Connecticut DMV CDL General Knowledge Practice Test 4
Test 4 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
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1. During uncoupling, when may the fifth wheel locking lever be released?
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Answer D: Only after the landing gear is down and taking the weight of the trailer
The landing gear has to be supporting the trailer before the lock is released; otherwise the trailer nose can drop as soon as the tractor pulls out.
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2. How does a driver keep a vehicle with a manual transmission from rolling back when starting on an upgrade?
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Answer D: Partly engage the clutch before the right foot leaves the brake, or hold the vehicle with the parking brake until the engine pulls
Something has to hold the vehicle during the instant the foot moves from the brake to the accelerator, and that is either the clutch at its engagement point or the parking brake.
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3. How long is a Connecticut commercial learner's permit valid?
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Answer C: One year
The commercial learner's permit is valid for one year from issuance; after that the applicant must retake the required tests.
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4. How far below the posted limit may Connecticut set a temporary variable speed limit on a limited access highway?
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Answer D: No more than 10 mph below the posted limit
A variable speed limit may not sit more than 10 miles per hour below the posted limit on that highway.
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5. Why is cargo often covered with a tarp?
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Answer C: To protect people from spilled cargo and to protect the cargo from weather
A cover keeps material from blowing or spilling onto the road and shields the load from rain and sun; it does not replace securement.
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6. Which lamp must make the rear registration plate legible after dark?
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Answer C: A white lamp that lights the plate
A white license plate lamp is required so the plate can be read at night, and a burned out one is a defect like any other lamp.
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7. The car in the next lane still has snow covering most of its windows. What should you assume?
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Answer C: That driver cannot see you and may move into your lane
A driver whose view is blocked cannot see the vehicles around, so you should assume you are invisible and stay out of that vehicle path.
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8. Around a tractor-trailer, where are the blind areas that other drivers most often sit in unseen?
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Answer A: Along the right side and directly behind the trailer
The blind areas to the right of the cab and behind the trailer are the largest, which is why other drivers should never linger there.
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9. When speed doubles, what happens to braking distance?
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Answer D: It becomes roughly four times as long
Braking distance rises with the square of speed, so twice the speed needs about four times the distance to stop.
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10. Apart from the legal duty, what is the main practical reason for a thorough pre-trip inspection?
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Answer A: It finds problems that could cause a breakdown or a crash before the vehicle is on the road
A defect found in the yard is an inconvenience, while the same defect found at highway speed can be a crash, so the inspection is where problems are cheapest to fix.
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11. During the engine compartment check, which leaks are you looking for?
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Answer D: Fuel, coolant, engine oil, power steering fluid and battery fluid
Every fluid in the compartment matters, because a fuel leak is a fire risk and a loss of coolant, oil, steering fluid or electrolyte can disable the vehicle.
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12. While double clutching, what goes wrong if you take too long between the two clutch movements?
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Answer A: Engine speed falls too far and the gear becomes hard or impossible to engage
Double clutching only works while engine speed and road speed still match; a slow shift lets rpm drop away and the gear will not go in.
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13. What is the correct order for a double clutch downshift?
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Answer D: Release the accelerator and push the clutch to reach neutral, release the clutch and press the accelerator to raise engine speed, then push the clutch again and select the lower gear
A lower gear turns faster than the one being left, so engine speed has to be raised in neutral before that gear will engage cleanly.
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14. What happens to the fine for a moving violation committed in an active Connecticut highway construction zone?
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Answer D: The court adds a fee equal to the whole original fine
The Superior Court adds a fee equivalent to one hundred percent of the fine for listed violations committed in a designated work zone.
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15. Which windshield condition should be reported during the inspection?
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Answer B: Cracks or dirt that get in the way of your view of the road
The windshield must give a clear view; damage or grime in the driver line of sight is a safety defect.
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16. What should you check about the tire valve stems during the walkaround?
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Answer D: That the stems are not cut, cracked or leaking and the caps are in place
A split stem or a missing cap lets air escape or lets dirt into the valve, and either one can flatten a tire between stops.
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17. Does the federal texting ban apply to a company dispatching device mounted in the cab?
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Answer B: Yes, entering or reading text on it while driving is banned
The rule is written around the act of reading or entering text on any electronic device, not around who owns the device.
