Speed Limits & Following Distance — North Dakota
North Dakota CDL practice test: 419 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: 14 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 | North Dakota CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 14 (3% of 419 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 (14)
1. Stopping distance can be affected by:
- Speed. ✓
- Temperature.
- Time of day.
- Traffic.
Answer: A. Speed.
Stopping distance can be affected by speed; as speed increases, the distance needed to stop increases. The handbook's stopping-distance figure shows that braking distance grows sharply with speed: doubling speed makes braking distance four times longer, and tripling it makes it nine times longer. It also says high speeds increase stopping distances, while slowing down reduces braking distance. The total stopping-distance formula is perception distance plus reaction distance plus braking distance, and the air-brake section adds brake lag for those systems. Temperature and time of day do not appear as parts of that formula or as factors in the speed discussion.
2. How does doubling your speed from 20 mph to 40 mph affect your vehicle's braking distance?
- It stays about the same.
- It increases slightly.
- It doubles.
- It quadruples. ✓
Answer: D. It quadruples.
Doubling your speed from 20 mph to 40 mph makes the braking distance four times longer. The handbook's stopping-distance figure says that when you go from 20 to 40 mph, the impact is four times greater and the braking distance is also four times longer. So the increase is not a small change or just double; it is four times the distance. The same passage shows the pattern continues at higher speeds, which reinforces that speed has a strong effect on braking distance.
3. How many seconds of following distance per every 10 feet of vehicle should you maintain when traveling more slowly than 40 mph?
- One second ✓
- Two seconds
- Three seconds
- Four seconds
Answer: A. One second
When you are traveling slower than 40 mph, keep one second of following distance for every 10 feet of vehicle length. The handbook states the space-ahead rule directly: at least one second for each 10 feet of vehicle length at speeds below 40 mph, and at higher speeds you add one more second. So a 40-foot vehicle needs 4 seconds under 40 mph, and a 60-foot rig needs 6 seconds, matching the examples given. The passages also explain the reason for the rule: space ahead is what lets you stop if traffic in front of you slows suddenly, and following too closely is the most common cause of rear-end crashes for large vehicles.
4. When you double your speed from 20 to 40 mph, your vehicle's braking distance will become ____ times longer.
- Two
- Three
- Four ✓
- 10
Answer: C. Four
When you double your speed from 20 to 40 mph, your braking distance becomes four times longer. The handbook's chart on speed and stopping distance says that doubling speed from 20 to 40 mph makes the impact four times greater, and adds that braking distance is also four times longer. The same chart shows the pattern keeps climbing as speed rises: tripling speed gives nine times the distance, and 80 mph gives sixteen times. So the jump is not a simple doubling; it grows much faster than the speed itself.
5. Avoid needing to make sudden lane changes by:
- Using your horn to encourage other drivers to move out of your lane.
- Only driving slower than the posted speed limit.
- Watching the road ahead while driving. ✓
- Pulling off the road and waiting when there is high traffic.
Answer: C. Watching the road ahead while driving.
6. When driving a 50-foot truck at 50 mph, you should maintain a following distance of at least:
- Four seconds.
- Five seconds.
- Six seconds. ✓
- Eight seconds.
Answer: C. Six seconds.
Maintain at least six seconds of following distance when driving a 50-foot truck at 50 mph. The handbook's space-ahead rule starts with one second for every 10 feet of vehicle length at speeds below 40 mph. A 50-foot truck therefore needs five seconds at lower speeds. The same rule says to add one second when speed is above 40 mph. At 50 mph, that makes five plus one, or six seconds. The handbook's examples follow the same pattern for other vehicle lengths, and it also notes that slippery roads require much more stopping space.
7. If you are being tailgated, you should:
- Drive on the shoulder.
- Pull off the roadway.
- Drive faster.
- Allow the vehicle to pass. ✓
Answer: D. Allow the vehicle to pass.
If you are being tailgated, allow the vehicle to pass by holding a steady, low speed and leaving extra room in front of you so the tailgater can get around. The handbook lists specific responses for a tailgater: avoid quick changes by signaling early and slowing gradually, open up your following distance, and do not speed up. It notes that extra room ahead both reduces your need for sudden moves and makes it easier for the tailgater to get past you. So the goal is not to escape the tailgater but to make passing them easy and predictable. The handbook also warns against tricks like flashing brake lights or turning on taillights.
8. When driving on the expressway during the skills test, you should:
- Switch lanes frequently.
- Use your mirrors to check traffic as needed. ✓
- Drive on the left side of the lane.
- Drive above the posted speed limit.
Answer: B. Use your mirrors to check traffic as needed.
You should use your mirrors to check traffic as needed while driving on the expressway during the skills test. The handbook's expressway instructions tell you to check traffic and your mirrors thoroughly in all directions when you resume, and its general driving section calls for regular mirror checks to stay aware of traffic around you. That makes mirror use the expected habit during the on-road test. The same expressway section also says to merge smoothly and keep your vehicle centered in the proper lane, so the test is not asking you to wander in the lane or change lanes for no reason.
9. A driver should always:
- Stay in the right lane.
- Have an emergency plan. ✓
- Stay in the left lane.
- Drive faster than the posted speed limit.
Answer: B. Have an emergency plan.
A driver should always have an emergency plan. The handbook's defensive driving section tells you to keep scanning for hazards, but it also explains the reason you scan: hazards can turn into emergencies, and spotting them early gives you time to plan a way out. When you see a hazard, you should think about what could develop and decide what you would do, then be ready to act on that plan. The book calls this being a prepared, defensive driver who improves safety for yourself and everyone else on the road.
10. The Individual Vehicle Distance Record (IVDR) must include all of the following, except:
- The date of trip.
- The route of travel.
- The total distance traveled.
- The number of stops. ✓
Answer: D. The number of stops.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook