Speed limits, passing and turning

Key points

1. Obey the posted speed limit, and drive below it when the road or weather is bad.

   Source: Handbook p. 38

   “Always obey the posted speed limit and take road conditions into consideration. If the road or weather is bad, you may need to drive below the speed limit.”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 38

2. On a two lane road you may exceed the limit by 10 mph only to pass and return safely to the right lane.

   Source: Handbook p. 38

   “Vehicles traveling on a two-lane road may exceed the speed limit by 10 miles an hour in order to overtake and pass another vehicle and return safely to the right lane.”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 38

3. Signal 100 feet before turning in town and 300 feet before turning on rural roads.

   Source: Handbook p. 37

   “Use a proper turn signal 100 feet before turning in town, 300 feet before turning on rural roads.”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 37

4. On a road with 3 or more lanes in your direction, stay in the right lane except to pass.

   Source: Handbook p. 37

   “Stay in the right lane, except to pass, on a road with three or more lanes traveling in the same direction.”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 37

5. On multi lane roads, the left most lane is for passing slower vehicles.

   Source: Handbook p. 38

   “On multi-lane roads, the left-most lane is intended to be used to pass slower vehicles.”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 38

6. Never pass on the right by driving on the shoulder, paved or not.

   Source: Handbook p. 38

   “which means never passing on the shoulder (whether it is paved or not).”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 38

7. You may turn around only where you can see 500 feet in both directions and no vehicles are coming.

   Source: Handbook p. 39

   “You may turn around on a roadway where the driver has 500 feet in both directions (almost two average city blocks) of unobstructed view and no vehicles are approaching.”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 39

8. If you are in the wrong lane or forgot to signal, go on to the next intersection and turn there.

   Source: Handbook p. 37

   “If you approached a turn in the wrong lane or forgot to signal, you should proceed, get into the proper lane, go to the next intersection, signal, and then turn.”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 37

9. Never back up or stop in a travel lane for any reason; keep moving until you can pull off safely.

   Source: Handbook p. 37

   “Never back up or stop in any travel lane for any reason (confusion, breakdown, letting out a passenger); keep moving until you can safely pull off the road.”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 37

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Montana practice test

1. 1. What does Montana require when road or weather conditions make the posted speed unsafe?

   1. Keep the posted speed exactly
   2. Drive below the posted speed limit
   3. Increase speed to get through the bad conditions quickly
   4. Reduce speed only when police are present
   Show answer

   Drive below the posted speed limit. A posted speed limit is not a promise that the same speed is safe in every condition. Montana says to consider the road and weather and to drive below the limit when conditions are bad. Keeping the exact posted number can be too fast on ice, in rain, or when visibility is poor. Increasing speed makes control harder, and police presence does not determine when a reduction is needed. Use the limit as a ceiling, then choose a safe speed.

2. 2. When may a Montana driver on a two-lane road exceed the speed limit by 10 mph?

   1. To overtake and pass another vehicle and return safely to the right lane
   2. Whenever traffic is light
   3. Only while descending a hill
   4. Whenever the driver is running late
   Show answer

   To overtake and pass another vehicle and return safely to the right lane. The manual describes a narrow passing exception on a two-lane road: a vehicle may exceed the speed limit by 10 mph to overtake another vehicle and return safely to the right lane. Light traffic or being late does not create that permission. Even during a pass, the driver must make sure the maneuver can be completed safely and must return to the proper lane.

3. 3. On a Montana road with three or more lanes traveling in the same direction, which lane should a driver normally use?

   1. The left lane, except when turning
   2. The right lane except when preparing for a left turn
   3. The center lane unless traffic is heavy
   4. The right lane, except to pass
   Show answer

   The right lane, except to pass. Montana directs drivers on roads with three or more lanes going the same way to stay in the right lane except when passing. The center lane can be used when much traffic is entering, but it is not the normal choice in every situation. The left lane is for passing or a specific maneuver, and a shoulder is not a regular travel lane. Look ahead for entering traffic and change lanes smoothly when needed.

Source: the Montana Driver Manual, Chapter 4: Driving Rules. 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.