You are driving on a freeway posted for 65 mph. Most of the other vehicles are driving 70 mph or faster. You may legally drive:
- 70 mph or faster to keep up with the speed of traffic.
- etween 65 mph and 70 mph.
- No faster than 65 mph. ✓
Answer: C. No faster than 65 mph.
You may legally drive no faster than 65 mph.
Why this is the answer
The handbook says the ideal maximum speed limit on most California highways is 65 mph unless signs post something different. Here the freeway is posted for 65 mph, so that posted number is your legal ceiling. Other vehicles traveling 70 mph or faster does not raise it. The Basic Speed Law still requires you to drive no faster than is safe for conditions, and the speed of other vehicles is only one factor to consider. Keep your speed at or below 65 mph.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. 70 mph or faster to keep up with the speed of traffic. — Keeping up with faster traffic does not authorize going above the posted 65 mph maximum, even though the handbook lists other vehicles' speed as a factor in choosing a safe speed.
- B. etween 65 mph and 70 mph. — Driving between 65 mph and 70 mph means going above the posted 65 mph maximum, which the handbook does not allow here.
Remember it
Treat the posted number as a ceiling, not as a pace to match; faster traffic does not raise it.
Official handbook: California Driver Handbook (DL 600), Section 8: Safe Driving, p. 67