Question 71 of 180

Before starting down a long, steep grade with passengers aboard, what should you do with your gear selection?

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Shift to neutral partway down once the vehicle has picked up some speed
Select a lower gear before the descent begins so engine braking helps control speed
Shift to the highest gear available to reduce engine noise for passengers, since a quieter cabin matters more than engine braking on most grades
Leave the transmission in whatever gear it happened to be in at the top

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Correct answer to question 71 (Passenger): Select a lower gear before the descent begins so engine braking helps control speed

Why

A lower gear selected before the descent lets the engine help control speed the whole way down, reducing how much the service brakes alone have to do with a vehicle full of passengers aboard.

Updated: November 2026

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Before starting down a long, steep grade with passengers aboard, what should you do with your gear selection?

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