West Virginia driving lesson · Driving on Interstates
Interstate speed, stopping and breakdowns
A 3-minute lesson from the West Virginia course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Interstate traffic works best when everyone moves at a steady speed in the right lane. Stopping is only for emergencies, and a breakdown needs to be made visible fast.
Know the rule
Slower traffic drives in the right-hand lane except when passing. Give trucks and buses entering the interstate extra time and space.
WV law (§17C-15-2) requires headlights on during adverse conditions. Keep extra following distance and a speed that lets you stop safely, and watch for stopped vehicles.
In very dense fog, it may be better to leave the interstate for slower roads. After a crash in heavy fog, get the vehicle as far off the road as possible; leaving it in the road invites more crashes.
Your tire goes flat on I-64 at dusk. Pull as far onto the shoulder as you can, turn on the flashers, move everyone away from the car, and set flares one car length and about 300 feet behind it.
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 slowest you should generally drive on an interstate, absent bad weather or a posted lower limit?
55 mph
45 mph
65 mph
35 mph
Answer: 55 mph
You should not drive slower than 55 mph on an interstate unless weather or conditions require it.
What is the 'exit gore,' and what should you avoid doing there?
The shoulder area past an exit; always stop there for breaks
The area just past a toll booth; slow to a crawl there
The triangle between through lane and exit ramp; don't stop there
The paved area between two interstate lanes; use it to pass
Answer: The triangle between through lane and exit ramp; don't stop there
The exit gore is the triangular area between the through lane and exit ramp; stopping there risks being struck by a driver crossing it after missing the exit.