CDL Practice Test

What is the most important reason for doing a vehicle inspection?

What things should you check during a trip?

Name some key steering parts.

Name a suspension system defect.

What 3 kinds of emergency equipment should you have?

What is the minimum tread depth for front tires?

What is the minimum tread depth for other tires?

Name some things you should check on the front of your vehicle during the walk around inspection?

What should wheel bearing seals be checked for?

How many reflective triangles should you carry?

Why should you back toward the driver’s side?

What is a pull-up?

If stopped on a hill, how can you start moving without rolling back?

When backing, why is it important to use a helper?

What’s the most important hand signal that you and the helper should agree on?

What are the 2 special conditions where you should downshift?

When should you downshift automatic transmissions?

Retarders keep you from skidding when the road is slippery. True or False?

What are 2 ways to know when to shift?

How far ahead should you look when driving?

What are the 2 main things to look for ahead?

What’s your most important way to see the sides and rear?

What does “communicating” mean in safe driving?

Where should your reflectors be placed when stopped on a divided highway?

What 3 things add up to total stopping distance?

If you go twice as fast, your stopping distance will increase by twice or 4 times?

Empty trucks have the best braking. True or False?

What is “hydroplanning”?

What is “black ice”?

You should use low beams whenever you can. True or False?

What should you do before you drive if you are drowsy?

What effects can wet brakes cause?

You should let air out of hot tires so the pressure goes back to normal. True of False?

You can safely remove the radiator cap as long as the engine isn’t overheated. True or False?

What factors determine your selection of a “safe” speed when going down a long, steep downgrade?

Why should you be in proper gear before starting down a hill?

What is a “hazard”?

Why make emergency plans when you see a hazard?

Stopping is not always the safest thing to do in an emergency. True of False?

What is an advantage of going right instead of left around an obstacle?

What is an “escape ramp”?

If a tire blows out, you should put the brakes on hard to stop quickly. True of False?

What is one thing to do at an accident scene to prevent another accident?

Name 2 causes of tire fires?

What kind of fire is a B:C extinguisher good for?

When using your extinguisher, should you get as close as possible to the fire?

Name a cause of vehicle fires.

For what 3 things related to cargo are drivers responsible?

How often while on the road must you stop to inspect your cargo?

What is the “gross combination weight”?

Name a situation where legal maximum weight may not be safe.

What can happen if you don’t have enough weight on the front axle?

What can happen if you don’t have enough weight on the front axle?

What is the minimum number of tie downs for a 20 foot load?

What is the minimum number of tie downs for any flatbed load?

Name 1 basic reason for covering cargo on an open road.

What must you check before transporting a sealed load?

Stab braking should not be used on vehicles:

What should you always do when traveling down a long downgrade?

Bridge formulas are designed to:

Which statement is true?

The first offense for driving a commercial vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol will cause you to lose your CDL for:

Your vehicle will be placed “out of service” if this many leaves are broken or missing?

Can your truck or bus be inspected by federal inspectors?

Can I use over-the-counter medications when operating a CMV?

Which of these statements is true?

Which statement is true about rear drive-wheel braking skids?

Which of these can you not check at the same time?

Which of the following will occur after you start your engine?

If your vehicle is 40 feet long and you are traveling 50 mph, what is the safe following distance?

You can be placed out of service if your Blood Alcohol Concentration is:

What should you do when you see a hazard in the road in front of you?

Why should you conduct a pre-trip inspection?

What happens when a tire blows out at highway speed?

Which of these statements is true about tire pressure?

You should use your horn:

Convex mirrors will:

What type of fire will water extinguish?

If you are traveling down a long grade and your brakes start to get weak, you should:

Why is it important to shift gears properly?

When starting off on dry, level pavement, it is normally not necessary to:

With low beam headlights on, you can see

Which of these conditions can produce a skid?

What should you do if you are being tailgated?

When should you use controlled braking?

Which of the following is true when driving in cold weather?

When drinking alcohol, which is affected first?

When backing to a dock, which of the following is not true?

What is controlled braking?

What should you do when traveling through a construction zone?

When your brakes are wet, it is very easy to:

If you are stopped on the shoulder of the road on a divided highway, you must:

The maximum speed limit for a school bus on a highway is:

When conducting a pre-trip inspection of the steering system, you would not inspect:

Before entering a curve, you should:

You must come to a full stop at railroad crossings:

You may not drive for more than ___ hours following your last period of 8 consecutive hours off duty.

About ____ of all fatal crashes involve drinking drivers.

When you double your speed, it takes ____ times as much distance to stop your vehicle.

“Offtracking” is:

How far ahead should a driver be looking while driving a vehicle?

You are driving a heavy vehicle and must exit the highway using an off ramp that curves downhill. You should:

Which of these statements are true about downshifting?

Which fires can you put out with water?

