Road Signs

Study questions with answers

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

1. 1. How large must a hazardous materials placard be, at minimum?

   Correct answer: At least 9.84 inches on each side

   Placards must measure at least 9.84 inches (250 mm) on each side and be readable from all four directions around the vehicle.

   Source: Indiana CDL Manual, Section 2 (Lists of Regulated Products)

2. 2. What does the X-shaped crossbuck sign at a grade crossing legally require of a driver?

   Correct answer: You must yield the right-of-way to any approaching train

   The crossbuck marks the crossing and functions like a yield sign, meaning you must give the right-of-way to any train using the tracks.

   Source: Indiana CDL Manual, Section 2 (Warning Signs and Devices)

3. 3. The round, yellow sign bearing a black 'RR' that is posted on the approach to a public rail crossing tells you to do what?

   Correct answer: Slow down, look and listen for a train, and be prepared to stop

   The advance warning sign directs you to reduce speed, watch and listen for a train, and be ready to halt at the tracks if one is coming.

   Source: Indiana CDL Manual, Section 2 (Railroad-Highway Crossings)

4. 4. On a two-lane road, pavement markings that include an 'X,' the letters 'RR,' and a no-passing line signal what?

   Correct answer: A railroad crossing is ahead

   These markings carry the same meaning as the advance warning sign, alerting you to a railroad crossing ahead and prohibiting passing.

   Source: Indiana CDL Manual, Section 2 (Warning Signs and Devices)

5. 5. Highway signs are posted ahead of escape ramps on mountain grades. What is the purpose of an escape ramp?

   Correct answer: To stop a runaway vehicle safely when its brakes fail

   Escape ramps use a long bed of soft material, often on an upgrade, to bring a runaway vehicle to a stop without hurting the occupants.

   Source: Indiana CDL Manual, Section 2 (Proper Braking Technique)

6. 6. Battery fluid and hydrochloric acid would be carried under which hazard class placard?

   Correct answer: Class 8

   Corrosives such as hydrochloric acid and battery fluid fall under Hazard Class 8.

   Source: Indiana CDL Manual, Section 2 (Hazard Class Definitions)

7. 7. A sign posted below a crossbuck at a rail crossing reads '2 TRACKS.' What is it telling you?

   Correct answer: There are two separate sets of tracks to cross

   When the roadway spans more than one set of rails, the number sign beneath the crossbuck states how many tracks you must cross.

   Source: Indiana CDL Manual, Section 2 (Warning Signs and Devices)

8. 8. Which hazard class do explosives such as dynamite and fireworks belong to on a placard?

   Correct answer: Class 1

   Explosives, including ammunition, dynamite, and fireworks, make up Hazard Class 1.

   Source: Indiana CDL Manual, Section 2 (Hazard Class Definitions)

9. 9. What information do the numbers displayed on an orange panel or placard on a cargo tank provide to emergency responders?

   Correct answer: A four-digit code identifying the hazardous material

   The four-digit identification number, preceded by 'NA' or 'UN,' lets first responders look up the specific chemical being hauled.

   Source: Indiana CDL Manual, Section 2 (Lists of Regulated Products)

10. 10. On a route with long downhill sections, a sign marked 'Maximum Safe Speed' means what for a loaded truck?

    Correct answer: You must never drive faster than the speed shown

    Where a maximum safe speed is posted for a grade, you must never travel faster than the figure shown, because that speed accounts for the descent.

    Source: Indiana CDL Manual, Section 2 (Speed on Downgrades)

11. 11. A round, black-on-yellow advance warning sign is used mainly at which type of location?

    Correct answer: A public railroad-highway crossing ahead

    This shape and color combination signals a public railroad-highway crossing ahead and prepares you to look for a train.

    Source: Indiana CDL Manual, Section 2 (Warning Signs and Devices)

12. 12. The 'slow moving vehicle' emblem that warns of a vehicle traveling far below normal speed has what appearance?

    Correct answer: A red triangle with an orange center

    The emblem is a red triangle with an orange center, and spotting it early on machinery like tractors helps you avoid a collision.

    Source: Indiana CDL Manual, Section 2 (Drivers Who Are Hazards)