Unless otherwise posted, the speed limit in a residential area is:
- 20 mph.
- 25 mph. ✓
- 30 mph.
Answer: B. 25 mph.
Unless a sign says otherwise, the speed limit in a business or residential district is 25 mph.
Why this is the answer
The handbook lists 25 mph as the limit for business or residential districts, and adds that this applies unless a different speed is posted. So in a residential area with no posted sign, 25 mph is the number to hold in mind. Keep in mind this is a default figure, not a target: the handbook also says you must never drive faster than conditions allow, so you may need to go slower than 25 mph when people, parked cars, or weather call for it.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. 20 mph. — 20 mph is not the limit the handbook gives for a residential district; the 15 mph figure it does mention applies to alleys, which is a different kind of road.
- C. 30 mph. — 30 mph is not the residential district limit in the handbook, which sets that limit at 25 mph unless a sign posts something else.
Remember it
Picture a house-lined street with no sign in sight and say the number out loud: twenty-five.