Which of the following are factors commonly contributing to traffic crashes?
- Exceeding the posted speed limit and driving too fast for conditions or circumstances. ✓
- Getting adequate rest and staying alert.
- Scanning the environment and staying focused on the driving task.
Answer: A. Exceeding the posted speed limit and driving too fast for conditions or circumstances.
Exceeding the posted speed limit and driving too fast for the conditions or circumstances are factors that contribute to traffic crashes.
Why this is the answer
The handbook says you must obey the speed limit, and it explains that the posted number is not always the safe number. On slippery or foggy roads, the safe speed can be much lower, and driving faster than is reasonable for the conditions can get you a ticket. That makes speed that is too high for the road or weather a clear risk. The other choices describe alert, focused driving, which the handbook treats as safe habits rather than crash contributors.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. Getting adequate rest and staying alert. — Getting adequate rest and staying alert is a safe driving habit, not a factor that contributes to crashes.
- C. Scanning the environment and staying focused on the driving task. — Scanning the environment and staying focused on the driving task is careful driving behavior, not a crash contributor.
Remember it
Remember it as a speed choice: the posted limit is a cap, and conditions can make the safe speed lower.