CDL-General Knowledge
The distance you should look ahead of your vehicle while driving amount to about what fraction of a mile at high speeds?
1/4 of a mile
How far should a driver look ahead of the vehicle while driving?
12-15 seconds
Cargo than can shift should have at least _ tiedowns.
2
You are driving a vehicle with a light load, traffic is moving at 35mph in a 55mph zone. The safest speed for your vehicle in this situation is most likely:
35mph
You are driving a 40' vehicle at 45 mph. Driving condition 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:
5 seconds
You are driving a new truck that has a manual transmission. What gear will you probably have to use to make a long steep downhill grade?
A lower gear than you would use to climb the hill.
Which of these statements about overhead clearance is true?
A vehicle's clearance can change with the load carried.
What should you do if your vehicle hydroplanes?
Accelerate slightly
Driving under the influence of any drug which makes you drive unsafely is:
Against the law
Which of these is a good thing to remember about drinking alcohol?
Alcohol first affect judgement and self-control which are necessary for safe driving The chance of a crash is much greater for drivers who have been drinking A driver can lose his license for driving while drunk.
Which is the best way to use the brake pedal on a steep downhill grade?
Apply brakes, slow down by 5mph, and when speed increased to safe speed, repeat process.
To make a left turn start the turn:
At the center of the intersection
You are checking your brakes and suspension system for a pre-trip inspection. Which of these statements is true?
Brake shoes should not have oil or grease or bake fluid on them. Brake pads should not have brake fluid on them. One missing leaf in a leaf spring can be dangerous.
The center of gravity of a load
Can make a vehicle likely to roll over on curves
Which of these statements about speed management is true?
Choose a driving speed that lets you stop in the space that you can see ahead.
If the vehicle is loaded with most of the weight on the steering axle, what can happen?
Difficult steering
Which of these can cause a vehicle to skid?
Entering a curve too fast.
The image in a convex mirror will appear:
Farther away than it really is
Which of these pieces of emergency equipment should always be carried in your vehicle?
Fire extinguisher Spare electrical fuses if needed Warning devices for parked vehicles
No one may smoke around any vehicle being loaded on unloaded with
Flammables Oxidizers Explosives
According to Federal Law it is illegal to have a Commercial Drivers License (CDL):
For more than one state and without an endorsement.
You should avoid driving through deep puddles or flowing water. But if you must, what will keep your brakes working.
Gently pressing the brake pedal while driving through the water.
Which of these statements about crossing or entering traffic with a heavy vehicle is true?
Heavy vehicles need larger gaps in traffic than cars
Truck escape ramps
Help avoid damage to vehicles
Which of the statements is true about high beams?
High beams should be used when it is safe and legal to do so.
On wet pavement, worn tread on front tractor tires is most likely to result in:
Hydroplaning
Which of these statements about making a stopped vehicle is true?
If a hill or curve keeps drivers behind you from seeing the vehicle within 500' the rear reflective triangle should be moved back down the road to give adequate warning.
Which of these statements about cargo loading is true?
If the initial inspection is thorough, it is not necessary to check the load on the road.
Which of these is the most important thing to remember about emergency braking?
If the wheels are skidding, you cannot control the vehicle.
You are transporting hazardous materials. When you are not behind the wheel, where must the shipping papers be? On the driver's sear or:
In the driver's door pouch.
To correct a trailer drift when backing straight turn the steering wheel:
In the same direction the trailer is drifting.
If you are being tailgated, you should:
Increase the space in front of your vehicle.
You can see a marking on a vehicle ahead of you. The marking is red triangle with an orange center. What does the marking mean?
It may be a slow moving vehicle.
The road is most slippery:
Just after it starts to rain.
Which of these is good rules to follow when driving at night?
Keep your speed slow enough to stop within the range of your headlights
You are traveling down a long, steep hill. Your brakes begin to fade and then fail. What should you do?
Look for an escape ramp or escape route.
When the roads are slippery you should
Make turns as gentle as possible.
When backing a loaded truck you need a helper because:
Mirrors don't let you see directly behind the trailer.
Which of the statements about speed management is true?
