Driver's License Test Prep
California Practice Speed Limits

By how much should you reduce your speed on a wet road?

  1. A.
    Reduce by half
  2. B.
    Reduce to 5 mph or slower
  3. C.
    Reduce by 5 to 10 mph Correct
The Why

The answer is "Reduce by 5 to 10 mph"

The manual instructs a driver to reduce speed by 5 to 10 mph on a wet road, as one of three graduated reductions in the same list. The 'reduce by half' choice comes from the packed-snow line printed one row below; a driver who reads across the wrong row applies the harsher reduction to plain wet pavement.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. Reduce by half

This is the packed-snow reduction in the same list, not the wet-road figure. This answer reads across to the packed-snow row of the same three-line list and picks its reduction for wet pavement.

B. Reduce to 5 mph or slower

This is the ice cap in the same list, not the wet-road figure. This answer slides down to the ice line at the bottom of the same list and applies its cap to any wet surface.

The Rule

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

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