General Knowledge · Practice test 5

Question 1Not answered

Under federal rules, what blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is enough to place a commercial driver out of service, even below the legal driving limit?

1. Any detectable amount below 0.02 percent is allowed with no restriction
2. There is no federal BAC limit specific to commercial drivers
3. 0.08 percent or higher only
4. 0.04 percent or higher while on duty

Question 2Not answered

Why do most states require a hazmat placard to be visible from a distance on all four sides of certain loaded vehicles?

1. Four-sided placarding only applies to loads crossing state lines
2. Placards are only required on the front of the vehicle, not all sides, which sounds right but isn't, at least for vehicles
3. It's purely a stylistic requirement with no safety function
4. So the hazard is identifiable from any direction someone approaches the vehicle, including emergency responders

Question 3Not answered

What should you check about the steering wheel during a pre-trip inspection?

1. That it can be turned a small amount before the wheels respond, but not an excessive amount of free play
2. That the wheel spins several full turns freely before the tires start to respond, though the reality of inspection says otherwise
3. That it matches the color of the dashboard
4. That it spins completely freely with no resistance at all

Question 4Not answered

You are recovering from a rear-wheel skid and the vehicle starts to swing the other way as it straightens out. What should you do?

1. Brake hard the moment the vehicle begins to straighten
2. Ease the steering back toward center as the vehicle straightens, ready to counter another swing if needed
3. Accelerate hard to force the rear end back into line
4. Continue steering further in the same direction to be sure the skid is over, a detail that's easy to miss with out

Question 5Not answered

What is the general federal policy regarding marijuana use by commercial drivers, even in states where it is legal?

1. It remains prohibited for commercial drivers under federal transportation rules regardless of state law
2. It is allowed as long as the driver waits a full 24 hours before driving
3. It is allowed for commercial drivers in any state that has legalized it
4. Federal rules defer entirely to whichever state the driver is currently in, which sounds right but isn't, at least for legal

Question 6Not answered

You are checking the engine compartment before a trip. Which of these is a required part of that check?

1. The brand of oil filter installed
2. The color of the antifreeze
3. Belt and hose condition
4. Whether the radio presets are correct

Question 7Not answered

You notice a motorcycle riding in your blind spot for an extended time. What should you keep in mind?

1. Motorcycles are only hard to spot in a blind spot at night, not during the day, a detail that's easy to miss with mind
2. A motorcycle can be harder to see than a car, so extra care is needed before changing lanes or turning
3. It's the motorcyclist's sole responsibility to avoid your blind spot
4. Motorcycles don't need to be considered separately from other traffic

Question 8Not answered

Why should a non-hazmat driver still know the basic shapes and colors used on hazardous materials placards?

1. Placards are standardized only within a single state, so they vary elsewhere, though it only feels that way with placards
2. It is only useful information for law enforcement, not drivers
3. It helps them judge how much extra caution and distance to give a vehicle carrying hazardous materials
4. Placard shapes and colors only matter to inspectors, never to other drivers

Question 9Not answered

Under the federal hours-of-service rules, what is the general limit on driving time following ten consecutive hours off duty for property-carrying drivers?

1. Up to 8 hours of driving with no breaks required
2. Up to 14 hours of driving with no other limit
3. There is no specific driving-time limit, only a duty-window limit
4. Up to 11 hours of driving

Question 10Not answered

Why does loading heavy cargo low and toward the center of the trailer improve vehicle control?

1. It only matters for appearance, not for how the vehicle actually handles, something few drivers think about with control
2. Loading heavy cargo high and to one side has no real effect on stability
3. Cargo placement has no measurable effect on rollover risk
4. It keeps the center of gravity lower and more balanced, reducing rollover and handling risk

Question 11Not answered

Why must you check the wheels and rims for cracks or damage during a pre-trip inspection?

1. It is only checked at the destination, since cracks rarely worsen over the course of a single trip
2. It only affects fuel economy
3. A cracked or damaged wheel can fail while driving, potentially causing loss of control
4. It is only a cosmetic issue

Question 12Not answered

On a snow- or ice-covered road, how should your steering and braking inputs differ from normal conditions?

1. They should be smoother and more gradual, since sudden inputs are more likely to break traction
2. Steering and braking inputs don't need to change on ice or snow
3. You should steer and brake at the same time as often as possible
4. They should be sharper and quicker, since a slippery surface needs a stronger correction, a point that's simple to get backwards with conditions

Question 13Not answered

What should you scan for specifically at intersections, beyond just cross traffic?

1. Only the traffic signal color, since that determines right of way completely
2. Pedestrians and cyclists who may be harder to see than other vehicles
3. Nothing beyond cross traffic needs to be scanned at an intersection
4. Only vehicles that are the same size as your own

Question 14Not answered

How often should you re-check cargo securement during a long trip, according to general federal guidance?

1. Only when crossing a state line
2. Within the first fifty miles, then periodically afterward, such as after a break or change in duty status
3. Only if the driver happens to stop for fuel along the way, a common blind spot when it comes to guidance
4. Only if the cargo can be seen and heard shifting

Question 15Not answered

Why does the general knowledge test include basic hazmat placard awareness, even for drivers without the hazmat endorsement?

1. General awareness of placards is tested only because some drivers eventually get the endorsement, a common blind spot when it comes to endorsement
2. Only hazmat-endorsed drivers are ever expected to notice placards on the road
3. Every driver benefits from recognizing hazmat placards to react safely around vehicles carrying dangerous materials
4. It's included by mistake and has no real relevance to non-hazmat drivers

Question 16Not answered

Why should you avoid backing whenever you have the option to pull through a parking space instead?

