Speed Limits & Following Distance — West Virginia
West Virginia CDL practice test: 426 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: 17 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 | West Virginia CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 17 (4% of 426 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 (17)
1. If braking at a speed of 55 mph while driving on dry pavement, the brake lag can add ____ to your vehicle's total stopping distance.
- 32 feet ✓
- 15 feet
- 50 feet
- 10 feet
Answer: A. 32 feet
Brake lag at 55 mph on dry pavement adds about 32 feet to your total stopping distance. The handbook explains that with air brakes there is a delay called brake lag, the time it takes for air to move through the lines and reach the brakes after you push the pedal. Because of that delay, the vehicle keeps rolling a little before the brakes actually work. The handbook puts that added lag distance at roughly 32 feet when you are going 55 mph on dry pavement, and it lists brake lag distance as one of the four pieces of total stopping distance.
2. Stopping distance can be affected by:
- Speed. ✓
- Engine oil.
- Time of day.
- Traffic.
Answer: A. Speed.
Stopping distance can be affected by speed. The handbook ties stopping distance to how fast you are going. Figure 2.11 shows that when you double your speed, braking distance becomes four times longer, and high speeds greatly increase stopping distances. It also says that slowing down reduces braking distance. So among these choices, speed is the factor that directly changes the distance your vehicle needs to stop.
3. 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.
4. When driving through a work zone, you should:
- Slow down. ✓
- Speed up.
- Use a cell phone.
- Steer with one hand to keep the other hand free.
Answer: A. Slow down.
When you drive through a work zone, you should slow down. The handbook's work-zone section says speeding is the leading cause of injury and death there, so you must watch the posted limit when you approach and pass through a work zone. It also tells you to keep checking your speedometer so your speed does not creep up in a long construction section. You should reduce speed further for bad weather or road conditions, and even more when a worker is near the roadway. That guidance points to slowing down, not doing anything that makes the vehicle harder to control.
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. The maximum speed limit in a school zone where children are present, unless otherwise posted, is:
- 15 mph. ✓
- 25 mph.
- 30 mph.
- 40 mph.
Answer: A. 15 mph.
7. A driver should always:
- Stay in the right lane.
- Have an emergency plan. ✓
- Stay in the left lane.
- Drive above the speed limit.
Answer: B. Have an emergency plan.
A driver should always have an emergency plan. The handbook tells drivers to always have a plan. It says you should keep looking for hazards because they may turn into emergencies. When you see a hazard, think about what emergencies could develop and decide what you would do. Then be ready to act on that plan. Doing this makes you a prepared, defensive driver and improves safety for you and others on the road.
8. 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.
9. A driver should always:
- Stay in their lane.
- Have an emergency plan. ✓
- Stay in the left lane.
- Drive above the speed limit.
Answer: B. Have an emergency plan.
A driver should always have an emergency plan. The handbook says you should always be looking for hazards, because hazards can turn into emergencies. Spotting them early gives you time to think through what could happen and decide what you would do. It then says to be ready to act on those plans. That is exactly the idea behind always having an emergency plan: you are prepared, defensive, and better able to protect yourself and others.
10. To prevent a trailer from rolling over, you should:
- Speed up when nearing a corner.
- Make sudden steering moves.
- Take on-ramps faster than the posted speed limit.
- Drive slowly around corners. ✓
Answer: D. Drive slowly around corners.
To prevent a trailer from rolling over, drive slowly around corners. The handbook says rollovers happen when you turn too fast. For trailers, it advises you to steer gently and go slowly around corners, ramps, off ramps, and curves. A speed that is safe for a straight truck or a single trailer may be too fast for doubles or triples. Slowing down around a corner reduces the chance that turning speed will tip the trailer. The passage ties rollover prevention directly to gentle steering and lower speed in turns.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook