Required equipment and maintenance

Key points

1. The foot brake must stop a passenger vehicle within 25 feet at 20 mph.

   Source: Handbook p. 68

   “Adequate to stop passenger vehicle within 25 feet at a speed of 20 miles per hour.”
   Alaska Driver Manual, Handbook p. 68

2. The horn must be audible from at least 200 feet.

   Source: Handbook p. 68

   “Capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from not less than 200 feet.”
   Alaska Driver Manual, Handbook p. 68

3. The rear license plate light must make the numbers visible for at least 50 feet.

   Source: Handbook p. 68

   “A white light must illuminate the rear license plate so that numbers are visible for at least 50 ft., if equipped.”
   Alaska Driver Manual, Handbook p. 68

4. Tires must have at least 2/32 inch of tread.

   Source: Handbook p. 75

   “Tires must have at least 2/32 inches of tread depth.”
   Alaska Driver Manual, Handbook p. 75

5. Never pump anti lock brakes; as of 2010, 89% of new cars had them.

   Source: Handbook p. 74

   “Never pump the brakes if your vehicle has antilock brakes. As of 2010, 89% of new cars and 99% of new light trucks have antilock brakes.”
   Alaska Driver Manual, Handbook p. 74

6. It takes about three quarters of a second to react; at 50 mph you travel another 55 feet before braking.

   Source: Handbook p. 74

   “At 50 mph, your vehicle will go another 55 feet in the three- quarters of a second it takes to react.”
   Alaska Driver Manual, Handbook p. 74

7. A tight fuel cap can save about $120 a year.

   Source: Handbook p. 75

   “Make sure the cap is tight and you can save about $120 per year.”
   Alaska Driver Manual, Handbook p. 75

8. Never run a vehicle in a closed garage.

   Source: Handbook p. 69

   “Never run a vehicle in a closed garage.”
   Alaska Driver Manual, Handbook p. 69

9. You may not coast downhill in neutral or with the clutch disengaged.

   Source: Handbook p. 67

   “A driver of a motor vehicle when traveling on a downgrade may not coast with the gears of the vehicle in neutral, or with the clutch disengaged.”
   Alaska Driver Manual, Handbook p. 67

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Alaska practice test

1. 1. What minimum tread depth does the Alaska manual require, and how can a penny check it?

   1. At least 2/32 inch, the distance from a penny's edge to the top of Lincoln's head
   2. At least 6/32 inch
   3. At least 1/32 inch
   4. Any visible tread
   Show answer

   At least 2/32 inch, the distance from a penny's edge to the top of Lincoln's head. Tires must have at least 2/32 inch of tread depth, and the distance between the edge of a penny and the top of Lincoln's head is about 2/32 of an inch, so if the tread does not reach his head the tire is worn out. Proper rotation can add as much as 10,000 miles to a set of tires, and underinflated tires waste fuel and grip.

2. 2. What does the Alaska manual say a tight fuel cap can save a driver?

   1. About $120 per year, since loose or missing caps let 147 million gallons evaporate annually
   2. Nothing measurable
   3. About $1,000 per year
   4. About $5 per year
   Show answer

   About $120 per year, since loose or missing caps let 147 million gallons evaporate annually. Loose, damaged or missing fuel tank caps cause 147 million gallons of fuel to evaporate each year, and making sure the cap is tight can save about $120 per year. The same smart driving section notes that underinflated tires wasted 1.2 billion gallons of fuel in 2005, that cruise control over 10,000 miles saves more than 60 gallons, and that tire rotation adds up to 10,000 miles of tire life.

3. 3. What share of new cars had antilock brakes as of 2010, according to the Alaska manual?

   1. About 50 percent
   2. About 10 percent
   3. 89 percent of new cars and 99 percent of new light trucks
   4. None until 2015
   Show answer

   89 percent of new cars and 99 percent of new light trucks. As of 2010, 89 percent of new cars and 99 percent of new light trucks have antilock brakes. With antilock brakes you press the pedal firmly and hold it while steering, rather than pumping, and the system prevents wheel lockup. Even so, once you hit the brakes at highway speed you may travel another 160 feet or more before stopping, so following distance still matters.

Source: the Alaska Driver Manual, Night Driving, Weather and Emergencies. 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.