You are approaching a turn on a street with a posted 35 mph limit. How far ahead of the turn must your signal be on?
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A.
200 feet, the same as at highway speeds.
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B.
100 feet, the minimum for a turn or stop at this speed. Correct
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C.
50 feet, roughly a car length per 10 mph.
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D.
Just before the turn, so drivers behind do not slow early.
The answer is "100 feet, the minimum for a turn or stop at this speed."
Under 45 mph, the required signal distance is at least the last 100 feet before turning or stopping. Choice A is the confused-with-highway trap: 200 feet is the rule when the limit's 45 mph or more, and drivers who lock onto one number often apply it at every speed.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. 200 feet, the same as at highway speeds.
200 feet is required at 45 mph or more, not at 35 mph. This answer applies the 45-mph-plus rule of 200 feet at every speed, ignoring that the manual scales it.
C. 50 feet, roughly a car length per 10 mph.
The manual's number is 100 feet, not a car-length-per-10-mph calculation. This answer borrows a following-distance rule of thumb and treats it as the signal distance.
D. Just before the turn, so drivers behind do not slow early.
The manual sets a minimum distance and last-second signaling falls short of it. This answer signals only at the moment of the turn, a habit the manual specifically rules against.
This question tests your knowledge of Turning in North Carolina. Source: North Carolina Driver Handbook, "Flashing Turn Signals," p.69..
Related North Carolina questions
- You approach an intersection and realize you are not in the correct lane for the turn you planned. What does the manual tell you to do? →
- You have a green arrow to make a U-turn. A driver coming from the opposite direction has a green arrow to turn right into the same lane you are heading for. Who yields? →
- Which hand signal shows you plan to make a left turn? →
- Which hand signal shows you plan to make a right turn? →
- In a single-lane roundabout, how far around do you travel before exiting when making a left turn? →
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