New Mexico driving lesson · Communicating & Managing Space
Adjusting to road & weather conditions
A 3-minute lesson from the New Mexico course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Your tires are the only contact your vehicle has with the road. How well they grip depends on the tires and the road surface. Keep tires in good shape and properly inflated (see the owner's manual), and slow down whenever grip is reduced.
Know the rule
Slow down before a sharp curve, when the road is slippery, and when water is standing on the road.
Slow down at the first sign of rain, snow or sleet. Use snow tires or chains on snowy roads. Studded tires are allowed in some icy areas but banned in many areas or roads because they damage the road.
A summer storm starts after a week of heat. For the first few minutes the road is extra slick from oil rising out of the asphalt, so you slow down by more than usual and leave extra room.
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.
About how much should you reduce your speed on a wet road?
About 10 mph
About 25 mph
No reduction is needed if you have good tires
About 5 mph
Answer: About 10 mph
On a wet road you should reduce your speed by about 10 mph.