General Knowledge · Practice test 3

Question 1Not answered

Why does a lightly loaded trailer become more vulnerable to strong crosswinds than a fully loaded one?

1. Less weight over the wheels means less resistance to being pushed sideways by the wind
2. Only tall trailers are affected by wind, never standard-height ones
3. Wind has the same effect on a trailer regardless of how much cargo it carries
4. A lighter trailer is actually more stable in wind because it's easier for the engine to control

Question 2Not answered

A vehicle suddenly pulls out in front of you and a crash straight ahead seems unavoidable. If the shoulder is clear, what is generally the safest option?

1. Swerve into the oncoming lane
2. Brake hard and hold your lane no matter what happens directly ahead of you
3. Close your eyes and brace for impact
4. Steer onto the shoulder rather than swerving into another lane of traffic

Question 3Not answered

What space consideration is important when stopped behind another vehicle at a red light on a hill?

1. Leaving exactly one car length is always enough room, regardless of the grade
2. Space between vehicles at a stop has no safety relevance
3. It only matters if the light is red for more than two minutes
4. Leaving enough space to see the other vehicle's rear wheels in case it rolls back

Question 4Not answered

What is the safest way to hold a manual transmission vehicle in place briefly on a hill without using the parking brake?

1. Rev the engine continuously while holding the clutch halfway down
2. Use the service brake while prepared to engage the clutch and accelerator together to move off
3. Shift into neutral and rely on the engine idle to hold position
4. Rev the engine while in neutral to keep the vehicle from rolling at all, something few drivers think about with brake

Question 5Not answered

What is the purpose of a hazmat placard on a vehicle?

1. To show the vehicle's maximum speed so other drivers keep a safe following distance
2. To advertise the carrier's services
3. To warn others of the type of hazardous material being carried in case of an emergency
4. To indicate the driver's home state

Question 6Not answered

What should your eyes be doing constantly while driving, rather than fixing on one spot?

1. Focused mainly on the vehicle directly in front of you, nothing farther out
2. Moving in a scanning pattern that covers the road ahead, sides, and mirrors
3. Fixed on the center line to keep the truck straight
4. Staying locked on the vehicle directly in front of you

Question 7Not answered

What is a general rule of thumb for how much of a cargo load's weight securement devices should be able to hold, relative to the cargo's weight?

1. Securement should generally be able to withstand forces at least equal to the cargo's own weight in key directions
2. Securement strength matters only for cargo transported over 500 miles
3. There is no relationship between cargo weight and securement strength
4. Securement only needs to hold the cargo's weight while the truck is parked, a common blind spot when it comes to weight

Question 8Not answered

What is the main goal of an emergency maneuver like a quick steer around an obstacle?

1. To warn other drivers using the horn instead of changing course
2. To avoid a collision by moving the vehicle out of the hazard's path without losing control
3. To slow the vehicle as much as possible before steering around the obstacle, though the reality of obstacle says otherwise
4. To reduce fuel consumption during a sudden hazard

Question 9Not answered

How far ahead should you generally be looking while driving a large truck in city traffic?

1. Just past the hood of your own vehicle
2. Two to three car lengths at most
3. Only far enough to see the vehicle directly in front of you
4. About one block or twelve to fifteen seconds ahead

Question 10Not answered

Before a long trip, why should you check for any road construction or closures along your planned route?

1. Checking in advance mainly saves time, but rarely affects whether the route is safe, an easy mistake to make with route
2. Unexpected closures can force a detour that affects your schedule, fuel needs, or ability to reach a planned rest stop
3. Construction information is not available to drivers before departure
4. Road construction never affects commercial vehicles specifically

Question 11Not answered

What commonly causes a rear-wheel skid on a truck's tractor?

1. Using engine braking on a flat, dry road
2. Keeping tires at the correct pressure
3. Keeping the same steady speed through a long, gentle highway curve, an easy mistake to make with tractor
4. Excessive acceleration or braking that causes the drive wheels to lose traction

Question 12Not answered

Why can heavy rain reduce tire grip even when there's no standing water to cause hydroplaning?

1. Tire grip only drops once water is deep enough to be called standing water, though that's not how hydroplaning actually works
2. Rain only affects grip once it accumulates into puddles
3. A thin film of water can still reduce friction between the tire tread and the road surface
4. Heavy rain actually improves grip by cooling the tires

Question 13Not answered

How does fatigue at night differ from fatigue during the day for a commercial driver?

1. Fatigue is identical at night and during the day with no difference at all
2. The body's natural drowsiness cycle makes fatigue set in more strongly at night, even on a normal schedule
3. Fatigue at night only affects drivers on their first overnight trip, not experienced ones, an assumption that doesn't hold up with driver
4. Fatigue only becomes a factor after driving more than 20 hours consecutively

Question 14Not answered

You are hauling a tall load and need to check clearance before a route. What should you specifically verify?

1. The height of bridges, overpasses, and any low structures along the planned route
2. Only the weather forecast for the day of travel
3. Only whether the route passes through any weigh stations along the way, an assumption that doesn't hold up with verify
4. Only the posted speed limit for the route

Question 15Not answered

What should you do about fatigue if you start to feel drowsy while driving at night?

1. Open a window and turn up the radio to stay awake
2. Get off the road at the first safe opportunity and rest rather than trying to push through
3. Increase speed to reach your destination and rest sooner
4. Fatigue at night only becomes a concern after several hours without any break, a detail that's easy to miss with night

Question 16Not answered

Why is texting while driving especially dangerous in a commercial vehicle?

