Many crashes are caused by:
- Drivers traveling too fast for conditions. ✓
- Drivers consistently checking their mirrors and blind spots.
- Drivers yielding the right-of-way.
- Drivers maintaining a four-second following distance.
Answer: A. Drivers traveling too fast for conditions.
Many crashes are caused by drivers traveling too fast for conditions.
Why this is the answer
The handbook keeps returning to speed as something you must match to the situation. It says to obey the speed limit, to keep a bigger gap the faster you go, and to slow down and add following distance when the road is wet, traffic is crowded, or your view is limited. It also warns against over-driving what you can see ahead. Choosing a speed that fits the conditions keeps the car controllable and lets you stop within the distance you can see, so speeding past what conditions allow is the risky behavior behind many crashes.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. Drivers consistently checking their mirrors and blind spots. — Checking mirrors and blind spots is a safe habit the handbook encourages before changing lanes, not a cause of crashes.
- C. Drivers yielding the right-of-way. — Yielding the right-of-way is what the rules ask of you, so it is not the risky behavior being pointed at here.
- D. Drivers maintaining a four-second following distance. — A four-second following distance is described as the best practice for a new or less experienced driver, so it prevents trouble rather than causing it.
Remember it
Speed is the one thing you set on every road: when the road, the weather, or your view gets worse, your speed goes down.