CDL General Knowledge Cheat Sheet 2025 Flashcards

CDL General Knowledge Cheat Sheet 2025 Flashcards You can see a marking on a vehicle ahead of you. The marking is a red triangle with an orange center it may be a slow-moving vehicle You correct a rear-wheel acceleration skid by stop accelerating What can cause a fire.Under-inflated tires, loose fuel connections, electrical short circuits What should be checked in a pre-trip inspection Cargo securement, wiper blades, and whether all vehicle lights are working and are clean You are driving a vehicle at 55 MPH on dry pavement.You need about the length of a football field to bring it to a stop You should avoid backing whenever you can True You should look how far ahead of you while driving?12-15 seconds (1/4 mile) The purpose of retarders is tohelp slow the vehicle while driving and reduce brake wear Defensive driving suggests that youlightly tap your horn, drive carefully to avoid a crash, and assume the other driver does not see you when you pass a vehicle.If a straight vehicle (no trailer or articulation) goes into a front-wheel skid it will go straight ahead even if the steering wheel is turned.When you downshift for a curveyou should do so before you enter you enter the curve How should you use the brake pedal on a steep downhill grade Light, steady pressure An "A:B:C" fire extinguisher can be used on electrical fires, burning liquids, and burning cloth as well The weight of a vehicle changes its height True The proper way to hold a steering wheel is with both hands, on opposite sides of the wheel You are checking your wheels and rims for a pre-trip inspection. Rust around wheel nuts may mean that they are loose Your are driving on a two-lane road. An oncoming driver drifts into your lane and is headed straight for you Steering to the right may be your best action You are driving a heavy vehicle. You must exit a highway using an off-ramp that curves downhill you should slow down to a safe speed before the curve.The center of gravity of a load canmake a vehicle more likely to tip over on curves if it is high As the Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) goes up judgement and self-control are affected All of the following tell you that the shipment contains

hazardous materials:

The name of a hazard class on the shipping papera four-inch, diamond-shaped hazardous materials label on the containera hazardous materials placard on the vehicle.If a hill or curve keeps drivers behind you from seeing the vehicle within 500 feet, the rear reflective triangle should be moved back down the road to give adequate warning.You do not have a hazardous material Endorsement on your Commercial Driver's License. You are asked to deliver hazardous materials in a placarded vehicle. You should refuse to haul the load Winds are especially a problem whencoming out of tunnels

You should never remove the radiator cap on a pressurized system until the system has cooled counter-steering isTurning the wheel back in the other direction after steering to avoid a traffic emergency the only thing that can overcome fatigue Sleep There are "blind spots" that your mirror cannot show youTrue Is valve clearance is part of the pre-trip inspection of the engine compartment?False Cargo that is not loaded or secured properly can cause vehicle damage by overloadingother highway users to hit or be hit by loose cargoinjury to the driver during a quick stop or crash.You are driving a 40-foot vehicle at 35 MPH. The road is dry and visibility is good. The least amount of space that you should keep in front of your vehicle to be safe is

• seconds.

These statements are true about speed management: on a wet road, you should reduce your speed by about one-thirdon packed snow, you should reduce your speed by at least one-halfwhen the road is slippery, it will take longer to stop, and it will be harder to turn without skidding.To correct a drive-wheel-braking skidyou should stop braking, turn quickly, and counter steer High beams should be used when it is safe and legal to do so?True You are driving a new truck with a manual transmission.What gear will you probably have to use to take a long, steep downhill grade?A lower gear than you would use to climb the hill You are starting your vehicle in motion from a stop. As you apply power to the drive wheels, they start to spin You should take your foot off the accelerator You should inspect your tires everytwo hours or every 100 miles when driving in very hot weather When the roads are slipperyyou should make turns as gentle as possible You must park on the side of a level, straight, four-lane, divided highway. Place your reflective triangles...one within 10 feet of the rear of the vehicle, one about 100 feet to the rear, and one about 200 feet to the rear.The distance that you should look ahead of your vehicle while driving amounts to about 1/4 mile at highway speed To avoid a crash, you had to drive onto the right shoulder.You are now driving at 40 MPH on the shoulder.If the shoulder is clear, stay on it until your vehicle has come to a stop. Then move back onto the pavement when it is safe.What is true about backingBacking is always dangerous A burning tire should be cooled withWater During cold-weather drivingwindshield washer antifreeze should be used Truck escape ramps helpavoid damage to vehicles Controlled braking is used tokeep a vehicle in a straight line when braking Use of controlled substances canlead to accidents and/or arrest.The heavier a vehicle or the faster it is moving the more heat the brakes have to absorb to stop it Hydroplaning is more likely to happen when tire pressure is low If you are being tailgated, you shouldincrease your following distance

