How is 'safe speed' defined under the Rules?

• A. A speed where you can take proper and effective action to avoid collision
• B. The maximum speed allowed by the law
• C. A speed that keeps you in visual contact
• D. A speed that ensures you reach your destination on time

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that safe speed is about your ability to avoid a collision under the current conditions. It isn’t a fixed maximum or a timetable goal. You choose a speed that lets you take proper and effective action if another vessel’s actions or changing conditions require you to slow, turn, or stop. This means you must be able to stop or maneuver within the distance and time available given factors like visibility, traffic density, how your vessel handles, wind, sea state, currents, and the behavior of other vessels.

So the best answer is the one that defines safe speed as the speed that allows you to take proper and effective action to avoid collision. The other options don’t fit because a safe speed is not simply a legal maximum, not about keeping visual contact, and not about arriving on time.