Driver's License Test Prep
California Practice Adverse Conditions

You are driving on a road covered with packed snow. By how much does the manual say to reduce your speed?

  1. A.
    Between 5 and 10 mph
  2. B.
    Down to no more than 5 mph
  3. C.
    About half of your dry-road speed Correct
The Why

The answer is "About half of your dry-road speed"

Packed snow calls for cutting your speed roughly in half. The 5 mph cap in B is the figure the manual sets for ice, one row below packed snow in the same table, and readers scanning quickly slide the ice figure into the snow row.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. Between 5 and 10 mph

A 5-to-10 mph reduction is what the manual sets for a wet road, not for packed snow. This answer rounds down the winter reduction to the smaller number listed just above in the same table.

B. Down to no more than 5 mph

A 5 mph cap is the manual's rule for ice, one row below packed snow in the same list. This answer mixes the ice figure into the snow row, a common slip when both sit in the same table.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Adverse Conditions in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Slippery Roads," p.61..

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