Practice limits and how to adjust your speed, with questions based on the New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21).
It still doubles
The doubled fine applies whether or not workers or work vehicles are there at the time.
Source: New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21), Chapter 8, Defensive Driving
55 mph
Some cities set lower limits that aren't always posted, so check the rules where you are driving.
Source: New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21), Chapter 8, Defensive Driving
25 mph
The citywide limit applies even without a sign. This is one example of a city limit below 55 mph.
Source: New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21), Chapter 8, Defensive Driving
As low as 25 mph
Even with no posted work area limit, you must slow down through the zone and obey the flag persons.
Source: New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21), Chapter 4, Traffic Control
65 mph
The normal expressway limit is 55 mph. A limit of 65 mph can be posted in some rural areas.
Source: New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21), Chapter 10, Special Driving Conditions
Yes, if it isn't reasonable for conditions
The legal limit is not always a safe speed, so an officer can act when your speed is not reasonable for the road.
Source: New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21), Chapter 8, Defensive Driving
Slow down and be ready to stop
Children can dart into the road, so slow down and watch for them.
Source: California Driver's Handbook, Section 7, Laws and Rules of the Road (continued); Texas Driver Handbook, Chapter 5, Signals, Signs, and Markers, p. 28; Official Florida Driver License Handbook, Chapter 6, Traffic Controls (p. 57); New York State Driver's Manual, Chapter 11, Sharing the Road; Illinois Rules of the Road, Chapter 5, Sharing the Road; Pennsylvania Driver's Manual (PUB 95), Chapter 3, Special Circumstances and Emergencies: Pedestrians; North Carolina Driver Handbook, Chapter 4, Your Driving: School Buses (pp. 47-48); What Every Driver Must Know (SOS-133), Chapter 6, Pedestrians, pp. 54-55; New Jersey Driver Manual, Chapter 8, Speed and Pedestrian Safety, p. 145; Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39), Section 3, Safe Driving: Sharing the Road (pp. 20-21); Washington Driver Guide, Chapter 5, 5.1 Speed: Adjusting speed for conditions; Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Section B, Chapter 4, Right-of-Way Procedures (p. 53); Louisiana Class D & E Driver's Guide, Chapter 5, Safe Driving Habits, Pedestrian Safety, PDF p. 81; Kentucky Driver Manual, Section Ten, Pedestrians, PDF p. 67; South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 10, Sharing the Road, Pedestrians, p. 10-2 (PDF p. 111); Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), Speed, Limits, printed p. 12 (PDF p. 15); Safe Driving Tips, Slow Zones, printed p. 19 (PDF p. 22); Oklahoma Driver Manual, Chapter 5, You Must Yield to Children Playing in the Streets, p. 28; Connecticut Driver's Manual, Chapter 3, Driving Behaviors, Space to the Side, p. 22; Trouble Spots, p. 22; Utah Driver Handbook, Section 14, G. Pedestrians, PDF p. 92; Nevada Driver's Handbook, Chapter 3, School Areas, PDF p. 33; Chapter 6, Pedestrians, PDF p. 66; Arkansas Driver License Study Guide (Vol. 1, Ed. 10, October 2026), Chapter 5, See and Be Seen, Trouble Spots, PDF p. 69; MDPS Driver's License Manual, While You Drive, PDF p. 22; Kansas Driving Handbook, Section 9, Pedestrians, As a driver, PDF p. 80; Idaho Driver's Handbook, Pedestrians, PDF pp. 96-97; New Mexico Driver Manual, Trouble spots, PDF p. 25; Nebraska Driver's Manual, Section 6C, Pedestrians, PDF p. 77; Section 4B-10, PDF p. 60; Hawaii Driver's Manual, Chapter XII, Your Responsibility as a Driver, PDF p. 94; West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook, Chapter VI, Children at Play, PDF p. 64
Slow down before you enter
Roundabouts are built for low speeds. Slow down as you approach, then yield to traffic already in the circle.