1. Backing takes noticeably more time than pulling straight through a space, a shortcut that doesn't actually apply to instead
2. Pulling through is always faster regardless of the situation
3. Backing is one of the highest-risk maneuvers, so avoiding it when possible reduces overall risk
4. It only matters in daylight hours

Question 17Not answered

You are approaching a curve and need to shift down before entering it. When should this shift be completed?

1. Before entering the curve, not while turning the wheel
2. It does not matter as long as the shift happens somewhere near the curve
3. Only after you have already started to turn the steering wheel
4. Exactly at the midpoint of the curve for the smoothest transition

Question 18Not answered

Your vehicle begins a rear-wheel skid on a wet road. What is the correct response?

1. Stay off the brake and steer in the direction you want the vehicle to go until control is regained
2. Brake hard immediately to stop the skid
3. Steer opposite to the direction you want the vehicle to go, then straighten out, though that is not correct
4. Accelerate hard to pull out of the skid

Question 19Not answered

An oncoming vehicle's high beams are blinding you at night. What should you do?

1. Look toward the right edge of your lane and avoid staring at the oncoming lights
2. Close your eyes briefly until the vehicle passes
3. Flash your high beams repeatedly at the oncoming driver to signal them to dim theirs
4. Accelerate so the glare only lasts a moment

Question 20Not answered

What effect does an overloaded or improperly loaded trailer have on skid risk?

1. An overloaded trailer is always more stable than a properly loaded one, though that is not correct
2. Load has no relationship to how likely a vehicle is to skid
3. It can make the vehicle less stable and more prone to skidding or rolling in a hard maneuver
4. It matters only for tank vehicles, not dry vans

Question 21Not answered

What commonly happens when a driver oversteers while trying to correct a skid?

1. Oversteering has no real effect once a skid has started
2. Oversteering always straightens the vehicle out faster than a gentle correction
3. Oversteering only matters at low speeds under 20 mph
4. The correction can send the vehicle into a skid in the opposite direction

Question 22Not answered

Why should you reduce your normal following distance rule and increase it further on packed snow or ice?

1. Snow and ice actually shorten stopping distance due to reduced rolling resistance
2. It only matters for vehicles without snow tires
3. Following distance rules do not change based on road surface
4. Stopping distances can be several times longer on snow or ice than on dry pavement

Question 23Not answered

Why can an icy road cause a skid with even light braking, when a wet road might not?

1. Ice offers far less friction between the tire and road than water on pavement does
2. Ice only affects steering, not braking
3. Ice and wet pavement provide identical traction in all conditions, which isn't obvious without real might experience
4. Braking on ice works the same as on a wet road, just a bit slower

Question 24Not answered

Before driving a mountain route in winter, what should you check regarding chain requirements?

1. Whether the route requires tire chains under certain conditions, and that you're carrying the right chains if so
2. It's only necessary to check chain requirements once you're already on the mountain grade, which surprises a lot of drivers new to requirements
3. Chain requirements only apply to passenger cars, not commercial vehicles
4. Chains are never required on any public highway in the United States

Question 25Not answered

What is the purpose of the required rest breaks built into hours-of-service rules?

1. Required breaks exist only to standardize delivery schedules
2. Breaks are purely a courtesy with no real connection to safety rules, though that is not correct
3. To interrupt continuous driving time so fatigue doesn't build up unchecked over long shifts
4. To give drivers time to complete paperwork unrelated to rest

Question 26Not answered

What does an excessive air pressure drop, while holding a steady brake application with the engine off, generally indicate?

1. That the parking brake has been left engaged
2. That the compressor simply needs a few more minutes to catch back up, an idea that doesn't match how indicate works
3. That the tires are underinflated
4. A leak somewhere in the air brake system that needs to be found and repaired

Question 27Not answered

How should weather forecasts factor into your trip plan for a route crossing mountain passes?

1. Mountain passes are unaffected by weather conditions
2. Check forecasts along the whole route and be ready to adjust timing or route for storms or ice
3. Once on the road, checking updated forecasts is unnecessary
4. Weather forecasts are only relevant for the destination, not anywhere along the way, which some drivers pick up wrong about passes

Question 28Not answered

Why is it important to plan your route before a trip, rather than relying only on a standard GPS at the last minute?

1. GPS devices are always accurate for truck-specific restrictions
2. Standard GPS routing may not account for low bridges, weight limits, or restricted roads for trucks
3. Route planning only matters in unfamiliar cities, not on well-known interstate routes, which isn't obvious without real minute experience
4. It only matters for interstate trips, not local deliveries

Question 29Not answered

When first getting into an unfamiliar truck, why should you adjust your seat and mirrors before starting to drive?

1. Proper seat and mirror position let you reach the pedals fully and see around the vehicle correctly
2. Mirror adjustment matters only for trailers longer than 40 feet
3. It is only a comfort preference with no safety effect
4. Seat position only affects comfort on longer trips, not on short local runs, a shortcut that doesn't actually apply to drive

Question 30Not answered

What should you do if you need to make an unplanned, sudden stop in traffic due to a hazard ahead?

1. Swerve into the next lane without checking it, since the stop is more urgent than checking
2. Turn off your headlights so drivers behind you focus only on your brake lights
3. Brake firmly and, if there is time, flash your brake lights to alert traffic behind you
4. Ignore drivers behind you since your stop is not their concern