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18. You pick up a sealed trailer at a shipper. What should you check before leaving the dock?
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Answer B: That the seal number matches the paperwork and that the doors are properly closed
You cannot look at a sealed load, but you can confirm that the seal is intact, that its number matches the documents and that the doors are secure.
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19. What is the correct way to make a right turn in a long vehicle?
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Answer D: Keep the rear of the vehicle close to the curb and swing wide only as you complete the turn
Swinging left before a right turn invites another driver to move into the gap on your right, so any extra width is taken as the turn is finished.
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20. You can see a crack in a brake drum that runs across more than half the width of the friction surface. What does this mean?
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Answer C: The drum is defective and must be repaired before the vehicle is driven
Cracks longer than half the width of the friction area mean the drum can break apart under braking heat and must be replaced.
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21. The engine has overheated and you need to check the coolant. What is the safe procedure with a pressurized radiator cap?
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Answer A: Shut the engine off, let the system cool, protect your hands, turn the cap slowly to its first stop so pressure escapes, step back, then remove it
A hot pressurized system throws steam and boiling coolant out of the opening, so the pressure is released slowly and only after the engine has cooled.
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22. Within total stopping distance, what exactly is perception distance?
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Answer D: The distance traveled from the moment your eyes see a hazard until your brain identifies it
Perception distance covers only the time between seeing a hazard and recognizing it as a hazard, before any physical reaction begins.
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23. Why does a cracked frame rail or cross member make a vehicle unsafe?
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Answer B: The frame carries the whole load, and a crack can spread until the structure fails
The frame is the backbone that supports the body, the load and the running gear, so a crack in it is a structural failure that grows with every mile.
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24. If a Connecticut CDL applicant fails the skills test, what must happen before testing again?
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Answer A: Reapply, pay the 30 dollar fee again, and wait at least seven days
A failed CDL skills test requires a new application, a new 30 dollar fee and a wait of at least seven days.
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25. Why is a quick lane change particularly risky with a load of hanging meat or of livestock?
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Answer A: The load swings or leans and can keep pushing the trailer after you straighten out
A swinging or leaning load keeps moving after the vehicle has finished the maneuver, so its momentum acts on the trailer at the worst moment.
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26. On the Interstate System, what is the federal maximum weight allowed on a single axle?
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Answer A: 20,000 pounds
Federal limits for the Interstate System cap one single axle at 20,000 pounds.
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27. You are inspecting the vehicle alone and need to confirm that the stop lights work. Which method is correct?
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Answer A: Have a helper press the brake pedal, or apply the brake in a way that keeps it on while you check from outside
Stop lights are checked from outside the vehicle while the brakes are applied, so a helper or a brake held on is needed.
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28. What is a bulkhead in a cargo body used for?
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Answer D: To divide the space and stop cargo from moving into another part of the body
A bulkhead is a solid partition that separates one part of the load space from another and blocks the cargo from moving past it.
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29. How do you avoid the sharp lurch that comes at the very end of a stop in a heavy vehicle?
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Answer A: Ease off the brake pressure just before the vehicle actually comes to rest
A smooth stop is finished by reducing pedal pressure as the vehicle settles, so the suspension does not rock the cab and the load forward.
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30. How should a commercial driver treat the speed posted for a curve?
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Answer B: As a limit set for cars in good conditions, so a heavy or tall load calls for a lower speed
Posted curve speeds are based on passenger vehicles in good conditions, and a tall or heavy load can roll over well below that speed.
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31. What happens when too much of the load sits over the steering axle?
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Answer D: The vehicle becomes hard to steer and the axle and its tires can be damaged
Weight beyond the front axle rating makes the steering heavy and can overload the axle and the tires carrying it.
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32. A delivery van is stopped in the right lane ahead with its flashers on. What should you expect?
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Answer C: Someone may step into your lane from in front of it
A stopped delivery vehicle hides the space in front of it, and that is exactly where a person carrying a package is likely to walk out.
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33. Rust streaks are running outward from the lug nuts on one wheel. What does this most likely indicate?
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Answer C: The lug nuts may be loose
Rust trails spreading from the nuts are a classic sign that the nuts have worked loose and the wheel has been moving on the studs.
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34. Which exhaust system condition must be reported as a defect?
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Answer B: A section repaired by wrapping tape or patching material around the pipe
Exhaust parts may not be patched with wrap or tape, because the repair does not contain the gas or the heat and it fails quickly in service.
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35. How should the headlamps be checked during the pre-trip inspection?
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Answer A: By switching on both low beam and high beam and confirming each one works outside
Both beams are separate circuits, so each is switched on in turn and confirmed from outside the vehicle where the lamps can actually be seen.
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36. Which description matches controlled braking during an emergency stop?
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Answer D: Apply the brakes as hard as you can without locking the wheels and keep steering movements small
Controlled braking keeps the wheels rolling just short of lockup, which gives the shortest stop while you keep the ability to steer.
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37. Why must cargo also be held down against vertical movement and not only against sliding?
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Answer D: Because a load that bounces can jump the blocking and slacken its own tiedowns
Rough road makes an unrestrained article lift; every bounce lets it move a little and works the tiedowns loose until nothing is holding it.
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38. Why is backing toward the driver side preferred?
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Answer C: You can watch the rear of the vehicle directly through the side window
Backing to the left lets the driver look out the window and see the rear of the vehicle directly instead of relying on a mirror alone.
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39. On a one way street or a divided highway, where are the warning devices placed?
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Answer B: About 10 feet, 100 feet and 200 feet back toward the approaching traffic
When traffic can only come from one side, all three devices are spread out behind the vehicle to give approaching drivers a longer warning.
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40. What does mountain driving demand that flat country driving does not?
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Answer D: Lower gears and constant allowance for gravity
In the mountains gravity works for you on the climb and against you on the descent, so gear selection and speed control matter far more than on level road.
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41. On a Connecticut highway with no separately established higher limit, what speed does the speeding statute treat as the ceiling?
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Answer C: 55 mph
Where no higher limit has been established for the highway, driving above 55 miles per hour is speeding under the statute.
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42. If an intersection has two lanes marked for left turns, which one should a large vehicle use?
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Answer D: The right hand of the two turning lanes
The outside turning lane leaves room for the rear of the vehicle to swing without striking a vehicle in the adjacent lane.
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43. When should the horn of a commercial vehicle be used?
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Answer C: Only when it is needed to avoid a crash
An air horn is loud enough to startle other road users, so it is a warning device rather than a way to comment on other drivers.
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44. What speed in a Connecticut highway work zone amounts to endangerment of a highway worker?
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Answer D: Fifteen miles per hour or more above the posted limit
Exceeding the posted work zone limit by fifteen miles per hour or more is one of the acts defined as endangerment of a highway worker.
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45. What speed and gear should be used when backing a large vehicle?
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Answer B: As slowly as possible, in the lowest reverse gear
Backing slowly in the lowest reverse gear keeps the vehicle under precise control and leaves time to correct the path.
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46. At a rest area you find that the load has shifted although the straps still feel tight. What should you do?
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Answer C: Correct the load before driving on, since a shifted load is no longer secure
Movement means the securement has already failed once, and a load that has shifted can shift again, so it is put right before the vehicle moves.
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47. A vehicle becomes unsafe while you are already on the road. What does the federal rule allow?
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Answer A: Continuing only to the nearest place where repairs can safely be made
If stopping where you are would be more dangerous than moving, the rule allows you to reach the nearest place where the vehicle can safely be repaired, and no further.
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48. An angry driver has cut in front of you and is now braking hard to provoke you. What is the safest response?
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Answer D: Drop back, avoid eye contact and let the driver go
Giving an aggressive driver space and no response removes the conflict, while any answering gesture invites escalation you cannot control in a heavy vehicle.
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49. A chain rated at 6,600 pounds is fitted with a hook rated at 4,700 pounds. What is the working load limit of that assembly?
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Answer A: 4,700 pounds, the rating of the weakest part
An assembly is only as strong as its weakest component, so hooks, binders and links all count and the lowest rating governs.
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50. You need to check your route on a navigation device. What is the correct approach?
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Answer D: Set it before the trip or after you have parked
Route programming is planning work, and it belongs to the time before the wheels turn or after the vehicle is safely parked off the roadway.