You enter a work zone with a 35 mph posted limit. No workers or equipment are visible. How fast may you legally drive?
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A.
The 35 mph work zone limit Correct
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B.
The speed limit posted before the work zone
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C.
The statutory default for the road
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D.
The speed of surrounding traffic
The answer is "The 35 mph work zone limit"
The 35 mph work zone limit applies at all times the zone is in effect, regardless of whether workers are present. Driving faster because the scene looks empty is exactly the mistake the rule is designed to prevent. The reduced limit holds until you see an End Work Zone Speed Limit sign or another posted speed sign.
The traps in the wrong answers
B. The speed limit posted before the work zone
The previous limit does not return until the work zone ends. Misreading: Treats the prior limit as still in force inside the zone, ignoring that the reduced limit applies until an End Work Zone Speed Limit sign or another posted speed limit sign.
C. The statutory default for the road
Statutory defaults do not override a posted work zone limit. Misreading: Assumes a road's default speed overrides the temporary posted work zone speed, which the manual says applies at all times inside the zone.
D. The speed of surrounding traffic
Speed limits are not set by the flow of nearby drivers. Misreading: Substitutes the flow of traffic for the posted work zone speed, which the manual says applies at all times even if workers are not visible.
This question tests your knowledge of Construction Signs in Oregon. Source: Oregon Driver Manual, "Work Zones," p.59..
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