West Virginia · Handbook chapter 6 · 3 min read

Chapter 6: Speed, turns, parking, passing and right-of-way

West Virginia speed limits, driving slowly, signals and hand position, turns and U-turns, backing, parking rules and distances, hill and parallel parking, following distance, lane changes, passing and right-of-way.

Why this chapter matters

These everyday rules make up a large part of the knowledge test and the road test.

Speed

Never drive faster than is reasonable for conditions. Unless posted:

A school zone extends 125 feet along the road from school grounds. If you drive slower than traffic on a two-lane road, keep right and pull off at the first safe turnout to let others pass.

Signals and steering

Signal at least 100 feet before turning, and before changing lanes, entering or leaving an interstate, or pulling to or from the curb. Hold the wheel at about 8 and 4 o'clock.

Turns and U-turns

• Slow down before the turn; finish in the proper lane.
• While waiting to turn left, keep your wheels straight.
• No U-turn near a curve or hilltop where you cannot be seen within 500 feet.
• Never back across traffic lanes or through an intersection.

Parking

Park facing the direction of traffic, turn off the engine, set the parking brake and take your keys. You may not stop or park:

• on a sidewalk, crosswalk or in an intersection
• within 15 feet of a hydrant or 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection
• within 30 feet of a STOP sign or signal
• within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a crossing
• within 20 feet of a mailbox served daily by a delivery vehicle
• in front of a driveway or wheelchair ramp, double-parked, on a bridge or in a tunnel, or on a controlled-access highway

Hills: downhill, wheels toward the curb; uphill with a curb, away from it; no curb, to the right. Parallel parking: within 18 inches of the curb. Angle parking: approach about 5 feet out from parked cars.

Following distance and lanes

Use the three-to-four second rule; at least four seconds in darkness or rain and six on ice or snow. Never change lanes in an intersection or at a railroad crossing.

Passing

Pass only where you can see far enough and return safely. At night you may blink your headlights to signal. Return when you see both headlights of the passed car in your mirror. Passing is prohibited on curves and hills, within 100 feet of an intersection, bridge, tunnel or railroad crossing, when a solid yellow line is on your side and when a car ahead has stopped for a pedestrian.

Right-of-way

• Yield when entering a road from an alley, private road or driveway.
• At four-way stops and uncontrolled intersections, yield to the driver on the right when you arrive together.
• Yield to oncoming traffic when turning left.
• For emergency vehicles, pull right, clear of the intersection, and stop with your foot on the brake.
• Yielding to a funeral procession is a courtesy, not a legal requirement; do not cut in.
• A police officer's directions override signs and signals.