Maryland MVA 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 Maryland test.
- Questions50
- Correct to pass40
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age18 years
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1. 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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2. After two hours of driving you measure a tire and the pressure reads higher than the cold figure. What should you do?
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Answer B: Nothing, because pressure rises normally as a tire heats up in use
Air expands as the tire heats, so a higher hot reading is expected, and letting air out leaves the tire underinflated once it cools.
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3. 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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4. Under federal rules, what happens to a commercial driver found with any detectable amount of alcohol while operating a commercial vehicle?
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Answer D: The driver is placed out of service for 24 hours
Any measurable alcohol takes a commercial driver off the road for 24 hours, and a concentration of 0.04 percent or more brings a disqualification.
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5. How does Maryland treat a professional Class A, B or C licensee when it comes to the driver improvement program?
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Answer C: The driver is not called in until 8 points are accumulated instead of 5
Maryland delays the driver improvement requirement to 8 points for a Class A, B or C licensee who submits acceptable evidence of being a professional driver.
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6. What is the payload of a truck?
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Answer C: The weight of the cargo the vehicle is carrying, that is the loaded weight less the empty weight
Payload is what is left of the legal or rated weight once the weight of the empty vehicle is taken off, and it is the weight of cargo that can be carried.
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7. You are drifting in the lane, yawning constantly and cannot remember the last few miles. What is the only reliable cure?
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Answer C: Stopping in a safe place and sleeping
Those are classic drowsiness warning signs, and nothing except sleep repays the sleep the body is missing.
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8. 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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9. During the walkaround you notice one tire on an axle is a radial and the tire next to it is bias-ply. What should you do?
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Answer B: Treat it as a defect, because radial and bias-ply tires must not be mixed on the same axle
Radial and bias-ply tires flex and grip differently, so mixing them on one axle makes the vehicle handle unpredictably and is not allowed.
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10. With water standing on the road, hydroplaning can begin at speeds as low as what?
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Answer D: 30 mph
When enough water covers the surface, the tires can ride up on it and lose contact at speeds as low as 30 mph.
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11. You are driving past a park where children are playing close to the curb. What is the correct assumption?
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Answer A: A child may run into the street without looking
Children act on impulse and do not judge traffic well, so a driver has to expect one to enter the road and slow down in advance.
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12. What are you looking for when you check the drive belts in the engine compartment?
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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.
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13. Why is a sudden, sharp lane change dangerous in a loaded heavy vehicle?
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Answer D: The vehicle can lean far enough to roll over, especially when the load sits high
A quick swerve throws the weight of a tall, heavy load sideways, and a rollover can begin before the tires ever slide.
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14. How should speed and gears be handled when approaching a curve?
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Answer A: Slow to a safe speed and downshift before entering the curve
Braking and shifting are completed before the curve so the vehicle is settled and can pull gently through it without upsetting the load.
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15. 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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16. How do you test for leaks in a hydraulic brake system during the pre-trip inspection?
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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.
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17. You are dropping a loaded trailer in a yard. How far should the landing gear be lowered?
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Answer A: Until the pads make firm contact and the trailer weight is just off the fifth wheel
Cranking down until the gear is firmly on the ground and just lifting the load off the fifth wheel makes the trailer stable and lets the tractor pull out cleanly.
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18. An article of cargo has been blocked so that it cannot move forward. How many tiedowns does the federal rule call for?
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Answer A: One tiedown for every 10 feet of article length, or any part of that
Blocking against forward movement lowers the requirement to one tiedown per 10 feet of length or fraction of 10 feet.
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19. What happens under Maryland law when a police officer or an employer detects any alcohol in a commercial driver's system?
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Answer B: The driver is placed out of service for the following 24 hours
Maryland places a commercial driver out of service for the 24 hour period that follows the detection of alcohol, or a refusal to take a chemical test.
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20. How often must every commercial motor vehicle receive a periodic inspection?
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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.
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21. 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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22. For a modern truck with low-friction parts and a streamlined shape, which gear should be used going down a grade?
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Answer D: A gear lower than the one needed to climb the same grade
Newer trucks roll more freely than older ones, so the old rule of using the climbing gear no longer holds; a lower gear is needed for enough engine braking.
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23. Dry bulk tanks call for extra caution mainly because of what?
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Answer C: A high center of gravity combined with a load that can shift
Dry bulk loads ride high and can move inside the tank, which makes the vehicle easier to tip in a curve.
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24. You drive a 40 foot straight truck at 50 miles per hour in good conditions. What following distance does the rule of thumb call for?
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Answer A: 5 seconds
One second for every 10 feet of vehicle length gives 4 seconds, and one extra second is added for speeds above 40 miles per hour.
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25. What color must the clearance and side marker lamps and reflectors at the front of a trailer be?
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Answer A: Amber
Amber marks the front and the forward part of the sides of a vehicle, while red marks the rear, so another driver can tell which way the vehicle is facing.
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26. What does the working load limit stamped on a chain or strap describe?
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Answer B: The maximum load the device is rated to hold in normal use
The working load limit is the rated safe capacity for everyday use, deliberately set well below the force that would break the device.
