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Defensive Driving

Scanning ahead, keeping a space cushion, anticipating other drivers and communicating your intentions so that other road users can predict what you will do.

50 practice questions with answers. These rules are the same in every state.

A car on a highway with a cushion of space around it

Defensive Driving quiz

Answer at your own pace. After each question you see the correct answer and why, and at the end a review of what you missed.

  • Quick quiz: 10 random questions on defensive driving; pass with 8 correct.

Defensive Driving questions with answers

  1. How far ahead should you normally be looking while driving?

    1. Just beyond the hood of your vehicle
    2. At the vehicle directly ahead of you
    3. At the lane markings beside you
    4. About 12 to 15 seconds of travel ahead
    Show answer

    Answer D: About 12 to 15 seconds of travel ahead

    Looking that far ahead, roughly a block in town and much farther on a highway, gives you time to see a problem developing and adjust before it becomes an emergency.

  2. What is meant by keeping a space cushion?

    1. Driving in the center lane at all times so that traffic can pass on both sides
    2. Leaving space only in front of your vehicle, since that is where nearly every crash happens
    3. Keeping open space on all sides of your vehicle so you always have somewhere to go
    4. Moving the seat as far back as it will go so that you have room to move
    Show answer

    Answer C: Keeping open space on all sides of your vehicle so you always have somewhere to go

    Open space ahead, behind and to the sides gives you time to react and an escape path when a hazard appears, which is the core idea of defensive driving.

  3. A driver is following you far too closely. What is the best response?

    1. Brake sharply once or twice to send the tailgater a clear message
    2. Speed up steadily until the gap behind you grows large enough
    3. Switch on your hazard lights and hold your position in the lane until they back off
    4. Increase your own following distance and let the driver pass when it is safe
    Show answer

    Answer D: Increase your own following distance and let the driver pass when it is safe

    More room ahead of you means you can slow gradually instead of braking hard, which reduces the chance of being struck from behind, and letting the driver by removes the problem entirely.

  4. Another driver is behaving aggressively toward you. What should you do?

    1. Match their aggressive behavior closely, so that they think better of it and back off from you
    2. Make eye contact and gesture at them so the matter is settled between you
    3. Block their path so that they cannot pass you and have to calm down
    4. Avoid eye contact, give them room to go on their way and do not respond to provocation
    Show answer

    Answer D: Avoid eye contact, give them room to go on their way and do not respond to provocation

    Responding to an aggressive driver escalates the conflict, while creating distance and refusing to engage takes you out of the situation. Report serious threats once you can do so safely.

  5. In a work zone a flagger is directing traffic in a way that conflicts with the posted signs. Whom do you follow?

    1. The posted signs, which always take priority
    2. The flagger's directions
    3. Whatever the vehicles ahead of you decide to do
    4. The pavement markings
    Show answer

    Answer B: The flagger's directions

    A flagger controls traffic through a work area that changes from day to day, and those instructions take precedence over the fixed signs and markings in that zone.

    Source: mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov

  6. You must slow suddenly on a highway and a vehicle is following close behind you. What helps prevent a rear-end collision?

    1. Switching on your high beams so that the driver behind can see you clearly
    2. Steering onto the shoulder without signaling so the lane is left clear
    3. Waiting until the last possible moment before you touch the brake pedal
    4. Tapping the brake pedal early so your brake lights flash a warning
    Show answer

    Answer D: Tapping the brake pedal early so your brake lights flash a warning

    Early brake light flashes give the driver behind more time to react, and slowing gradually instead of suddenly reduces the chance of being struck.

  7. The signal turns green as you approach an intersection. What is the safest practice?

    1. Accelerate immediately, because a green signal means the way ahead is clear
    2. Look left, then right, then left again, and make sure the intersection is clear before entering
    3. Watch only the signal itself and keep your eyes on it until you are all the way through the intersection
    4. Follow the vehicle ahead through the intersection without looking to the sides
    Show answer

    Answer B: Look left, then right, then left again, and make sure the intersection is clear before entering

    A green light gives permission but does not guarantee the intersection is empty, and a quick scan catches a vehicle running the red or a pedestrian still crossing.

