Sharing the Road

Study questions with answers

12 sample Sharing the Road questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.

1. 1. You realize a car is tailgating your truck. Which action does the manual recommend?

   Correct answer: Increase your following distance ahead of you

   When tailgated, open up more space in front of you so you can avoid sudden moves and give the tailgater room to pass; do not speed up.

   Source: Colorado CDL Manual, Section 2.7.2 (Space Behind)

2. 2. A vehicle with its rear window blocked, or a rental truck whose driver has limited rear vision, is a hazard because of what?

   Correct answer: They cannot see you and may move into your path

   Drivers whose vision is blocked are dangerous because they cannot see you; be alert around vans, loaded wagons, and rental trucks.

   Source: Colorado CDL Manual, Section 2.8.3 (Drivers Who Are Hazards)

3. 3. Why should you be alert around a stopped bus?

   Correct answer: Because riders may step out ahead of or behind it and not see you

   People getting off a stopped bus may walk out ahead of it or behind it and frequently cannot see you, so use caution.

   Source: Colorado CDL Manual, Section 2.8.3 (Drivers Who Are Hazards)

4. 4. Why are pedestrians and bicyclists on the road with their backs to traffic a special hazard?

   Correct answer: They can neither see nor sometimes hear your approach

   Walkers, joggers, and bicyclists facing away from traffic cannot see you, and headsets or umbrellas may keep them from hearing or noticing you.

   Source: Colorado CDL Manual, Section 2.8.3 (Drivers Who Are Hazards)

5. 5. The manual points to several clues that a driver may be a confused tourist. Which is one of them?

   Correct answer: Out-of-state plates or luggage strapped to the roof

   Signs of an out-of-area tourist include luggage strapped to the roof, plates from another state, and abrupt or unsure driving.

   Source: Colorado CDL Manual, Section 2.8.3 (Drivers Who Are Hazards)

6. 6. How does the manual define aggressive driving?

   Correct answer: Handling a vehicle in a self-centered, pushy way that ignores others' safety

   Aggressive driving means handling a vehicle in a self-centered, bold, and pushy way that ignores the safety and rights of everyone else.

   Source: Colorado CDL Manual, Section 2.10.1 (Aggressive Drivers/Road Rage)

7. 7. If a heavy load is slowing your vehicle down, where should you stay so faster traffic can get by?

   Correct answer: In the right lane whenever possible

   If a heavy load holds your speed down, keep to the right-hand lane where possible, because slow heavy vehicles are frequently tailgated.

   Source: Colorado CDL Manual, Section 2.7.2 (Space Behind)

8. 8. On a left turn at an intersection with two turning lanes, which lane should a large vehicle use?

   Correct answer: The right-hand of the two turning lanes

   Take the right turn lane, because starting in the inside lane may force you to swing right, and drivers to your left are more easily seen.

   Source: Colorado CDL Manual, Section 2.7.6 (Space for Turns)

9. 9. Strong winds are hardest to handle for which vehicles, and where can the problem be especially bad?

   Correct answer: Lighter vehicles, and the problem can be worst coming out of tunnels

   High winds make lane-keeping difficult, a problem generally worse for lighter rigs and often at its worst as you exit a tunnel.

   Source: Colorado CDL Manual, Section 2.7.3 (Space to the Sides)

10. 10. What is the first thing the manual says to do when confronted by an aggressive driver?

    Correct answer: Make every effort to get out of their way

    Do all you can to let them pass; set your pride aside, skip the eye contact, and never challenge them by accelerating.

    Source: Colorado CDL Manual, Section 2.10.3 (What You Should Do When Confronted)

11. 11. Why is traveling alongside another vehicle for a long time dangerous for a large truck?

    Correct answer: Because the other driver may turn into you or trap you when you need to move over

    A nearby driver could swerve into your lane without warning, or you might get boxed in with nowhere to go when you must move over.

    Source: Colorado CDL Manual, Section 2.7.3 (Space to the Sides)

12. 12. When making a right turn in a vehicle that cannot stay in one lane, why should you not swing wide to the left as you begin?

    Correct answer: Because a driver behind may read it as a left turn and pass on your right

    Starting a right turn by drifting wide to the left can fool a driver behind into thinking you mean to go left, prompting them to pass on your right and risk a collision.

    Source: Colorado CDL Manual, Section 2.7.6 (Space for Turns)