Which of the following is a requirement of California’s Basic Speed Law?
- Always drive the speed limit, regardless of conditions.
- Match your speed to that of your surrounding traffic.
- Never drive faster than is safe for current conditions. ✓
Answer: C. Never drive faster than is safe for current conditions.
The Basic Speed Law requires that you never drive faster than is safe for the current road conditions.
Why this is the answer
The handbook states plainly that in California you may never drive faster than what is safe for the road conditions at that moment, and it names this rule the Basic Speed Law. It tells you to manage your speed and slow down when conditions call for it. The posted speed limit does not settle the question by itself; your speed should depend on how many vehicles are on the road, how fast they are moving, the road surface, bicyclists or pedestrians, weather, and congestion. So the safe speed can be below the posted limit.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Always drive the speed limit, regardless of conditions. — The handbook says your speed should depend on conditions regardless of the posted speed limit, so treating the limit as something to always hit ignores the safety standard.
- B. Match your speed to that of your surrounding traffic. — The handbook lists the speed of other vehicles as only one of several conditions to consider, not as the thing your speed should match.
Remember it
Think of the posted number as a ceiling, not a target: conditions decide how far below it you actually drive.