Speed Limits & Following Distance — Texas
Texas motorcycle permit practice test: 287 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: 16 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 | Texas Motorcycle permit test |
| Topic questions | 16 (6% of 287 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 (16)
1. When passing another vehicle:
- The pass may be completed in a no passing zone.
- The rider may travel up to 10 mph over the speed limit to complete the pass.
- The pass must be started and completed within a passing zone. ✓
- The pass must be completed on the shoulder, if one is present.
Answer: C. The pass must be started and completed within a passing zone.
The pass must be started and completed within a passing zone, because the manual says passes are allowed only where permitted. The manual's passing steps end with a plain rule: passes must be completed within posted speed limits and only where permitted, and it tells you to know your signs and roadway markings. A passing zone is exactly the place where the markings permit passing, so the whole maneuver, from pulling out to returning to your lane, has to fit inside that permitted stretch. If the zone ends before you are back in your lane, you were passing where it is not allowed.
2. Taking a turn too fast:
- Is acceptable as long as you stay under the speed limit.
- Is safer on a motorcycle than in a car.
- Is acceptable as long as no vehicles are near you.
- Can cause you to end up in another lane or leave the road. ✓
Answer: D. Can cause you to end up in another lane or leave the road.
Taking a turn too fast can cause you to end up in another lane or leave the road. The manual says riders often enter turns and curves too fast. When the motorcycle cannot hold the turn, the rider may cross into another lane of traffic or go off the road. The same passage adds that a rider may react by braking too hard, which can cause a skid and loss of control. The answer matches that direct warning about what happens when speed is too high for the turn.
3. To reduce your reaction time, you should:
- Ride under the speed limit.
- Cover the clutch and brakes. ✓
- Shift into neutral when slowing.
- Accelerate before turning.
Answer: B. Cover the clutch and brakes.
Cover the clutch and the brakes so you are ready to act the moment something develops. The manual names covering the clutch lever and both brakes as the way to cut the time you need to react. It points to high-risk spots in particular, such as intersections, shopping areas, school zones and construction zones. With your hands already on the controls, you are not spending a beat moving them into place before you can brake or pull in the clutch. The same habit is repeated for approaching an intersection where a driver may cross your path.
4. Usually, a good way to handle a tailgater is to:
- Move onto the shoulder to get out of their way.
- Speed up and put distance between you and the tailgater.
- Ignore them.
- Change lanes and let them pass. ✓
Answer: D. Change lanes and let them pass.
Change lanes and let the tailgater pass. The manual's tailgater guidance is to let the person behind you get by, and changing lanes is the clean way to do that. If letting them pass is not possible, it says to slow down and leave more room ahead so both you and the tailgater have space to stop; that also encourages them to pass. The point is to remove the close following and give yourself room to react if something develops ahead.
5. You should increase your following distance if:
- The pavement is dry.
- The pavement is wet. ✓
- You can see through the vehicle ahead of you.
- The sun is out.
Answer: B. The pavement is wet.
You should increase your following distance when the pavement is wet. The manual lists wet pavement as a surface with poor traction, especially just after rain starts. It also says that if the pavement is slippery, you should open up a three-second or more following distance instead of the normal two-second gap. A wet road is therefore the condition that calls for more space, because the manual ties slippery pavement directly to a larger space cushion.
6. When following another vehicle as a beginning rider, you should:
- Maintain a minimum four-second following distance. ✓
- Get as close to the other vehicle as possible.
- Never be concerned about your following distance.
- Always ride in the left portion of the lane so the driver can easily see you.
Answer: A. Maintain a minimum four-second following distance.
7. If someone is tailgating you, you should:
- Ride faster to shake them.
- Alert the local police.
- Ride on the shoulder of the road.
- Allow them to pass. ✓
Answer: D. Allow them to pass.
Allow the tailgating driver to pass you. The manual treats a tailgater as someone you want in front of you, not behind you. It says to let the person pass. If that is not possible, slow down and leave more room ahead so both of you have stopping space; that gap can also make passing easier. It also mentions leaving the road or using a parking area. Those steps point to allowing the pass rather than speeding away.
8. Usually, a minimum following distance of _____ should be maintained.
- One second
- Two seconds ✓
- Three seconds
- Four seconds
Answer: B. Two seconds
Normally, keep a minimum following distance of two seconds behind the vehicle ahead. The manual says that in normal traffic a motorcycle needs a minimum of two seconds behind the vehicle ahead. It treats following too closely as a frequent factor in motorcycle crashes, and it explains that this two-second gap gives you a minimum space to stop or swerve if the vehicle ahead stops suddenly. It also helps you see potholes and other road hazards. The manual allows a larger gap when conditions call for it, such as slippery pavement or heavy traffic, but the normal minimum it states is two seconds.
9. When riding at night, a motorcyclist should maintain a minimum following distance of:
- Two seconds.
- Three seconds. ✓
- Four seconds.
- Five seconds.
Answer: B. Three seconds.
10. Normally, you should maintain a following distance of:
- One second.
- Two seconds. ✓
- Three seconds.
- Four seconds.
Answer: B. Two seconds.
Normally, keep a two-second following distance behind the vehicle ahead. The manual says following too closely is a common factor in motorcycle crashes and that motorcycles need as much stopping distance as cars. It sets a minimum of two seconds in normal traffic. To check it, pick a fixed marker and count one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two when the rear of the vehicle ahead passes it. If you get there before the count of two, you are too close. The two-second gap gives you a minimum space to stop or swerve if the vehicle ahead stops suddenly and helps you see road hazards.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook