Speed Limits & Following Distance — Delaware
Delaware motorcycle permit practice test: 282 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Speed Limits & Following Distance: 21 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 | Delaware Motorcycle permit test |
| Topic questions | 21 (7% of 282 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
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Questions (21)
1. When riding at night:
- Ride on the shoulder of the road.
- Decrease your following distance.
- Increase your following distance. ✓
Answer: C. Increase your following distance.
When riding at night, increase your following distance, opening up a three-second gap or more. The manual explains that at night it is harder to see and be seen, and that distances are harder to judge because your eyes depend on shadows and light contrasts to tell how far away something is and how fast it is approaching. Its listed response is to open up a three-second following distance or more at night, and to allow more room when passing or being passed. A larger gap matches the reduced ability to judge distance after dark.
2. Under normal conditions, a motorcyclist should maintain a following distance of at least:
- Two seconds. ✓
- Three seconds.
- Four seconds.
Answer: A. Two seconds.
Under normal conditions, maintain a following distance of at least two seconds. The manual says following too closely is a common factor in motorcycle crashes and that motorcycles normally need a minimum of two seconds behind the vehicle ahead. To check it, pick a marker such as a pavement marking or lamppost. When the rear of the vehicle ahead passes it, count “one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two.” If you reach the marker before you finish counting, you are too close. The manual says this gap gives you minimum room to stop or swerve and a better view of hazards.
3. In areas where dangers could be present, a motorcyclist should:
- Maintain their speed.
- Assume they will be safe.
- Cover the clutch and both brake levers to reduce their reaction time. ✓
Answer: C. Cover the clutch and both brake levers to reduce their reaction time.
In areas where dangers could be present, cover the clutch and both brake levers so you can react faster. The manual names intersections, shopping areas, and school and construction zones as places where risk is higher. In those settings it says to cover the clutch and both brakes. Having your hands already on those controls shortens the time it takes to brake or use the clutch when something happens. Another page gives the same advice as a way to cut reaction time. That is why the correct choice is the one about covering the clutch and both brake levers.
4. Which of the following is not a benefit of maintaining a space cushion between your motorcycle and other vehicles?
- You will have time to react to hazards.
- You will have space to maneuver.
- You will have more time to accelerate when entering a curve. ✓
Answer: C. You will have more time to accelerate when entering a curve.
The statement that is not a benefit is that you will have more time to accelerate when entering a curve. The manual ties a space cushion to having time to react to conditions, as when it says riders use single file on an off-ramp for better space cushion and reaction time. It does not describe a cushion as giving you extra time to speed up as you enter a curve. Its curve guidance is to slow before entering a corner or curve, then accelerate gradually as you exit. So having more time to accelerate on curve entry is not a space-cushion benefit.
5. A good way to handle a tailgater is to:
- Speed up.
- Allow them to get in front of you. ✓
- Make gestures at them.
Answer: B. Allow them to get in front of you.
Allow the tailgater to get in front of you. The manual says speeding up to lose a close follower can just leave you with someone tailgating at a higher speed. Its better approach is to get the tailgater in front of you; the same section says to let them pass, and if you cannot, slow down and leave extra space ahead so both of you have room to stop. That is why allowing them to get in front is the recommended choice.
6. When riding at night, you should:
- Move closer to the vehicle in front of you so you can use its lights to see farther down the road.
- Keep riding at your normal speed to lower the risk of being struck from behind.
- Reduce your speed and increase your following distance. ✓
Answer: C. Reduce your speed and increase your following distance.
At night, you should reduce your speed and increase your following distance. The manual says darkness makes it harder for you to see and be seen. To make up for that, ride slower than you would during the day, especially on roads you do not know well, and open up a following distance of three seconds or more. It also notes that distances are harder to judge at night. Slowing down and leaving more room gives you a better chance to spot and avoid a hazard.
7. The best way to stay out of trouble while riding a motorcycle is to:
- Look well ahead of your motorcycle. ✓
- Avoid high-density traffic areas.
- Ride at speeds faster than the speed limit.
Answer: A. Look well ahead of your motorcycle.
The best way to stay out of trouble while riding is to look well ahead of your motorcycle, scanning the road far in front of you rather than just at the pavement right in front of the wheel. The manual puts looking well ahead right into its riding technique. When it describes maximum straight-line braking, it tells you to keep your body centered and look well ahead, not down, because that keeps the motorcycle straight and reduces lean angle and the chance the tires lose traction. It also advises planning well ahead so you don't need sudden turns or swerving. Looking far down the road is what lets you spot trouble early enough to brake or adjust smoothly instead of reacting at the last second.
8. Under ideal conditions, maintain a following distance of at least:
- One second.
- Two seconds. ✓
- Three seconds.
Answer: B. Two seconds.
Under ideal conditions, keep at least a two-second following distance behind the vehicle ahead. The manual says following too closely is a common factor in motorcycle crashes and that motorcycles need as much room to stop as cars. It states a minimum of two seconds should normally be maintained when following a vehicle. You check it by picking a marker ahead, counting off two seconds from when the rear of the vehicle ahead passes it, and treating an early arrival at the marker as a sign you are too close.
9. Increase your following distance if:
- It is raining. ✓
- There is light traffic.
- It is sunny.
Answer: A. It is raining.
10. When passing a vehicle, you:
- May exceed the speed limit by 10 mph.
- Must not exceed the speed limit. ✓
- Are required to ride faster than the speed limit.
Answer: B. Must not exceed the speed limit.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Not yet verified
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook