Answer: C — Ease off, hold the wheel, steer back when slowed

    A sharp correction at speed can throw the vehicle across the road; slow first, then return gently.

15. 15. What should you do if a tyre blows out at speed?

    1. A. Steer sharply toward the shoulder
    2. B. Hold the wheel firmly and ease off the gas
    3. C. Brake hard immediately

    Answer: B — Hold the wheel firmly and ease off the gas

    Braking or steering hard after a blowout can spin the vehicle; a gradual slowdown keeps it straight.

16. 16. Why should you avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving?

    1. A. It overheats the brakes
    2. B. It wastes fuel only
    3. C. It has no effect at all

    Answer: A — It overheats the brakes

    Riding the brake wears and heats the system and makes your brake lights meaningless to following drivers.

17. 17. When descending a long steep grade, what is the safest technique?

    1. A. Ride the brakes continuously
    2. B. Coast in neutral
    3. C. Select a lower gear

    Answer: C — Select a lower gear

    Engine braking keeps the service brakes cool and available; continuous braking causes fade.

18. 18. What is the correct speed to travel through a curve?

    1. A. Accelerate hard on entry
    2. B. Slow before it, steady through it
    3. C. Brake through the whole curve

    Answer: B — Slow before it, steady through it

    Braking should be done before the curve so that the tyres' grip is available for steering within it.

19. 19. Why should you increase following distance when being tailgated in heavy traffic?

    1. A. It lets you slow gradually, not hard
    2. B. It encourages the tailgater to pass sooner
    3. C. It has no safety benefit

    Answer: A — It lets you slow gradually, not hard

    Gradual slowing protects you from the vehicle behind, which has less room than you do.

20. 20. How does keeping a space cushion help when a vehicle ahead stops suddenly?

    1. A. It reduces your reaction time
    2. B. It transfers responsibility to the other driver
    3. C. It gives you room to react and brake in time

    Answer: C — It gives you room to react and brake in time

    Reaction distance is fixed by human limits; only following distance can absorb it.

21. 21. What is the safest way to steer through an emergency swerve?

    1. A. Brake hard while turning the wheel fully
    2. B. Look where you want to go
    3. C. Fix your eyes on the obstacle

    Answer: B — Look where you want to go

    Drivers steer where they look, and combining full braking with a hard swerve exceeds available grip.

22. 22. Why is speeding especially dangerous on a wet road?

    1. A. Traction is reduced, so stopping grows
    2. B. Speed limits are legally lower in rain
    3. C. Tyres grip better when wet

    Answer: A — Traction is reduced, so stopping grows

    Wet surfaces cut the grip available for both braking and steering, so the same speed demands more distance.

23. 23. How should you brake normally in a vehicle with anti-lock brakes in an emergency?

    1. A. Pump the pedal rapidly
    2. B. Apply light pressure only
    3. C. Press firmly and hold

    Answer: C — Press firmly and hold

    Anti-lock systems modulate pressure themselves; pumping defeats them.

24. 24. When stopped behind another vehicle in traffic, how much space should you leave?

    1. A. Two full car lengths at all times
    2. B. Enough to see its rear tyres
    3. C. Just enough to avoid contact

    Answer: B — Enough to see its rear tyres

    That gap leaves room to pull around if the vehicle ahead stalls and absorbs a shunt from behind.

25. 25. What increases thinking distance?

    1. A. Fatigue, distraction, alcohol, and drugs
    2. B. Cold weather and a heavy vehicle load
    3. C. Worn tyres and low tyre pressure

    Answer: A — Fatigue, distraction, alcohol, and drugs

    Anything that slows perception and decision lengthens the distance travelled before braking begins.

26. 26. What should you do if your vehicle stalls on a railway crossing and a train is coming?

    1. A. Stay in the vehicle and brace
    2. B. Try to restart the engine until the last moment
    3. C. Get out and move away at an angle toward the train

    Answer: C — Get out and move away at an angle toward the train

    Moving toward and away from the train at an angle keeps you clear of debris thrown forward by the impact.

27. 27. How does speed affect the severity of a crash?

    1. A. It has no effect on severity
    2. B. Crash energy rises sharply with speed
    3. C. It affects only the stopping distance

    Answer: B — Crash energy rises sharply with speed

    Kinetic energy rises with the square of speed, so a modest speed increase greatly worsens an impact.

28. 28. What should you do when entering a lower-speed zone?

    1. A. Slow to the new limit before the sign
    2. B. Slow gradually over the next block
    3. C. Maintain speed until traffic slows

    Answer: A — Slow to the new limit before the sign

    The new limit applies from the sign, so the deceleration belongs before it.

29. 29. Why should you reduce speed on a road with many driveways and side streets?

    1. A. The speed limit is legally lower there
    2. B. It reduces tyre wear
    3. C. Traffic can enter with little warning

    Answer: C — Traffic can enter with little warning

    Frequent access points multiply the number of potential conflicts per mile.

30. 30. Why is following distance more important than reaction speed?

    1. A. Distance has no effect on stopping
    2. B. Reaction time is largely fixed
    3. C. Reaction time can be trained away

    Answer: B — Reaction time is largely fixed

    You cannot meaningfully shorten perception and reaction time, so the space you leave is the variable that matters.