Source: California Driver's Handbook, Section 7, Laws and Rules of the Road: Roundabouts; Texas Driver Handbook, Chapter 9, Some Special Driving Situations: Roundabouts (p. 49); New York State Driver's Manual, Chapter 5, Intersections and Turns: Roundabouts; Pennsylvania Driver's Manual (PUB 95), Chapter 3, Negotiating Intersections: Roundabouts; Georgia Drivers' Manual, Roundabouts: Navigating a Single Lane Roundabout; North Carolina Driver Handbook, Chapter 4, Your Driving: Roundabouts; Virginia Driver's Manual, Section 3, Safe Driving: Roundabouts; Washington Driver Guide, Intersections: How to drive a roundabout; Maryland Driver's Manual, Section 5.I, p. 31; Missouri Driver Guide, Chapter 3, Approaching the roundabout, PDF p. 28; Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook 2026, Section 6.A Roundabouts, p. 39; Minnesota Driver's Manual, Chapter 3, Roundabouts, p. 30; Alabama Driver Manual, Chapter 5, Signs, Signals and Road Markings, Steps for Driving a Roundabout, PDF p. 59; Louisiana Class D & E Driver's Guide, Chapter 6, Traffic Laws and Regulations, Roundabouts and Traffic Circles, PDF pp. 96-97; Kentucky Driver Manual, Section Seven, Roundabouts and Traffic Circles, PDF p. 52; South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 7, General Driving, Roundabouts and Traffic Circles, p. 7-7 (PDF p. 82); Oregon Driver Manual 2026-2027, Turns & Intersections, Roundabouts, p. 43 (PDF p. 51); Connecticut Driver's Manual, Chapter 4, Road Safety, Roundabouts, p. 37; Utah Driver Handbook, Section 9, F. Roundabouts, PDF p. 55; Nevada Driver's Handbook, Chapter 3, Roundabouts, PDF p. 44; Iowa Driver's License Manual (MM1170), Chapter 5, 5.5 Roundabouts, p. 54; MDPS Driver's License Manual, Roundabouts, PDF p. 57; Kansas Driving Handbook, Section 6, Roundabouts and Traffic Circles, PDF p. 49; Idaho Driver's Handbook, Roundabouts, PDF p. 62; Nebraska Driver's Manual, Section 4B-5, Rules for Driving Roundabouts, PDF p. 57; Hawaii Driver's Manual, Chapter X, Roundabout, PDF p. 64
So you can stop within your headlights' reach
Do not drive so fast that your stopping distance goes beyond what your headlights show.
Source: California Driver's Handbook, Section 8, Safe Driving; Texas Driver Handbook, Chapter 14, Additional Safety Tips, p. 74; New York State Driver's Manual, Chapter 11, Sharing the Road; Illinois Rules of the Road, Chapter 11, Safe Driving Tips; Pennsylvania Driver's Manual (PUB 95), Chapter 3, Managing Speed: Driving at Night; Georgia Drivers' Manual, Section 5: Traffic Laws, Night Driving; North Carolina Driver Handbook, Chapter 4, Your Driving: Night Driving (p. 71); What Every Driver Must Know (SOS-133), Chapter 7, Driving at night, p. 64; New Jersey Driver Manual, Chapter 5, Night Driving, p. 100; Washington Driver Guide, Chapter 3, 3.0 Seeing at night; Chapter 5, 5.6 Night driving; Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Chapter 2, p. 46; Missouri Driver Guide, Chapter 9, Night Driving, PDF p. 64; Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide, Section 5, Actively Avoiding Crashes: Night Driving (p. 57); Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Section B, Chapter 6, Drive Slower at Night (p. 74); Minnesota Driver's Manual, Chapter 6, Headlights, p. 73; Alabama Driver Manual, Chapter 7, Adjust to Driving Conditions, Night Driving, PDF p. 71; Louisiana Class D & E Driver's Guide, Chapter 5, Safe Driving Habits, Night Driving, PDF p. 80; Kentucky Driver Manual, Section Eight, Visibility, PDF p. 58; Oklahoma Driver Manual, Chapter 7, Night Driving, p. 41; Connecticut Driver's Manual, Chapter 4, Road Safety, Lights, Darkness, p. 38; Nevada Driver's Handbook, Chapter 5, Night Driving, PDF p. 56; Arkansas Driver License Study Guide (Vol. 1, Ed. 10, October 2026), Chapter 5, See and Be Seen, Visibility and Reaction, Darkness, PDF p. 70; MDPS Driver's License Manual, Driving at Night, PDF p. 63; Idaho Driver's Handbook, Night Driving, PDF pp. 108-109; New Mexico Driver Manual, Darkness, PDF pp. 25-26
Slower, as conditions require
A posted limit is not always a safe speed. Traffic, the road surface and the weather can all call for a slower one.
Source: California Driver's Handbook, Section 8, Safe Driving (continued); Texas Driver Handbook, Chapter 8, Table 22: Speed Limits, p. 46; Official Florida Driver License Handbook, Chapter 7, Driving Safety: Speed Limits (p. 68); New York State Driver's Manual, Chapter 8, Defensive Driving; Illinois Rules of the Road, Chapter 11, Safe Driving Tips: Vehicle Speed (p. 84); Pennsylvania Driver's Manual (PUB 95), Chapter 3, Managing Speed: Posted Speed Limits; Ohio Driver Manual, Digest of Motor Vehicle Laws, Ohio Revised Code 4511.21; Georgia Drivers' Manual, Section 8: Safety Guidelines, Winter Driving and Curves; North Carolina Driver Handbook, Chapter 4, Your Driving: Adjusting Your Speed to Driving Conditions (pp. 52-53); What Every Driver Must Know (SOS-133), Chapter 4, Speed limits, p. 26; New Jersey Driver Manual, Chapter 4, Speed Control, p. 63; Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39), Section 3, Safe Driving: Speed Limits (pp. 14-15); Washington Driver Guide, Chapter 5, 5.1 Speed: Speed limits; Adjusting speed for conditions; Indiana Driver's Manual, Chapter 7, Rain, p. 44; Chapter 7, Reduce Speed in Dangerous Conditions, p. 41; Maryland Driver's Manual, Section 3.C, p. 14; Missouri Driver Guide, Chapter 7, Speed Limit, PDF p. 52; Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook 2026, Section 3.B Understanding Vehicle Speed, p. 10; Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide, Section 3, Roadway and Vehicle Knowledge: Adjusting Speed to Conditions (p. 40); Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Section B, Chapter 4, The Basic Speed Rule (p. 46); Minnesota Driver's Manual, Chapter 3, Speed limits (basic speed law), p. 26; Reduced speed, p. 27; Alabama Driver Manual, Chapter 6, Traffic Laws, Speed Regulations, PDF p. 61; Louisiana Class D & E Driver's Guide, Chapter 3, Signs, Traffic Lights, and Pavement Markings, Speed Limit Signs, PDF p. 32; Chapter 6, Traffic Laws and Regulations, Speed, PDF pp. 91-92; Kentucky Driver Manual, Section Eight, Adjusting To Roadway Conditions (Slippery roads), PDF p. 58; South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 8, Safe Driving Tips, Adjusting To Roadway Conditions, p. 8-3 (PDF p. 96); Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), Speed, Limits, printed p. 12 (PDF p. 15); Oklahoma Driver Manual, Chapter 7, The Basic Speed Rule, p. 40; Connecticut Driver's Manual, Chapter 4, Road Safety, Speed Limits, p. 36; Utah Driver Handbook, Section 9, E. Speed, PDF pp. 54-55; Nevada Driver's Handbook, Chapter 3, Controlling Speed, PDF p. 35; Iowa Driver's License Manual (MM1170), Chapter 2, Speed Limit Signs, p. 8; Chapter 4, 4.5 Appropriate Speed, p. 42; Arkansas Driver License Study Guide (Vol. 1, Ed. 10, October 2026), Chapter 5, See and Be Seen, Adjusting the Vehicle Speed, PDF p. 66; MDPS Driver's License Manual, Legal Speeds, PDF p. 41; Idaho Driver's Handbook, Speed Limits, PDF p. 68; Rain & Hydroplaning, PDF p. 111; New Mexico Driver Manual, Speed Limit Signs, PDF p. 9; West Virginia Code §17C-6-1, W. Va. Code §17C-6-1(a), (c)
We wrote these practice questions from the facts in the New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21) (Undated PDF, file created 2026-04-20; copyright line reads 2018 edition) and from official sources on road signs. Every answer links to its source, so you can check it and read more.
DMV Decoded is an independent guide, not a government agency. This practice test is not connected to the New York State DMV, and your actual test will have different questions. Study the handbook, and check the agency's website for current rules.