  8. How often should you check your mirrors while driving?

    1. Only just before turning, changing lanes or coming to a stop
    2. About once a minute on the freeway and less often in town
    3. Every few seconds, so you always know what is around you
    4. Only when you hear a vehicle approaching from behind
    Show answer

    Answer C: Every few seconds, so you always know what is around you

    Traffic behind and beside you changes constantly. Frequent, brief mirror checks keep a picture of your surroundings current so nothing surprises you.

  9. You make eye contact with a driver waiting to pull out of a side street. What should you assume?

    1. The driver has definitely seen you and will wait, so you can hold your speed
    2. The driver is signaling for you to go, so speed up slightly
    3. The driver is required to wait once eye contact has been made
    4. The driver may still not have seen you, so stay ready to slow or stop
    Show answer

    Answer D: The driver may still not have seen you, so stay ready to slow or stop

    Drivers can look directly at you and still not register your vehicle, especially a small one. Eye contact helps, but never rely on it.

  10. You stop behind another vehicle at a traffic light. How much space should you leave?

    1. As little as possible so the line moves faster when the light changes
    2. About one foot, so nobody can cut in between you
    3. Enough to fit two full vehicles between you
    4. Enough to see where its rear tires touch the pavement
    Show answer

    Answer D: Enough to see where its rear tires touch the pavement

    Seeing the rear tires on the road leaves room to steer around the vehicle if it stalls, and gives a cushion if you are struck from behind.

  11. You are driving along a street lined with parked cars. What should you watch for?

    1. Only the vehicles that have their brake lights on, since the rest are safely parked
    2. Doors opening, vehicles pulling out and pedestrians stepping from between cars
    3. Only the cars with a driver visible, since empty cars cannot move
    4. Nothing special, because parked vehicles are outside the travel lane
    Show answer

    Answer B: Doors opening, vehicles pulling out and pedestrians stepping from between cars

    Parked cars hide people and can move without warning. Keep as much space from them as you safely can and cover the brake.

  12. You are approaching a traffic light that has been green for a long time. How should you treat it?

    1. Speed up so you get through before it changes
    2. Keep your speed exactly at the limit and hope it stays green
    3. Expect it to change and be ready to stop
    4. Stop in advance because it will certainly turn red
    Show answer

    Answer C: Expect it to change and be ready to stop

    A light that has been green for a while is called a stale green light. Cover the brake and decide in advance where you could still stop safely.

  13. You are stopped at an intersection where bushes block your view of cross traffic. What should you do?

    1. Edge forward slowly until you can see, then proceed when clear
    2. Sound the horn and go, since the other drivers will hear you
    3. Accelerate quickly across so you spend less time in the intersection
    4. Wait for a vehicle behind you to go around and lead the way
    Show answer

    Answer A: Edge forward slowly until you can see, then proceed when clear

    Creeping forward a little at a time lets you gain a view without committing to the crossing. Never enter an intersection you cannot see into.

  14. Traffic is entering the freeway from a ramp ahead of you and you are in the right lane. What should you do?

    1. Hold your speed and position exactly, because the entering traffic is the one that must yield
    2. Speed up so the merging vehicles enter behind you
    3. Move to another lane if it is safe, or adjust your speed to make room
    4. Slow to a stop in your lane so the merging vehicles can enter ahead of you
    Show answer

    Answer C: Move to another lane if it is safe, or adjust your speed to make room

    Merging drivers may have little room to adjust. Helping them in by changing lanes or easing your speed prevents conflicts even though they must legally yield to you.

  15. On a long, straight highway you feel your attention fading. What helps you stay alert?

    1. Keep your eyes moving, scan mirrors and signs, and take regular breaks
    2. Fix your eyes on the center line and hold a steady speed so you do not have to think
    3. Drive faster so the trip ends sooner
    4. Turn the heater up so you feel comfortable and relaxed
    Show answer

    Answer A: Keep your eyes moving, scan mirrors and signs, and take regular breaks

    Staring at one point brings on highway hypnosis. Active scanning keeps the mind engaged, and a break every couple of hours restores alertness.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  17. What does it mean to cover the brake, and when should you do it?

    1. Rest your foot lightly on the pedal at all times so that the brake lights stay on and warn others
    2. Hold your foot over the brake pedal without pressing it when a hazard seems likely
    3. Press the brake pedal halfway whenever you pass a parked vehicle
    4. Keep your left foot on the brake at all times in heavy traffic
    Show answer

    Answer B: Hold your foot over the brake pedal without pressing it when a hazard seems likely

    Covering the brake cuts reaction time when you expect trouble, such as near children, parked cars or a vehicle that may pull out. Riding the brake wears it out and confuses drivers behind you.

  18. Which clue tells you that a parked vehicle is about to pull into traffic?

    1. A vehicle that is parked slightly farther away from the curb than all the others in the row
    2. A vehicle with its windows rolled down
    3. A vehicle with a parking permit displayed on the dashboard
    4. Exhaust smoke, brake lights, front wheels turned out or a driver in the seat
    Show answer

    Answer D: Exhaust smoke, brake lights, front wheels turned out or a driver in the seat

    A running engine, lit brake lights, turned wheels or a person behind the wheel all mean the vehicle may move. Slow down and give it room.

  19. You are driving on a two-lane road approaching the crest of a hill. Where should you position your vehicle?

    1. Toward the center line, so that you can see over the crest sooner and spot oncoming traffic
    2. In the exact center of your lane at all times
    3. Partly on the shoulder so you can stop quickly
    4. Toward the right side of your lane, in case an oncoming vehicle is over the center line
    Show answer

    Answer D: Toward the right side of your lane, in case an oncoming vehicle is over the center line

    You cannot see what is beyond a crest, and oncoming drivers sometimes drift across the center. Keeping right and slowing gives you a margin.

  20. You are traveling beside another vehicle on a multilane highway at nearly the same speed. Why is this a poor position?

    1. It is illegal to stay level with another vehicle for more than a short distance on a highway
    2. You may be sitting in that driver's blind spot with nowhere to go if they move over
    3. The wind between the vehicles can push both of you toward each other
    4. It blocks that driver's view of the road signs on your side
    Show answer

    Answer B: You may be sitting in that driver's blind spot with nowhere to go if they move over

    Driving alongside removes your side escape route and often puts you where the other driver cannot see you. Speed up or drop back to open space beside you.

  21. What does it mean to scan the road while driving?

    1. Moving your eyes constantly over the road, the sides and the mirrors
    2. Keeping your eyes fixed on the vehicle that is directly ahead of you
    3. Looking at the pavement just in front of the hood as you drive along
    4. Watching the speedometer closely so as to hold an exact steady speed
    Show answer

    Answer A: Moving your eyes constantly over the road, the sides and the mirrors

    Scanning keeps information coming in from every direction, while a fixed stare leaves you blind to everything else.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  22. What is the benefit of looking far down the road rather than just ahead of the hood?

    1. You steer with smaller corrections and you see trouble in plenty of time
    2. You are able to drive faster than the traffic around you in safety
    3. You no longer have to check the mirrors at all as you drive along
    4. You can read the signs at the roadside without slowing down at all
    Show answer

    Answer A: You steer with smaller corrections and you see trouble in plenty of time

    A distant view steadies your steering and gives you time to plan, because you meet hazards after you have already seen them.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  23. You are about to pull out from a stop sign. Which scanning habit is correct?

    1. Look to the left, then to the right, then to the left again before moving
    2. Look right first, because the traffic on that side is nearer to you
    3. Look straight ahead only, since the side traffic has to stop as well
    4. Look in the inside mirror and then move out without stopping again
    Show answer

    Answer A: Look to the left, then to the right, then to the left again before moving

    Traffic from the left reaches you first, and a second look left catches anything that arrived while you were looking right.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  24. You are about to slow down sharply for a turn. Which check comes first?

    1. A look in the mirror to see how close the traffic behind you is
    2. A look at the fuel gauge to be sure that you can complete the trip
    3. A glance at the passenger to see whether they are holding on tight
    4. A look at the sky to judge whether the weather is about to change
    Show answer

    Answer A: A look in the mirror to see how close the traffic behind you is

    Any hard slowing needs a mirror check first, because the driver behind is the one who has to react to it.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  25. Traffic is heavy and a truck is stopped in the lane on your right. How do you keep an out?

    1. Slow to a crawl and let every vehicle around you go past you first
    2. Keep space open ahead of you and avoid being boxed in on both sides at once
    3. Move up beside the truck so you are past it as quickly as possible
    4. Drive close behind the vehicle ahead so that nobody can cut in front
    Show answer

    Answer B: Keep space open ahead of you and avoid being boxed in on both sides at once

    Being hemmed in on both sides with no gap ahead removes every option, so keep at least one direction open.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  26. Why should you not rest your foot on the brake pedal as you drive?

    1. The brake pedal will sink to the floor after a few miles of this
    2. The antilock braking system will switch itself off permanently
    3. The parking brake cable stretches and will no longer hold the car
    4. The brake lights stay on and the drivers behind cannot read you
    Show answer

    Answer D: The brake lights stay on and the drivers behind cannot read you

    Resting on the pedal keeps the brake lights lit and wears the brakes, so following drivers stop believing your brake lights.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  27. Another driver cuts you off and you feel your temper rising. What should you do?

    1. Take a breath, drop back and let it go, because the whole trip matters more
    2. Catch up and let the other driver know what you think of the move
    3. Follow the car to the next light and take a photograph of the driver
    4. Stay right behind the car so that it cannot cut in front of you again
    Show answer

    Answer A: Take a breath, drop back and let it go, because the whole trip matters more

    Retaliation turns a moment of bad driving into a crash, and dropping back costs you only a few seconds.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  28. An angry driver is following you closely and gesturing at you. What is the safe response?

    1. Drive home quickly so that the other driver loses interest along the way
    2. Drive to a police station or to a busy public place and call for help
    3. Stop at the roadside and settle the argument with the driver face to face
    4. Brake hard so that the other driver is forced to drop back a safe distance
    Show answer

    Answer B: Drive to a police station or to a busy public place and call for help

    Never stop to confront an aggressive driver and never lead one home; go somewhere public and get the police involved.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  29. What should you avoid when a hostile driver pulls alongside you?

    1. Making eye contact, or answering the gestures in any way at all
    2. Keeping both hands on the wheel and watching the road ahead
    3. Letting the other vehicle pass you and get well in front of you
    4. Turning off at the next exit and taking a different route home
    Show answer

    Answer A: Making eye contact, or answering the gestures in any way at all

    Any response, including a look, encourages an aggressive driver, so give none and let the vehicle go.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  30. Why is being predictable an important part of driving safely?

    1. Because other road users are able to plan around what you are doing
    2. Because it lets you keep to the exact posted speed limit at all times
    3. Because the police watch for the drivers who behave in unusual ways
    4. Because it saves fuel over the length of a long highway journey
    Show answer

    Answer A: Because other road users are able to plan around what you are doing

    Other drivers make their decisions from what they expect you to do, so surprises are what produce collisions.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  31. Which of these makes you unpredictable to other drivers?

    1. Slowing early and smoothly for a red light that is ahead of you
    2. Changing lanes suddenly without signaling, to save a moment
    3. Signalling every lane change well before you begin to make it
    4. Holding a steady speed in the right hand lane of a highway
    Show answer

    Answer B: Changing lanes suddenly without signaling, to save a moment

    An unsignalled, sudden lane change gives nobody time to react and is a common cause of sideswipe collisions.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  32. A pedestrian is waiting to cross ahead of you and you have slowed down. What helps most?

    1. Waving the person across quickly so that the traffic is not held up
    2. Sounding the horn so that the pedestrian knows you intend to stop
    3. Flashing the headlights repeatedly until the person starts to walk
    4. Making eye contact, so that you both know you have seen each other
    Show answer

    Answer D: Making eye contact, so that you both know you have seen each other

    Eye contact confirms that you have seen each other; waving someone across can send them into the path of another vehicle.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  33. A pedestrian steps off the curb without looking your way. What should you assume?

    1. That the person is looking at the traffic in the far lane instead
    2. That the person has not seen you at all, and be ready to stop for them
    3. That the person has heard your engine and knows that you are there
    4. That the person will step back again once you get closer to them
    Show answer

    Answer B: That the person has not seen you at all, and be ready to stop for them

    Defensive driving means assuming you have not been seen until there is clear evidence that you have.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  34. What is the what if habit of a defensive driver?

    1. Planning the exact route to be taken before turning the ignition key on
    2. Deciding in advance which lane is the quickest on the daily commute
    3. Thinking through what you would do if a hazard ahead of you turned bad
    4. Assuming that every other driver will follow the rules exactly as written
    Show answer

    Answer C: Thinking through what you would do if a hazard ahead of you turned bad

    Rehearsing an answer before the hazard develops means you act at once instead of spending time deciding.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  35. The car ahead drifts across the lane line and back again several times. What should you do?

    1. Pass on the right at once, because that side is always going to be clear
    2. Match its movements so that the driver understands what is happening
    3. Assume that the driver is distracted or impaired, and keep well back
    4. Sound the horn and stay right behind it until the driver wakes up
    Show answer

    Answer C: Assume that the driver is distracted or impaired, and keep well back

    Drifting is a classic sign of a distracted, drowsy or impaired driver, and distance is your protection from all three.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  36. A driver ahead brakes for no reason you can see, again and again. What should you do?

    1. Pass the vehicle immediately, whatever the road markings may say
    2. Increase your following distance and be ready for yet another stop
    3. Flash your lights so that the driver knows the braking is unnecessary
    4. Move up closer so that the driver can see you clearly in the mirror
    Show answer

    Answer B: Increase your following distance and be ready for yet another stop

    Unexplained braking tells you the driver is unsure or distracted, so the safe answer is more room, not less.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  37. Why is it worth planning your route before a long drive?

    1. So that you may leave the seat belt off on the quiet country roads
    2. So that you are not reading a map or a screen while the car is moving
    3. So that you can drive faster on the parts of the trip you know well
    4. So that you can avoid stopping for rest and finish the trip sooner
    Show answer

    Answer B: So that you are not reading a map or a screen while the car is moving

    A driver who knows the route is not navigating at the wheel, which is one of the commonest sources of distraction.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  38. How should a long trip be broken up to keep the driver alert?

    1. Drive straight through, since stopping only makes a driver sleepier
    2. Take a short break only once you begin to feel your eyes closing
    3. Drink coffee every hour, which removes the need to stop at all
    4. Stop for a break every couple of hours and share out the driving
    Show answer

    Answer D: Stop for a break every couple of hours and share out the driving

    Regular breaks and a change of driver are the only reliable answers to fatigue; caffeine only postpones it.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  39. What is sensible when you drive in an unfamiliar town for the first time?

    1. Keep to the left lane so that you can see the whole road ahead of you
    2. Set the phone map on your knee so that you can look at it while driving
    3. Drive a little slower and give yourself more time to read the signs
    4. Follow the car in front of you closely, since that driver knows the way
    Show answer

    Answer C: Drive a little slower and give yourself more time to read the signs

    In unfamiliar surroundings you need longer to take in signs, junctions and markings, and lower speed buys that time.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  40. You are about to drive a rental car that you have never driven before. What should you do?

    1. Adjust the seat and the mirrors and find the controls before moving off
    2. Set off and work out where the controls are once you are in the traffic
    3. Drive it exactly as you drive your own car, since all cars are much alike
    4. Ask the passenger to operate the wipers and the lights during the trip
    Show answer

    Answer A: Adjust the seat and the mirrors and find the controls before moving off

    Hunting for the wipers or the lights in traffic is a distraction, so learn the layout while the vehicle is stopped.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  41. The vehicle you have borrowed is larger and heavier than your own. How should you drive it?

    1. Keep to the same following distance you use in your own small car
    2. Allow more room for stopping and for turns until you are used to it
    3. Drive it faster, because a heavy vehicle is more stable on the road
    4. Expect it to stop in about the same distance as any other vehicle
    Show answer

    Answer B: Allow more room for stopping and for turns until you are used to it

    Extra weight and length mean longer stopping distances and wider turns, so give yourself more room until you are used to it.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  42. Your passengers are being noisy and you are losing concentration. What should you do?

    1. Drive faster so that the journey is over more quickly for everyone
    2. Ask them to settle down, or pull over safely until they do
    3. Turn up the radio so that their voices become less noticeable
    4. Turn around and speak firmly to the ones in the back seat
    Show answer

    Answer B: Ask them to settle down, or pull over safely until they do

    The driver is responsible for the conditions inside the vehicle, and stopping is always better than driving distracted.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  43. Why do young drivers carrying several friends face a higher crash risk?

    1. Because the extra weight makes the vehicle harder to steer safely
    2. Because the insurance company will not cover a car full of friends
    3. Because the seat belts in the rear are weaker than those in the front
    4. Because young passengers are a strong source of distraction and pressure
    Show answer

    Answer D: Because young passengers are a strong source of distraction and pressure

    Crash risk for new drivers rises with each extra young passenger, mainly through distraction and social pressure.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  44. You have just had bad news and you feel very upset. What should you do?

    1. Drive with the radio loud so that your mind is on something else
    2. Wait until you have calmed down, or else let somebody else drive
    3. Drive as usual, because concentrating on the road will settle you
    4. Take the highway rather than city streets, so there is less to do
    Show answer

    Answer B: Wait until you have calmed down, or else let somebody else drive

    Strong emotion takes attention away from the road as surely as alcohol or fatigue, so it is a reason not to drive yet.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  45. How do strong emotions affect driving?

    1. They only matter for the drivers who have very little experience
    2. They narrow your attention and make risky decisions more likely
    3. They sharpen the reactions of the driver in a real emergency
    4. They have no effect at all once the vehicle is moving on the road
    Show answer

    Answer B: They narrow your attention and make risky decisions more likely

    Anger, worry and excitement all take attention away from the driving task and push drivers toward decisions they would not normally make.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  46. Another driver takes a right of way that was legally yours. What should you do?

    1. Give way to the other driver and avoid the crash, whatever the law says
    2. Insist on your right of way, since the law is clearly on your side
    3. Sound the horn and keep going at exactly the same speed as before
    4. Stop dead in the intersection so that the other driver has to wait
    Show answer

    Answer A: Give way to the other driver and avoid the crash, whatever the law says

    Right of way is something you give, not something you take, and being in the right is no protection in a collision.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  48. How can you keep space at the sides of your vehicle in heavy traffic?

    1. Stay level with the vehicle in the next lane at exactly the same speed
    2. Keep as close as you can to the line on one side of your own lane
    3. Change lanes often, so that no vehicle can settle down next to you
    4. Drive in the gaps between the other vehicles rather than beside them
    Show answer

    Answer D: Drive in the gaps between the other vehicles rather than beside them

    Travelling in the open spaces rather than alongside others keeps a way out open on at least one side.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  49. What is the safest way to deal with a vehicle sitting in your blind spot?

    1. Slow a little or move ahead so that it is no longer beside you
    2. Change lanes quickly, since the other driver will see you coming
    3. Keep your speed exactly the same until the other driver moves away
    4. Sound your horn so that the other vehicle drops back behind you
    Show answer

    Answer A: Slow a little or move ahead so that it is no longer beside you

    You cannot control the other driver, but you can change your own speed so that the vehicle is no longer hidden beside you.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  50. Why is it useful to watch the vehicle two or three places ahead of you?

    1. You can safely leave a shorter gap to the vehicle just in front of you
    2. You can copy the speed of the fastest driver in the group of vehicles
    3. You get an earlier warning of slowing traffic than brake lights give
    4. You are able to judge whether the road ahead is worth passing on
    Show answer

    Answer C: You get an earlier warning of slowing traffic than brake lights give

    Trouble travels back through a line of traffic, so seeing it start several vehicles ahead gives you a head start on braking.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  51. You notice that the driver ahead of you is holding a phone to the ear. What should you do?

    1. Flash your lights repeatedly until the driver puts the phone down
    2. Follow close behind so that the driver notices you in the mirror
    3. Assume slower reactions and leave extra space, or else hold back
    4. Pass quickly on the right so as to get away from that vehicle
    Show answer

    Answer C: Assume slower reactions and leave extra space, or else hold back

    A driver on the phone reacts late and misses things, so the safe response is distance rather than a lesson.

    Source: nhtsa.gov

  52. The traffic around you is moving well above the limit on a wide highway. What should you do?

    1. Match the speed of the traffic, since the flow is what matters most
    2. Drive well below the limit in order to make up for the speed of others
    3. Stay in the left lane at the limit, so that the others have to slow down
    4. Keep to the limit and stay to the right, letting faster traffic pass
    Show answer

    Answer D: Keep to the limit and stay to the right, letting faster traffic pass

    The limit is a legal maximum, and the safe way to differ from the traffic around you is to keep right and let it go by.

    Source: nhtsa.gov