General Knowledge · Practice test 10

Question 1Not answered

You are driving downhill and the vehicle is gaining speed faster than expected. What should you do first?

1. Shift to neutral to coast and save fuel
2. Increase your following distance only, without checking your mirrors or easing off the throttle
3. Ride the brakes continuously without downshifting
4. Slow down and downshift before the grade gets steeper, rather than partway down

Question 2Not answered

What is the purpose of an emergency steering maneuver, as opposed to emergency braking?

1. It moves the vehicle around a hazard when there is not enough distance left to stop
2. It is used only when the brakes have completely failed
3. It works only when there's no time left to brake at all, a shortcut that doesn't actually apply to braking
4. It is only appropriate at low speeds under 15 mph

Question 3Not answered

Why might a driver skip a gear (shift from second directly to fourth, for example) when the vehicle is lightly loaded?

1. It reduces engine wear more than shifting through every gear in sequence would, which some drivers pick up wrong about loaded
2. Skip-shifting is never appropriate in any situation
3. A lighter load needs less engine power to accelerate, so an intermediate gear may not be necessary
4. It is required by law whenever the trailer is empty

Question 4Not answered

Why should you check that all required reflectors and reflective tape are clean and visible before a night trip?

1. Reflective tape has no safety function, only a decorative one
2. They are only required on trailers longer than 53 feet
3. They help other drivers see the outline of the trailer in low light
4. They matter only when parked, never while the vehicle is moving

Question 5Not answered

Whenever possible, why should you position your vehicle to back toward the driver's side?

1. It is required by law in every state
2. It reduces wear on the transmission
3. It lets you watch the rear of the vehicle directly out your window instead of relying only on mirrors
4. It reduces tire wear on that side of the trailer over the life of the tires, something that rarely comes up around side

Question 6Not answered

When merging onto a highway, why do you need more space than a car driver would to merge safely?

1. Space is not a factor once you are already on the on-ramp
2. A truck needs a larger gap and more time to accelerate up to highway speed
3. Trucks accelerate faster than cars so less space is needed
4. Merging rules for trucks are identical in every respect to those for cars

Question 7Not answered

You come to a section of road covered by standing floodwater. What should you do?

1. Only cross if other vehicles have already gone through
2. Drive through quickly so the standing water doesn't have time to enter the engine
3. Avoid driving through it, since the depth and road condition underneath are unknown
4. Drive through slowly in a low gear to keep momentum

Question 8Not answered

You come across a roadway covered by moving floodwater. What is the safest action?

1. Cross quickly to minimize time spent in the water
2. Cross slowly in the lowest gear available
3. Follow another vehicle through if it makes it across safely
4. Do not attempt to cross; turn around and find another route

Question 9Not answered

What extra caution should you use around rural intersections at night that may not have adequate lighting?

1. Slow down and watch carefully, since a vehicle without working lights could be present
2. Rural intersections only need extra caution if there's no stop sign posted, which surprises a lot of drivers new to lighting
3. Only intersections with traffic signals need attention at night
4. Speed up to clear the intersection before another vehicle arrives

Question 10Not answered

Why should you check permit and licensing requirements before crossing into a different state or region with certain cargo?

1. It is unnecessary since permits can always be obtained instantly at the state line
2. Permit requirements are always identical everywhere in the country
3. Some states or cargo types require special permits that must be obtained ahead of time
4. Permits are only needed for international border crossings, not between states

Question 11Not answered

What generally happens if you turn the steering wheel too sharply while moving at highway speed?

1. It can cause the vehicle to swerve abruptly and possibly skid or roll
2. Sharp steering inputs are safer than gradual ones at speed
3. It only matters if the road is completely straight
4. It has no more effect than a gradual turn of the same total amount

Question 12Not answered

Besides brake lights, what other signal can help communicate your intentions to drivers around you?

1. Flashing your high beams at any vehicle ahead of you
2. Hand gestures out the window instead of using the vehicle's signals
3. Repeated honking whenever another vehicle is nearby
4. Turn signals used early, well before actually changing lanes or turning

Question 13Not answered

Why do some newer commercial trucks use automated manual transmissions, and what does this mean for the CDL knowledge test?

1. They require a completely separate CDL class
2. They only appear on the knowledge test if the vehicle used for testing has one, a common blind spot when it comes to test
3. They shift gears for the driver, but a driver may still need a manual restriction removed by testing in a manual vehicle
4. They are only used in Class B vehicles, never Class A

Question 14Not answered

How does driving in high winds affect a tall, lightly loaded trailer?

1. Wind has no meaningful effect on a trailer once it is moving
2. Wind only affects flatbed trailers, not enclosed vans
3. Only crosswinds above hurricane force actually affect a tall, lightly loaded trailer
4. It can push the trailer sideways or even tip it, especially when empty or lightly loaded

Question 15Not answered

Why should you take photos of the accident scene before vehicles are moved, if it's safe to do so?

1. Taking photos is unnecessary once the police arrive
2. Photos capture the positions and damage as they actually were, which can matter for later reports or claims
3. Photos should only be taken once the vehicles have already been moved off the road, something that rarely comes up around so
4. Photos are only useful if the accident involved a fatality

Question 16Not answered

What does it mean to identify a hazard's 'potential to develop' rather than just its current state?

