Connecticut DMV CDL General Knowledge Practice Test 2
Test 2 of 5. Pick an answer for each question to see if it is right and why; your score appears at the end. You need 40 correct answers to pass, the same ratio as the real Connecticut test.
- Questions50
- Correct to pass40
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age18 years
-
1. A 40 foot straight truck and a 70 foot tractor-trailer make the same right turn. Which needs more room and why?
Show answer
Answer B: The tractor-trailer, because the longer the vehicle the farther inside the rear wheels track
Off-tracking grows with the distance between the front and rear axles, so the longer combination cuts the corner much more sharply and needs extra room.
-
2. What are you looking for when you check the drive belts in the engine compartment?
Show answer
Answer C: That each belt is snug and free of cracks, frays or heavy wear
A loose or cracked belt can break and stop the fan, the water pump or the alternator, which leads quickly to overheating or a dead electrical system.
-
3. You press on a drive belt and it deflects far more than the others. What does that suggest?
Show answer
Answer C: The belt is too loose and the part it drives may not work properly
A belt with excessive play slips on its pulleys, so the accessory it drives turns too slowly or not at all under load.
-
4. You find a defect during the pre-trip inspection. What must happen before the vehicle is driven?
Show answer
Answer C: It must be repaired, or the vehicle must not be driven
Writing a defect down does not make the vehicle safe; a defect that affects safe operation has to be corrected before the trip starts.
-
5. Compared with a fully loaded one, an empty truck under hard braking will often do what?
Show answer
Answer A: Need a longer distance to stop because traction is poor
Stiff suspension and little weight over the tires reduce grip, so the wheels lock early and the vehicle can take longer to stop.
-
6. A car that passed you on the right slows and stays alongside your trailer. What is the best response?
Show answer
Answer D: Ease off the accelerator so the car can move clear
A vehicle sitting beside a trailer is in a blind area and has nowhere to go if you need the lane, so the safest fix is to let it get ahead or behind.
-
7. What should you check about the fuel tank during the walkaround?
Show answer
Answer A: That it is securely mounted, the cap is on tight and there are no leaks
A loose tank or a missing cap can spill fuel, and any fuel leak is a fire hazard that makes the vehicle unsafe to drive.
-
8. Which vehicle is most likely to be pushed around by a strong crosswind?
Show answer
Answer B: An empty van trailer
A large flat side with very little weight behind it gives the wind the most surface and the least resistance, which is the empty van trailer.
-
9. Which winter preparation matters most for keeping the road in view?
Show answer
Answer D: Working wipers, washer fluid and a working defroster
Slush and road spray coat the windshield within minutes in winter, so wipers, washer fluid and the defroster are what keep any view at all.
-
10. What is the minimum age for a Connecticut CDL holder to drive interstate or haul hazardous materials?
Show answer
Answer D: 21
Interstate driving and hazardous materials transport require the driver to be at least 21.
-
11. Which federal requirement must a first-time Connecticut Class A or Class B applicant satisfy before the skills test?
Show answer
Answer A: Entry Level Driver Training from an approved provider
Entry Level Driver Training is required for first-time Class A and Class B applicants and for certain endorsements.
-
12. What tells you that an air suspension bag has a problem?
Show answer
Answer B: The bag is leaking or damaged, or the vehicle sits unevenly on that side
An air bag that leaks or is cut lets that corner of the vehicle settle, which throws the load onto the other suspension parts and changes the ride height.
-
13. An unblocked crate 4 feet long and weighing 1,500 pounds needs at least how many tiedowns?
Show answer
Answer A: Two
A short article that weighs more than 1,100 pounds requires at least two tiedowns even though it is under 5 feet long.
-
14. What is checked about the clutch and the gearshift during the in-cab inspection?
Show answer
Answer D: That the clutch free play is within the range the manufacturer specifies
Too little or too much clutch free play causes slipping or dragging, either of which can leave the driver unable to select the gear a hill demands.
-
15. During the walkaround you notice a bulge in the sidewall of a trailer tire. What does it indicate?
Show answer
Answer B: Damage inside the tire, which can lead to a sudden failure
A bulge means the internal structure has broken and only the rubber is holding the air, so the tire can burst without warning.
-
16. How do you get more engine braking from an automatic transmission on a downgrade?
Show answer
Answer B: Select a lower range before starting down
Locking the transmission into a lower range keeps engine speed high enough to hold the vehicle back and spares the service brakes.
