CDE CDE Night & Adverse Weather Driving 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Why is night driving considered more dangerous than daytime driving even at the same speed?
- Drivers are legally required to drive faster at night
- Visibility is reduced, making it harder to see hazards in time to stop (Correct answer)
- Headlights cause other drivers to be blinded constantly
- Road surfaces are always wet after dark
Correct answer: Visibility is reduced, making it harder to see hazards in time to stop
Reduced visibility at night shortens the driver's reaction distance, increasing the risk of striking unseen hazards.
Question 2: What is 'overdriving your headlights' during night driving?
- Using high beams in a tunnel
- Driving at a speed that prevents stopping within the illuminated distance ahead (Correct answer)
- Switching between high and low beams repeatedly
- Driving with only parking lights on at night
Correct answer: Driving at a speed that prevents stopping within the illuminated distance ahead
Overdriving headlights means traveling faster than the distance your lights illuminate, leaving no room to stop if a hazard appears.
Question 3: When should a driver switch from high beams to low beams while driving at night?
- Only when another vehicle is directly alongside
- When an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet or when following within 300 feet (Correct answer)
- Whenever the speed limit drops below 45 mph
- High beams should always be used on rural roads
Correct answer: When an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet or when following within 300 feet
High beams can temporarily blind oncoming or leading drivers, so U.S. standards require dimming within 500 feet of oncoming traffic and 300 feet when following.
Question 4: What effect does fatigue have on night driving specifically?
- It improves focus by reducing distracting thoughts
- It increases reaction time and impairs lane-keeping, especially between midnight and 6 a.m. (Correct answer)
- It has no additional effect beyond normal daytime drowsiness
- It sharpens night vision due to pupil dilation
Correct answer: It increases reaction time and impairs lane-keeping, especially between midnight and 6 a.m.
The body's circadian rhythm causes drowsiness peaks between midnight and 6 a.m., making fatigue especially dangerous during those hours.
Question 5: How should a driver adjust speed when driving in dense fog?
- Maintain highway speed to exit the fog zone faster
- Slow down substantially and use low beams or fog lights (Correct answer)
- Use hazard lights at full speed to warn other drivers
- Switch to high beams for maximum forward visibility
Correct answer: Slow down substantially and use low beams or fog lights
Low beams or fog lights reduce glare from water droplets, and reduced speed allows more reaction time within the shortened visible distance.
Question 6: What is the recommended following distance on a dry road versus a wet road?
- 2 seconds dry; 2 seconds wet — no change needed
- 3 seconds dry; at least 6 seconds wet (Correct answer)
- 5 seconds dry; 3 seconds wet
- 1 second dry; 2 seconds wet
Correct answer: 3 seconds dry; at least 6 seconds wet
Wet pavement significantly increases stopping distance, so doubling the following distance compensates for reduced tire traction.
CDE CDE Night & Adverse Weather Driving 1
Why is night driving considered more dangerous than daytime driving even at the same speed?