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CDL GENERAL KNOWLEDGE PRATICE TEST 1

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

ANSWER: Safety for yourself and other road users. Although A, C, and D are
valid reasons, the primary goal of a vehicle inspection is to insure safety.

When backing your vehicle, which of the following is NOT recommended

ANSWER: Back towards the right side. When backing your vehicle you
should always back and turn towards the driver’s side. Even if it means going
around the block to put your vehicle in the right position. Backing towards the right
side is very dangerous because you can not see well.

It is important for driving safely to always be looking ahead. Which of the
following is NOT a recommended time/distance that you should be looking
ahead?

ANSWER: About 5 car lengths. It is important to look ahead about 12-15
seconds to insure you have adequate time to stop or change lanes if necessary. 12 to
15 seconds is equivalent to about one city block or ¼ mile on the open highway.
Looking ahead 5 car lengths (about 70 feet) will not give you adequate time to react.

You are driving a 40 foot truck at 35 mph, how much space (in seconds)
should you keep in front of you?

ANSWER: 4 seconds. To calculate your space required, use the following
formula: If going under 40 mph, use 1 second for each 10’ of vehicle length. If going
over 40 mph, use the same formula but add 1 second. In this scenario, a 40’ truck
requires 4 seconds, and you don’t need to add an additional second, because you are
traveling under 40 mph.

The act of operating a motor in a selfish, bold, or pushy manner, without
regard for the rights or safety of others is known as?

ANSWER: Aggressive Driving. An aggressive driver is only concerned with
their driving and not others on the road. Road rage differs from aggressive driving
because with road rage, the driver shows intent to harm others.

You should check your tires every or every when driving in very hot
weather.

ANSWER: 2 Hours, 100 Miles. Hotter temperatures increase air pressure. If
you check your tires and they are too hot to touch, you should remain stopped until
they cool off. Overheated tires blow out or catch fire.

Which of the following factors is NOT used to determine your safe speed when
going down a long steep downgrade?

ANSWER: Time of day. To determine your safe speed when going down a
long steep downgrade, you need to consider the length and steepness of the grade,
the weather, the total weight of the vehicle and cargo, as well as the road conditions.

With the controlled braking method, you ?

ANSWER: Apply the brakes as hard as you can without locking the wheels. In
addition, you should keep your steering movements very small while using a
“controlled braking” method.

Which of the following is NOT a basic step to be taken at a crash scene?

ANSWER: Gather the contact information of all the drivers involved. If your
are involved in a crash and are not seriously hurt, your first priority is to take steps
to prevent further damage and injury. These steps include protecting the area,
notifying authorities, and caring for the injured. Gathering contact information is not
a priority.

Which contains more alcohol: a 12-ounce glass of 5%beer, a 5-ounce glass of
12% wine or a 1 ½-ounce shot of 80 proof liquor?

ANSWER: They all contain the same amount of alcohol. Each of these drink
amounts contain the same amount of alcohol.

Vehicle handling can become unsafe if the weight is not properly balanced.
Hard steering can be caused by

ANSWER: Too much weight in the steering axels. Too much weight on the
steering axels can cause hard steering, which can damage the steering axel and tires.
Too little weight on the driving axels can cause poor traction. Under loaded front
axels can make the steering axel too light to steer safely. A high center of gravity
may cause the vehicle to tip over.

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CDL General Knowledge Practice Test 2

Which of the following would NOT be part of a standard vehicle inspection?

ANSWER: Seating Defects. A standard vehicle inspection should check for the
problems, brake problems, steering problems, as well as: wheel and rim problems,
suspension system defects, exhaust system defects, emergency equipment and cargo
(for trucks).

If you are stopped on an incline, how can you start moving without rolling
back?

ANSWER: Apply the parking brake. Applying the parking brake will keep the
vehicle from rolling. Engaging the clutch or shifting to neutral will cause the vehicle
to roll backwards. Rough acceleration may cause mechanical damage or damage the
coupling if pulling a trailer.

Which of the following is not an important reason to look far ahead when you
are driving?

