Iowa permit test: following distance & space
Following-distance rules, stopping distance and keeping a space cushion. 6 questions.
A driver is tailgating you. What does the Iowa 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
A driver is tailgating you. What does the Iowa manual recommend?
- A Move left and slow down to block them
- B Speed up to get away from them
- C Move slightly right and signal early so they can see ahead
- D Stay in the center of your lane and ignore them
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C. Move slightly right and signal early so they can see ahead
If you are being tailgated, move slightly right so the driver can see ahead, signal early for turns and stops, and slow down to encourage them to pass. If all else fails, pull out of the traffic flow.
View diagram
Under normal conditions, what following distance should a beginning driver keep?
- A At least 3 seconds
- B At least 1 second
- C At least 2 seconds
- D At least 10 seconds
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A. At least 3 seconds
Beginning drivers should keep at least a three-second following distance. Count from when the car ahead passes a landmark; your bumper should not reach it before you count to three.
At 40 mph, what following distance does the Iowa manual recommend?
- A 2 to 3 seconds
- B 4 to 5 seconds
- C 6 to 8 seconds
- D 1 to 2 seconds
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B. 4 to 5 seconds
At speeds of 40 mph, the manual recommends four to five seconds of following distance. Faster speeds need more space because you travel farther before you can react and stop.
Roads are slippery, or a large vehicle ahead blocks your view. What following distance is recommended?
- A 3 seconds
- B 4 seconds
- C 2 seconds
- D 6 or more seconds
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D. 6 or more seconds
When roads are slippery or the vehicle ahead blocks your view, keep six or more seconds behind. You need extra time to see hazards and extra distance because braking takes longer.