Safe Driving Practices
Core concepts
Safe-driving questions test following distance, speed management, impairment, and distraction. Know the three-second following rule and extend it in rain, at night, or behind large vehicles. Understand that stopping distance equals perception distance plus reaction distance plus braking distance, and that wet or icy pavement greatly increases braking distance. Washington law sets a per se impairment threshold of 0.08% BAC for adults, and any detectable THC in the blood can support a DUI charge. Distracted driving, especially handheld phone use, is prohibited. Use headlights from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise and whenever visibility requires. Turn on headlights in rain, fog, and snow so other drivers can see you.
Traps
Watch for questions that frame a safe action as optional. Increasing following distance is always correct when conditions worsen. Do not assume the speed limit is always a safe speed; the basic speed rule requires driving at a reasonable speed for conditions. Remember that fatigue and prescription drugs can impair driving just as alcohol does. A common trap asks how to handle a skid: ease off the accelerator and steer where you want to go rather than slamming the brakes.
Rule of thumb
Use the four-second rule in poor conditions and add one second for each additional hazard (rain, darkness, a heavy load, or a tailgater ahead). More space is almost never the wrong answer.
Worked example
At 60 mph in rain, a three-second gap is too short; increase to four or more seconds and reduce speed so you can stop within the distance you can see.