The answer options
- 70mphCorrect
- 60mph
- 50mph
- 40mph
Why the other options are wrong
- “60mph” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which 70mph does. Picking it in the real test costs a mark you cannot get back, and with a pass mark of 43 out of 50 you only have seven to spare.
- “50mph” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which 70mph does. Picking it in the real test costs a mark you cannot get back, and with a pass mark of 43 out of 50 you only have seven to spare.
- “40mph” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which 70mph does. Picking it in the real test costs a mark you cannot get back, and with a pass mark of 43 out of 50 you only have seven to spare.
Why that is the answer
The national speed limit for cars and motorcycles on a dual carriageway is 70mph, unless signs indicate a lower limit. A dual carriageway is a road with a central reservation separating opposing traffic flows. Do not confuse this with a single carriageway, where the national speed limit for these vehicles is 60mph. The Highway Code sets these default limits to maintain safe traffic speeds across the UK road network.
What rules of the road covers
- · National speed limits for cars, cars towing, and built-up areas
- · Priority at crossroads, roundabouts and unmarked junctions
- · Where waiting, loading and stopping are prohibited
- · One-way streets, bus lanes and contraflow systems
Mistakes learners repeat on this topic
- · Assuming street lighting always means 30mph without checking for repeater signs
- · Forgetting the reduced limits when towing on dual carriageways and motorways
- · Believing a roundabout always gives priority to the right regardless of markings
- · Parking within 10 metres of a junction because there were no yellow lines
Instructor tip: When a limit question names a vehicle type, answer for that vehicle — the trap is applying the car limit to everything.
How this comes up in the real test
Questions from rules of the road appear throughout the 50-question multiple-choice section, and the wording changes between versions. Learn the rule rather than the sentence: the DVSA can ask the same point from the opposite direction, and a memorised answer falls over the moment the phrasing moves.
The pass mark is 43 out of 50, so seven wrong answers is your entire margin. If a whole category is shaky, run the topic practice below until you are getting every question right for the right reason, then go back to full mocks under the clock.
More rules of the road questions
- A single carriageway road has this sign. What’s the maximum permitted speed for a car towing a trailer?
- At a roundabout, how should you signal that you're going straight ahead?
- At an un-marked crossroads, who has priority?
- How else can you indicate to other drivers besides using direction indicators?
- How far are you allowed to reverse?
- How should you park at night on a road with a 40mph speed limit?