Curves, bicycles, motorcycles and large vehicles

Key points

1. Slow down before entering curves, so you do not cross the center line or leave the road.

   Source: Handbook p. 23

   “Slow down before entering curves because of the danger of running over the center line or leaving the roadway.”
   Alabama Driver Manual, Handbook p. 23

2. Alabama law requires at least three feet between your vehicle and a bicyclist when passing.

   Source: Handbook p. 24

   “Alabama state law requires that you pass a person on a bicycle with a distance of not less than three feet between your motor vehicle and the person on a bicycle.”
   Alabama Driver Manual, Handbook p. 24

3. Bicyclists under 16 must wear a helmet on public roads.

   Source: Handbook p. 24

   “People on bicycles who are under the age of 16 years are required to wear a securely fastened protective helmet”
   Alabama Driver Manual, Handbook p. 24

4. Motorcycles are only about two feet wide, compared with five to six feet for a car.

   Source: Handbook p. 25

   “Motorcycles are only about two feet wide compared with the five-to-six-foot width of an automobile.”
   Alabama Driver Manual, Handbook p. 25

5. Motorcycles are entitled to the same full lane width as all other vehicles.

   Source: Handbook p. 26

   “Motorcycles are entitled to the same full lane width as all other vehicles.”
   Alabama Driver Manual, Handbook p. 26

6. If you cannot see a truck driver's face in the side mirror, the driver cannot see you.

   Source: Handbook p. 27

   “If you can't see the driver's face in the side-view mirror, the driver can't see you.”
   Alabama Driver Manual, Handbook p. 27

7. Rear no zones behind trucks and buses may extend as far as 200 feet.

   Source: Handbook p. 27

   “trucks and buses have huge no-zones directly behind them that may extend as far as 200 feet.”
   Alabama Driver Manual, Handbook p. 27

8. At 55 mph, a car needs 193 feet to stop and a loaded truck needs 430 feet.

   Source: Handbook p. 28

   “at speeds of 55 miles per hour, a passenger car needs 193 feet to stop safely and a loaded truck needs 430 feet.”
   Alabama Driver Manual, Handbook p. 28

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Alabama practice test

1. 1. When approaching a crest of a hill or a curve, what speed adjustment does the manual call for?

   1. Stop in the travel lane before every curve
   2. Accelerate so the vehicle spends less time there
   3. Maintain the maximum posted speed in all conditions
   4. Slow down before reaching the hill or curve
   Show answer

   Slow down before reaching the hill or curve. The manual lists hills and curves among locations where slower speeds are often required. Reducing speed before reaching the limited-visibility area gives the driver more time to detect an obstruction, oncoming traffic, or a changing road surface. Acceleration works against that safety margin, and a posted maximum is not a command to use that speed when conditions call for less. A full stop in every lane is unnecessary and can create a hazard. Use the roadway shape as the cue to ease off early, not after entering the blind portion.

2. 2. Why are motorcycles hard to identify in traffic, according to the Alabama manual?

   1. They are always painted dark colors
   2. They ride only on the shoulder
   3. They travel faster than cars
   4. They are only about two feet wide compared with the five to six foot width of a car
   Show answer

   They are only about two feet wide compared with the five to six foot width of a car. Motorcycles are not easily identified in traffic because they are only about two feet wide compared with the five to six foot width of an automobile. Even when seen, drivers may misjudge how far away a motorcyclist is and how fast it is closing. Look twice for motorcycles at intersections and before lane changes, and remember a rider may forget to cancel a turn signal.

3. 3. According to a study cited in the Alabama manual, how far do a car and a loaded truck need to stop from 55 mph?

   1. 193 feet for a passenger car and 430 feet for a loaded truck
   2. 50 feet and 100 feet
   3. 193 feet for both
   4. 1,000 feet for both
   Show answer

   193 feet for a passenger car and 430 feet for a loaded truck. A National Safety Council study of reaction time and braking distance found that at 55 miles per hour a passenger car needs 193 feet to stop safely and a loaded truck needs 430 feet. That gap is why cutting in front of a truck is so dangerous. Never cross behind a truck or bus that is backing up, because the driver cannot see you.

Source: the Alabama Driver Manual, Chapter 3: The Driving Task. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.