On a New York State highway where there is no posted speed limit, the fastest you may legally drive is:
- 50 mph
- 55 mph ✓
- 60 mph
- 65 mph
Answer: B. 55 mph
On a New York State highway with no posted speed limit, the fastest you may legally drive is 55 mph.
Why this is the answer
The New York State Driver's Manual says that when no speed limit is posted, you must not drive more than 55 mph. It also notes that an expressway's limit is normally 55 mph, though 65 mph can appear where posted in some rural areas. The question asks about a highway with nothing posted, so the default ceiling is 55, not a higher posted rural limit. The manual also warns that conditions can make even lower speeds the safe choice, but that does not raise the legal maximum.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. 50 mph — The manual mentions 50 mph only as an example of a speed that could still be too fast for hazardous conditions; it is not the default maximum when no limit is posted.
- C. 60 mph — 60 mph is not given in the passages as a default highway maximum; the manual's no-posted-limit figure is 55 mph.
- D. 65 mph — 65 mph appears only as a limit that can be posted in some rural areas, so it does not apply when no limit is posted.
Remember it
Think "no sign, five-five": when the road is silent, the highway ceiling stays at 55 unless a sign raises it.
Official handbook: New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21), Chapter 8: Defensive Driving – Speed