Alabama permit test: following distance & space
Following-distance rules, stopping distance and keeping a space cushion. 4 questions.
In good conditions, what following-distance rule does the Alabama manual recommend?
Keyboard: press 1–4 or A–D to answer, Enter for the next question, S to save, R to read aloud, P to pause reading, L to listen and answer.
Sample following distance & space questions
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In good conditions, what following-distance rule does the Alabama manual recommend?
- A The three-second rule
- B One car length per 20 mph
- C Stay 50 feet behind at all times
- D The two-second rule
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D. The two-second rule
The Alabama manual recommends the two-second rule in place of the old one-car-length-per-10-mph formula. In poor road or weather conditions, increase the gap to four or five seconds.
Source: Alabama Driver Manual, page 38
Road and weather conditions are poor. How much following distance should you leave?
- A A two-second count
- B A three-second count
- C A four- to five-second count
- D A ten-second count
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C. A four- to five-second count
If road and weather conditions are not good, increase your following distance to four or five seconds. Leave the same extra room when driving a vehicle longer than a car.
Source: Alabama Driver Manual, page 38
How do you check your following distance using the two-second rule?
- A Count from when you see brake lights until you stop
- B Count the car lengths between you and the car ahead
- C Count from the time you pass a sign until the next sign
- D Count from when the car ahead passes a fixed object until you reach it
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D. Count from when the car ahead passes a fixed object until you reach it
Pick a fixed object such as a sign post. When the vehicle ahead passes it, count "one thousand one, one thousand two." If you reach the object first, you are too close, so slow down gradually.
Source: Alabama Driver Manual, page 38
Compared with dry pavement, how much distance can it take to stop on snow or ice?
- A Three to twelve times as much
- B About the same distance
- C About one and a half times as much
- D Twenty to thirty times as much
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A. Three to twelve times as much
On snow or ice it takes three to twelve times as much distance to stop as on dry pavement. Leave a much larger gap behind the vehicle ahead so you have room to stop.
Source: Alabama Driver Manual, page 73