ANSWER: Determine if there are any hill coming up. Safety is the number
one reason that it is important that you be looking ahead when driving. Answers A,
C, and D are all important safety reasons.

You are driving a 60 foot truck at 55 mph, how much space (in seconds)
should you keep in front of you?

ANSWER: 7 seconds. To calculate your space required, use the following
formula: If going under 40 mph, use 1 second for each 10’ of vehicle length. If going
over 40 mph, use the same formula but add 1 second. In this scenario, A 60’ truck
requires 6 seconds, but you need to add an additional second, because you are
traveling over 40 mph. So the correct answer is 7 seconds.

Operating a motor vehicle with the intent of doing harm to others of physically
assaulting a driver or their vehicle is known as?

ANSWER: Road Rage. Road rage occurs when a driver displays actions that
are intended to cause violence or harm to other drivers. It is a more extreme case of
aggressive driving because there is intent to injure or cause harm.

When driving in very hot temperatures, you should:

ANSWER: All of the above. When driving in extreme heat it is important to
check your tires every 2 hours or 100 miles. If the tires are too hot to touch, you
should remain stopped until they cool off. You should also insure that you have
enough antifreeze in the system.

Shifting into a lower gear and removing your foot off of the accelerator to slow
your vehicle is known as?

ANSWER: Engine Braking. Engine braking is critical to use on long steep
downgrades to help slow your vehicle and removing your dependence on your
braking system.

Which of the following statements is false?

ANSWER: If a tire blows, you should put the brakes on hard to stop quickly.
This statement is false. If a tire blows, you should hold the steering wheel firmly,
stay off the brake until the vehicle slows, and check the tires when the veh

Which of the following are possible causes of tire fires?

ANSWER: Dual tires that touch and under-inflated tires. Duals that touch and
under-inflated tires can lead to tires becoming overheated and catching on fire.

The average person requires how many hours of sleep per 24 hour period?

ANSWER: 7 or 8. The average person requires 7 or 8 hours of sleep per 24
hour period. If your body does not get the sleep that it requires, you may become
very drowsy and fall asleep without even knowing it.

If you are transporting cargo, you should inspect the cargo and securing
devices

ANSWER: Before the trip, within 50 miles after beginning the trip, and at
least every 150 miles or 3 hours. It is important to inspect the cargo and securing
devices both before and during the trip. Answers A and C prescribe a pre

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CDL GENERAL KNOWLEDGE PRACTICE TEST 3

Which of the following is NOT a part of the steering system?

ANSWER: Main Spring. The main spring is part of the suspension system.
The rest of the answers are part of the steering system.

When backing, what is the best method to use to avoid blind spots?

ANSWER: Use a helper. This question asks for the “best” method. Although
using mirrors on both sides, backing towards the driver’s side, and looking at your
path are good practices when backing, The “best” method is to use a helper.

Which of the following is NOT an appropriate reason to flash your braking
lights?

ANSWER: To signal to tailgaters that they are to close to your vehicle. Tricks
such as flashing your brake lights or turning on your taillights for tailgaters should
be avoided since they are not effective and could lead to a crash. It is, however, a
good practice to flash your brake lights to warn other drivers about hazards or if
you are driving slowly.

You are driving a 50 foot truck at 38 mph, how much space (in seconds)
should you keep in front of you?

ANSWER: 5 Seconds. To calculate your space required, use the following
formula: If going under 40 mph, use 1 second for each 10’ of vehicle length. If going
over 40 mph, use the same formula but add 1 second. In this scenario, a 50’ truck
requires 5 seconds, and your don’t need to add an additional second, because you
are traveling under 40 mph.

Which of the following is NOT a recommended action to take when confronted
by an aggressive driver?

ANSWER: Make eye contact and motion to hem that you are calling the
authorities. If you are confronted by an aggressive driver you should not take any
actions which could aggravate the situation. Specifically, you should not make eye
contact with the driver or gesture to them.

