New Mexico CDL — General Knowledge: Handling Emergencies Practice Test

Question 1

Your vehicle starts to hydroplane. How does the manual say you can regain control?

Accepted Answer

Release the accelerator and push in the clutch — Coming off the accelerator with the clutch in slows the vehicle and lets the wheels spin freely; the brakes should not be used to slow down.

Answer

Brake firmly and steer toward the shoulder

Answer

Accelerate to push through the water

Answer

Shift to a lower gear and apply the trailer brake

Question 2

After you pull a burning vehicle off the road and stop, what does the manual tell you to report to emergency services?

Accepted Answer

Your problem and your location — Part of pulling off the road is notifying emergency services of what is wrong and where you are.

Answer

Your cargo's value and your employer's name

Answer

Your license number and medical status

Answer

Your route and expected delivery time

Question 3

Your hydraulic brakes lose pressure. Besides pumping the pedal and using the parking brake, what does the manual say will help slow the vehicle?

Accepted Answer

Downshifting to a lower gear — The manual's first suggestion for lost hydraulic pressure is to downshift, since a lower gear helps slow the vehicle.

Answer

Shifting to neutral and coasting

Answer

Turning off the engine

Answer

Switching on the four-way flashers

Question 4

Whether you use controlled braking or stab braking, what does the manual say an emergency stop should let you do?

Accepted Answer

Keep the vehicle in a straight line and still turn if it becomes necessary — Both methods are meant to hold the vehicle straight while leaving you able to steer, which locked wheels would prevent.

Answer

Lock the wheels as quickly as possible

Answer

Stop in the shortest distance, whatever the direction

Answer

Keep the engine from stalling

Question 5

On the manual's chart of extinguisher types, which agents are listed for Class A fires only?

Accepted Answer

Water and water with anti-freeze — The chart pairs plain water and water with anti-freeze with Class A alone. Carbon dioxide, halogenated agent, and regular or KCL dry chemical are shown for B or C fires.

Answer

Carbon dioxide and halogenated agent

Answer

Regular dry chemical and KCL dry chemical

Answer

Purple K dry chemical and dry powder special compound

Question 6

The manual says some emergencies leave no choice but to leave the roadway. How does it compare that risk with the alternative?

Accepted Answer

It may be less risky than a collision with another vehicle — Leaving the road can beat hitting another vehicle, and most shoulders are strong enough to carry a large vehicle.

Answer

It is always more dangerous than any collision

Answer

It is safe only when the shoulder is paved

Answer

It is allowed only at speeds under 20 mph

Question 7

After leaving the road in an emergency, why does the manual say to brake very gently once your speed has dropped?

Accepted Answer

Because a loose surface makes skidding easy — You hold off on the brakes until about 20 mph if you can, then apply them lightly, because shoulders are often loose and easy to skid on.

Answer

To keep the engine from stalling

Answer

To let the ABS reset

Answer

To avoid wearing the brake linings

Question 8

What does the manual say causes most serious skids?

Accepted Answer

Driving too fast for road conditions — Drivers who match their speed to conditions seldom need to over-accelerate, over-brake or over-steer, which is why excess speed is behind most serious skids.

Answer

Worn steering components

Answer

Uneven tire pressure

Answer

Shifting gears on a curve

Question 9

When ABS sensors detect that a wheel is about to lock, what does the electronic control unit do?

Accepted Answer

It reduces brake pressure to prevent the lockup — The ECU lowers brake pressure just enough to avoid wheel lockup while keeping braking at its maximum, and it does so far faster than a driver could.

Answer

It applies the parking brake

Answer

It cuts engine power

Answer

It increases brake pressure to stop faster

Question 10

A driver assumes that because the truck has ABS, it will stop in a shorter distance. What does the manual say?

Accepted Answer

ABS does not necessarily shorten stopping distance, but it helps you keep control in hard braking — ABS adds to the normal brakes by keeping wheels from locking. Stops may or may not be shorter, yet steering during the stop should remain possible.

Answer

ABS always cuts stopping distance in half

Answer

ABS lengthens stopping distance on dry roads

Answer

ABS replaces the normal brakes during a hard stop

Question 11

The manual describes two kinds of escape ramps. How do they differ?

Accepted Answer

Some stop the vehicle with soft gravel alone; others turn uphill and use gravel to hold it in place — One design relies on soft gravel that resists the vehicle's motion. The other turns uphill, letting the hill do the stopping while soft gravel keeps the vehicle from rolling back.

Answer

Some are for trucks and others are for buses

Answer

Some use water barrels and others use nets

Answer

Some are paved for speed and others are closed in winter

Question 12

At a crash scene, besides controlling heavy bleeding and not moving the severely injured unless necessary, what does the manual tell you to do for an injured person?

Accepted Answer

Keep the person warm — The simple steps for helping are not to move a badly hurt person unless fire or traffic makes it necessary, to stop heavy bleeding with direct pressure, and to keep the injured person warm.

Answer

Give the person water

Answer

Help the person walk it off

Answer

Remove the person's safety belt and seat them upright

New Mexico CDL — General Knowledge: Handling Emergencies practice test

Study questions with answers

1. Your vehicle starts to hydroplane. How does the manual say you can regain control?

2. After you pull a burning vehicle off the road and stop, what does the manual tell you to report to emergency services?

3. Your hydraulic brakes lose pressure. Besides pumping the pedal and using the parking brake, what does the manual say will help slow the vehicle?

4. Whether you use controlled braking or stab braking, what does the manual say an emergency stop should let you do?

5. On the manual's chart of extinguisher types, which agents are listed for Class A fires only?

6. The manual says some emergencies leave no choice but to leave the roadway. How does it compare that risk with the alternative?

7. After leaving the road in an emergency, why does the manual say to brake very gently once your speed has dropped?

8. What does the manual say causes most serious skids?

9. When ABS sensors detect that a wheel is about to lock, what does the electronic control unit do?

10. A driver assumes that because the truck has ABS, it will stop in a shorter distance. What does the manual say?

11. The manual describes two kinds of escape ramps. How do they differ?

12. At a crash scene, besides controlling heavy bleeding and not moving the severely injured unless necessary, what does the manual tell you to do for an injured person?

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