General Knowledge · Practice test 2

Question 1Not answered

If your brakes suddenly feel like they are losing effectiveness ('brake fade') on a long downgrade, what should you do?

1. Use a lower gear and any available escape ramp or runaway lane, rather than continuing to ride the brakes
2. Pump the brake pedal rapidly to try to rebuild pressure while still moving, a shortcut that doesn't actually apply to downgrade
3. Shift to neutral to reduce strain on the transmission
4. Pump the brakes rapidly and continue at the same speed

Question 2Not answered

During inspection, you find fresh fluid drops on the ground under the engine. What should this tell you?

1. There is likely a leak somewhere in the engine, cooling, or hydraulic system that needs to be found before the trip
2. It only matters if the puddle is large enough to step in
3. It's normal condensation and can be ignored
4. Fluid drops are only a concern if the puddle is still growing when you check again, which only seems true until you deal with tell

Question 3Not answered

A driver behind you is following far too closely. What should you do?

1. Brake suddenly to send a message to the tailgater
2. Speed up to put distance between your vehicle and theirs
3. Increase your own following distance ahead to give yourself more room to slow down gradually
4. Speed up to open more distance until the tailgating driver backs off, which only seems true until you deal with closely

Question 4Not answered

Why should you manage space carefully when driving near vehicles with restricted visibility of you, such as other large trucks?

1. Blind spots on other vehicles are not a driver's concern
2. Other large trucks always have full visibility of everything around them
3. Other large vehicles have their own blind spots where they may not see you
4. It matters only if you are the one with limited visibility

Question 5Not answered

How should hours-of-service limits shape your trip plan for a multi-day haul?

1. Rest stops should be chosen at random without regard to hours used
2. Hours-of-service limits only need to be considered on trips longer than a week, which most training glosses over about haul
3. A multi-day haul can always be completed without any required rest
4. Plan stopping points and rest periods around the driving and duty limits rather than assuming you can drive straight through

Question 6Not answered

How can you communicate with other drivers when visibility is poor, such as in fog or heavy rain?

1. Use only your hazard lights while driving normally
2. Use your low-beam headlights and, where equipped and appropriate, fog lights, rather than high beams
3. Only your horn works to communicate with other drivers in poor visibility, though it only feels that way with rain
4. Flash your high beams repeatedly to warn other drivers

Question 7Not answered

What is the correct way to get a manual transmission truck moving up a steep incline from a stop without letting it roll back?

1. Rev the engine high and drop the clutch immediately
2. Ease the clutch out until it begins to take hold, then let off the parking brake
3. Let off the parking brake first, then engage the clutch as fast as the engine will allow
4. Ride the clutch continuously in first gear

Question 8Not answered

Why is it important to distribute cargo weight evenly across a trailer's axles, not just load it all in one area?

1. Axle weight distribution only matters for the vehicle's appearance
2. Distribution only matters once the total weight is already close to the legal limit, which sounds right but isn't, at least for area
3. Uneven weight can overload some axles while underloading others, affecting handling and legal weight limits
4. It only affects fuel economy, not handling or legality

Question 9Not answered

Why is night driving more hazardous for commercial drivers than daytime driving?

1. Vehicles handle differently in the dark, since the tires grip the road surface less firmly
2. Traffic is always heavier at night
3. Speed limits are higher at night
4. Reduced visibility limits how far ahead you can see hazards, and drivers may be more fatigued

Question 10Not answered

Why should you keep extra space ahead of you when following another vehicle in a large truck?

1. It only matters when hauling a lightly loaded trailer
2. It is only necessary in stop-and-go traffic
3. Extra following distance reduces fuel economy so it should be kept minimal, though that is not correct
4. It gives you room to see ahead and time to react given your longer stopping distance

Question 11Not answered

When starting a heavily loaded vehicle from a stop, what should you keep in mind about the clutch and throttle?

1. Avoid using the throttle at all until the vehicle is already moving
2. Release the clutch as fast as possible to get moving before the engine loses power
3. Use the same technique as an empty vehicle since weight doesn't change clutch engagement
4. Engage the clutch smoothly with enough throttle to avoid stalling under the extra weight

Question 12Not answered

You witness a placarded vehicle involved in a crash ahead of you. As a general driver, what is the safest response?

1. Approach to help move the placarded vehicle's cargo
2. Continue at normal speed directly past the crash
3. Drive close to read the placard's exact numbers before deciding what to do
4. Keep your distance and avoid the area, letting trained responders handle it

Question 13Not answered

Why should you avoid discussing who is at fault at the scene of an accident you're involved in?

1. Fault is determined later through investigation, and statements at the scene can complicate that process
2. Discussing fault is required by law immediately at the scene
3. Only the police are legally allowed to speak at an accident scene
4. It mainly matters for the report later, not for anything at the scene itself, which some drivers pick up wrong about involved

Question 14Not answered

Under federal rules, is it acceptable for a commercial driver to have an open container of alcohol in the cab, even if unopened alcohol is in the sleeper?

1. It is allowed if the vehicle is stopped and parked
2. No, an open container of alcohol is prohibited in the driver's compartment
3. Yes, as long as the container stays sealed in its original packaging, a detail that's easy to miss with sleeper
4. Yes, as long as the container is sealed with tape

Question 15Not answered

Why should posted speed limit signs on a curve be treated as a maximum for ideal conditions, not a guaranteed safe speed for every truck?