1. Even a few seconds of looking away can cover a long distance at highway speed with no eyes on the road
2. It is dangerous mainly because of the fine, not because of the actual distraction, a point that's simple to get backwards with vehicle
3. It mainly affects fuel economy rather than safety
4. Texting is only risky in stop-and-go traffic, not on the open highway

Question 17Not answered

How far ahead should you generally look while driving a commercial vehicle in city traffic?

1. Only as far as the vehicle directly ahead of you
2. Only far enough to react to brake lights
3. About 12 to 15 seconds ahead
4. Only 2 to 3 seconds ahead

Question 18Not answered

Why should you check your mirrors before, during, and after changing lanes, not just once beforehand?

1. Checking after the lane change has no useful purpose
2. It is only necessary when changing lanes at low speed
3. One mirror check right as you begin turning the wheel is enough on its own, an easy mistake to make with beforehand
4. Traffic conditions can change quickly, and a vehicle can enter your blind spot during the maneuver

Question 19Not answered

What are the 'No-Zones' around a large commercial vehicle?

1. Zones where the vehicle is not allowed to exceed the speed limit
2. Sections of highway where commercial vehicles are banned from driving entirely
3. Areas where the vehicle cannot legally park overnight
4. Areas around the vehicle where other drivers are hidden from the driver's view

Question 20Not answered

What is the purpose of the low air pressure warning check during a pre-trip air brake inspection?

1. To check the color of the brake fluid
2. To confirm the parking brake is disengaged
3. To confirm the warning device activates before the pressure drops to an unsafe level
4. To measure how much air the compressor can build in a single minute, something that rarely comes up around inspection

Question 21Not answered

If your vehicle begins to hydroplane, what is the correct response?

1. Brake firmly and steadily to slow down until the tires regain contact, which most training glosses over about response
2. Brake hard immediately to slow down as fast as possible
3. Accelerate to push through the water layer faster
4. Ease off the accelerator and avoid sudden braking or steering until traction returns

Question 22Not answered

What is the standard federal policy for a commercial driver regarding on-duty drug and alcohol use?

1. Zero tolerance, meaning any prohibited use can result in being removed from safety-sensitive duties
2. Testing only applies to drivers who have already failed a previous test, a detail that's easy to miss with use
3. Rules only apply while the vehicle is actually moving
4. A small amount is allowed as long as the driver feels unaffected

Question 23Not answered

What general awareness should every commercial driver have about hazardous materials placed on their own truck by mistake?

1. Hazardous materials rules only apply to for-hire carriers, not private fleets
2. Any driver can legally haul any hazardous material as long as it is properly labeled, though that is not correct
3. Drivers without the hazmat endorsement should not knowingly transport placarded hazardous materials
4. The endorsement requirement only applies to bulk tank loads

Question 24Not answered

You are approaching a highway work zone with a lane closure. What should you do as you approach?

1. Speed up to clear the work zone before the other traffic has a chance to merge
2. Slow down and merge early, watching for workers and equipment near the lane
3. Ignore posted work zone signs if no workers are visible
4. Maintain your speed and merge at the very last point

Question 25Not answered

What is the correct hand position for controlled steering on a commercial vehicle?

1. One hand on the wheel and one hand resting on the gear shifter at all times while driving, though it only feels that way with vehicle
2. One hand resting on top of the wheel, steering with the wrist
3. Both hands stacked at the top of the wheel
4. One hand on each side of the wheel, roughly across from each other, so you can react equally well in either direction

Question 26Not answered

What is the 'no-zone' around a large truck?

1. Areas around the truck where the driver has poor or no visibility of other vehicles
2. The area where cargo cannot legally be secured
3. A zone where speed limits do not apply to trucks
4. A marked lane reserved for trucks only on certain designated highways, something that trips up drivers unfamiliar with truck

Question 27Not answered

Why should you check the weather forecast along your planned route before a long trip?

1. It only matters if you are hauling a refrigerated trailer
2. Weather forecasts only matter for the first hour of driving, not the whole route, an assumption that doesn't hold up with trip
3. Checking weather has no real effect on trip planning decisions
4. Severe weather ahead may require a route change, extra travel time, or different equipment like chains

Question 28Not answered

If you cannot see behind the trailer well enough to back safely and no one is available to guide you, what should you do?

1. Use the trailer's rear bumper as a guide by feel
2. Get out and check as many times as needed while backing
3. Back very slowly using mirrors alone and hope for the best
4. Skip backing into that space and park somewhere with no obstacles at all

Question 29Not answered

After a crash, why should you avoid discussing fault with the other driver at the scene?

1. You should always admit fault immediately to keep things simple
2. Discussing fault right away helps the responding officer write a faster report, which surprises a lot of drivers new to scene
3. Discussing fault has no bearing on any later investigation or claim
4. Determining fault is for investigators and insurers, and speculating at the scene can complicate that process

Question 30Not answered

What should you do if your accelerator sticks while driving?

1. Turn off the engine immediately while still at highway speed
2. Continue driving normally and pump the pedal a few times to free it, a detail that's easy to miss with driving
3. Pump the brake pedal rapidly without shifting gears
4. Try to hook a foot under it and pull up, and if that fails, shift to neutral and brake to a stop