What can you use to tell you when to shift? Tachometer You should stop driving wheneveryou become sleepy Your vehicle has hydraulic brakes. While traveling on a level road, you press the brake pedal and find that it goes to the floor, what do you do?Pumping the brake pedal may bring the pressure up so you can stop the vehicle Keep your speed slow enough that you can stop withinthe range of your headlights Can cause a vehicle to skidTurning too sharply, not enough weight on the front axle, and over acceleration You are driving on a straight, level highway at 50 MPH.There are no vehicles in front of you. Suddenly a tire blows out on your vehicle Stay off the brake until the vehicle has slowed down You are driving a vehicle that makes wide turns. You are driving on a two-lane, two-way street and you want to turn left onto another two-lane, two-way street. You should turn into the left lane of the new street and then move to the right All are proper use of a vehicle's lights Turning on your headlights during the day when visibility is reduced due to rain or snow.Flashing your brake lights to warn someone behind you of a hazard that will require slowing down.Flashing your brake lights to warn someone behind you that your are going to stop on the road The road you are driving on becomes very slippery due to glare ice (black ice) Stop driving as soon as you can safely do so An enroute inspection should include checking for:tire overheating, brake overheating, and cargo securement The following emergency equipment should always be

carried in your vehicle:

fire extinguisher(s)spare electrical fuses (if the vehicle uses them)warning devices for parked vehicle.You are checking your brakes and suspension system for a pre-trip inspection. Brake shoes should not have oil, grease, or brake fluid on them.Brake pads should not have brake fluid on them.One missing leaf in a leaf spring can be dangerous.You are driving a heavy vehicle with a manual transmission. You have to stop the vehicle on the shoulder while driving on an uphill grade Use the parking brake to hold the vehicle until the clutch engages A key principle to remember about loading cargo isto keep the load balanced in the cargo area To put out a tire fireYou can use water Escape ramps are used totop runaway vehiclesdesigned to prevent injury to drivers and passengersand designed to prevent damage to vehicles.Brake "fade" can be caused bythe brakes getting very hot When steering to avoid a crashDon't turn any more than needed Your vehicle is in a traffic emergency and may collide with another vehicle if you do not take action. You should remember that...you can almost always turn to miss an obstacle more quickly than you can stop.What will keep your engine cool in hot weather Avoiding high-speed driving, making sure the engine has the right amount of oil, and proper v-belt tightness You should use your mirrors to check:the condition of your tireswhere the rear of your vehicle is while you make turnstraffic gaps when merging

Who dictate legal weight limits?State laws When driving through work zones, you should: turn on your flashersdrive slowlyand use your brake lights to warn drivers behind you.Rough acceleration cancause mechanical damage If you need to leave the road in a traffic emergency, you should avoid braking until your speed has dropped to about 20 MPH For your safety, when setting out reflective triangles you should hold the triangles between yourself and oncoming traffic Heavy vehicles needlarger gaps in traffic than cars You do not have a Hazardous Materials Endorsement on your Commercial Driver's License You can drive a vehicle hauling hazardous materials when the vehicle does not require placards.When turningyou should signal early When caring for injured at an accident scene you don'twant to keep the injured persons cool If you must drive on a slippery roadslow down gradually If the wheels are skiddingyou cannot control the vehicle You should limit the use of your horn because it can startle other drivers All of the following are a sign of tire failure: steering that feels heavy, a loud "bang", and vibrations The chance of a crash is much greater for drivers who have been drinking than for drivers who were not.A driver can lose his/her license for driving while drunk.When driving at night, you shouldadjust your speed to keep your stopping distance within your sight distance To help you stay alert while drivingyou should take short breaks before you are drowsy You are driving a vehicle that could safely be driven at 55 MPH on an open road. But traffic is now heavy, moving at 60 MPH though the speed limit is 55 MPH.The safest speed for your vehicle is most likely 55 MPH You should avoid driving through deep puddles or flowing water. But if you must gently putting on the brakes while driving through the water can help to keep your brakes working Alcohol first affectsjudgment and self-control, which are necessary for safe driving Retarders can causethe drive wheels to skid when they have poor traction You should choose a speed that lets you stop withinthe distance that you can see ahead