Speed Limits & Following Distance — Maine
Maine CDL practice test: 373 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: 12 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 | Maine CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 12 (3% of 373 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
Not yet verified
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Questions (12)
1. On a slippery surface, stopping distance:
- Is longer than on a regular driving surface. ✓
- Is not as long as on a regular driving surface.
- Is about the same as on a regular driving surface.
Answer: A. Is longer than on a regular driving surface.
On a slippery surface, stopping distance is longer than on a regular driving surface. The handbook says traction is the friction between tires and the road, and slippery conditions reduce it. It states directly that it will take longer to stop when the road is slippery, and wet roads can double stopping distance. That is why you must slow down to stop within the same distance you would need on a dry road. The correct choice simply matches that rule: a slippery surface makes the stop take more distance, not less.
2. What is the number one cause of death and injury in a work zone?
- Drivers speeding ✓
- Slow drivers
- Animals crossing the road
Answer: A. Drivers speeding
The number one cause is drivers speeding. The work zone section of the handbook names speeding as the leading source of injuries and deaths in roadway work zones. It tells you to watch the posted limit when you approach and drive through the zone, to keep checking your speedometer so your speed does not creep up on long construction stretches, and to slow further for bad weather, poor road conditions, or a worker close to the roadway. That is why speeding is the answer.
3. If another driver is tailgating you, you should:
- Move into the left lane.
- Speed up.
- Increase the distance between you and the vehicle ahead. ✓
Answer: C. Increase the distance between you and the vehicle ahead.
When someone is tailgating you, increase the distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you. The handbook lists increasing your following distance as one of the things to do when you are being tailgated. Opening up room in front of you means you won't have to make sudden speed or direction changes, and it also gives the tailgater an easier chance to get around you. The same section warns against speeding up, since being tailgated at a low speed is safer than at a high speed, and it says to avoid tricks like flashing brake lights or turning on taillights.
4. A posted speed limit for cars:
- Is usually safe for buses.
- May be too fast for buses. ✓
- May be too slow for buses.
Answer: B. May be too fast for buses.
A posted speed limit for cars may be too fast for buses. The handbook's passenger section warns that a curve's posted speed is set with cars in mind. In good weather that number can still be too high for many buses. A bus that takes the curve too fast may roll over if traction is good, or slide off if traction is poor. That is why the car speed limit is not automatically safe for a bus.
5. What is a bobtail tractor?
- A tractor without a semi-trailer ✓
- A tractor with two semi-trailers
- A tractor that travels faster than the speed limit
Answer: A. A tractor without a semi-trailer
A bobtail tractor is a tractor without a semi-trailer. The handbook uses the term bobtail for a tractor that is running without a semi-trailer attached. It also warns that these tractors can be hard to stop smoothly and may take longer to stop than a fully loaded tractor-semitrailer. That description matches a tractor with no trailer, not a tractor pulling one or two trailers.
6. If you are braking on dry pavement while traveling at 55 mph, how much distance will brake lag add to your overall stopping distance?
- 32 feet ✓
- 45 feet
- 20 feet
Answer: A. 32 feet
Brake lag adds 32 feet to your overall stopping distance. The handbook explains that with air brakes there is a delay while air flows through the lines before the brakes actually work. At 55 mph on dry pavement, that brake lag distance is about 32 feet. The handbook also lists brake lag as one of the four parts of total stopping distance, along with perception, reaction, and braking distance. So the added distance from brake lag is 32 feet.
7. If being tailgated, you should:
- Increase your speed.
- Increase the amount of space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. ✓
- Make quick movements.
Answer: B. Increase the amount of space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
You should increase the amount of space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. The handbook says that when someone is tailgating you, opening up room ahead helps you avoid sudden speed or direction changes. It also gives the tailgater an easier chance to get around you. The same passage says not to speed up and to avoid quick changes, so the safe response is to create more following distance in front rather than reacting sharply or going faster.
8. When driving a 50-foot truck at 50 mph, your minimum following distance should be:
- Four seconds.
- Five seconds.
- Six seconds. ✓
Answer: C. Six seconds.
At 50 mph in a 50-foot truck, allow at least six seconds of following distance. The handbook's following-distance rule starts with one second for every ten feet of vehicle length, so a 50-foot truck gets a five-second base. It then says to add one second when your speed is above 40 mph. At 50 mph, that extra second brings the minimum to six seconds. The same passage shows the pattern with a 40-foot truck: four seconds normally, or five seconds over 40 mph.
9. If you are driving at a reduced speed in a construction zone when you spot a construction worker near the road, you should:
- Speed up.
- Stay at your current speed.
- Further reduce your speed. ✓
Answer: C. Further reduce your speed.
You should further reduce your speed when a construction worker is near the road. The handbook says speeding traffic is the leading cause of injury and death in roadway work zones. It tells you to observe posted limits, watch your speedometer so it does not creep up through long construction sections, and slow for bad weather or road conditions. It then says to decrease your speed even further when a worker is close to the roadway. Since you are already driving at a reduced speed in a construction zone, seeing a worker near the road calls for one more reduction, not holding steady or speeding up.
10. After two violations of any state law regarding hand-held mobile phone use:
- You will need to cancel your mobile phone service.
- Your CDL will be disqualified. ✓
- You will be required to drive 10 mph under the posted speed limit for a period of time.
Answer: B. Your CDL will be disqualified.
After two or more convictions for violating a state law on hand-held mobile phone use, your CDL will be disqualified. The handbook states that a CDL is disqualified after two or more convictions of any state law on hand-held mobile telephone use while operating a CMV. It adds that the disqualification lasts 60 days for a second offense within three years, and 120 days for three or more offenses within that period. The same section also bars motor carriers from requiring or letting drivers use hand-held phones, and it notes the first and later violations can bring civil penalties on the driver.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook