Safe Driving Practices

Study questions with answers

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

1. 1. What is the most important reason to inspect your vehicle?

   Correct answer: Safety for yourself and other road users

   Safety, for yourself and for everyone else on the road, is the top reason for inspecting your vehicle.

   Source: Michigan CDL Manual, Section 2.1.1 (Why inspect)

2. 2. Why should you be extra careful on bridges and overpasses when temperatures are near freezing?

   Correct answer: They freeze before the rest of the road does

   Bridges freeze before the rest of the road because cold air reaches them from above and below.

   Source: Michigan CDL Manual, Section 2.6.2 (Identifying slippery surfaces)

3. 3. When backing, why should you use the lowest reverse gear and back slowly?

   Correct answer: So you can more easily correct steering and stop quickly

   Backing slowly in the lowest gear lets you correct steering errors more easily and stop quickly if needed.

   Source: Michigan CDL Manual, Section 2.2.4 (Backing safely)

4. 4. What is the best advice for driving in fog?

   Correct answer: Do not drive; pull off into a rest area until visibility improves

   The best advice is simply not to drive; wait it out at a rest stop or truck stop until you can see better.

   Source: Michigan CDL Manual, Section 2.12 (Driving in fog)

5. 5. How much steering wheel play can make a vehicle hard to steer?

   Correct answer: More than 10 degrees, about 2 inches at the rim of a 20-inch wheel

   Play beyond about 10 degrees, roughly 2 inches measured at a 20-inch wheel's rim, makes steering hard.

   Source: Michigan CDL Manual, Section 2.1.3 (Steering system defects)

6. 6. Within how many feet of an oncoming vehicle should you dim your high beams?

   Correct answer: 500 feet

   Lower your high beams once an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet, and also when trailing another vehicle that close.

   Source: Michigan CDL Manual, Section 2.11.5 (Avoid blinding others)

7. 7. Getting how much sleep or less roughly triples your risk of a fatigue-related crash?

   Correct answer: 6 hours or less

   Six hours of sleep or less roughly triples your crash risk from drowsiness.

   Source: Michigan CDL Manual, Section 2.11.2 (Are you at risk?)

8. 8. What is the minimum tread depth required in every major groove of the front tires?

   Correct answer: 4/32 inch

   On the front tires you need a minimum of 4/32 inch of tread in every major groove; other tires require 2/32 inch.

   Source: Michigan CDL Manual, Section 2.1.3 (Tire problems)

9. 9. How far ahead should good drivers normally look?

   Correct answer: 12 to 15 seconds ahead

   Most good drivers look 12 to 15 seconds ahead, which is about one block at low speed and about a quarter mile at highway speed.

   Source: Michigan CDL Manual, Section 2.4.1 (Seeing ahead)

10. 10. When is it safe to remove the radiator cap on a pressurized cooling system?

    Correct answer: Only after the system has cooled

    Never open a pressurized cooling system before it cools; hot steam and boiling coolant can spray out and cause serious burns.

    Source: Michigan CDL Manual, Section 2.14.1 (Engine coolant)

11. 11. About how far ahead can you see using low-beam headlights?

    Correct answer: About 250 feet

    Low beams light the road about 250 feet ahead; high beams reach roughly 350 to 500 feet.

    Source: Michigan CDL Manual, Section 2.11.4 (Headlights)

12. 12. If a tire becomes too hot to touch during hot-weather driving, what should you do?

    Correct answer: Stay stopped until the tire cools off

    Remain stopped until it cools; releasing air would leave the pressure too low afterward, and a hot tire may blow out or catch fire.

    Source: Michigan CDL Manual, Section 2.14.1 (Tires)