Alaska CDL Class A Knowledge Test 1

Potential problems to check for when inspecting brakes include cracked drums; shoes or pads with oil, grease, or brake fluid on them; and shoes that are missing, broken, or worn dangerously thin.

Driving drowsy is dangerous and should always be avoided. Warning signs of drowsiness include frequent blinking, your eyes closing or going out of focus by themselves, frequent yawning, and drifting between lanes.

Transporting cargo that is loaded with a high center of gravity increases the risk that the transporting vehicle will tip over. Cargo should be loaded with a safe weight distribution.

Before beginning a trip, it is important to check the brake drums during your walk-around inspection. It is unsafe to drive if any brake drum has a crack more than one half of the width of the friction area.

When driving, texting is a particularly dangerous distraction because it distracts a driver both mentally and physically.

An operator should drive with care when transporting a cargo of hanging meat. Such a load is unstable, both because it has a high center of gravity and because the swinging of the meat can affect the driver’s handling of the vehicle.

The function of an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) is to help prevent wheel lockup during hard braking. With ABS equipped on your vehicle, you should drive and brake in the same manner that you would without it.

When inspecting your vehicle, ensure that radial and bias-ply tires are not being used together.

Backing is always dangerous because it is impossible to see everything that is behind your vehicle. Only drive in reverse if it is absolutely necessary.

You should approach every railroad crossing with the expectation that a train is coming. Do not rely on signals or your hearing to reliably tell you if a train is present. Always slow down when approaching a crossing. Never try to race a train.

Blocking and bracing are used to prevent cargo from sliding in transit.

Distracted drivers perceive hazards on the road more slowly than drivers who are focused, or they do not perceive hazards at all.

Railroad crossings that are not controlled by any type of traffic control device are known as passive crossings. The decision to proceed across tracks at a passive crossing is entirely up to the driver.

Most good drivers consistently look down the road 12 to 15 seconds ahead of their vehicles. Watching ahead of your vehicle will allow you to react to upcoming hazards before meeting them.

Distractions that can affect safe driving can be classified as physical (such as reaching for an object), mental (such as talking with passenger), or both (such as talking on a hand-held phone).

Friction inside a brake drum is caused when the brake shoes and linings push against the inside of the drum. The friction in the drums will slow and stop the vehicle.

A parking brake should not be used if the vehicle’s brakes are very hot from use on a steep downgrade or if the brakes are very wet and temperatures are freezing. Using the parking brake when brakes are hot could cause damage to the brakes, and using the brakes when they are wet in freezing weather may cause the brakes to ice up, rendering the vehicle immobile.

If brakes are overused, they can become too hot. This overheating causes them to fade, making them less effective at slowing the vehicle.

Cargo with a high center of gravity makes a vehicle more likely to tip over than cargo with a low center of gravity. For this reason, it is important that the weight of cargo be distributed as low as possible.

Never attempt to beat a train to a railroad crossing. It is very difficult to accurately judge the speed of an approaching train. If you come upon a crossing that is being approached by a train, you must stop and wait for the train to pass before you attempt to cross the tracks.

A retarder is a device that helps to slow a vehicle, reducing the need for a driver to use the brakes. However, these devices can be noisy and are not permitted everywhere.

If stopped on the side of the road, you must place emergency warning devices, such as reflective warning triangles, within 10 minutes of stopping.

You may be asked to complete a conventional parallel parking maneuver into a parking space that is to the right of your vehicle. You should drive past the parking space before backing into it while bringing the rear of your vehicle as close to the rear of the space as possible. Your vehicle should be completely within the boundaries of the space.

You should accelerate very gradually when driving under slippery conditions. Using too much power in such conditions may cause you to lose control of your vehicle.

It is best not to avoid driving in fog. However, if you must drive under foggy conditions, be sure to decrease your speed.

On a downgrade, the force of gravity will cause a vehicle’s speed to increase. When approaching a downgrade, choose to travel at a speed that will be safe for the size and weight of your vehicle.

