Speed Limits & Following Distance — Ohio
Ohio CDL practice test: 388 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 | Ohio CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 14 (4% of 388 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
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Questions (14)
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. A ramp's posted speed limit:
- Is suitable for all vehicles.
- Is suitable for some vehicles, but may be too fast for a large CMV. ✓
- Is just a suggestion and may be exceeded.
Answer: B. Is suitable for some vehicles, but may be too fast for a large CMV.
A ramp's posted speed limit is suitable for some vehicles, but it may be too fast for a large CMV. The handbook says off ramps and on ramps often have posted speed limit signs, and it warns that those speeds may be safe for automobiles but may not be safe for larger or heavily loaded vehicles. That is why the sign is not a guarantee for your truck. A downhill exit that also turns is especially risky because the downgrade makes it hard to slow down, and braking while turning is dangerous. The safe approach is to be going slowly enough before you reach the curved part of the ramp.
5. When traveling in heavy traffic, the safest driving speed is:
- The posted speed limit.
- The speed of surrounding traffic. ✓
- A speed much slower than the flow of surrounding traffic.
Answer: B. The speed of surrounding traffic.
In heavy traffic, the safest driving speed is the speed of surrounding traffic. The handbook's speed-and-traffic-flow rule says that in heavy traffic the safest speed is the speed of the other vehicles. Vehicles moving the same direction at the same speed are unlikely to run into each other. It also tells you to drive with the traffic flow if you can do so without going at an illegal or unsafe speed. That means matching surrounding traffic is the target, not simply holding the posted limit or crawling far below everyone else.
6. You should maintain at least ____ of following distance per every 10 feet of your vehicle when you are traveling more slowly than 40 mph.
- One second ✓
- Two seconds
- Three seconds
Answer: A. One second
You should keep at least one second of following distance for every 10 feet of your vehicle when traveling below 40 mph. The handbook gives a simple space-ahead rule: below 40 mph, allow at least one second for each 10 feet of vehicle length. It illustrates this with a 40-foot vehicle needing 4 seconds and a 60-foot vehicle needing 6 seconds. When speed goes above 40 mph, the handbook says to add one more second. The bank answer matches that rule for speeds under 40 mph.
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. If you are being tailgated while driving a large vehicle, do all of the following, except:
- Reduce your speed gradually.
- Increase your following distance.
- Increase your speed. ✓
Answer: C. Increase your speed.
Increase your speed is the one thing you should not do when a vehicle is tailgating you. The handbook's advice for a tailgater starts with avoiding quick changes: signal early and bring your speed down gradually rather than suddenly. It also says to open up the room in front of you, because that extra space means you won't have to make abrupt speed or direction changes and it gives the tailgater an easier chance to pass. On speeding up, the handbook is direct: don't. Being followed closely is safer at a low speed than at a high speed. So the item that does not belong on the list is increasing your speed.
9. 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.
10. 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.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook