Which of the following defines improper speed?

• A. Operating at speeds that are less than posted speeds to save fuel.
• B. Operating at speeds greater than posted speeds and that are not reasonable and prudent based on boating traffic, weather conditions, visibility, or other potential hazards.
• C. Exceeding posted speeds is permitted if traffic is light.
• D. Operating at posted speeds is always safe.

Answer: (C)

Improper speed means choosing a speed that isn’t safe for the conditions you’re operating in. The statement that best captures this is the one that ties speed to safety—exceeding the posted limit in a way that isn’t reasonable and prudent given traffic, weather, visibility, or other hazards. Even when traffic is light, you still need to adjust your speed for conditions, and simply speeding is not automatically allowed or safe. The other ideas aren’t correct because going slower than the posted speed to save fuel isn’t the same as improper speed, posted speeds aren’t a guaranteed safe choice in all situations, and claiming speeding is acceptable with light traffic would undermine safe operation.