On a wet road you should reduce your speed by at least 1/3. On packed snow you should reduce your speed by about at least 1/2. When the road is slippery it will take longer to stop and it will be harder to turn without skidding.
You must park on the side of a level, straight, and two-lane road. Where should place the three reflective triangles.
One within 10' of the rear of the vehicle, one about 100' to rear, and one about 200' to the rear.
You are driving a heavy vehicle. You must exist a highway using an off ramp that curves downhill. You should:
Reduce your speed 5-10 mph below the posted speed limit.
You are checking your wheels and rims during a pre-trip inspection. Which of these statements is true?
Rust around wheel nuts may mean that they are loose.
Auxiliary brakes or speed retarders are designed to
Slow the vehicle
You are checking your steering and exhaust systems during a pre-trip inspection. Which of these statements is true?
Steering wheel play of more than 10 degrees (2 inches on a 20-inch steering wheel) can make it hard to steer.
The road on which you are driving becomes very slippery due to glare ice. Which of these is a good thing to do in such a situation.
Stop driving as soon as you can safely do so.
You are checking your tires during a pre-trip inspection. Which of these statements is true?
TIres of mismatched sizes should not be used on the same vehicle.
If you must slow down unexpectedly because the road is blocked warn drivers behind you by
Tapping the brake pedal
You should use your mirrors to check:
The condition of your tires Where the rear of your vehicle is when you make turns Traffic gaps when merging
Which of these statements about brakes is true?
The heavier a vehicle or the faster it is moving, themore head the brakes have to absorb to stop.
Which of these would tell you that a shipment contains hazardous material?
The name of a hazard class on the shipping paper. The four-inch diamond shape hazardous materials label on the container. A hazardous materials placard is on the vehicle
Which of these statements about staying alert to drive is true?
The only thing that can cure fatigue is sleep.
As the Blood Alcohol Concentration goes up, what happens?
The person is even more dangerous if allowed to drive
If you see a shipper's certification printed on a shipping paper, this may tell you that
The shipment contains Hazardous Materials.
Which of these statements is true about retarders?
They can cause the drive wheels to skid when they have poor traction.
The intent of hazardous materials regulations has three parts. Two of these parts are to ensure sage drivers and equipment and to communicate the risk: The third part is
To contain the material
When backing into an alley you can see best if you turn:
To your left side
The best way to check for loose lugs is to:
Use a lug wrench
To alert others to your location it is best to
Use a slight tap on the horn.
Shifting gears is not permitted:
When crossing railroad tracks
The CDL manual suggests several things to do when you pass a vehicle. Which of these is not one of the suggested things to do?
When passing at night turn on your high beams before you start to pass and leave them on until you have completely passed the vehicle.
You do not have a Hazardous Materials Endorsement on you Commercial Driver License. When can you legally haul hazardous materials?
When the load does not require placards.
Which of the statements about using turn signals is true?
When turning you should signal early
Which of these statements about downshifting is true?
When you downshift for a curve, you should do so BEFORE you enter the curve.
Which of these statements about driving in areas with strong winds is true?
Winds are especially a problem when coming out of tunnels.
What is the proper way to hold a steering wheel?
With both hands at opposite sides of the wheel
How do you check hydraulic brakes for a leak?
With the vehicle stopped, pump the pedal three times, apply firm pressure, then hold for 5 seconds and see if the pedal moves.
Which of these is not part of the pre-trip inspection of the engine compartment?
Worn electrical wiring insulation
Which statements about double clutching and shifting is true?
You can use the tachometer to tell you when to shift
Which of these statements about backing a heavy vehicle is true?
You should avoid backing whenever you can.
Which of these statements about tires and hot weather driving is true?
You should inspect your tires more often.
Ice will be most slippery when the temperature is:
almost freezing
The key principle in balancing cargo weight is to keep the load
centered
Double clutching is a term describing:
engaging and disengaging the clutch twice
When looking ahead of your vehicle while driving you should
look back and forth
While driving, you see a small object ahead in your lane. You should:
steer around it, if it is safe to do so.
Which of these statements about using mirrors is true?
there are "blindspots" that you mirror cannot show you
To keep drivers from passing on the right when making a right turn with a tractor/trailer, position the:
trailer to block them