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27. What does the suspension system weight rating tell the driver?
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Answer A: The maximum weight that the manufacturer says the suspension can carry
Like tires and axles, suspensions have a manufacturer capacity, and loading beyond it can damage springs and air bags.
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28. Which situations call for a mirror check in a commercial vehicle?
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Answer A: Every lane change, turn, merge and tight maneuver
Mirrors must be checked regularly and always before, during and after any movement that changes the path of the vehicle.
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29. Your brakes are starting to fade on a mountain downgrade and a sign shows an escape ramp one mile ahead. What should you do?
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Answer B: Plan to use the ramp instead of trying to reach the bottom
Fading brakes on a grade only get worse, and the ramp exists precisely so a driver does not have to gamble on the rest of the descent.
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30. You are hauling livestock and the trailer is only partly full. What should be done?
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Answer A: Use false bulkheads or partitions to keep the animals bunched together
Animals that can move around shift the center of gravity, so a partial load is bunched together with partitions to limit how far the weight can move.
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31. Why should both outside mirrors be checked over and over while backing?
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Answer B: Each mirror covers only part of the path and neither covers the blind spots, so people and objects can appear without warning
Working both mirrors in turn is the only way to follow the whole path of a vehicle you cannot see behind.
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32. You must leave the vehicle parked on a slight grade. What adds security beyond setting the parking brake?
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Answer D: Chocking the wheels so the vehicle cannot roll if the brake bleeds off
Chocks hold the vehicle mechanically and are the standard backup whenever a parked vehicle could roll.
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33. You have chosen 40 miles per hour as your safe speed for a downgrade. How should the brakes be used?
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Answer A: Brake firmly to about 35, release, and repeat at 40
Proper technique is firm application to about 5 miles per hour below the safe speed, then full release so the brakes cool before the next application.
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34. A hazard suddenly appears ahead and you must act. Which is usually the faster way to avoid it in a heavy vehicle?
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Answer B: Steering around it, because you can usually turn faster than you can stop
Stopping distance at speed is very long, so a quick turn out of the way, when there is room, avoids the crash sooner than braking.
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35. Why should a driver avoid traveling alongside another vehicle for any length of time?
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Answer D: You lose your escape route and you may be sitting in the other driver blind spot
Running beside someone leaves nowhere to move if you have to change lanes, and the other driver may not know you are there at all.
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36. Apart from the risk of stalling, why is rolling backwards when starting on an upgrade so serious in a heavy vehicle?
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Answer D: You can strike the vehicle behind you, which is often much closer than you think
You cannot see how close the vehicle behind has stopped, and even a short roll back is enough to hit it.
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37. You have countersteered to correct a rear-wheel skid and the vehicle straightens out. What must you be ready for next?
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Answer D: The vehicle may swing back the other way, so you must steer again to correct it
A vehicle coming out of a skid tends to overshoot and swing in the opposite direction, and the driver must be ready to countersteer a second time.
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38. With the tractor coupled to the trailer, what should you see between the upper and lower fifth wheel plates?
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Answer A: No space at all between the two plates
Any daylight between the plates means the trailer is not properly seated on the fifth wheel and the coupling can come apart under load.
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39. Federal rules say a commercial vehicle may not be driven unless what is true of its cargo?
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Answer B: It is properly distributed and adequately secured
The basic federal requirement is that the load be distributed properly and secured well enough that it cannot move, whatever the paperwork says.
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40. How are the headlights, marker lights and turn signals checked during the seven-step inspection?
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Answer A: The engine is shut off, the parking brake is set, the lights are switched on and then checked from outside the vehicle
The lights are switched on with the vehicle secured, then the driver walks around and confirms each lamp actually works and is clean.
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41. What is checked about the engine cooling system during the engine compartment inspection?
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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.
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42. An enforcement officer inspects your vehicle at the roadside and attaches an out-of-service sticker. What may you do?
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Answer C: Nothing until the defect is repaired; the vehicle may not be driven
An out-of-service order means the vehicle is unsafe, and no schedule, load or destination allows it to be driven before the defect is corrected.
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43. What is the minimum tread depth for tires in positions other than the steering axle?
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Answer A: 2/32 inch
Drive and trailer tires must keep at least 2/32 inch of tread in a major groove, measured away from tie bars and fillets.
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44. 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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45. 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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46. How long must a motor carrier keep a driver vehicle inspection report and the certification of repairs?
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Answer B: Three months
The original report and the certifications attached to it are kept on file for three months from the date the report was prepared.
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47. An unblocked article is 8 feet long and weighs 900 pounds. How many tiedowns does the federal rule require?
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Answer B: Two
Only an article that is 5 feet or shorter and 1,100 pounds or lighter can be held with a single tiedown; anything longer than 5 feet needs at least two whatever it weighs.
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48. 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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49. During a trip you stop for a break. Which items should you check before driving on?
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Answer B: Tires, wheels and rims, brakes, lights, reflectors, electrical connections and cargo securement
Critical items can change during a trip, so each stop is used to recheck the tires, wheels, brakes, lights, connections and cargo.
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50. What is the correct way to test the parking brake before a trip?
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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.