Speed Limits & Following Distance — Hawaii

Hawaii motorcycle permit practice test: 342 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: 18 questions. Updated

Posted speed limits, school and construction zones, stopping and following distance.

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Topic / MetricValue
TopicSpeed Limits & Following Distance
License testHawaii Motorcycle permit test
Topic questions18 (5% of 342 total)
Review statusThis 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 (18)

1. What can help reduce the risk of a head or neck injury in the event of a crash?
  1. Riding on the shoulder
  2. Riding under the speed limit
  3. Wearing a helmet ✓
  4. Not allowing a passenger on the motorcycle

Answer: C. Wearing a helmet

Wearing a helmet is what can help reduce the risk of a head or neck injury in a crash. The manual says one in five motorcycle crashes causes head or neck injuries, and those injuries account for most serious and fatal motorcyclist injuries. It also states that, with few exceptions, properly wearing a quality helmet reduces head and neck injuries, and that a helmet can cut their number and severity. That is why the helmet choice fits the question: the manual treats a securely fastened, quality helmet as the most important thing you can do to improve your chances in a crash.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 4
2. Under normal conditions, you should maintain a minimum following distance of:
  1. One second.
  2. Two seconds. ✓
  3. Three seconds.
  4. Four seconds.

Answer: B. Two seconds.

Under normal conditions, keep at least a two-second following distance. 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 sets a normal minimum of two seconds behind the vehicle ahead. That gap gives you a minimum amount of room to stop or swerve if the driver ahead stops suddenly, and it helps you see potholes and other road hazards sooner.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 15
3. In which of the following situations should you increase your following distance?
  1. Traffic is light.
  2. Traffic is heavy. ✓
  3. You are able to see the roadway through vehicles in front of you.
  4. There is pleasant and clear weather.

Answer: B. Traffic is heavy.

Increase your following distance when traffic is heavy. The manual sets a normal minimum of two seconds behind a vehicle. It then says to open up a three-second or larger gap when traffic is heavy and another driver might pull into the space in front of you. A bigger cushion gives you more room to stop or swerve if the vehicle ahead stops suddenly. The same passage also calls for extra space on slippery pavement or when you cannot see through the vehicle ahead, but it does not list light traffic or clear weather as reasons to lengthen the gap.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 15
4. A good way to handle tailgaters is to:
  1. Change lanes and let them pass. ✓
  2. Ignore them.
  3. Use your horn and make obscene gestures.
  4. Speed up to put distance between you and the tailgater.

Answer: A. Change lanes and let them pass.

Change lanes and let the tailgater pass. The manual's advice on tailgaters starts with moving out of the way so the other driver can get by. If you can't change lanes and let them pass, the next step it gives is to slow down and open extra room ahead, so both you and the tailgater have space to stop and the follower is encouraged to go around. Turning off the road and coming back later, or pulling into a parking area, is also listed as a way to handle it. The point is to give yourself room instead of staying boxed in.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 4
5. To reduce your reaction time, you should:
  1. Shift into neutral when slowing.
  2. Cover the clutch and the brakes. ✓
  3. Pull in the clutch when turning.
  4. Ride under the speed limit.

Answer: B. Cover the clutch and the brakes.

Cover the clutch and the brakes to reduce your reaction time. The manual's review item asks this exact question and gives covering the clutch lever and the brakes as the answer. The text explains why in high-risk places such as intersections, shopping areas, school zones, and construction zones: with the clutch and both brakes already covered, the time you need to react is shorter. It also applies this at intersections when a driver may cross your path. So the right habit is to have your controls ready, not to change gears or ride below the limit.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 5
6. How does the stopping distance for motorcycles compare to the stopping distance for cars?
  1. Cars need much longer to stop.
  2. Cars need a little longer to stop.
  3. Motorcycles need longer to stop.
  4. Both motorcycles and cars take about the same amount of time to stop. ✓

Answer: D. Both motorcycles and cars take about the same amount of time to stop.

Motorcycles and cars take about the same amount of time and distance to stop, so a rider should not count on stopping shorter than the car behind expects. The manual says plainly that in traffic, a motorcycle needs as much distance to stop as a car. That is why the same two-second following gap applies when you ride behind another vehicle: the space is measured for the stop you would actually need, not for a shorter one. So the idea that a bike can always pull up in a shorter distance than a car is wrong, and you should plan your following distance the same way a car driver would.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 15
7. When riding under ideal conditions, you should maintain a minimum following distance of:
  1. One second.
  2. Two seconds. ✓
  3. Three seconds.
  4. Four seconds.

Answer: B. Two seconds.

Under ideal conditions, you should keep a minimum following distance of two seconds. The manual says a motorcycle normally needs a minimum two-second gap when following a vehicle, and it describes a two-second gap as the least space needed to stop or swerve if the vehicle ahead stops suddenly. It also says to count seconds after the rear of the vehicle passes a marker; reaching the marker before you finish counting to two means you are too close. The two-second figure is the normal minimum, while slippery pavement, poor view through the vehicle, or heavy traffic call for more.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 15
8. If someone is tailgating you, you should:
  1. Ride faster to shake them.
  2. Alert the local police.
  3. Ride on the shoulder of the road.
  4. Allow them to pass. ✓

Answer: D. Allow them to pass.

Allow the tailgating driver to pass you. The manual treats a tailgater as someone you want in front of you, not behind you. It says to let the person pass. If that is not possible, slow down and leave more room ahead so both of you have stopping space; that gap can also make passing easier. It also mentions leaving the road or using a parking area. Those steps point to allowing the pass rather than speeding away.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 17
9. When may you not need to increase your following distance?
  1. When the road is slippery
  2. When there is a lot of traffic
  3. When you can see through the vehicle in front of you ✓
  4. When it is raining

Answer: C. When you can see through the vehicle in front of you

You may not need to increase your following distance when you can see through the vehicle in front of you. The manual says a motorcycle normally needs at least a two-second following distance. It then lists when to open up to three seconds or more: when the pavement is slippery, when you cannot see through the vehicle ahead, or when heavy traffic means someone may squeeze in front of you. Being able to see through the vehicle removes the visibility reason for a bigger gap, so that condition alone does not require you to increase it.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 15
10. When riding at night, how should your following distance compare to your following distance during the day?
  1. You should allow a longer following distance when following another vehicle at night. ✓
  2. You should allow a shorter following distance when following another vehicle at night.
  3. You should always maintain the same following distance regardless of the time of day.
  4. Following distance really doesn’t matter.

Answer: A. You should allow a longer following distance when following another vehicle at night.

At night you should allow a longer following distance than you do during the day. The manual says that at night it is harder for you to see and be seen, and that distances are harder to judge because your eyes depend on shadows and light contrasts. To make up for that, it tells riders to open up a three-second following distance or more, which is longer than the two-second minimum described for normal daytime following. It also says to allow more room when passing and being passed. So the night rule is built around giving yourself extra space, not the same space or less.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 7
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source

Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook