Speed limits
The road is covered in ice. By how much does the handbook say you should reduce your speed?
- To no more than 5 mph. Correct answer
- By 5 to 10 mph.
- By half.
Why
The handbook gives three different adjustments for three surfaces, and they are easy to mix up. On a wet road, reduce your speed by 5 to 10 mph. On packed snow, cut your speed in half. On ice, slow to no more than 5 mph, because there is almost no traction left at all. Ice also hides: shaded stretches under trees or buildings freeze first and thaw last, and bridges and overpasses freeze before the rest of the road. Leave far more space ahead than usual, avoid fast turns and quick stops, and if you drive in snowy areas, carry the right number and type of chains for your vehicle.
Where this comes from
California Driver's Handbook, June 2025 edition. The correct answer is To no more than 5 mph.
The rule behind this one
California speed limits and the basic speed law goes through the whole topic, with the page of the California Driver's Handbook behind every rule.
More on speed limits
- You turn into an alley behind a row of shops. Unless a sign says otherwise, how fast may you drive?
- You are driving on a residential street and there are no speed limit signs posted. What is the speed limit?
- You are towing a trailer on a divided highway that is posted at 65 mph. How fast may you drive?
- The road is wet from rain. By how much does the handbook say you should cut your speed?