Which of these statements about backing a heavy vehicle is true?

The key point in balancing cargo weight is to keep the load:

In normal driving some drivers use the hand valve before the brake pedal to prevent a jackknife. Which one of these statements are true?

There are two things a driver can do to prevent a roll over, the first, keep the cargo as close to the floor as possible and what is the other?

Brakes can get wet when you drive through a heavy rain. Wet brakes can cause?

You are checking your steering and exhaust systems during a pre-trip inspection. Which of these statements is true?

Your vehicle is in a traffic emergency and may collide with another vehicle if you do not take action.

Which of these is a good rule to follow when driving at night?

Which of these statements are true about brakes?

Which of these is the most important thing to remember about emergency brakes?

How do you test hydraulic brakes for leaks?

You do not have a hazardous materials endorsement on your commercial driver license. When can you legally haul hazardous materials?

You are checking your wheels and rims during a pre-trip inspection. Which of these statements is true?

To avoid a crash, you had to drive on the right shoulder. How should you move back onto the pavement?

If you are being tailgated, you should?

Which of these statements about staying alert to drive is true?

Which of these statements about speed management is true?

How far should a driver look ahead of the vehicle while driving?

You are driving a 40 foot vehicle at 45 mph. Driving conditions are ideal (dry pavement, good visibility). The least amount of space that you should keep in front of your vehicle to be safe is the distance you would travel in:

Which of these statements about drinking alcohol is true?

As the Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) goesup, what happens?

Driving under the influence of a drug which makes you drive unsafely is?

You wish to turn right from a two-lane street to another two-lane street. Your vehicle is so long that you must swing wide to make the turn, how should you approach the turn?

Some traffic emergencies may require you to leave the road. Which of these is a good thing to remember?

Cargo that can shift should have at least ____ tie-downs?

Which of these statements about cargo loading is true?

If a straight vehicle goes into a front wheel skid, it will?

The most common cause of serious vehicle skids is?

Which of these statements about downshifting is true?

You should avoid driving through deep puddles or flowing water. But if you must, what will keep your brakes working?

Which of these statements about backing a heavy vehicle is true?

High beams should?

Stab braking —

For an average driver driving 55 mph on dry pavement, it will take about ____ to bring the vehicle to a stop.

The parking brake should be tested while the vehicle is?

Controlled braking —

The vehicle in front of you has a red triangle with an orange center on the rear. What does this mean?

You must park on the side of a level, straight, two-lane road. Where should you place the three reflective triangles?

The key principal in balancing cargo weight is to keep the load?

When should you check your load?

If a vehicle is loaded with very little weight on the front axle, what can happen?

Cargo inspections

How do you correct a rear-wheel acceleration skid?

Which of these statements about double-clutching and shifting is true?

Which of these statements about tires and hot weather driving are true?

What should you do if your vehicle hydroplanes?

You must take a very quick stop. You should brake so you:

While driving, you see a small (1 foot square) cardboard box ahead in your lane. You should:

Which of these statements about overhead clearance is true?

When you are on top of a hill and know you will be going down a steep grade, which statement is true?

You are driving a vehicle with a light load, traffic is moving at 35 MPH in a 55 MPH zone. The safest speed for your vehicle in this situation is most likely:

What sort of things should you inspect during a trip?

When should you downshift your vehicle?

Which item is a key suspension part?

What factors determine a persons blood alcohol content?

Perception distance is?

When driving how far ahead should you be looking?

Doubling your speed has what effect on braking distance?

Hazardous material placards are:

Which of these requires the greater stopping distance?

You are convicted of speeding in your personal vehicle and issued a ticket. What are your responsibilities to your employer?

Which of the following emergency items are you required to have available?

Under inflated tires can cause a fire.

When backing and turning, you should:

Which of the following is a basic step to take after an accident?

Which of the following is not a CDL skills examination?

What is the minimum number of tie-downs required for a small load?

How many warning triangles are you required to carry in your vehicle?

The acronym “GVW” means?

When inspecting brakes components you should pay special attention to:

Battery fluid is classified as a:

When using a helper to back up, what is the most important hand signal?

What is the minimum tread depth for a front tire?

Your vehicle breaks down on an undivided highway, there are no hills or curves within a mile in either direction. Where should you place the warning triangles?

A fire extinguisher with a C rating is designed for what type of fires?

When transporting cargo, how often should you check your load?

You should always aim the fire extinguisher at the top of the flames so that the chemicals will fall on to the fire?

How many classes of hazardous materials are there?

When should a driver consider turning off a retarder system on the vehicle?

When caring for an injured person, you should:

Should your vehicle catch fire, it is best to pull into a service station because they have plenty of fire fight equipment?

When loading the cargo compartment of a vehicle it is best to place heavy items on the bottom and the light items on top.

What are the three rules for using your turn signals?

Which item is a key steering system component?