-
17. Which shock absorber condition is a defect?
Show answer
Answer C: A shock that is leaking, broken or disconnected at either mounting
A shock that has lost its fluid or its mounting no longer damps the suspension, so the wheel bounces and loses contact with the road.
-
18. What is checked about the engine cooling system during the engine compartment inspection?
Show answer
Answer C: That the coolant level is adequate and the radiator and hoses are not leaking
A low coolant level or a leaking hose leads to overheating, which can stop the vehicle in a place where stopping is dangerous.
-
19. Part of your load stands high enough to hide a rear lamp or a reflector. What must be done?
Show answer
Answer B: The load must be moved or extra lamps fitted so the required lights can be seen
Required lamps and reflectors must remain visible; if the cargo blocks them, the load is rearranged or additional lamps are fitted so the vehicle can still be seen.
-
20. Your vehicle is stopped just past a hill or curve that hides it from approaching traffic. How should the warning devices be adjusted?
Show answer
Answer A: Move the rearmost device farther back, up to 500 feet, so drivers are warned before the obstruction
When a hill or curve blocks the view, the farthest device is moved back beyond the obstruction so approaching drivers see the warning in time.
-
21. Why must the driver of a large vehicle keep it centered in its lane?
Show answer
Answer B: The vehicle needs the full width of the lane
A commercial vehicle is close to lane width already, so any drift takes part of the vehicle into the next lane or onto the shoulder.
-
22. Which document must be available to show that the annual inspection was carried out?
Show answer
Answer C: The inspection report or a copy of it, or a decal displayed on the vehicle
Proof of the periodic inspection travels with the vehicle, either as the report itself or as the decal fixed where an inspector can see it.
-
23. The shipper hands you the placards for a load that needs them. Who puts them on the vehicle?
Show answer
Answer C: The driver, who must also make sure they are the correct ones and are readable
The shipper supplies the placards, but it is the driver who must place them on the vehicle and confirm that they match the load and can be read.
-
24. What phone rule applies to a Connecticut school bus driver who is carrying passengers?
Show answer
Answer D: No phone or electronic device use at all, hands-free included
A school bus driver carrying passengers may not use a phone or electronic device even with a hands-free accessory, apart from narrow emergency and radio-style exceptions.
-
25. Cargo carried inside the cab must never do which of these?
Show answer
Answer C: Block the driver view, restrict arm or leg movement, or block an emergency exit
Anything inside the cab must leave the driver a clear view, free movement of the arms and legs, and an unobstructed way out of the vehicle.
-
26. For an unblocked article longer than 10 feet, the minimum is two tiedowns plus how many more?
Show answer
Answer B: One more for every additional 10 feet of length or any part of 10 feet
Past the first 10 feet, one more tiedown is added for each additional 10 feet of length or any fraction of that distance.
-
27. How many correct answers are needed to pass the Connecticut CDL general knowledge test?
Show answer
Answer B: 40
Forty correct answers out of 50 is a passing score, which is 80 percent.
-
28. What is the best practice when fog is thick enough to hide the road ahead?
Show answer
Answer B: Slow down before entering the fog, and if visibility is too poor, pull off into a rest area or truck stop until it improves
The safest choice in heavy fog is not to be driving in it, and if you are already in it your speed has to come down before your visibility does.
-
29. Where should a driver expect fog to form first?
Show answer
Answer D: In low ground, near water and in valleys
Cool moist air settles in low places, so fog patches appear in hollows, river valleys and near lakes before they appear anywhere else.
-
30. In the seven-step method, what comes immediately after starting the engine and inspecting inside the cab?
Show answer
Answer D: Turn off the engine and check the lights
Step four shuts the engine down and switches on the lamps needed for driving so the driver can leave the cab and confirm they actually work.
-
31. What is the highest speed limit Connecticut law lets the Office of the State Traffic Administration set on a multiple lane, limited access highway?
Show answer
Answer C: 65 mph
The statute caps the limit on a multiple lane, limited access highway at 65 miles per hour, and the office sets each highway's own figure within that cap.
-
32. What must be checked about the cargo doors and any tarpaulin before a trip?
Show answer
Answer B: That the doors are closed and latched and that any tarp is tied down securely
An unlatched door or a loose tarp can swing open or tear free at speed, spilling cargo or blocking the view of the traffic behind you.
-
33. On a wet road, a commercial driver should reduce speed by roughly how much?
Show answer
Answer C: By about one third
Cutting speed by roughly a third, for example from 55 to about 35 mph, restores a margin for the traction lost on a wet surface.
-
34. What is the correct way to test the parking brake before a trip?
Show answer
Answer C: With the parking brake set, put the vehicle in a low gear and gently try to move forward
A parking brake that holds against a gentle pull in low gear is working; if the vehicle moves, the brake needs adjustment or repair.
-
35. Your vehicle stalls on a railroad crossing and a train is coming. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer C: Get out at once and move toward the train, well off to one side
Leave the vehicle immediately and move at an angle toward the oncoming train, so that wreckage thrown forward by the impact travels away from you.
-
36. What is the minimum age to drive a commercial vehicle only within Connecticut?
Show answer
Answer C: 18
Connecticut allows intrastate commercial driving at 18.
-
37. An unblocked article is 15 feet long. What is the minimum number of tiedowns?
Show answer
Answer B: Three
Two tiedowns cover the first 10 feet and one more is added for each further 10 feet or any part of it, so 15 feet needs three.
-
38. When must a post-trip inspection be made?
Show answer
Answer D: At the end of each day the driver operates the vehicle
The post-trip inspection closes out each driving day so that anything found is recorded before the vehicle is handed to the next driver.
-
39. What must be true of the person who performs the annual periodic inspection?
Show answer
Answer D: They must meet the federal qualification requirements for an inspector
The inspection has to be done by someone who meets the federal training and experience requirements for inspectors, whoever employs them.
-
40. Why should high beams not be used in fog?
Show answer
Answer A: The light reflects back off the droplets and blinds you
Fog is made of water droplets that scatter light straight back at the driver, so a stronger beam makes the wall of glare worse rather than better.
-
41. You are about to slow down sharply on a highway to make a turn into a narrow driveway. How can you warn the drivers behind you?
Show answer
Answer C: Tap the brake pedal a few times so the brake lights flash before you slow down
A few light taps flash the brake lights and give following drivers an early warning that you are about to slow or stop.
-
42. Your load projects more than 4 feet beyond the rear of the vehicle. How must the projecting end be marked?
Show answer
Answer A: With a red or orange flag by day and a red lamp after dark
Federal rules require a warning flag on a rear projecting load in daylight and a red lamp on the end of it when lights are required.
-
43. How do you test for leaks in a hydraulic brake system during the pre-trip inspection?
Show answer
Answer A: Pump the pedal three times, then hold firm pressure for five seconds and make sure the pedal does not move
If the pedal sinks while you hold pressure, fluid is escaping or air is in the lines, and the vehicle must not be driven until the problem is repaired.
-
44. How does overloading affect the way a vehicle drives?
Show answer
Answer C: It slows the vehicle on upgrades, makes stopping take longer and can overheat the brakes on downgrades
Extra weight demands more from the engine and the brakes, so the vehicle climbs slowly and needs much more distance to stop.
-
45. How often must every commercial motor vehicle receive a periodic inspection?
Show answer
Answer C: At least once every twelve months
Federal rules require each commercial motor vehicle to pass a periodic inspection at least once in every twelve month period.
-
46. What is required of the hooks, rails, rings and anchor points that tiedowns attach to?
Show answer
Answer A: They must be part of the vehicle and strong enough for the load being secured
A tiedown is only as strong as what it is hooked to, so anchor points must be proper vehicle fittings rated for the job.
-
47. Which of these is a suspension defect you must look for during the walkaround?
Show answer
Answer D: Cracked or broken spring leaves, loose or broken U-bolts, or leaking air suspension bags
Broken springs, failed U-bolts and leaking air bags let the axle shift or the body drop, which can make the vehicle impossible to control.
-
48. Where are regrooved, recapped or retreaded tires not allowed on a truck or truck tractor?
Show answer
Answer C: On the front steering wheels
Regrooved and retreaded tires are prohibited on the front wheels of a truck or truck tractor because a steering tire blowout is extremely difficult to manage.
-
49. Experienced commercial drivers scan the road ahead by roughly how much travel time?
Show answer
Answer B: About 12 to 15 seconds
Looking 12 to 15 seconds ahead gives a heavy vehicle enough room to slow or change lanes smoothly instead of reacting late.
-
50. What does a front-end header board on a van or flatbed protect against?
Show answer
Answer A: Cargo moving forward toward the cab in a crash or hard stop
The header board, often called a headache rack, blocks forward movement of the load toward the driver.