Maine CDL — General Knowledge practice
Maine CDL — General Knowledge: Handling Emergencies practice test
What to do when things go wrong — brake failure, tire blowouts, skids, and stalling on railroad tracks.
Content reviewed against official driver handbooks · August 12, 2026
15 questions · pass with 12 correct. You get instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.
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.
Show all 12 questions with answers
1. Which of these is NOT one of the major signs of tire failure the manual describes?
Correct answer: A warning lamp on the dash
The manual's signs are sound, vibration and feel: the bang of a blowout, heavy thumping, or steering that turns heavy when a front tire fails.
Source: Maine Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 2.17.4, Tire Failure
2. Wooden pallets on your flatbed are burning. Which extinguisher type covers burning wood, paper and cloth in addition to liquid and electrical fires?
Correct answer: The A:B:C type
A B:C extinguisher is meant for burning liquids and electrical fires. An A:B:C unit handles those plus ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper and cloth.
Source: Maine Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 2.21.3, Fire Fighting
3. In stab braking, about how long can it take the wheels to start rolling again after you release the brakes?
Correct answer: Up to one second
The wheels may need as much as a second to begin rolling. Braking again before they roll keeps the vehicle from straightening out.
Source: Maine Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 2.17.2, How to Stop Quickly and Safely
4. The manual lists four ways a skid can start. Which of these is NOT one of them?
Correct answer: Over-inflated tires
Skids come from over-braking, over-steering, over-acceleration or driving too fast for conditions. Tire pressure is not on the list.
Source: Maine Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 2.19, Skid Control and Recovery
5. On the manual's class-of-fire chart, how are Class C (electrical equipment) fires put out?
Correct answer: With agents that do not conduct electricity, such as carbon dioxide or dry chemical
Class C fires involve electrical equipment, so the chart calls for non-conducting agents and warns against using water.
Source: Maine Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 2.21.3, Fire Fighting
6. Why does the hot-weather section have you check the condition of the coolant hoses?
Correct answer: A hose that bursts on the road can cause the engine to fail and may even start a fire
Losing a coolant hose on the road can overheat the engine to the point of failure, and the manual adds that it can even start a fire.
Source: Maine Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 2.14.1, Vehicle Checks
7. Which electrical system problem does the manual name as a cause of vehicle fires?
Correct answer: Short circuits from damaged insulation or loose connections
Under the electrical system, the manual points to short circuits that result from damaged insulation and loose connections.
Source: Maine Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 2.21.1, Causes of Fire
8. Your tractor was built before ABS became mandatory. Could it still have ABS?
Correct answer: Yes; many commercial vehicles built before the required dates were voluntarily equipped with it
The DOT requirement began with tractors built on or after March 1, 1997, but plenty of earlier vehicles were fitted with ABS by choice.
Source: Maine Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 2.18.2, Vehicles Required to Have Antilock Braking Systems
9. What does the manual say about driving a bus with an emergency exit door or window open?
Correct answer: Never do it
Emergency exits are closed before the bus moves. The manual's rule is that a bus is never driven with an emergency exit door or window open.
Source: Maine Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 4.1.3, Bus Interior
10. While drying wet brakes with light pedal pressure, what does the manual caution against?
Correct answer: Applying too much brake pressure and accelerator together, which can overheat the drums and linings
Light pressure after leaving the water warms and dries the brakes. Heavy braking against the throttle, though, can overheat the brake drums and linings.
Source: Maine Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 2.13.2, Driving
11. In its ABS safety reminders, what does the manual call the best vehicle safety feature?
Correct answer: A safe driver
ABS is an add-on that helps in hard braking, but the manual reminds drivers that a safe driver remains the best safety feature and that you should drive so ABS is never needed.
Source: Maine Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 2.18.8, Safety Reminders
12. Something blocks your lane and vehicles are on both sides of you. If you must steer around it, which way does the manual say may be best, and why?
Correct answer: Right, because you will not push anyone into an opposing lane and a possible head-on crash
When both sides are blocked, moving right may be the better choice: at least it does not force another vehicle across into oncoming traffic.
Source: Maine Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 2.17.1, Steering to Avoid a Crash
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