Arizona: Speed and following distance — Part 1 Practice Test
Questions in this part include: “According to the manual, driving defensively will help protect what?” · “How does the manual define a skill?”
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Questions are original and based on the official manual "Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide" (Revised March 2026), Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division (ADOT MVD).
All 17 questions in this practice test
Take the test above first, then use this list to study. Tap “Show answer” to see the correct answer and explanation.
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According to the manual, driving defensively will help protect what?
- Your insurance rate and registration
- Your vehicle's resale value and warranty
- Your life and your driving record
- Your license plate and vehicle title
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Correct answer: Your life and your driving record
The manual says driving defensively will help protect your life and your driving record.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 22
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According to the manual, which driving attitudes are the most important you can develop?
- Courtesy and consideration toward others
- Confidence and speed in traffic
- Assertiveness toward slower drivers
- Independence from other road users
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Correct answer: Courtesy and consideration toward others
The manual says courtesy and consideration toward others are the most important driving attitudes and the key to safe driving.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 23
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What does the manual mean by foresight?
- Memorizing all traffic laws well before you take the driving test
- Sizing up traffic situations quickly and being ready to take corrective action
- Planning your route before every trip to avoid unfamiliar roads
- Knowing how long a trip will take in normal traffic conditions
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Correct answer: Sizing up traffic situations quickly and being ready to take corrective action
Foresight means sizing up traffic situations as quickly as possible and being prepared to take corrective action.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 23
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What is the best way to prepare yourself for unpredictable events on the road?
- Drive only on familiar roads
- Drive faster than the traffic around you
- Avoid driving in bad weather
- Drive defensively
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Correct answer: Drive defensively
The manual says the best way to prepare for unpredictable events is to drive defensively.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 23
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As a defensive driver, what should you constantly do?
- Look ahead of you and around you, and always check your mirrors
- Watch only the road surface directly ahead of your hood
- Keep your eyes on your mirrors while approaching hazards
- Concentrate on the vehicle in front and ignore other traffic
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Correct answer: Look ahead of you and around you, and always check your mirrors
A defensive driver constantly looks ahead and around and always checks the mirrors, staying aware of hazards in front, to the sides and behind.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 23
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According to the manual, what problems do experienced drivers often face?
- Fear of driving at night and in bad weather conditions
- Carelessness, overconfidence and bad driving habits
- Difficulty understanding new vehicle technology and gadgets
- Poor eyesight and slower reactions than new drivers have
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Correct answer: Carelessness, overconfidence and bad driving habits
Experienced drivers often face carelessness, overconfidence and bad driving habits that develop over time.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 24
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What will determine how safe a driver you really are?
- The number of years you have been driving
- The type of vehicle that you drive
- Your record of crash-free miles driven
- Your ability to adjust and adapt to changes
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Correct answer: Your ability to adjust and adapt to changes
The manual says your ability to adjust and adapt to changes in rules, techniques and traffic determines how safe you really are.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 24
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How does the manual define a skill?
- A well-rehearsed driving strategy of anticipation and reaction
- A natural talent for driving that practice and instruction cannot improve
- A set of driving rules that must be memorized before the written test
- A technique for handling the vehicle in emergencies such as skids or blowouts
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Correct answer: A well-rehearsed driving strategy of anticipation and reaction
A skill is a well-rehearsed driving strategy involving anticipation, reaction and the constant changing of the space between vehicles.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 24
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According to the manual, how can your improvement as a driver be measured?
- How quickly you can reach your destination
- The number of years you have held your license
- Eliminating risk-taking and obeying speed limits
- How many hours of driving you log each month
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Correct answer: Eliminating risk-taking and obeying speed limits
The manual says improvement is measured in your elimination of risk-taking, adherence to speed limits and ability to take corrective action.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 24
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What is the proper way to stay in your lane of travel?
- Keep your eyes on the pavement directly in front of your car
- Look well ahead and make only slight steering corrections as needed
- Make frequent firm steering adjustments to stay centered
- Follow closely behind the vehicle ahead to match its path
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Correct answer: Look well ahead and make only slight steering corrections as needed
The manual says to look well ahead and make only slight steering corrections as needed.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 24
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Drivers tend to steer toward what?
- What they are hearing
- The center of their lane
- The vehicle ahead of them
- What they are looking at
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Correct answer: What they are looking at
The manual says drivers tend to steer towards what they are looking at.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 24
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When driving in a curve, where should you look to be more likely to stay within your lane?
- Generally to the outside of your lane of travel
- Toward the inside edge of the curve ahead of you
- At the center line of the road until the curve ends
- Directly at the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead
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Correct answer: Generally to the outside of your lane of travel
Looking generally to the outside of your lane while in a curve makes you more likely to stay within your lane.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 24
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Which of these is named as an area where cars, people or animals may cross your path?
- Tunnels
- Mountain passes
- Playgrounds
- Interstate bridges
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Correct answer: Playgrounds
The manual names intersections, crosswalks, shopping centers, construction areas and playgrounds as such areas.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 24
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To avoid the need for last-minute decision making, how far ahead should you look?
- About one city block
- About one mile
- About two car lengths
- About one-half mile
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Correct answer: About one city block
The manual says to look ahead for a distance of about one city block.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 25
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What will frequently checking the traffic behind you tell you?
- When a vehicle ahead of you is about to change lanes
- When someone is tailgating or moving up too quickly
- Whether the road behind you has any hazards or potholes
- How fast the vehicle ahead of you is traveling
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Correct answer: When someone is tailgating or moving up too quickly
Checking traffic behind you frequently lets you know when someone is tailgating or moving up too quickly.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 25
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In the "3-6 second" rule, what does it mean if you pass the same point before you finish counting?
- You have the correct following distance
- The vehicle ahead is traveling too slowly
- You are following too closely
- You are driving at a safe speed
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Correct answer: You are following too closely
The manual says that passing the same point before you finish counting means you are following too closely.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 25
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How does the manual say to create a space cushion around your vehicle?
- By staying close to the right edge of your lane
- By driving slightly faster than surrounding traffic
- By keeping close to the vehicle ahead of you
- By staying in the middle of your lane
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Correct answer: By staying in the middle of your lane
The manual says to create a space cushion by staying in the middle of your lane.
Source: Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide (Revised March 2026), page 25