Speed Limits & Following Distance — Tennessee
Tennessee motorcycle permit practice test: 323 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: 24 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 | Tennessee Motorcycle permit test |
| Topic questions | 24 (7% of 323 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 (24)
1. Under normal conditions, a motorcyclist should maintain a following distance of at least:
- Two seconds. ✓
- Three seconds.
- Four seconds.
Answer: A. Two seconds.
Under normal conditions, maintain a following distance of at least two seconds. The manual says following too closely is a common factor in motorcycle crashes and that motorcycles normally need a minimum of two seconds behind the vehicle ahead. To check it, pick a marker such as a pavement marking or lamppost. When the rear of the vehicle ahead passes it, count “one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two.” If you reach the marker before you finish counting, you are too close. The manual says this gap gives you minimum room to stop or swerve and a better view of hazards.
2. When being followed by a tailgater, you should:
- Allow them to pass. ✓
- Speed up.
- Not change how you are riding.
Answer: A. Allow them to pass.
You should allow the tailgater to pass. The manual says that speeding up to lose a close follower can leave you being tailgated at a higher speed. Instead, it advises getting the tailgater in front of you by letting them pass. If you cannot let them pass, slow down and leave extra room ahead so both of you have room to stop; this also encourages a pass. That supports allowing the tailgater to pass rather than speeding up or just carrying on unchanged.
3. When attempting to pass another vehicle, you should:
- Ride within the posted speed limits. ✓
- Exceed the posted speed limit to complete the pass, but not by more than 10 mph.
- Pass more than one vehicle at a time.
Answer: A. Ride within the posted speed limits.
When you pass another vehicle, you must finish the pass within the posted speed limit. The passing section of the manual walks you through the move: set up in the left portion of the lane at a safe following distance, signal, check mirrors and turn your head for the blind spot, then move into the left lane and accelerate. It closes by saying passes must be completed within posted speed limits and only where permitted. So speed is one of the limits on a pass, not something you get to trade away to finish it faster.
4. Usually a good way to handle tailgaters is to:
- Get off the roadway.
- Change lanes and let them pass. ✓
- Ride faster.
Answer: B. Change lanes and let them pass.
Change lanes and let the tailgater pass. The manual's tailgater item gives the answer as changing lanes and letting the tailgater pass. The rider section also says to let them pass; if you cannot, it says to slow down and open extra space ahead, and it mentions turning off the roadway as a fallback. That makes changing lanes and letting them pass the usual response, rather than trying to outrun the vehicle behind you.
5. The best way to stay out of trouble while riding a motorcycle is to:
- Look well ahead of your motorcycle. ✓
- Avoid high-density traffic areas.
- Ride at speeds faster than the speed limit.
Answer: A. Look well ahead of your motorcycle.
The best way to stay out of trouble while riding is to look well ahead of your motorcycle, scanning the road far in front of you rather than just at the pavement right in front of the wheel. The manual puts looking well ahead right into its riding technique. When it describes maximum straight-line braking, it tells you to keep your body centered and look well ahead, not down, because that keeps the motorcycle straight and reduces lean angle and the chance the tires lose traction. It also advises planning well ahead so you don't need sudden turns or swerving. Looking far down the road is what lets you spot trouble early enough to brake or adjust smoothly instead of reacting at the last second.
6. Under ideal conditions, it is recommended that riders maintain a minimum following distance of:
- One second.
- Two seconds. ✓
- Three seconds.
Answer: B. Two seconds.
Under ideal conditions, keep at least a two-second following distance behind the vehicle ahead. The manual warns that following too closely is a common factor in motorcycle crashes, and it says a motorcycle needs the same stopping room as a car. It sets a minimum of two seconds of distance in normal traffic. The manual also explains the marker-counting method: pick a lamppost or pavement marking, start counting when the rear of the vehicle ahead passes it, and if you reach the marker before you finish counting to two, you are too close. That gap gives you room to stop or swerve and a better look at road hazards.
7. Increase your following distance if:
- It is raining. ✓
- There is light traffic.
- It is sunny.
Answer: A. It is raining.
8. To reduce your reaction time, you should:
- Ride more slowly than the speed limit.
- Shift into neutral when slowing.
- Cover the clutch and the brakes. ✓
Answer: C. Cover the clutch and the brakes.
To reduce your reaction time, cover the clutch and the brakes. The manual's review question names covering the clutch lever and the brakes as the way to cut reaction time. A later section also says to cover the clutch and both brakes in potential high-risk areas, such as intersections, shopping areas, and school and construction zones, so you need less time to react. The manual does not present riding below the speed limit or shifting into neutral as reaction-time measures.
9. When riding at night:
- Ride on the shoulder of the road.
- Decrease your following distance.
- Increase your following distance. ✓
Answer: C. Increase your following distance.
When riding at night, increase your following distance, opening up a three-second gap or more. The manual explains that at night it is harder to see and be seen, and that distances are harder to judge because your eyes depend on shadows and light contrasts to tell how far away something is and how fast it is approaching. Its listed response is to open up a three-second following distance or more at night, and to allow more room when passing or being passed. A larger gap matches the reduced ability to judge distance after dark.
10. Which of the following is not a benefit of maintaining a space cushion between your motorcycle and other vehicles?
- You will have time to react to hazards.
- You will have space to maneuver.
- You will have more time to accelerate when entering a curve. ✓
Answer: C. You will have more time to accelerate when entering a curve.
The statement that is not a benefit is that you will have more time to accelerate when entering a curve. The manual ties a space cushion to having time to react to conditions, as when it says riders use single file on an off-ramp for better space cushion and reaction time. It does not describe a cushion as giving you extra time to speed up as you enter a curve. Its curve guidance is to slow before entering a corner or curve, then accelerate gradually as you exit. So having more time to accelerate on curve entry is not a space-cushion benefit.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook