Drive Wisely: Matching Speed to Road Conditions

Because your visibility is limited and the road surface is likely slippery, you need a much larger "safety cushion"; increasing your following distance gives you the extra time required to react if the car ahead brakes suddenly.

As visibility drops, your ability to see and react to hazards ahead decreases. Increasing your following gap and reducing your speed gives you the extra time and space needed to respond safely to whatever appears out of the fog.

Minimum speed limits ensure that the "speed differential" between the slowest and fastest vehicles remains small. When all vehicles travel within a specific range, the flow of traffic remains predictable and smooth, reducing the likelihood of rear-end collisions and "bottlenecks" caused by faster drivers having to brake for a slow-moving vehicle.

The posted speed limit is the law. Regardless of how fast others are driving, exceeding 65 mph is a violation.

Driving significantly slower than the surrounding cars makes you a "moving roadblock"; this disrupts the natural flow, frustrates other drivers, and often leads to dangerous "weaving" and aggressive passing maneuvers by those behind you.

That is the real reason. With a maximum speed of 25 mph, these vehicles simply cannot safely share a road where traffic moves at 65 mph or faster. The speed difference alone creates a serious collision risk for everyone.

Parked cars act as a visual screen for "hidden hazards." By staying alert and keeping a foot near the brake, you are prepared for the most common dangers: a car pulling out of a space or a pedestrian stepping out from between the vehicles.

Any time your view is partially obstructed, whether by a curve, a hill, a large vehicle, or poor weather, slowing down gives you the extra time and space to react to whatever might be hidden from view.

Exactly right. Lower speed limits in residential areas and school zones give drivers more time to see and react to pedestrians, especially children who can be unpredictable and may step into the road without warning.

On dry pavement, a sedan needs roughly 120 feet for the brakes to stop the wheels. Note that when perception and reaction time are added, the total stopping distance exceeds 200 feet.

That is exactly right. On a hot day, oil, dust, and debris accumulate on the road surface. When rain first falls, it mixes with all of that to create an incredibly slick layer. After a few minutes the rain washes it away and grip gradually improves.

Ice is the most dangerous surface of all. It offers almost no friction between the tires and the road, resulting in the longest braking distances of any common road condition. Even at low speeds stopping on ice can take many times the distance required on dry pavement.

Maintaining the same speed regardless of road conditions directly violates the Basic Speed Law and is one of the most dangerous things a driver can do. Every change in road surface requires a corresponding adjustment in speed.

That is exactly right. A single vehicle moving significantly faster or slower than surrounding traffic creates unpredictable speed differentials that force other drivers to react suddenly, dramatically increasing the risk of a collision.

Wet and icy surfaces dramatically reduce traction and increase stopping distances. Slowing down is the most effective way to stay in control and give yourself enough space to react safely.

Slippery roads mean longer stopping distances, so increasing your following distance gives you the extra space needed to brake gently and gradually without losing control.

That is exactly right. The pentagon shape, yellow color, and two figures walking together identify this as a school zone warning sign. It alerts drivers to slow down and watch carefully for children crossing the road.

This pentagon-shaped sign is very similar to a school zone sign. However, notice the lines painted under the people in the image; these indicate the actual location of the school crossing.

By slowing down and letting the oncoming vehicle pass, you create the space needed to move over and give the pedestrian a wide berth. This "separates the hazards" so you handle each one individually.