Pennsylvania driving lesson · Turns, Intersections and Highways
Driving through curves
A 3-minute lesson from the Pennsylvania course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
You can't beat the laws of physics. A heavy vehicle going too fast keeps moving straight no matter how you steer or brake. On a left curve you run off the road; on a right curve you drift into oncoming traffic. It doesn't take much speed.
Know the rule
Too fast on a curve, your vehicle keeps going straight: off the road on a left-bending curve, into the other lane on a right-bending curve. Sharp curves on wet or icy roads need the biggest speed reduction.
The physics of speeding on left- and right-bending curves
Know the rule
Curve warnings are yellow diamonds showing how the road bends. A 90-degree bend may have a rectangular yellow sign with a large arrow, and chevrons through sharp curves help at night and in poor visibility.
A curve warning sign shows a sharp right bend ahead on a wet night. Brake gently while the road is still straight, then drive through slightly right of lane center, eyes on the inside edge of the curve.
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.
On a curve, the sharper the curve is, the more you should:
Increase your speed to maintain momentum
Steer toward the outside edge
Accelerate through the apex
Reduce your speed
Answer: Reduce your speed
Sharper curves require more speed reduction to maintain control.
