Nebraska CDL: General Knowledge Practice Test

Not quite. The answer is puddles on the ground.

During your pre-trip test, when inspecting hoses, you need to look for signs of leaks, such as puddles on the ground or fluids that are dripping on the underside of the engine or transmission. Also check the hoses for cracks or other problems.

Not quite. The answer is Life

If you are convicted of DUI for a second time in either a CMV or your personal vehicle, you will lose your CDL privileges for life. While you are driving a CMV, a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.04% qualifies as DUI. (An average 180-pound man will reach a BAC above 0.04% from just two 12-ounce cans of beer before his body starts to break down the alcohol.) Your first offense is a wake-up call and a chance to get help, but your second offense is going to mean unemployment. If you get a DUI, seek help before you lose your salary and your future.

Not quite. The answer is Both of the above

Be sure to use the right fire extinguisher to put out a fire. A Class A fire involves ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, cloth, or rubber. A Class B fire involves flammable liquids such as gasoline, grease, or oil. A Class C fire involves electrical equipment. A Class D fire involves combustible metals such as magnesium or potassium. An A:B:C extinguisher can put out Class A, Class B, and Class C fires.

Not quite. The answer is use your high beams when legal and keep your interior lights off.

If the lights from your instrument panel or other interior lights are too bright, it will take time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness outside. Help your eyes adjust to the outside darkness by dimming your instrument panel lights as much as possible and turning off all other interior lights. Use your high-beam headlights whenever possible. However, dim your headlights whenever you're within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle or within 500 feet of a vehicle you are following.

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 The trailer can push the tractor sideways.

The most common type of skid by far is the drive-wheel skid. Drive-wheel acceleration skids can occur on slippery roads. Drive-wheel braking skids occur when braking causes the drive wheels to lock. Because locked wheels have less traction than rolling wheels, the rear wheels usually slide sideways in an attempt to "catch up" with the front wheels. With combination vehicles, a drive-wheel skid can let the trailer push the tractor sideways, causing a sudden jackknife.

Not quite. The answer is Get out of the driver's way.

First and foremost, make every attempt to get out of the driver's way. Don't let your pride or ego keep you from doing this. Don't challenge the aggressive driver by speeding up or attempting to hold your own in your travel lane.

Not quite. The answer is restore traction to the tires.

If braking or steering force exceeds the tires' traction with the road surface, a skid may result. You can recover from the skid by restoring sufficient traction.

Not quite. The answer is is a bad idea because when the tires cool off, the pressure will be too low.

When tires get hot, the air pressure increases. However, relieving that extra pressure will leave the air pressure too low when the tires cool again, and then the tires may catch fire or blow out. If your tires are too hot to touch, stop until they have cooled down.

Not quite. The answer is The driver is inspected but not the vehicle.

The Level 1 roadside inspection is the most comprehensive inspection. It involves a 37-point inspection of both the driver and the vehicle. The Level 2 inspection is similar, except that nothing underneath the vehicle is inspected. In a Level 3 inspection, the driver is inspected but not the vehicle. In a Level 5 inspection, the vehicle is inspected but not the driver.

Not quite. The answer is driving too fast for road conditions.

Always adjust your speed to fit current driving conditions including weather, visibility, tire traction, curves, and hills. In practice, this will sometimes mean driving at well below the posted speed limit.

Not quite. The answer is 4

As stated in your official CDL manual, the basic rule for tiedowns is one tiedown for every 10 feet of cargo length rounded up to the nearest 10 feet. Thus under this rule, you need at least 3 tiedowns for a 22-foot-long piece of cargo. However, federal regulation 49 CFR 393.110 imposes an additional rule not stated in the manual: if the cargo is not blocked from moving forward by bulkheads, other devices, or other cargo, you must use one additional tiedown (which used to be called a "penalty strap") for the first 10 feet of cargo length. Hence, for a 22-foot-long piece of cargo that's not blocked from moving forward, you must use at least 4 tiedowns.

Not quite. The answer is Unstable loads such as hanging meat or livestock require extra caution on curves.

If you're carrying a cargo of livestock or hanging meat, slow down on curves and proceed with extreme caution. A cargo of hanging meat typically has a high center of gravity. Plus, hanging meat sways significantly when you're driving on a curve, making for a very unstable load. Livestock can move around or lean on curves, adversely affecting your vehicle's stability and making a rollover more likely.

Not quite. The answer is Ensuring the freshness of sealed cargo

You are not responsible for the state of sealed cargo, nor can you inspect it. You are only responsible for the safety of the cargo, ensuring that it is balanced, secured, and not overloaded, and does not get in the way of emergency equipment.

Not quite. The answer is Pulling forward while backing a trailer to reposition it

When backing a vehicle, especially a tractor-trailer, you may need to pull forward to straighten the vehicle or reposition it for a better angle. This corrective maneuver is called a pull-up. Note, however, that you should be able to back your vehicle successfully without too many such corrections. During your CDL skills test, your examiner may penalize you for too many pull-ups.

Not quite. The answer is All of the above can help.

If you must leave your tractor-trailer in an unsecured location so you can get a meal or shower, it's at risk of being stolen. There are several steps you can take to help prevent its theft. First, take the ignition key with you and lock the truck's doors. However, professional thieves know how to break into a truck and hot-wire it. Consider installing a vehicle alarm or an air cuff (air brake control) lock, which locks the parking brake and trailer air supply knobs. Finally, if you're traveling with a co-driver or family member, have him or her stay with the truck whenever you are away from it.

Not quite. The answer is Air brakes

Federal regulation 49 CFR 383.93 defines six different endorsements: Tank Vehicle, Hazardous Materials, Double and Triple trailers, Passenger, School Bus, and Combination tank vehicle and hazardous materials. According to federal regulation 49 CFR 383.95, a restriction on your CDL will prohibit you from operating vehicles with air brakes, until you pass the official knowledge test on air brakes and pass a skills test in a vehicle equipped with air brakes. Therefore, the qualification to drive vehicles with air brakes is NOT an endorsement, but the removal of a restriction that prohibits you from driving vehicles with air brakes.

Not quite. The answer is The consistency of the concrete to be poured

"Slump" is a measure of the consistency of fresh concrete. You measure slump by forming a sample of the concrete into a standard-shaped 12-inch-high cone, and measuring how far the cone "slumps" (i.e., how much its height declines). The more it slumps, the thinner the consistency of the concrete. For example, concrete with a 5-inch slump is thinner than concrete with a 3-inch slump.

Not quite. The answer is slow down to a safe speed before taking the curve.

On curves, the posted speed may be safe for cars but not for CMVs, especially CMVs that are more prone to rollovers. Slow down to a safe speed before you enter the curve. Taking a curve too fast can cause a rollover. Braking in a curve can cause a skid (or even a jackknife if you're pulling a trailer).

Not quite. The answer is avoid braking until your speed has decreased to about 20 mph.

If you've moved onto a shoulder that may have a loose surface, let your vehicle slow down to about 20 mph before you brake. Braking at a higher speed on a loose surface can cause a skid.