Driving Safely
What this domain tests
Driving Safely asks you to apply the basic speed law, choose a safe following distance, scan ahead, and respond correctly to skids, railroad crossings, night glare, and distractions. The exam favors scenarios where several answers sound reasonable but only one matches the rule.
Core rules
- Drive at a speed that lets you stop within the clear distance ahead. Posted limits are maximums, not targets.
- Scan 12–15 seconds ahead and keep an escape route open.
- Following distance: use one second for every 10 feet of vehicle length below 40 mph; add one second above 40 mph.
- In a skid, steer in the direction you want the front of the vehicle to go. Hard braking makes most skids worse.
- At railroad crossings, stop unless the tracks are clear, look and listen, and do not shift gears while crossing.
- Distraction includes eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, and mind off the drive.
Worked example
A 70-foot combination is traveling at 55 mph. Base following distance is 7 seconds (70 ÷ 10). Because the speed is above 40 mph, add 1 second, giving 8 seconds. At 35 mph the same vehicle would use 7 seconds with no addition. In rain, the 8-second gap is a minimum, not a target.
Traps that cost marks
Using a car-style 3-second gap; counting seconds only after the vehicle ahead has completely passed; braking hard in a skid; entering a crossing before there is room on the far side; and treating the posted speed as safe for fog, rain, or heavy traffic.