If the roadway is wet or icy, you should:

1. Reduce your speed. ✓
2. Drive at the posted speed.
3. Speed up.

Answer: A. Reduce your speed.

Reduce your speed when the roadway is wet or icy.

Why this is the answer

The California handbook says rain, snow, or mud can make roads slippery, so you should drive slower than on a dry road. It gives specific reductions for wet roads, packed snow, and ice, and it says to slow down at the first sign of rain, drizzle, or snow. The Basic Speed Law also says you may not drive faster than is safe for current conditions, regardless of the posted limit. Wet or icy pavement is exactly the kind of condition that calls for less speed.

Why the other answers are wrong

• B. Drive at the posted speed. — Driving at the posted speed is wrong because the posted limit is not a safe target when the road is wet or icy; the handbook says your speed must fit the current road conditions.
• C. Speed up. — Speeding up is wrong because wet or icy pavement is slippery, and the handbook says to slow down rather than go faster in those conditions.

Remember it

When the road turns slick, your speed should go down.