Question 76 Rules of the Road

The correct answer is D) when you can take proper and effective action to avoid collision. The COLREGS (International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea) define a "safe speed" as the speed at which a vessel can take proper and effective action to avoid collision and be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions. This means the vessel must be traveling at a speed that allows the operator to maneuver the vessel and take the necessary steps to avoid a collision, rather than a specific speed limit. The other options are incorrect because they do not fully capture the COLREGS definition of safe speed.