Speed Limits & Following Distance — California
California motorcycle permit practice test: 329 free practice questions (19 official sample questions · Official driver handbook). Official test format: Multiple choice, pass mark 80% (DMV does not publish the question count). Speed Limits & Following Distance: 24 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 | California Motorcycle permit test |
| Topic questions | 24 (7% of 329 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
California Motorcycle Handbook (DL 665) ✓ Verified from official source
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Questions (24)
1. To avoid confusing other drivers you should:
- Increase the following distance between your motorcycle and the vehicle in front of you if you are being tailgated.
- Make sure your turn signal turns off after you finish a turn. ✓
- Use your horn only in emergency situations.
Answer: B. Make sure your turn signal turns off after you finish a turn.
Make sure your turn signal turns off after you finish a turn. The manual says signals tell others what you plan to do, and turning the signal on before a turn reduces confusion. It also warns that after you turn, you must make sure the signal is off; otherwise a driver may pull into your path because it looks like you intend to turn again. That is why the correct action is checking that the turn signal has canceled after the turn.
2. _________ is a major factor in collisions caused by motorcycles.
- Following too closely ✓
- Lane sharing
- Not being seen by other drivers
Answer: A. Following too closely
Following too closely is a major factor in collisions involving motorcycles. The manual states plainly that following too closely is a frequent factor in crashes involving motorcyclists. It also explains that motorcycles need as much stopping distance as cars, so a rider should normally keep at least two seconds of following distance and use that gap to check their distance from the vehicle ahead. Keeping that space is the habit the manual ties directly to this crash factor.
3. A motorcycle rider has an advantage over an automobile driver when passing parked vehicles because:
- A motorcycle can accelerate faster than a car.
- A motorcycle rider can avoid the problems of opening doors and people stepping out from between vehicles by driving in the left part of the lane. ✓
- Motorcycles have a shorter stopping distance.
Answer: B. A motorcycle rider can avoid the problems of opening doors and people stepping out from between vehicles by driving in the left part of the lane.
The advantage is that a motorcycle rider can ride in the left part of the lane and avoid opening doors and people stepping out from between parked vehicles. The manual tells riders passing parked cars to stay toward the left of their lane. From that position, a rider has more room to deal with doors opening, drivers getting out, and people stepping from between cars. Those are the parked-car hazards the manual lists. Acceleration and stopping distance are not the reason given here; the manual ties the advantage to lane position and avoiding these hazards.
4. What is the best way to stay out of trouble while riding a motorcycle?
- To see it coming by looking well ahead. ✓
- By avoiding high density traffic areas.
- By increasing the following distance between your motorcycle and the vehicle in front of you.
Answer: A. To see it coming by looking well ahead.
5. When being followed by a tailgater, you should:
- Allow them to pass. ✓
- Speed up.
- Not change how you are riding.
Answer: A. Allow them to pass.
You should allow the tailgater to pass. The manual says that speeding up to lose a close follower can leave you being tailgated at a higher speed. Instead, it advises getting the tailgater in front of you by letting them pass. If you cannot let them pass, slow down and leave extra room ahead so both of you have room to stop; this also encourages a pass. That supports allowing the tailgater to pass rather than speeding up or just carrying on unchanged.
6. You should maintain an increased following distance:
- If the pavement is slippery. ✓
- If traffic is light.
- If you can see through the vehicles in front of you to determine traffic conditions.
Answer: A. If the pavement is slippery.
You should open up a larger following distance when the pavement is slippery. The manual describes the two-second gap as a minimum space for stopping or swerving if the vehicle ahead stops suddenly, and says a larger cushion is needed when your motorcycle will take longer than normal to stop. It then lists the situations that call for three seconds or more, and slippery pavement is one of them. So when traction is poor, you give yourself more room.
7. When attempting to pass another vehicle, you should:
- Ride within the posted speed limits. ✓
- Exceed the posted speed limit to complete the pass, but not by more than 10 mph.
- Pass more than one vehicle at a time.
Answer: A. Ride within the posted speed limits.
When you pass another vehicle, you must finish the pass within the posted speed limit. The passing section of the manual walks you through the move: set up in the left portion of the lane at a safe following distance, signal, check mirrors and turn your head for the blind spot, then move into the left lane and accelerate. It closes by saying passes must be completed within posted speed limits and only where permitted. So speed is one of the limits on a pass, not something you get to trade away to finish it faster.
8. Usually a good way to handle tailgaters is to:
- Get off the roadway.
- Change lanes and let them pass. ✓
- Ride faster.
Answer: B. Change lanes and let them pass.
Change lanes and let the tailgater pass. The manual's tailgater item gives the answer as changing lanes and letting the tailgater pass. The rider section also says to let them pass; if you cannot, it says to slow down and open extra space ahead, and it mentions turning off the roadway as a fallback. That makes changing lanes and letting them pass the usual response, rather than trying to outrun the vehicle behind you.
9. When being followed by a tailgater, you should:
- Change lanes and let them pass or slow down to allow for more space ahead of your motorcycle. ✓
- Ignore them.
- Increase your speed.
Answer: A. Change lanes and let them pass or slow down to allow for more space ahead of your motorcycle.
Change lanes and let the tailgater pass; if you cannot, slow down and leave more space ahead of your motorcycle. The manual says a good way to handle a tailgater is to change lanes and let them pass. If that is not possible, slow down and open extra space ahead so both you and the tailgater have room to stop. That extra space also encourages the tailgater to pass, and if they do not, it gives both of you more time and room to react to an emergency ahead.
10. If a motorcycle is towing a trailer, the motorcyclist's following distance should:
- Increase. ✓
- Decrease.
- Be the same as it normally would be.
Answer: A. Increase.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Not yet verified
Updated: · 19 official sample questions · Official driver handbook