Speed Limits & Following Distance — Wyoming
Wyoming CDL practice test: 459 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: 12 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 | Wyoming CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 12 (3% of 459 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 (12)
1. What is the average driver’s reaction time?
- 1/16 of a second
- 1/8 of a second
- 3/4 of a second ✓
Answer: C. 3/4 of a second
The average driver's reaction time is 3/4 of a second, which is the low end of the range the handbook gives. The handbook's discussion of stopping distance breaks the total into perception distance, reaction distance and braking distance. For reaction distance, it states that the average driver takes 3/4 second to 1 second to react before physically hitting the brakes, and notes that at 55 mph this accounts for 61 feet of travel. Since 3/4 of a second is the figure the handbook lists first for an average driver, it is the answer here. Reaction time is separate from perception time, which the handbook puts at 1 3/4 seconds for an alert driver.
2. On slippery roads, you should:
- Pass vehicles if they aren’t driving the speed limit.
- Adjust driving to match the conditions. ✓
- Drive on the shoulder.
- Accelerate and decelerate frequently.
Answer: B. Adjust driving to match the conditions.
Adjust your driving to match the road conditions; on slippery roads, that means slowing down and driving smoothly. The handbook's slippery-surface section tells you to drive slowly and smoothly, make turns gently, brake only as hard as needed, avoid the engine brake or retarder, and keep a longer following distance. It also says not to pass slower vehicles unless necessary and to watch far ahead so you can hold a steady speed. Another section explains that slippery roads reduce traction and call for lower speeds. Those instructions all point to fitting your speed, steering, braking, and space to the conditions rather than following a fixed speed or driving aggressively.
3. When using road speed to know when to switch gears, you should:
- Learn what speeds each gear is good for and shift up when necessary. ✓
- Watch other vehicles and try to keep pace.
- Watch other trucks and shift when they shift.
- Use the speed limit as a guide.
Answer: A. Learn what speeds each gear is good for and shift up when necessary.
Learn what speeds each gear is good for, then use your speedometer to know when to shift up. The handbook lists two ways to know when to shift: engine speed or road speed. For the road speed method, it says to learn the speeds each gear is good for and use the speedometer to know when to shift up. That is a general skill tied to your own vehicle and gears, not something you pick up by copying traffic around you.
4. What is the number one cause of death and injury in work zones?
- Speeding drivers ✓
- Careless behavior by construction workers
- Drivers driving too slowly
- Equipment placed in the roadway
Answer: A. Speeding drivers
Speeding drivers are the number one cause of death and injury in work zones. The handbook states plainly that speeding traffic is the leading cause of injury and death in roadway work zones. That is why it tells you to watch the posted limits when you approach and drive through a work zone, to keep an eye on your speedometer so it does not creep up through long construction sections, and to slow further in bad weather or when a worker is close to the road.
5. If another driver is tailgating you, you should:
- Move into the left lane.
- Speed up.
- Increase the space in front of your vehicle. ✓
- Flash your lights.
Answer: C. Increase the space in front of your vehicle.
Increase the space in front of your vehicle. The handbook's advice for being tailgated is to open up room ahead of you. That larger following distance means you will not have to brake or steer suddenly, and it gives the tailgater an easier chance to get around you. The same section says not to speed up and to avoid tricks such as flashing lights, so the safe response is to manage the space in front rather than react to the driver behind.
6. Stopping distance can be affected by:
- Speed. ✓
- Sunshine.
- Time of day.
- Traffic.
Answer: A. Speed.
Speed affects stopping distance: the faster you drive, the longer the braking distance becomes. The handbook's stopping-distance section says that when speed goes up, braking distance grows, and it gives the example that doubling speed makes braking distance four times longer. It also says slowing down reduces braking distance. The stopping-distance formula adds perception, reaction, and braking distance, so the speed-related braking part is a direct factor. The handbook does not present sunshine or time of day as factors in stopping distance.
7. When traveling down a downgrade, the speed of a vehicle will likely:
- Decrease.
- Not change.
- Increase. ✓
- Match the speed of traffic.
Answer: C. Increase.
8. What is a bobtail tractor?
- A tractor without a semi-trailer ✓
- A tractor with two semi-trailers
- A tractor that travels faster than the speed limit
Answer: A. A tractor without a semi-trailer
A bobtail tractor is a tractor without a semi-trailer. The handbook uses the term bobtail for a tractor that is running without a semi-trailer attached. It also warns that these tractors can be hard to stop smoothly and may take longer to stop than a fully loaded tractor-semitrailer. That description matches a tractor with no trailer, not a tractor pulling one or two trailers.
9. If a speed limit is posted, the posted speed:
- Should never be exceeded. ✓
- May be exceeded if passing another vehicle.
- May be exceeded if driving in a rural area.
Answer: A. Should never be exceeded.
When a speed limit is posted, you should never exceed it. The handbook states plainly that if a speed limit is posted, or a sign shows a "Maximum Safe Speed," you must never go faster than the speed shown. The same section tells you to watch your speedometer so your speed does not creep up through long work zones, and to slow further for bad weather or road conditions. So the posted number is a ceiling you stay under, not a target to beat when it suits you.
10. 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.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook