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Mississippi driving lesson · Speed, Signaling & Following Distance

Legal speed limits

A 2-minute lesson from the Mississippi 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
2 minutes
Course unit
Speed, Signaling & Following Distance
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
41

Speed limits are set for ideal conditions. Rain, darkness, curves, congestion or a narrow road all mean slowing below the posted number. Speed also makes crashes, especially fatal crashes, more likely.

Passenger vehicles (including unloaded 1/2-ton trucks)

Passenger vehicles (including unloaded 1/2-ton trucks)
RoadwayMaximumMinimum
Interstates70 mph40 mph
Four-lane highways (State & U.S.)65 mph40 mph
Two-lane highways (State & U.S.)55 mphNone listed
Natchez Trace Parkway50 mphNone listed
Handbook p. 41 ↗
15 mph

Maximum speed for any vehicle in a school zone

Handbook p. 41 ↗

School bus speed limits

School bus speed limits
SituationMaximum
Carrying children to and from school, regular routes45 mph
On the interstate65 mph
Handbook p. 41 ↗

Know the rule

Speed limits may change for many reasons. Watch the posted signs, glance often at your speedometer, and always know how fast you're going.

Handbook p. 41 ↗

Reduce your speed:

  • On curves
  • When approaching intersections
  • On a narrow or twisting road
  • When traffic is congested
  • When the weather or visibility is poor
Handbook p. 41 ↗

Know the rule

Posted speed limits are intended for ideal conditions. Adjust your speed to the situation and conditions.

Handbook p. 41 ↗

Know the rule

Hitting a stone wall at 40 mph has the same impact as driving off a four-story building.

Handbook p. 41 ↗

Put it into practice

It's pouring rain on a four-lane U.S. highway posted at 65 mph. That limit assumes ideal conditions, so slow down to a speed that's safe for the rain and the reduced visibility.

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 maximum speed limit for passenger vehicles on Mississippi interstates?
  1. 70 mph
  2. 60 mph
  3. 75 mph
  4. 65 mph

Answer: 70 mph

The maximum speed for passenger automobiles on interstates is seventy miles per hour.

Handbook p. 41 ↗
What is the minimum speed limit on a Mississippi interstate?
  1. 40 mph
  2. 30 mph
  3. 50 mph
  4. 45 mph

Answer: 40 mph

The minimum speed on interstates for passenger automobiles is forty miles per hour.

Handbook p. 41 ↗
What is the maximum speed limit on a four-lane State or U.S. highway?
  1. 60 mph
  2. 70 mph
  3. 65 mph
  4. 55 mph

Answer: 65 mph

Four-lane State and U.S. highways have a maximum speed of sixty-five miles per hour.

Handbook p. 41 ↗
What is the maximum speed limit on a two-lane State or U.S. highway?
  1. 50 mph
  2. 45 mph
  3. 65 mph
  4. 55 mph

Answer: 55 mph

Two-lane State and U.S. highways have a maximum speed of fifty-five miles per hour.

Handbook p. 41 ↗
What is the maximum speed for a school bus transporting children on its regular route (not the interstate)?
  1. 55 mph
  2. 35 mph
  3. 45 mph
  4. 65 mph

Answer: 45 mph

A school bus on regular routes has a maximum speed of forty-five miles per hour, compared to sixty-five on the interstate.

Handbook p. 41 ↗
Posted speed limits are meant for ideal driving conditions, so you must reduce speed in poor weather or heavy traffic.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: True

Posted speed limits assume ideal conditions; drivers must adjust for weather, visibility, and traffic.

Handbook p. 41 ↗
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