When driving in very hot temperatures, you should:

ANSWER: All of the above. When driving in extreme heat it is important to
check your tires every 2 hours or 100 miles. If the tires are too hot to touch, your
should remain stopped until they cool off. You should also insure that your engine
cooling system has enough water and antifreeze per the manufacturer’s
specifications. Antifreeze helps the engine under hot conditions as well as cold
conditions.

Shifting into a lower gear and removing your foot off of the accelerator to slow
your vehicle is known as?

ANSWER: Engine Braking. Engine braking is critical to use on long steep
downgrades to help slow your vehicle and removing your dependence on your
braking system.

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

ANSWER: If a tire blows, you should put the brakes on hard to stop quickly.
This statement is false. If a tire blows, you should hold the steering wheel firmly,
stay off the brake until the vehicle slows, and check the tries when the vehicle comes
to a complete stop.

Which of the following are possible causes of tire fires?

ANSWER: Dual tires that touch and under-inflates tires. Duals that touch and
under-inflated tires can lead to tires becoming overheated and catching on fire.

The average person requires how many hours of sleep per 24 hour period?

ANSWER: 7 or 8. The average person requires 7 or 8 hours of sleep per 24
hour period. If your body does not get the sleep that it requires, you may become
very drowsy and fall asleep without even knowing it.

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CDL GENERAL KNOWLEDGE PRACTICE TEST 4

Which of the following are potential suspension system defects?

ANSWER: All of the above. All of the listed answers are potential suspension
system defects.

When using a helper for backing, what is the most important hand signal that
you and the helper should agree on?

ANSWER: Stop. It is important that you and your helper both agree on the
same hand signal for stop.

Where should you place your reflectors when stopped on a one-way divided
highway?

ANSWER: 10’, 100’, 200’ toward approaching traffic. On a one-way road, it is
important that you place all three reflectors toward approaching traffic (this
eliminates answers B and D). Answer A is correct because you want to place the
furthest reflector 200’ toward approaching traffic to insure that any approaching
vehicles have enough time to react.

Which of the following approaches is advised for dealing with tailgaters?

ANSWER: Increase your following distance by getting farther away from the
vehicles ahead of you. If you are being tailgated, you should increase your following
distance (the distance between your vehicle and the vehicles ahead of you) to help
you avoid having to make sudden changes and to allow the tailgater room to get
around you.

If your feel yourself becoming drowsy when you are driving, you should:

ANSWER: Get off the road and get some sleep. If you feel yourself becoming
drowsy, the only safe course of action is to stop driving and get sleep. Other
methods (e.g., caffeine, opening windows, radio) are not recommended because they
ultimately don’t counteract the body’s need for sleep.

How long does it take a typical tractor-trailer to clear a double railroad track?

 ANSWER: 15 Seconds. It takes a typical tractor-trailer about 14 seconds to
clear a single railroad track and more than 15 seconds to clear a double track.

If you have to turn quickly to avoid a crash, which of the following is the best
approach?

ANSWER: Turn only as much as needed, then counter steer when you have
passed the obstacle. When you need to turn quickly to avoid a crash, it is important
that you do not apply the brakes when turning because it is easy to lock your wheels
while turning. Also, you should turn only as much as required to clear the obstacle. If
you turn sharply, you increase the chance of a skid or rollover. Finally, you should be
prepared to counter steer (i.e., turn the wheel back in the other direction) once
you’ve cleared your obstacle.

If you have an electrical equipment fire or a gasoline or oil fire, you can ?

ANSWER: Use type A:B:C or B:C extinguisher. This is an example of question
that calls for the best answer, so be sure to read all answer choices carefully before
responding. For electrical or gasoline/oil fires, either a B:C or a A:B:C fire
extinguisher can be used. Answer choice A is not correct because it says that “only” a
B:C fire extinguisher could be used. Water should not be used on these types of fires
because it can cause shock or spread the flames.

Which of the following statements about alcohol us TRUE?