1. Judging how a situation, like a cyclist riding near the edge of the lane, could change and require a reaction
2. A term that applies only to weather-related hazards
3. Only reacting once a hazard has already turned into a real emergency, something that trips up drivers unfamiliar with state
4. Only reacting once a hazard is directly in your path

Question 17Not answered

What is skip-shifting, and when is it appropriate?

1. Skipping one or more gears during an upshift when the vehicle is lightly loaded and has enough power to do so smoothly
2. A technique used only when driving in reverse for a long distance, a common blind spot when it comes to appropriate
3. Randomly changing gears without regard to engine speed
4. Shifting directly from first gear to reverse without stopping

Question 18Not answered

What documentation should you gather at the scene of a crash, if you are able to do so safely?

1. Only the license plate of the other vehicle
2. Only your own insurance card, nothing else is needed
3. Documentation only matters if the other driver refuses to admit any fault, a habit that's hard to unlearn around safely
4. Other driver's information, witness contact details, and photos of the scene and vehicle damage

Question 19Not answered

Why should you plan for known seasonal road closures, such as a mountain pass that closes in winter, before choosing your route?

1. It only matters for routes above 10,000 feet in elevation
2. A route that is normally open may be closed or restricted at certain times of year
3. All roads remain open year-round regardless of elevation or weather
4. Seasonal closures only affect routes above a certain elevation, not lower mountain passes

Question 20Not answered

What should mainly determine which gear you start out in when pulling away from a stop?

1. Whichever gear happens to be easiest to reach from where the shifter last was
2. The time of day you are driving
3. The color of the traffic light you just left
4. The weight of the vehicle and the grade you're starting on

Question 21Not answered

What sound or feel typically tells you that a shift was mistimed and the gears did not mesh properly?

1. A slight delay before the engine responds, with no grinding sound at all
2. A slight increase in radio volume
3. A grinding sound or noticeable resistance as the gear tries to engage
4. The engine shutting off automatically

Question 22Not answered

Why should you plan fuel stops in advance rather than refueling only when the tank is nearly empty?

1. Modern trucks cannot run low on fuel due to built-in reserves
2. Planning ahead avoids being forced to stop at an inconvenient or unsafe location when fuel is critically low
3. It only matters for trips longer than a full day
4. Fuel prices barely vary along most routes, so timing rarely changes the total cost, though that's not how empty actually works

Question 23Not answered

Why does federal law require a period of consecutive off-duty time before a driver's daily driving window resets?

1. The off-duty period exists only to allow vehicle maintenance, not driver rest, though that is not correct
2. A substantial break gives the driver a real chance to recover from fatigue before driving again
3. It only applies to drivers under a certain age
4. It is a scheduling convenience for dispatchers with no safety basis

Question 24Not answered

What does covering the brake mean, and when is it a useful habit?

1. A term used only for parking brake maintenance, unrelated to driving
2. Applying light constant pressure to the brake pedal at all times
3. Pressing the brake pedal all the way down as a final check before driving, an assumption that doesn't hold up with habit
4. Moving your foot near the brake pedal without pressing it, so you can react faster to a developing hazard

Question 25Not answered

You need to stop a heavy combination vehicle smoothly. What braking technique is recommended?

1. Apply steady pressure, then release it just before the vehicle comes to a complete stop
2. Brake hard the instant you decide to stop, then hold that same pressure all the way to a stop
3. Pump the brakes rapidly the entire way down to a stop
4. Use only the trailer hand valve to bring the unit to a stop

Question 26Not answered

You are stopped facing downhill at a red light in a manual transmission truck. What is the safest way to get moving without rolling forward into cross traffic?

1. Keep your foot on the brake until you can engage the clutch and accelerate smoothly together
2. Shift to neutral and coast forward until the light changes, trusting the truck's own weight to hold it steady on the grade
3. Rev the engine high while still in park
4. Release the brake and coast until the light changes

Question 27Not answered

What is a 34-hour restart under hours-of-service rules generally meant to accomplish?

1. It is a mandatory vehicle maintenance window unrelated to driver hours
2. It only applies to drivers who have never violated hours-of-service rules before
3. It extends the number of hours a driver can drive in a single day
4. It gives a driver an extended break that resets the weekly on-duty hour limits

Question 28Not answered

What is the safest way to communicate your intent when merging into a gap in traffic?

1. Move first, then signal to let others know what already happened
2. Speed up sharply to make the gap before another vehicle can close it
3. Signal early, check your mirrors and blind spot, then move smoothly once you confirm the gap is safe
4. Move over first and expect the other driver to slow down and make room, something few drivers think about with traffic

Question 29Not answered

Why should you keep both hands on the steering wheel whenever possible while driving?

1. It is required only when driving above 55 mph
2. It gives you better control if you need to react quickly to a hazard
3. One hand is sufficient as long as the road ahead stays straight, though that is not correct
4. It matters only when driving an empty trailer

Question 30Not answered

Why do hours-of-service rules require a short break after a certain number of hours of continuous driving?

1. A brief break helps counter the buildup of fatigue that comes with hours of continuous driving
2. Breaks are required only to give the vehicle's engine time to cool down
3. Breaks are optional and only a suggestion, not a rule
4. The break requirement exists mainly to give drivers a chance to eat something during a long, continuous shift