Michigan CDL: General Knowledge Practice Test

Not quite. The answer is on-time performance.

FMCSA's Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program includes the following seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs): Unsafe driving, crash indicator, Hours of Service compliance, vehicle maintenance, controlled substances/alcohol, hazardous materials compliance, and driver fitness. Carriers who fail to correct unsafe behaviors can be taken off the road. Your performance as a truck driver is an important part of your company's record.

Source: "CSA: Compliance, Safety, Accountability," FMCSA, https://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/

Not quite. The answer is There are “blind spots” that your mirrors cannot show.

"Blind spots" are areas around your vehicle that your mirrors cannot show you. Large CMVs have large blind spots to the front, the rear, and both sides of the vehicle. Convex mirrors can show a wider area than flat mirrors, but at the expense of making objects appear smaller and farther away than they would in a flat mirror.

Not quite. The answer is To reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx)

The exhaust gases of diesel engines include nitrogen oxides (NOx), a major contributor to air pollution and acid rain. To reduce most nitrogen oxide emissions, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) is sprayed into the stream of exhaust gases. DEF reacts with the NOx to form harmless nitrogen gas and water vapor. According to the official state CDL manual, the DEF tank should be kept more than 1/8 full. (Typically, a CMV uses about 1 gallon of DEF for every 50 gallons of diesel fuel.)

Not quite. The answer is All of the above

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can cause excessive daytime sleepiness and difficulty concentrating, which can impair your ability to drive a CMV safely. Risk factors for developing OSA include the male gender, obesity, smoking, and being age 40 or older. Many truck drivers have all these risk factors. A study sponsored by FMCSA found that 28% of commercial truck drivers have mild to severe sleep apnea. Fortunately, OSA is treatable.

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 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 10 hours

According to the Hours of Service (HOS) regulations, the driver of a passenger-carrying vehicle must not drive for more than 10 hours following 8 consecutive hours off duty. The driver may not drive at all after having been on duty for 15 hours.

Source: "Summary of Hours of Service Regulations," FMCSA, https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations

Not quite. The answer is 3

To transport an individual metal coil (weighing at least 5,000 pounds) with its eye vertical on a flatbed truck, all of the following must be used: (1) At least one tiedown attached diagonally from the left side of the vehicle, across the eye of the coil, to the right side of the vehicle (2) At least one tiedown attached diagonally from the right side of the vehicle, across the eye of the coil, to the left side of the vehicle (3) At least one tiedown attached transversely (from side to side) over the eye of the coil (4) Either blocking and bracing, friction mats, or direct tiedowns to prevent forward-and-backward movement

Source: 49 CFR 393.120

Not quite. The answer is Accelerating while pressing the clutch and turning toward the driver's side

You must release the accelerator, press the clutch and shift into neutral at the same time, release the clutch, let the engine and gears slow to the required rpm for the next gear, press the clutch and shift into a higher gear at the same time, then release the clutch and press the accelerator at the same time. Acceleration is not involved until the very end, and definitely not while pressing the clutch.

Not quite. The answer is 2 tie-downs.

The rule is one tie-down for every ten feet of cargo, but at least two tie-downs regardless of how small the cargo is.

Not quite. The answer is 5 seconds

The formula for following distance is one second per ten feet of vehicle, plus an extra second if you are traveling over 40 mph. Therefore, for a 40-foot vehicle traveling at 50 mph, you should leave a following distance of five seconds.

Not quite. The answer is adjust to conditions while driving.

To prevent a skid or a rollover, adjust your speed and driving style to fit current driving conditions. On slippery roads, avoid sudden moves.

Not quite. The answer is Whenever you're driving a CMV

Federal regulations require the driver and all passengers in a moving CMV to wear seat belts (unless, of course, the vehicle isn't equipped with them).

Source: 49 CFR 392.16

Not quite. The answer is 2 hours.

According to the Hours of Service (HOS) regulations, if you encounter adverse driving conditions during your trip that prevent you from completing your trip within the allowed driving time, you may extend your allowed driving time by an additional two hours. "Adverse driving conditions" include bad weather and unusual road or traffic conditions that were not known about in advance.

Source: "Summary of Hours of Service Regulations," FMCSA, https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations

Not quite. The answer is Many CMV accidents occur between midnight and 6:00 a.m.

Driving through the night when you would normally be asleep increases your risk of an accident. Many CMV accidents occur between midnight and 6:00 a.m. If you've had less than 6 hours of sleep before you drive, your risk of an accident is tripled. And one study has found that going without sleep for more than 24 hours can impair your coordination and reaction time as much as being legally intoxicated.

Not quite. The answer is You should never remove the radiator cap on a pressurized system until the system has cooled.

Never remove the radiator cap if the engine is overheated. Steam and boiling water could shoot out under high pressure and injure you. Wait until you can touch the radiator cap with your bare hand without it feeling excessively hot. Some vehicles have coolant overflow tanks or sight glasses that let you check the coolant level without removing the radiator cap.

Not quite. The answer is Axle mounts should be checked at each point where they are secured to the vehicle frame and axle.

Suspension components should be checked on every axle (power unit and trailers, if so equipped). Look for broken or distorted coil springs. Damaged coil springs can cause "bottoming out" or poor handling. Spring mounts should be checked at each point where they are secured to the vehicle frame and axle. Loose, worn, or broken spring mount components may lead to loss of vehicle control or even a rollover.

Not quite. The answer is Steer to the right.

If you are approaching a hazard and are unable to stop in time, the safest maneuver is usually to bypass it on the right, even if it means moving onto the shoulder. If you steer to the left in heavy traffic, you could collide with another vehicle or force it into oncoming traffic.

Not quite. The answer is leaks.

During Step 5 (Walk-Around Inspection) of the Seven-Step Inspection Method, check the wheel bearing seals for any signs of cracks or leaks.

Not quite. The answer is They can make navigation errors.

Federal, state, and local regulations can restrict the routes that CMVs can legally and safely take. A GPS navigation device or smartphone app that is designed for CMV operators can choose an allowable route, even avoiding grades and sharp curves that might be difficult for your vehicle. But for these features to work properly, you must input the weight and dimensions of your vehicle as well as whether it is carrying hazardous materials (which is why you shouldn't use Google Maps or a car navigation device or app). If you don't do this properly, the device or app may choose an inappropriate route. Plus, it's always possible for your device to mislead you anyway because of erroneous or out-of-date software. Don't depend entirely on your GPS navigator while you're driving. Double-check the route before you attempt to drive it.