Handling Emergencies

Study questions with answers

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

1. 1. To recover from a drive-wheel braking skid, you should:

   Correct answer: Stop braking to let the wheels roll, then countersteer as needed

   Stop braking so the wheels can roll and regain traction. If the rear begins to swing out, steer (countersteer) in the direction you want the front of the vehicle to go.

   Source: Georgia CDL Manual — Skid Control and Recovery

2. 2. When you use a fire extinguisher on a vehicle fire, you should aim it:

   Correct answer: At the base, or source, of the fire

   Aim at the base, or source, of the fire, not at the flames, and use short bursts while staying as far back as you can. Keep the wind at your back so smoke and heat blow away from you.

   Source: Georgia CDL Manual — Fighting Fires

3. 3. After stopping on a level, straight two-lane road because of a breakdown, where should you place your three reflective warning triangles?

   Correct answer: Within 10 feet behind, about 100 feet behind, and about 100 feet in front

   On a two-lane, two-way road, place one triangle within 10 feet of the rear of the vehicle, one about 100 feet behind, and one about 100 feet ahead, so traffic is warned from both directions.

   Source: Georgia CDL Manual — Warning Devices

4. 4. When helping someone who is injured at a crash scene, a basic rule is to:

   Correct answer: Not move a seriously injured person unless danger such as fire makes it necessary

   Do not move a seriously injured person unless a danger such as fire or traffic makes it necessary, because moving them can worsen an injury. Stop heavy bleeding and keep the person calm until help arrives.

   Source: Georgia CDL Manual — Helping the Injured

5. 5. If your hydraulic brakes suddenly fail while you are driving, one recommended action is to:

   Correct answer: Pump the brake pedal to try to build pressure, and downshift

   Pumping the brake pedal can sometimes build up enough pressure to stop. Also downshift to slow the vehicle, use the parking brake carefully, and look for an escape route or ramp.

   Source: Georgia CDL Manual — Brake Failure

6. 6. What is the main benefit of an antilock braking system (ABS) on a commercial vehicle?

   Correct answer: It keeps the wheels from locking so you can steer while braking hard

   ABS keeps your wheels from locking up during hard braking, so you can keep steering and stay in control. It does not necessarily shorten your stopping distance or let you drive faster.

   Source: Georgia CDL Manual — Antilock Braking Systems

7. 7. When you come upon or are involved in a crash, the first thing you should usually do is:

   Correct answer: Protect the area with flashers and warning devices to prevent another crash

   Protect the area first so no one else is hurt. Turn on your flashers, and set out warning devices to keep another crash from happening, before you help others or make calls.

   Source: Georgia CDL Manual — At the Scene of a Crash

8. 8. In a front-wheel skid, the vehicle keeps going straight even though you have turned the wheel. You usually recover by:

   Correct answer: Letting the vehicle slow down so the front tires regain their grip

   A front-wheel skid is most often caused by driving too fast for conditions. Let the vehicle slow down and the front tires will grip again so you can steer. Stop turning the wheel harder and ease off the brake or gas.

   Source: Georgia CDL Manual — Skid Control and Recovery

9. 9. Why should you not use water on a gasoline or electrical fire?

   Correct answer: Water spreads a gasoline fire and can conduct electricity

   Water can spread a gasoline fire and can carry electric current back to you on an electrical fire. Use a B:C-rated fire extinguisher on these types of fires instead.

   Source: Georgia CDL Manual — Fighting Fires

10. 10. A vehicle ahead stops suddenly and you cannot brake in time. Often the best way to avoid the crash is to:

    Correct answer: Steer around the hazard, since turning takes less distance than stopping

    You can almost always turn to miss an obstacle faster than you can stop, because it takes less distance to steer around it. Keep a firm grip and countersteer to straighten out afterward.

    Source: Georgia CDL Manual — Emergency Steering

11. 11. Your brakes have failed on a downgrade and there is a runaway-vehicle escape ramp ahead. You should:

    Correct answer: Use the escape ramp, which is designed to stop a runaway vehicle

    Use the escape ramp. Escape ramps are built to stop runaway vehicles safely using soft gravel or an upgrade, and using one is far safer than trying to ride out a runaway.

    Source: Georgia CDL Manual — Brake Failure

12. 12. If you suspect a fire inside a closed cargo trailer, you should:

    Correct answer: Keep the doors shut, because opening them feeds the fire oxygen

    Keep the doors shut. Opening them lets in oxygen that can make the fire flare up. Get the trailer stopped in a safe place away from others and call for help.

    Source: Georgia CDL Manual — Vehicle Fires