Final answer:
The correct answer is B) the maximum legal speed you can travel on a road under ideal conditions. Speed limits are legally mandated, not just suggestions, and are meant to ensure the safety of both drivers and pedestrians by defining the fastest permissible travel speed under good driving conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The answer to the student's question is B) the maximum legal speed you can travel on a road under ideal conditions. A speed limit is a regulatory measure to help ensure safe driving conditions and is meant to signal the fastest speed at which drivers are legally permitted to travel in good driving conditions. The speed at which the police are likely to pull you over, in reality, could be higher than the posted speed limit, which is known as the de facto speed limit, while the posted limit is the de jure speed limit. Talking about ideal speed, it refers to the maximum safe speed at which a vehicle can maneuver a turn without relying on tire-road friction.
The importance of adhering to speed limits also extends to pedestrian safety. For example, in towns and cities with a speed limit of 60 km/h, pedestrians need time to cross the street safely, accounting for the length and width of passing cars. Speed limits are not suggestions; they are legal requirements that apply to all drivers, irrespective of skill or preference, and they help reduce the incident of speeding through intersections or past speed traps.