New York CDL — General Knowledge practice
New York CDL — General Knowledge: Sharing the Road practice test
Driving safely around motorcycles, bicycles, large trucks, pedestrians, and school buses — and knowing who has the right of way.
Content reviewed against official driver handbooks · August 12, 2026
10 questions · pass with 8 correct. You get instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.
Study questions with answers
10 sample Sharing the Road questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.
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1. Around a school bus, the areas where children are in the greatest danger of being struck reach out roughly:
Correct answer: 15 feet from the front, the rear and each side of the bus
Those danger zones wrap the whole bus, and the left side stays risky because traffic keeps going by there. Mirrors have to be checked constantly so no child disappears into one of them.
Source: New York CDL Manual — Danger Zones and Use of Mirrors
2. You are approaching a railroad crossing in heavy, stop-and-go traffic. You should:
Correct answer: Wait until there is room for your entire vehicle on the far side before crossing
Do not start onto the tracks until there is room on the other side for your whole vehicle. Moving onto the tracks because traffic is backed up ahead of you can leave you trapped in the path of a train.
Source: New York State CDL Manual — Railroad-Highway Crossings
3. You are driving a long truck that cannot finish a right turn without using part of another lane. The correct technique is to:
Correct answer: Hold the rear close to the curb and swing wide only as you finish the turn
Drifting left at the start invites a following driver to squeeze past on your right, which is exactly where your trailer is going. Keeping the rear near the curb closes that gap; make the wide part of the swing at the end.
4. Before you start across railroad tracks in a long commercial vehicle, you must be sure that:
Correct answer: You can clear the tracks completely without having to stop
Never start across the tracks unless you are certain you can get all the way across without stopping. Know the length of your vehicle and the space on the far side, because a long or low rig that stops on the tracks can be struck by a train.
Source: New York State CDL Manual — Railroad-Highway Crossings
5. When you drive a commercial vehicle across railroad tracks, you should:
Correct answer: Never shift gears while crossing the tracks
Do not shift gears while crossing the tracks. If you shift and the vehicle stalls, you could become stuck on the crossing. Pick a gear that will carry you all the way across, and don't start unless you can completely clear the tracks.
6. Which behavior by a nearby motorist is a warning sign of a driver who may be drunk or half asleep?
Correct answer: Coming to a halt at a green light, or sitting far too long at a stop
Impaired drivers stop at odd moments, wander between lanes, drop a wheel onto the shoulder, or change speed for no reason. Late at night especially, leave a driver like that plenty of distance.
7. You are about to overtake a bicyclist riding along the edge of the roadway. What should you assume?
Correct answer: That the rider may have no idea you are there and could swerve into your path
Treat everyone you pass as unaware of you. Where it is legal a light touch of the horn helps, or a quick flick from low to high beam after dark, but still leave yourself room to avoid a crash if nothing registers.
8. An intersection ahead has two lanes marked for left turns. Which one should the driver of a large vehicle choose?
Correct answer: The outside left-turn lane
From the outer lane you can swing wide without a car sitting in the blind area on your right. Drivers off your left side are far easier for you to spot, so that is the safer place to sit.
9. After one train passes a crossing, before you proceed you should watch for:
Correct answer: A second train that may be coming on another track
Never assume the way is clear after one train passes — a second train may be coming on another track, sometimes hidden by the first. Wait until you can see clearly in both directions before crossing.
10. When driving through a highway work zone, you should:
Correct answer: Slow down, obey the signs, and watch for workers
Slow down, obey the posted work-zone speed limits and signs, and watch for workers and equipment. Fines for speeding in work zones are often doubled, and sudden lane shifts and stopped traffic are common.
Source: New York CDL Manual — Work Zones
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Every New York question is written from the official New York driver handbook and checked against its current edition. DMV Test Free is a free, independent study resource — not affiliated with any DMV or government agency. About DMV Test Free