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. How should the hands be placed on the steering wheel for safe control?

   Correct answer: Both hands firmly on opposite sides of the wheel

   Hold the wheel firmly with both hands on opposite sides so a pothole or curb can't jerk it out of your grip.

   Source: Tennessee CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Basic Control of Your Vehicle)

2. 2. In which two special situations should you downshift a manual transmission?

   Correct answer: Before a hill and before a curve

   You should downshift before starting down a hill and before entering a curve so you keep control and can accelerate out.

   Source: Tennessee CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Shifting Gears)

3. 3. Roughly how far can you see ahead with low-beam headlights at night?

   Correct answer: About 250 feet

   Low beams let you see about 250 feet ahead, so you must keep your speed low enough to stop within that range.

   Source: Tennessee CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Driving at Night)

4. 4. Which lights give the best visibility in fog, even in daytime?

   Correct answer: Low-beam headlights and fog lights

   Use low-beam headlights and fog lights in fog; high beams reflect off the fog and reduce what you can see.

   Source: Tennessee CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Driving in Fog)

5. 5. What should you do at night if you notice the signs of getting sleepy?

   Correct answer: Stop at the nearest safe place and sleep

   If you feel sleepy, stop at the nearest safe place and sleep, because there is no safe substitute for rest.

   Source: Tennessee CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Driving at Night)

6. 6. On a manual-transmission vehicle, how can you keep from rolling back when starting on a hill?

   Correct answer: Partly engage the clutch before taking your foot off the brake

   Partly engage the clutch before releasing the brake, and use the parking brake if needed so you don't roll back into anyone.

   Source: Tennessee CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Basic Control of Your Vehicle)

7. 7. How far ahead does the manual say good drivers should look?

   Correct answer: About 12 to 15 seconds ahead

   Good drivers look about 12 to 15 seconds ahead, roughly one block at low speed and about a quarter mile at highway speed.

   Source: Tennessee CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Seeing)

8. 8. Why should you use the lowest reverse gear and back as slowly as possible?

   Correct answer: So you can correct steering mistakes and stop quickly

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

   Source: Tennessee CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Basic Control of Your Vehicle)

9. 9. What is the best advice for driving in dense fog?

   Correct answer: Avoid driving and wait for visibility to improve

   The safest choice in fog is not to drive at all; wait at a truck stop or rest area until visibility returns.

   Source: Tennessee CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Driving in Fog)

10. 10. Why should you not stare into your mirrors for too long while driving?

    Correct answer: You may miss what is developing ahead on the road

    If you focus on the mirrors too long, you will travel a long way without knowing what is happening on the road ahead.

    Source: Tennessee CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Seeing)

11. 11. How do objects appear in a convex (fisheye) mirror?

    Correct answer: Smaller and farther away than they really are

    In a convex mirror everything looks smaller and appears farther away than it really is, which you must allow for.

    Source: Tennessee CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Seeing)

12. 12. When backing a commercial vehicle, which direction is safest to back toward?

    Correct answer: Toward the driver's side

    Back toward the driver's side whenever possible, because you can watch the rear through the side window and see much better.

    Source: Tennessee CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Basic Control of Your Vehicle)