California CDL Practice Test

Not quite. The answer is Both of the above

You will be disqualified from operating a CMV for at least 60 days if you are convicted of any of the following offenses at railroad crossings: (1) failing to slow down and check that the tracks are clear; (2) failing to stop if a train is approaching; (3) failing to stop before driving onto the crossing; (4) failing to ensure that there is sufficient space for you to drive completely through the crossing without stopping; (5) failing to obey a traffic control device or the directions of an enforcement official; (6) failing to negotiate the crossing because of insufficient undercarriage clearance.

Source: 49 CFR 383.51

Not quite. The answer is Yes, and they might place it out-of-service.

Federal or state inspectors may inspect your vehicle. If they find a problem that makes the vehicle potentially unsafe, they will put the vehicle out-of-service until the problem is fixed.

Not quite. The answer is the tracks have a steep approach.

Raised railroad crossings with steep approaches can cause your vehicle to get hung up on the tracks. This is more likely if you're driving a vehicle with low ground clearance (such as a lowboy, car carrier, or moving van).

Not quite. The answer is One block

While driving, you should scan the road 12–15 seconds ahead. At typical speeds in urban areas, your vehicle will travel about one block in 12–15 seconds. At 60 mph, your vehicle will travel a quarter of a mile in 15 seconds.

Not quite. The answer is Tire fires

Water can extinguish wood fires, paper fires, and tire fires. A burning tire must be cooled with lots of water. However, water on an oil or gasoline fire can spread the flames even farther. And because water can conduct electricity, never use water on an electrical fire because that can result in an electric shock.

Not quite. The answer is 306 feet

Distracted driving is dangerous. At 55 mph (or 80.7 feet per second), this equates to a driver traveling 306 feet. For that entire distance, your eyes will be watching your phone, not the road. Studies have shown that drivers take an average of 3.8 seconds to dial their cell phones. The length of a football playing field (i.e., not counting the two end zones) is 300 feet.

Not quite. The answer is Both of these answers are correct.

Federal regulations require shippers to warn drivers and others about the nature of the hazardous materials they are shipping. The shipper affixes US DOT-compliant HazMat labels to the packages and supplies the driver with the appropriate placards to attach to his or her vehicle. The shipper also notes the hazardous nature of the materials on the shipping papers. [49 CFR 172.400],

Source: 49 CFR 172.407

Not quite. The answer is Tires of mismatched sizes should not be used on the same vehicle.

Tires should never be mismatched in size or type. Radial tires and bias-ply tires should not be used together on the same vehicle. Steering axle tires must have a tread depth of at least 4/32 inch. All other tires must have a tread depth of at least 2/32 inch.

Not quite. The answer is increase your following distance.

Tailgating is a major cause of rear-end collisions. If you're being tailgated, increase your following distance behind the vehicle ahead of you. That way, if you have to stop or slow down, you can do so gradually, reducing the risk of being rear-ended by the tailgater. It will also make it easier for the tailgater to pass you.

Not quite. The answer is False

If your vehicle catches fire, pull off the road and park in an open area away from anything that might catch fire, such as buildings or trees. Especially avoid parking your burning vehicle near a gas station!

Not quite. The answer is When the road is slippery, you should keep much more space in front of your vehicle.

Large, heavy vehicles have long braking distances. On slippery roads, the braking distance will be even longer. Make sure you leave an adequate following distance behind the vehicle ahead of you. The formula for following distance under ideal conditions is one second per ten feet of vehicle, plus an extra second if you are traveling over 40 mph. On slippery roads, increase your following distance even more.

Not quite. The answer is You should remove ice from the radiator shutters.

In extremely cold weather, very cold air flowing onto the radiator and through the engine compartment can prevent the engine from warming up (and also keep your heater from working well). Radiator shutters or a winterfront restrict this air flow to let the engine warm up. However, don't overdo it. Keep the winterfront partially open or keep the radiator shutters free of ice. If the shutters freeze shut or the winterfront is closed too tightly, the engine may overheat from a lack of sufficient air.

Not quite. The answer is All of the above conditions must be met.

Section 405 of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) protects you from employer retaliation if you refuse a task because you believe it violates federal laws or regulations or may result in serious injury to you or others. However, to be entitled to such protection, you must have first asked your employer to correct the problem, your employer refused to do it, you asked your employer for other work to perform, and any other reasonable person would agree with you about the violation or risk of serious injury. If your employer does retaliate against you for your refusal to do the task, you may file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Not quite. The answer is slow down even more when workers are present.

Speeding traffic is the number one cause of injury and death in roadway work zones. Lower speed limits are often posted in work zones; obey them. Slow down even more when workers are close to the roadway.

Not quite. The answer is When the vehicle is moving at about 5 mph

To test the service brakes, do the following: Wait for normal air pressure, release the parking brake, move the vehicle forward at about 5 mph, and apply the brakes firmly. Check whether the brakes stop your vehicle promptly, and note any abnormal signs such as your vehicle pulling to one side.

Not quite. The answer is Poor trailer ventilation can cause flammable cargo to catch fire.

Many things can cause fires, including underinflated tires, dual tires that touch, cargo that is improperly sealed or loaded, and cargo that is poorly ventilated.

Not quite. The answer is involves keeping a vehicle in a straight line when braking.

In controlled braking, you apply the brakes as hard as you can without locking the wheels, keeping movement of the steering wheel to a minimum.

Not quite. The answer is Driving in a selfish or pushy manner

Aggressive driving is driving in a bold, selfish, or pushy manner, which is dangerous enough. Road rage is even worse: intentionally driving to harm someone or physically assaulting someone in his or her vehicle. Examples of aggressive driving include weaving from lane to lane without signaling, purposely blocking another vehicle from changing lanes, and honking the horn to express annoyance, anger, or frustration. Examples of road rage include deliberately ramming another vehicle and exiting one's vehicle to directly confront another driver. Distracted driving is driving while some distraction takes your attention away from the driving task.

Not quite. The answer is Rough acceleration can cause mechanical damage.

From a stopped position, accelerate smoothly and gradually. Jerking forward or rough acceleration can cause mechanical damage (possibly including damage to the coupling if you're pulling a trailer).

Not quite. The answer is Stop driving as soon as you can safely do so.

On glare ice, your vehicle's stopping distance can be ten times as long as on dry pavement. When driving on glare ice, slow down to a crawl, maintain a long following distance behind the vehicle in front of you, and stop driving as soon as you can do so safely.