Weather, road, vehicle and traffic conditions

Key points

1. Never drive across a flooded road; 6 inches of water can float some small vehicles, and 2 feet carries most away.

   Source: PDF page 73

   “Never attempt to drive across a flooded roadway. As little as six (6) inches of water can float some smaller vehicles, while two (2) feet of water will carry most away.”
   West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook, PDF page 73

2. If your vehicle stalls in a flooded road, leave it immediately and seek higher ground.

   Source: PDF page 73

   “If your vehicle stalls in a flooded roadway, leave it immediately and seek higher ground.”
   West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook, PDF page 73

3. It can take as much as 12 times the normal distance to stop on snow or ice.

   Source: PDF page 73

   “It takes as much as 12 times the normal distance to stop on snow or ice as it takes to stop on dry pavement.”
   West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook, PDF page 73

4. Bridges and overpasses may be icy when all other pavement is clear.

   Source: PDF page 73

   “There may be ice or snow on bridges or overpasses when all other pavement is clear.”
   West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook, PDF page 73

5. On ice or packed snow, apply the brakes gently and smoothly.

   Source: PDF page 74

   “When you stop or slow down on ice or packed snow, always apply the brakes gently and smoothly.”
   West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook, PDF page 74

6. It is against the law to remove your inspection sticker.

   Source: PDF page 74

   “It is against the law for you to remove this sticker.”
   West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook, PDF page 74

7. In rural areas expect slow farm machinery, stray livestock, game animals and faster drivers; in urban areas expect more pedestrians, bicycles, intersections and stop and go traffic.

   Source: PDF page 75

   “When driving in rural areas, you may encounter slow-moving farm machinery, hazards from stray livestock, game animals, and motorists driving at higher rates of speed. When driving in urban areas, you may encounter more pedestrians, bicycles, intersections, and stop-and-go traffic.”
   West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook, PDF page 75

Numbers to know

3 questions from the West Virginia practice test

1. 1. When should a driver increase the following gap to at least six seconds?

   1. Only when the road is dry
   2. Whenever driving below 25 mph
   3. Only when following a motorcycle
   4. When there is ice or snow
   Show answer

   When there is ice or snow. The handbook gives the six second following distance for ice or snow. Poor traction increases the distance needed to slow and stop, so a normal three to four second cushion is not enough. Driving below a particular speed does not automatically trigger the six second rule, and following a motorcycle is not the stated condition. Dry pavement generally offers better traction rather than requiring the longest gap. Choose a fixed object, count after the vehicle ahead passes it, and add space whenever winter conditions make braking less predictable.

2. 2. What hazard should a driver expect when traveling through a rural area?

   1. Traffic moving only at the posted minimum speed
   2. Only marked pedestrian crossings
   3. Slow farm machinery, stray livestock, or game animals
   4. No unusual hazards if the road is straight
   Show answer

   Slow farm machinery, stray livestock, or game animals. Rural driving can combine slow farm machinery with animals that wander onto or near the roadway, while other motorists may be traveling quickly. The choice about marked pedestrian crossings is too narrow because it omits the hazards the handbook specifically associates with rural areas. A straight stretch does not remove the need to scan ahead and around the road. Reduce speed when sight distance is limited, watch the shoulders and fields, and be ready for an animal or equipment to enter your path without much warning.

3. 3. Which condition is more common in urban driving than in rural driving?

   1. No need to watch for changing traffic conditions
   2. Stray livestock and game animals beside an open highway
   3. Slow-moving farm machinery as the only traffic hazard
   4. More pedestrians, bicycles, intersections, and stop-and-go traffic
   Show answer

   More pedestrians, bicycles, intersections, and stop-and-go traffic. Urban areas bring a denser mix of pedestrians, bicycles, intersections, and repeated starts and stops. The animal and farm-equipment choices describe hazards the handbook associates with rural areas, while the choice “No need to watch for changing traffic conditions” is unsafe because every setting requires attention to changing conditions. In town, reduce speed near crossings and intersections, scan between parked or stopped vehicles, and expect a vulnerable road user to appear where sight lines are limited. Urban traffic demands frequent observation rather than a fixed-speed approach.

Source: the West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook, Chapter VIII: Defensive Driving. 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.