North Carolina Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) State Practice Exam

What force pushes a vehicle outward when traveling around a curve?

1. Gravitational force

2. Centrifugal force

3. Frictional force

4. Inertial force

The correct answer is: Centrifugal force

When a vehicle is traveling around a curve, it experiences what is commonly referred to as centrifugal force. This is the perceived force that pushes objects outward away from the center of rotation. Although centrifugal force is not a real force acting on the vehicle, it is the result of inertia—the resistance of the vehicle to change its direction due to its mass. As the vehicle turns, the inertia makes it feel as though it is being pushed outward, creating that sensation of being forced away from the center of the curve. In a more technical context, the vehicle is actually being held on its path by the frictional force between the tires and the road surface, which provides the necessary centripetal force to change the direction of the vehicle. Without this frictional force, the vehicle would continue in a straight line due to inertia, rather than following the curve. Understanding this distinction helps clarify the roles of these forces during the maneuvering of vehicles around curves.