ANSWER: Time is the only method that works to sober you up. Your liver can
only process alcohol at a fixed rate of about 1 drink per hour. Therefore, time is the
only way that your body can remove the alcohol from your system – which “sobers”
you up. Drinking black coffee or taking a cold shower have no effect on removing
alcohol from your system. At 2 beers, a 180 pound person will have a blood alcohol
level of .04 which will cause a driver to be less alert, less focused, and lose
coordination. One shot of whiskey is identical to one beer with respect to alcohol
content.

If you are transporting cargo, you should inspect the cargo and securing
device

ANSWER: Before the trip, within 50 miles after beginning the trip, and at
least every 150 miles or 3 hours. It is important to inspect the cargo and securing
devices both before and during your trip. Answers A and C do not prescribe a pre-
trip inspection so they are incorrect. Answer B does not indicate inspections during
the trip, so it is incorrect.

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CDL GENERAL KNOWLEDGE PRACTICE TEST 5

Which of the following is NOT a required emergency equipment must you
have?

ANSWER: Glass Breaking Device. Vehicles must be equipped with fire
extinguishers, warning devices (e.g., reflective warning triangles, and spare
electrical fuses (unless the vehicle is equipped with circuit breakers.)

Which of the following is a condition in which you should downshift?

ANSWER: Before starting down a hill. Before you start down a hill, you
should slow down and shift to a speed that is controllable without using the brakes
too hard. Answers C and D are wrong because you should downshift before starting
up or down a hill.

Where should you place your reflectors when stopped on a un-divided
highway or two lane road carrying traffic in both directions?

ANSWER: 100’ behind and ahead of your vehicle and within 10’ of the front
or rear corner. When stopped on a road that is carrying traffic in both directions, it
is important that you place reflectors both ahead of and behind your vehicle (this
eliminates answers B, C).

Which of the following represents the best way to make a right turn if you
have a large vehicle that cannot make the turn without swinging into another
lane.

ANSWER: Diagram C. If you must swing into another lane when making a
right turn, it is important to keep the vehicle close to the curb so that other vehicles
do not try and pass you to the right (because they think you are turning left). In
answers A, B, and D the path shows the vehicle going into the left lanes which make
it appear to be turning left.

What can cause lack of braking power, wheel lockups, pulling to one side or
the other, and jackknifing.

ANSWER: Wet Brakes. Wet brakes can occur when driving in heavy rain or
through standing water. Water on your brakes may cause your brakes to grab or
lose their stopping power, which may lead to wheel lockups, pulling to one side or
jackknifing.

Engine braking is most effective when:

ANSWER: RPM’s are high and transmission gear is low. The greatest effect of
engine braking occurs when the rpm’s are high (near the governed rpm limit) and
the transmission is in a lower gear.

If your brakes fail, which of the following is NOT a useful method to slow your
vehicle?

ANSWER: Put the vehicle in a higher gear. This is incorrect because putting
the vehicle in a higher gear will cause it to go faster – you should downshift to slow
the vehicle down. Pumping the brakes may help generate enough hydraulic pressure
to stop the vehicle. Using the parking brake, or using an escape ramp are also
effective methods to slow your vehicle down if your brakes fail.

With an engine fire, you should do all of the following EXCEPT?

ANSWER: Open the hood to allow air in. With an engine fire, you should
avoid opening the hood if possible, because allowing more air to the fire can cause it
to burn more and spread.

The cumulative effect of not getting enough sleep is known as?

ANSWER: Sleep Debt. Sleep debt occurs when you don’t get enough sleep
and you “owe” your body more sleep. The only way to “pay off” your sleep debt is to
get more sleep. Insomnia (inability to initiate or maintain sleep) or sleep apnea
(pauses in breathing while asleep) are potential causes of sleep debt. Micro-sleep
are brief naps that last for 4 or 5 seconds that may occur if you are too drowsy to
drive.

Cargo such as dry bulk or hanging meat

ANSWER: Have high centers of gravity and are unstable loads. Because dry
bulk or hanging meat have high centers of gravity, they require caution going
around curves or making sharp turns. They do not require special transit permits
(unless over-length, over-width, or overweight).