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Alaska driving lesson · Speed, Following Distance & Highways

Speed limits & the speed law

A 3-minute lesson from the Alaska course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Speed, Following Distance & Highways
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
34

Alaska sets default speed limits by type of area. They're maximums for favorable conditions on roads that aren't otherwise posted. When conditions are worse, the law expects you to go slower.

Speed limits when not otherwise posted

Speed limits when not otherwise posted
WhereLimit
Alley15 mph
Business district20 mph
School zone20 mph
Residential district25 mph
Any other roadway55 mph
Handbook p. 34 ↗

Know the rule

Local authorities or the State Department of Transportation and Public Facilities may change these limits (13 AAC 02.280). Speed limits on selected highways may be posted at 65.

Handbook p. 34 ↗
65 mph

Highest posted limit on selected Alaska highways

Handbook p. 34 ↗

Drive slower than the limit when conditions are less than ideal:

  • Traffic: heavy, congested, or moving slowly
  • Surface: rough, icy, wet, or otherwise poor traction
  • Width: a narrow roadway reduces your margin of safety
  • Weather: rain, snow, fog, dust, or smoke affect sight distance and traction
Handbook p. 34 ↗

Know the rule

You may not drive faster than will let you stop within the assured clear distance ahead.

Handbook p. 34 ↗

Know the rule

You may not drive so slowly that you hold back or block the normal and reasonable flow of traffic.

Handbook p. 34 ↗

Reckless driving

A willful disregard for the safety of persons or property. A conviction results in license revocation.

Handbook p. 34 ↗

Know the rule

On multi-lane highways, if you drive slower than other traffic, use the right, outside lane except when passing.

Handbook p. 34 ↗

Know the rule

Give emergency vehicles on the shoulder extra room by moving over. It's the law (AS 28.35.185).

Handbook p. 34 ↗

Know the rule

Certain stretches of highway may be designated Traffic Safety Corridors. Fines for traffic offenses there are doubled.

Handbook p. 34 ↗

Put it into practice

It's snowing hard on an unposted two-lane road outside town. The default limit is 55, but snow cuts your visibility and traction, so the law requires a speed that lets you stop within the distance you can clearly see.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

What is the statutory speed limit in an alley unless otherwise posted?
  1. 10 mph
  2. 20 mph
  3. 15 mph
  4. 25 mph

Answer: 15 mph

Alleys have a default statutory limit of 15 mph.

Handbook p. 34 ↗
What is the statutory speed limit in a business district unless otherwise posted?
  1. 15 mph
  2. 25 mph
  3. 30 mph
  4. 20 mph

Answer: 20 mph

Business districts have a default statutory limit of 20 mph.

Handbook p. 34 ↗
What is the statutory speed limit in a school zone unless otherwise posted?
  1. 20 mph
  2. 15 mph
  3. 25 mph
  4. 10 mph

Answer: 20 mph

School zones have a default statutory limit of 20 mph.

Handbook p. 34 ↗
What is the statutory speed limit in a residential district unless otherwise posted?
  1. 20 mph
  2. 25 mph
  3. 30 mph
  4. 35 mph

Answer: 25 mph

Residential districts have a default statutory limit of 25 mph.

Handbook p. 34 ↗
What is the maximum speed limit on an unposted roadway outside business, school, or residential areas?
  1. 45 mph
  2. 65 mph
  3. 55 mph
  4. 50 mph

Answer: 55 mph

Any other unposted roadway defaults to 55 mph.

Handbook p. 34 ↗
What happens to fines for traffic offenses in a designated Traffic Safety Corridor?
  1. They are cut in half
  2. They are doubled
  3. They stay the same as elsewhere
  4. They are replaced with points only

Answer: They are doubled

Fines for traffic offenses occurring in a Traffic Safety Corridor are doubled.

Handbook p. 34 ↗
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