1. Posted curve speeds apply only to passenger vehicles
2. Curve speed signs are recalculated separately for empty and loaded trucks, though it only feels that way with truck
3. Curve signs are purely advisory and can be safely ignored
4. A loaded or top-heavy truck may need to go slower than the posted curve speed to stay safe

Question 16Not answered

A curve is posted with an advisory speed lower than the road's regular speed limit. What should you do?

1. Advisory speeds only apply to passenger cars, not commercial vehicles
2. Slow to the advisory speed before entering the curve, since it accounts for the curve's sharpness
3. Maintain the regular speed limit since it is the legal maximum
4. Ignore it, since advisory speed signs are set conservatively for the lowest vehicle on the road

Question 17Not answered

What is 'double clutching' used for in a manual transmission truck?

1. It lets you skip the clutch pedal entirely once the truck is up to speed, an easy mistake to make with truck
2. It is only used when backing the vehicle
3. It matches engine and transmission speeds so gears mesh smoothly during a shift
4. It lets you shift gears without using the clutch pedal at all

Question 18Not answered

If you have a helper guiding you while backing, what should you agree on before starting?

1. That the helper is not needed once backing begins
2. That the helper will only step in if something looks seriously wrong, which isn't obvious without real starting experience
3. Nothing in particular, since any hand motion means to keep backing
4. Clear hand signals or a plan to stop immediately if you lose sight of the helper

Question 19Not answered

Why is it risky to stack cargo higher than the sides of an open trailer without additional securement?

1. Cargo above the trailer's sides has less support and can shift or fall more easily in a turn
2. Stacking height only matters for cargo weighing over 10,000 pounds, a point that's simple to get backwards with securement
3. It is only a concern for cargo carried in winter
4. Height only matters if the load also shifts from side to side

Question 20Not answered

Why is smooth, gradual throttle application important when starting on a loose or gravel surface?

1. Loose surfaces respond the same to throttle input as dry pavement does, which only seems true until you deal with surface
2. Sudden throttle can spin the drive wheels and reduce traction instead of moving the vehicle forward
3. Throttle input has no effect on traction on loose surfaces
4. Gradual throttle is only a fuel-saving technique, not a traction one

Question 21Not answered

Can over-the-counter medication ever affect your ability to safely operate a commercial vehicle?

1. Only if taken in combination with caffeine
2. Yes, some over-the-counter medications can cause drowsiness or slowed reaction time
3. No, only prescription drugs can impair driving ability
4. No, over-the-counter medications only cause drowsiness in children, not adults, something few drivers think about with vehicle

Question 22Not answered

What is the safest way to manage the space in front of your vehicle in heavy traffic?

1. Keep enough following distance that you can stop even if the vehicle ahead stops suddenly
2. Follow closely enough that other drivers cannot merge into the gap
3. Rely on your brake lights to warn the vehicle behind you instead of adjusting distance
4. Match your following distance to the vehicle behind you instead of the one ahead

Question 23Not answered

What is 'skip-shifting' in a manual transmission truck?

1. A transmission fault that causes the gears to change on their own unexpectedly
2. Shifting gears while the vehicle is completely stopped
3. Shifting without using the clutch at all, under any condition
4. Deliberately skipping over one or more gears when road speed and load allow it

Question 24Not answered

During a pre-trip inspection, you find a tire with a large bulge in the sidewall. What should you do?

1. Add extra air pressure to firm up the sidewall
2. Move the vehicle to a different parking spot and inspect it again next trip
3. Drive slower than usual until the tire can be checked at your destination
4. Take the vehicle out of service until the tire is replaced

Question 25Not answered

What is the 14-hour rule in the federal hours-of-service regulations?

1. A driver may not drive after the 14th hour since coming on duty, following 10 hours off
2. A driver may work no more than 14 hours per week
3. A driver must take a break every 14 hours regardless of duty status that day, though that is not correct
4. It limits only how long a truck may be parked at a loading dock

Question 26Not answered

On a long downgrade in hot weather, what risk builds up if you rely too heavily on the service brakes?

1. Brake fade only happens in cold weather, not hot weather
2. Heat has no effect on brake performance, only on tire pressure readings
3. The brakes work better as they heat up on a long downgrade
4. The brakes can overheat and lose stopping power, known as brake fade

Question 27Not answered

Why does relationship of cargo to vehicle control matter even for cargo that is fully within the legal weight limit?

1. As long as the total weight is legal, only the type of cargo affects handling, a detail that's easy to miss with limit
2. Cargo placement only affects fuel economy, not vehicle control
3. Where the weight sits, not just how much there is, affects handling, braking, and rollover risk
4. This only matters for cargo that exceeds the legal weight limit

Question 28Not answered

Why is checking the tractor protection valve's automatic activation part of a thorough air brake inspection?

1. It tests whether the trailer brakes release properly once air pressure is restored, which some drivers pick up wrong about inspection
2. This check is purely optional and rarely performed by any driver
3. It only matters for trailers that are more than ten years old
4. It confirms the tractor will still be able to brake even if the trailer's air supply is completely lost

Question 29Not answered

Why is it useful to take photos of an accident scene once it is safe to do so?

1. Photos are mainly useful for personal records, not anything an insurer or police would need, a shortcut that doesn't actually apply to so
2. Photos are only useful for insurance advertising
3. They create a record of vehicle positions and damage that can support the report and any later questions
4. They replace the need to report the accident at all

Question 30Not answered

What should you look for when checking the windshield wipers during a pre-trip inspection?

1. The brand name printed on the wiper blade
2. Whether the wipers are set to their fastest speed
3. Cracked, split, or worn wiper blades that would not clear rain effectively
4. Whether the wiper fluid reservoir happens to be completely full, an idea that doesn't match how inspection works