New Mexico CDL — General Knowledge: Safe Driving Practices Practice Test

Question 1

Besides lowering the chance of serious injury, how does the manual say the safety belt helps a commercial driver in a crash?

Accepted Answer

It keeps the driver in place behind the wheel, which helps with controlling the vehicle — The belt's design keeps you behind the wheel during a crash so you can still control the vehicle, and it cuts the risk of being badly hurt or killed.

Answer

It triggers the antilock brakes

Answer

It shortens the vehicle's stopping distance

Answer

It keeps the cargo from shifting forward

Question 2

On the vehicle inspection test, how must you check tire inflation to get credit?

Accepted Answer

With a tire gauge — Inflation is checked with a tire gauge; the manual notes you get no credit for just kicking the tires or thumping them with a mallet.

Answer

By kicking each tire

Answer

By striking each tire with a mallet

Answer

By looking at the sidewall bulge

Question 3

Why does the manual say to clean the windshield on both the inside and the outside before driving at night?

Accepted Answer

Bright lights at night can make dirt on the glass create a glare of its own — A windshield that looked fine at midday can be nearly impossible to see through when lights hit the dirt, so clean glass matters even more at night.

Answer

Dirt on the glass makes the wipers wear out

Answer

A clean windshield lowers the cab temperature

Answer

Inspectors issue citations only at night

Question 4

When downshifting with double clutching, what do you do with the accelerator while the transmission is in neutral?

Accepted Answer

Press it, to bring engine and gear speed up to the rpm the lower gear needs — Shifting down is the reverse of shifting up: in neutral you raise engine speed to match the lower gear, instead of letting it fall.

Answer

Leave it alone, so the engine slows to idle

Answer

Pump it rapidly three times

Answer

Hold it to the floor until the gear engages

Question 5

The manual gives a quick test for whether a radiator cap is probably cool enough to open. What is it?

Accepted Answer

You can touch the cap with your bare hand — Steam and boiling water can spray from a pressurized system, so the cap stays on until it has cooled; being able to hold a bare hand on it is the manual's rule of thumb.

Answer

The temperature gauge has dropped by half

Answer

Steam is no longer visible at the grille

Answer

Ten minutes have passed since shutdown

Question 6

While inspecting the brakes you find shoes with grease on them. How does the manual classify that?

Accepted Answer

As a brake defect to look for, along with oil or brake fluid on shoes or pads — The list of bad brake drums or shoes includes cracked drums, shoes or pads contaminated with oil, grease or brake fluid, and shoes that are worn thin, missing or broken.

Answer

As normal lubrication that helps the shoes slide

Answer

As a problem only on trailer axles

Answer

As acceptable if the drums are not cracked

Question 7

How does the road test's brake usage standard say to apply the brakes?

Accepted Answer

Smoothly, with steady pressure — The standard is not to ride or pump the brake and not to brake harshly; you brake smoothly with steady pressure.

Answer

By pumping the pedal lightly

Answer

By resting a foot on the pedal between stops

Answer

Firmly and late, to save time

Question 8

Apart from watching traffic, the manual suggests glancing at your own tires in the mirrors. What can that help you catch?

Accepted Answer

A tire fire — Regular mirror checks cover your own vehicle as well as traffic, and watching the tires that way is one means of noticing a tire fire.

Answer

Low tread depth

Answer

A loose lug nut

Answer

An overdue rotation

Question 9

According to the manual's tips for avoiding distraction, when should the GPS be programmed and the route worked out?

Accepted Answer

Before you begin driving — Map review, GPS programming and route planning all belong before the trip starts, along with adjusting controls and mirrors.

Answer

At the first red light

Answer

While traffic is light on the highway

Answer

Whenever the vehicle is below 20 mph

Question 10

By the research the manual cites, how do the odds of a safety-critical event compare for CMV drivers who text and those who dial a phone while driving?

Accepted Answer

Texting raises the odds 23.2 times; dialing raises them 6 times — The cited odds are 6 times greater for drivers who dial and 23.2 times greater for drivers who text, compared with those who do neither.

Answer

Dialing raises the odds 23.2 times; texting raises them 6 times

Answer

Both raise the odds about 3 times

Answer

Texting raises the odds 6 times; dialing does not raise them

Question 11

Under the road test's clutch usage standard, which of these is a fault?

Accepted Answer

Riding the clutch to control your speed — You must always use the clutch to shift, and double-clutch an unsynchronized transmission. Riding the clutch to manage speed, coasting with it depressed and popping it are all faults.

Answer

Using the clutch every time you shift

Answer

Double clutching an unsynchronized transmission

Answer

Keeping your foot off the clutch between shifts

Question 12

For winter driving, what does the manual say to use so the windshield washer liquid does not freeze?

Accepted Answer

Windshield washer antifreeze — The winter checks call for working wipers and washers, fluid in the reservoir, and washer antifreeze to keep the liquid from freezing.

Answer

Engine coolant poured into the washer reservoir

Answer

Plain water, changed daily

Answer

Diesel fuel mixed with the washer fluid

New Mexico CDL — General Knowledge: Safe Driving Practices practice test

Study questions with answers

1. Besides lowering the chance of serious injury, how does the manual say the safety belt helps a commercial driver in a crash?

2. On the vehicle inspection test, how must you check tire inflation to get credit?

3. Why does the manual say to clean the windshield on both the inside and the outside before driving at night?

4. When downshifting with double clutching, what do you do with the accelerator while the transmission is in neutral?

5. The manual gives a quick test for whether a radiator cap is probably cool enough to open. What is it?

6. While inspecting the brakes you find shoes with grease on them. How does the manual classify that?

7. How does the road test's brake usage standard say to apply the brakes?

8. Apart from watching traffic, the manual suggests glancing at your own tires in the mirrors. What can that help you catch?

9. According to the manual's tips for avoiding distraction, when should the GPS be programmed and the route worked out?

10. By the research the manual cites, how do the odds of a safety-critical event compare for CMV drivers who text and those who dial a phone while driving?

11. Under the road test's clutch usage standard, which of these is a fault?

12. For winter driving, what does the manual say to use so the windshield washer liquid does not freeze?

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