Oregon permit test: following distance & space
Following-distance rules, stopping distance and keeping a space cushion. 5 questions.
You are traveling faster than 30 mph. According to the Oregon manual, what following distance should you keep?
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Sample following distance & space questions
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You are traveling faster than 30 mph. According to the Oregon manual, what following distance should you keep?
- A 3 seconds or more
- B 2 seconds or more
- C 4 seconds or more
- D 1 second or more
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C. 4 seconds or more
Oregon defines a safe following distance as 2-4 seconds. At speeds above 30 mph you should keep 4 seconds or more, because higher speeds give you less time to spot and react to hazards.
You count seconds as the car ahead passes a pole. When are you following too closely?
- A If the car's brake lights come on while you count
- B If you reach the pole before you finish counting two seconds
- C If you reach the pole before you count five seconds
- D If you can read the car's license plate
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B. If you reach the pole before you finish counting two seconds
Pick a fixed point, then count the seconds from when the car ahead passes it until you reach it. If you get there before two seconds, drop back and count again.
A driver is tailgating you and there is no lane to your right. What should you do?
- A Brake hard to warn them to back off
- B Slowly reduce your speed to encourage them to pass or back off
- C Speed up to put more distance between you
- D Turn on your hazard lights and keep driving at exactly the same speed
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B. Slowly reduce your speed to encourage them to pass or back off
If someone follows too closely and you can move right, do so. If you cannot, slow down gradually so they pass or drop back, and never brake hard, because you could be rear-ended.
About how far does a car travel from the moment the driver sees a hazard at 60 mph until it stops?
- A Farther than the length of a football field
- B About the length of two cars
- C About 100 feet
- D About half a football field
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A. Farther than the length of a football field
Stopping takes longer than most people think. At 60 mph, the distance covered while you react and brake to a stop is greater than a football field, which is why you need a big space cushion.