New Hampshire CDL — General Knowledge practice
New Hampshire CDL — General Knowledge: Signals & Pavement Markings practice test
How to read traffic signals, lane lines, and pavement markings — including yellow and white lines, arrows, and flashing lights.
Content reviewed against official driver handbooks · August 12, 2026
13 questions · pass with 10 correct. You get instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.
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Study questions with answers
12 sample Signals & Pavement Markings questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.
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1. Why does the inspection guide say a commercial vehicle's lights are inspected?
Correct answer: They let the driver see, be seen and communicate with other traffic
Lights are what let the driver see, be seen and communicate with the traffic around the vehicle.
Source: New Hampshire Commercial Driver's License Manual — Section 11.4, Lights Operations Check (All Vehicles)
2. How does the manual suggest warning following drivers that you are about to slow down?
Correct answer: Tap the brake pedal lightly a few times so the brake lights flash
Light taps on the brake pedal flash the brake lights, which is enough to alert the drivers behind you.
Source: New Hampshire Commercial Driver's License Manual — Section 2.5.1, Signal Your Intentions
3. To measure your following distance, you begin counting when the vehicle ahead passes a fixed point. Which of these does the manual suggest as that point?
Correct answer: A shadow on the road or a pavement marking
Choose a clear landmark such as a road shadow or a painted marking, then count the seconds until you reach it yourself.
Source: New Hampshire Commercial Driver's License Manual — Section 2.7.1, Space Ahead
4. You have pulled off the road and stopped. What does the manual tell you to turn on?
Correct answer: The four-way emergency flashers
Turn on the four-way emergency flashers, which matters most at night. Taillights alone may make other drivers think you are still moving.
Source: New Hampshire Commercial Driver's License Manual — Section 2.5.2, Communicating Your Presence
5. You are using high beams on a dark road when an oncoming vehicle comes within about 400 feet. What does the manual say to do?
Correct answer: Dim your lights, because the vehicle is within 500 feet
High beams are for times when no approaching vehicle is within 500 feet. At 400 feet you should already have dimmed them.
Source: New Hampshire Commercial Driver's License Manual — Section 2.11.5, Night Driving Procedures
6. During the lights operations check you forget to name one light for the examiner to watch. What happens?
Correct answer: You get no credit for that light
You must tell the examiner exactly which lights to look at as you switch them on. A light you forget or leave out earns no credit.
Source: New Hampshire Commercial Driver's License Manual — Section 11.4, Lights Operations Check (All Vehicles)
7. On a combination vehicle, which rear lights, lenses and reflectors does the inspection test have you inspect?
Correct answer: Only those on the rear of the trailer
The inspection guide notes that on a combination you need to inspect only the rear of the trailer.
Source: New Hampshire Commercial Driver's License Manual — Section 11.4, Lights Operations Check (All Vehicles)
8. During the walk-around inspection, what color should the taillights and the rear clearance lights be?
Correct answer: Red
At the rear, the clearance and identification lights, the reflectors and the taillights should all be red.
Source: New Hampshire Commercial Driver's License Manual — Section 2.1.5, Seven-step Inspection Method
9. According to the inspection guide, for which vehicles is reflective tape required?
Correct answer: Trailers only, though some jurisdictions may also require it on school buses
Reflective tape on the sides and rear is required only for trailers, although the laws of some jurisdictions may call for it on school buses.
Source: New Hampshire Commercial Driver's License Manual — Section 11.6.2, Trailers Only
10. Why does the inspection guide have you check the dashboard lighting indicators?
Correct answer: They show which functions are active or warn of problem components
Dash indicators for the signals, flashers, high beams, ABS and DEF tell you which functions are on and warn of trouble with vehicle components.
Source: New Hampshire Commercial Driver's License Manual — Section 11.1.1, In-Vehicle/Engine Start
11. What must the brake lights do to pass the lights operations check?
Correct answer: Come on when the brakes are applied and go off when they are released
Brake lights should light up as the brakes go on and go dark again once the brakes are let off.
Source: New Hampshire Commercial Driver's License Manual — Section 11.4, Lights Operations Check (All Vehicles)
12. On the road test's student discharge, what does the driver switch off before leaving the stop?
Correct answer: The warning lights and the stop arm
To resume, the driver checks all mirrors, turns off the warning lights and the stop arm, closes the door, checks traffic and accelerates away.
Source: New Hampshire Commercial Driver's License Manual — Section 13.1.10, Student Discharge (School Bus)
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