Mississippi CDL — General Knowledge practice
Mississippi 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
14 questions · pass with 11 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. In a front-wheel skid, what is the only way to stop the skid?
Correct answer: Let the vehicle slow down, easing off hard turning and braking
When the front wheels skid, the vehicle tends to keep going straight no matter how you turn the wheel. Slow down as quickly as you can without skidding further.
Source: Mississippi CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Skid Control and Recovery)
2. In stab braking, after you release the brakes because the wheels locked, when do you reapply them fully?
Correct answer: As soon as the wheels start rolling again
It can take up to a second for the wheels to roll again. Reapplying too soon keeps the vehicle from straightening out.
Source: Mississippi CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (How to Stop Quickly and Safely)
3. What does it mean to 'counter-steer'?
Correct answer: Turning the wheel back the other way once you have passed the obstacle
Treat the emergency swerve and the counter-steer as one action; if you aren't ready to counter-steer, you won't do it fast enough.
Source: Mississippi CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Steering to Avoid a Crash)
4. You are forced back onto the road before you can stop. How should you return?
Correct answer: Steer back on firmly in one move, then counter-steer once both front tires are on the pavement
Easing back on slowly lets the tires grab unexpectedly and can cost you control. Make it one steer-counter-steer move.
Source: Mississippi CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Steering to Avoid a Crash)
5. A fire starts in the cargo of a closed van trailer. What should you do with the trailer doors?
Correct answer: Keep them closed
Opening the doors feeds oxygen to the fire and can make it burn very fast, especially with hazardous materials aboard.
Source: Mississippi CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Fires)
6. If your vehicle starts to hydroplane, how can you regain control?
Correct answer: Release the accelerator and push in the clutch, without braking
Letting off the accelerator and clutching in slows the vehicle and lets the wheels turn freely. Don't try to slow down with the brakes while hydroplaning.
Source: Mississippi CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Matching Speed to the Road Surface)
7. With hydraulic brakes, what is a sign that the system has lost pressure?
Correct answer: The pedal feels spongy or sinks to the floor
If pressure is lost, downshift, try pumping the pedal, and use the parking brake while looking for an escape route.
Source: Mississippi CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Brake Failure)
8. Why shouldn't you brake while making a quick turn to avoid a crash?
Correct answer: It is easy to lock the wheels and skid out of control
Don't brake during the swerve, and turn only as much as needed. The sharper the turn, the greater the chance of a skid or rollover.
Source: Mississippi CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Steering to Avoid a Crash)
9. Which kind of skid will ABS not prevent?
Correct answer: One caused by spinning the drive wheels or taking a turn too fast
ABS prevents brake-induced skids and jackknifes, not power or turning skids. It also won't necessarily shorten stopping distance.
Source: Mississippi CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Antilock Braking Systems (ABS))
10. Why shouldn't you use water on a gasoline fire?
Correct answer: It will spread the flames
Water works on wood, paper, and cloth, but on burning gasoline it spreads the fire, and on electrical fires it can cause shock.
Source: Mississippi CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Fires)
11. Where are escape ramps usually located on a long downgrade?
Correct answer: Usually a few miles below the start of the descent
If your brakes fail going downhill and a ramp is available, use it. Without one, take the least hazardous route, such as an open field or a road that turns uphill.
Source: Mississippi CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Brake Failure)
12. When using a fire extinguisher, where should you aim it?
Correct answer: At the base of the flames, where the fire starts
Stay as far from the fire as you can, position yourself upwind, and keep going until the burning material has cooled.
Source: Mississippi CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Fires)
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