After starting the engine of a vehicle equipped with an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), the indicator light should come on and then turn off. If the light stays on, something is wrong with the ABS.

Many large vehicles have curved, convex mirrors. Convex mirrors allow drivers to see a wider area than flat mirrors. However, they also make objects seem smaller and farther away than they really are.

Mental distractions can be just as dangerous as physical ones. It is possible for a person to look right at a hazard on the road but fail to notice it because their thoughts are occupied by something else.

In general, you should always use the parking brake when parking your vehicle. However, you should not apply the parking brake if your brakes are very hot or if your brakes are wet and temperatures are below freezing.

Stopping is not always the most effective response to a hazard. You can usually turn out of the path of a hazard more quickly than you can come to a complete stop. However, swerving is not without its hazards, as it may result in a rollover in a vehicle that is either top-heavy or pulling multiple trailers.

When a brake pedal is pressed and the S-cam is turned, the S-cam presses the brake shoes against the inside of the brake drum. This causes friction and will cause the vehicle to slow.

Cargo that is required to be tied down should be secured by at least one tie-down for every 10 feet of cargo length. However, at least two tie-downs should be used no matter how small the cargo is.

It is important for you to be aware of your surroundings at all times. To do this, regularly check your mirrors.

Be sure to thoroughly inspect your tires before a trip. Tire sizes should not be mismatched, and tires should not be cut, cracked, or otherwise damaged in any way.

Distractions while driving can be physical (such as reaching for an object), mental (such as making conversation with a passenger), or both (such as holding a phone to send texts). Strategies to help you avoid distracted driving include pre-programming radio stations; planning out your route in advance; avoiding complex or emotionally taxing conversation while driving; adjusting your mirrors before setting out; and not eating, drinking, or smoking while behind the wheel.

Always turn on your four-way emergency flashers if you must park on the side of the road. This is especially important when traveling at night.

Hazardous materials placards must be at least 10 and three-quarter inches square.

Truck tractors with air brakes built on or after March 1, 1997 must be equipped with Anti-Lock Braking Systems (ABS).

Drivers behind you may not anticipate how slowly your CMV must travel to safely make a right turn. You can help warn them in advance by braking early and slowing gradually.

You should be cautious when driving near rental trucks because the people driving them may not be used to operating vehicles with limited views to the sides and rear. Drivers who cannot see others on the roadway are hazardous.

When doing a pre-trip inspection on a vehicle with power steering, be sure to check the hoses, pumps, and fluid level. In particular, you should check the hoses for leaks.

In general, a smaller vehicle will be able to come to a complete stop faster than a larger vehicle. Keep this in mind when determining your following distance.

Drivers of vehicles equipped with ABS and drivers of vehicles without ABS should brake in relatively the same manner. When ABS is working properly, it automatically applies when brakes are applied in situations that may create lockup.

If making a left turn where there is more than one available turn lane, you should always choose to begin your turn in the rightmost lane. Large vehicles often have to swing right to make left turns. Because of this, it is safer for you to have other left-turning traffic to your left instead of to your right. This will allow you to have the best possible view of other turning vehicles and will lower the risk of your vehicle colliding with them.

Warning signs that a driver may be impaired include that they are having trouble staying in their lane, they are having trouble maintaining an appropriate driving speed, or they are stopping without a clear reason.

Before inspecting the engine compartment, make sure that the parking brakes are on and/or the wheels are chocked. Check the engine compartment before entering the cab and starting the engine.

If another vehicle pulls out in front of you, it is appropriate to brake as long as there is room for your vehicle to stop while you are using the appropriate braking technique. However, if you do not have room to stop, swerving may be a safer response.

If you aren’t sure that you have space for your vehicle to safely fit underneath an overhead object, slow down and seek an alternate route if possible.

To avoid becoming an aggressive driver, begin a trip with realistic expectations of how long the trip will take, allowing extra time for traffic delays. Do not tailgate other vehicles. To avoid upsetting other drivers, do not drive slowly in the left lane and do not gesture at the drivers (even in seemingly minor ways, like shaking your head).