Speed Limits & Following Distance — Arizona
Arizona CDL practice test: 413 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Speed Limits & Following Distance: 8 questions.
Posted speed limits, school and construction zones, stopping and following distance.
This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines.
| Topic / Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Topic | Speed Limits & Following Distance |
| License test | Arizona CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 8 (2% of 413 total) |
| Review status | This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines. |
Official handbook
Not yet verified
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Questions (8)
1. What is the number one cause of death and injury in a work zone?
- Drivers speeding ✓
- Slow drivers
- Animals crossing the road
Answer: A. Drivers speeding
The number one cause is drivers speeding. The work zone section of the handbook names speeding as the leading source of injuries and deaths in roadway work zones. It tells you to watch the posted limit when you approach and drive through the zone, to keep checking your speedometer so your speed does not creep up on long construction stretches, and to slow further for bad weather, poor road conditions, or a worker close to the roadway. That is why speeding is the answer.
2. When driving a tank vehicle, a driver should:
- Increase their following distance. ✓
- Make sudden stops.
- Swerve periodically.
Answer: A. Increase their following distance.
A driver of a tank vehicle should increase their following distance. The tank vehicle section says to brake well before a stop and allow more following distance. It also says that because the load has a high center of gravity and liquid can surge, you need to start, slow down, stop, turn, and change lanes smoothly. More space ahead fits that rule: it gives you room to slow down gradually instead of making a quick stop that could upset the load.
3. On a curve, the posted speed limit:
- Is safe to be driven in any vehicle.
- Can still permit a vehicle to tip over. ✓
- Is understood to be the minimum legal speed limit.
Answer: B. Can still permit a vehicle to tip over.
The posted speed limit on a curve can still permit a vehicle to tip over. The handbook says drivers must adjust their speed for curves. If you enter too fast, either the tires lose grip and you skid off the road, or they keep grip and the vehicle rolls over. It notes that tests showed a truck with a high center of gravity may roll over even when traveling at the curve's posted limit. So the posted number is not a guarantee that every vehicle can take the curve safely; slow to a safe speed before entering and do not exceed the posted limit.
4. The weight of a truck:
- Usually has no impact on stopping distance.
- Is a major factor affecting stopping distance. ✓
- Is not as important as the type of cargo in determining stopping distance.
Answer: B. Is a major factor affecting stopping distance.
The weight of a truck is a major factor affecting stopping distance. The handbook's section on speed and stopping distance includes a discussion of how vehicle weight affects stopping distance. It says the heavier the vehicle, the more work the brakes have to do to stop it, and the more heat they absorb. That means a loaded or heavy truck takes more braking effort than a light one, so weight is a big factor in how long it takes to stop, not a minor detail you can ignore when judging your following distance and speed.
5. Scan the road ____ ahead of your vehicle.
- Two to three seconds
- Five to six seconds
- 12 to 15 seconds ✓
Answer: C. 12 to 15 seconds
Scan the road 12 to 15 seconds ahead of your vehicle. The handbook says most good drivers look far enough ahead to cover the distance they will travel in 12 to 15 seconds. At lower speeds that is roughly one block, and at highway speeds it is about a quarter mile. Looking that far gives you room to stop or change lanes without sudden moves. It also says you should not ignore nearby traffic; good drivers move their attention between near and far. A two-to-three-second or five-to-six-second scan is shorter than the handbook's guideline.
6. If a worker is present in a work zone, you should:
- Continue driving at the posted speed limit.
- Slow to a speed under the posted speed limit. ✓
- Drive in the grass.
Answer: B. Slow to a speed under the posted speed limit.
You should slow to a speed under the posted speed limit when a worker is present in a work zone. The handbook's work-zone section says speeding traffic is the leading cause of injury and death there. It tells you to observe posted limits and watch that your speed does not creep up. It also says to decrease speed for bad weather or road conditions, and to decrease it even further when a worker is close to the roadway. That extra reduction means going below the posted limit around workers.
7. An Individual Vehicle Distance Record (IVDR) does not need to include which of the following?
- The dates of a trip
- The total distance traveled
- The number of vehicles passed ✓
Answer: C. The number of vehicles passed
An Individual Vehicle Distance Record does not need to include the number of vehicles passed. The handbook describes the IVDR as a trip record that shows the distance traveled and the fuel purchased for a vehicle running interstate under apportioned registration and IFTA credentials. It also says that although the layout of the form can differ, the information required for proper record keeping stays the same, and the licensee must keep records that back up the quarterly tax return. Counting the vehicles you pass has nothing to do with miles driven or fuel burned, so it falls outside what the record is meant to capture.
8. When in heavy traffic, the safest driving speed is:
- Slower than the speed being driven by surrounding traffic.
- The same speed being driven by surrounding traffic. ✓
- Faster than the speed being driven by surrounding traffic.
Answer: B. The same speed being driven by surrounding traffic.
In heavy traffic, the safest speed is the same speed the surrounding traffic is driving. The handbook says directly that when traffic is heavy you should travel at the speed of other vehicles, because vehicles moving the same direction at the same speed are not likely to run into one another. It adds that you should drive with the flow of traffic if you can do so without going at an illegal or unsafe speed. That is why matching surrounding traffic is the correct choice, not picking a speed above or below the pack.
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Source
Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook