Sharing the Road

Study questions with answers

12 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.

1. 1. Just before overtaking a car, walker, or cyclist, what should you assume about them?

   Correct answer: That they do not see you and might move into your path

   Presume they have not noticed you and might pull out ahead of you, and drive with enough care to prevent a collision whether or not they spot you.

   Source: South Carolina CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (When Passing)

2. 2. If a car is tailgating your large vehicle, what is one recommended way to reduce the risk?

   Correct answer: Increase your own following distance ahead

   Open up more room in front of you; a larger following distance lets you avoid sudden moves and makes it easier for the tailgater to pass.

   Source: South Carolina CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Dealing with Tailgaters Safely)

3. 3. Why are children considered a serious hazard around your vehicle?

   Correct answer: They may move suddenly without checking for traffic

   Kids often move fast without watching for cars, and youngsters playing together may run into the road without looking.

   Source: South Carolina CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Children)

4. 4. Why can pedestrians and bicyclists wearing headphones be an added danger to a commercial driver?

   Correct answer: They may not hear you approaching

   Walkers, joggers, and bicyclists with headsets may not hear you, and with their backs to traffic they often cannot see you either.

   Source: South Carolina CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Pedestrians and Bicyclists Can Also Be Hazards)

5. 5. What makes a parked vehicle a hazard you should watch closely?

   Correct answer: Someone may open a door or pull into traffic

   People may start to get out of a parked vehicle, or it may suddenly pull into your path, so watch for movement, brake lights, or exhaust.

   Source: South Carolina CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Parked Vehicles Can Be Hazards)

6. 6. Why should you be especially cautious around delivery and step-van drivers?

   Correct answer: Their view is often blocked and they may pull out abruptly

   Packages or open doors often block their view, and these drivers are frequently in a hurry, so they may step out or pull into traffic suddenly.

   Source: South Carolina CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Delivery Trucks Can Present a Hazard)

7. 7. Strong winds tend to cause the most lane-keeping trouble for which vehicles?

   Correct answer: Lighter vehicles

   The problem of staying in your lane in strong wind is usually worse for lighter vehicles, and can be especially bad when leaving tunnels.

   Source: South Carolina CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Strong Winds)

8. 8. When an aggressive driver confronts you, what should be your very first response?

   Correct answer: Get out of their way

   Do all you can to move aside; never take them on by accelerating or trying to keep your place in the lane.

   Source: South Carolina CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (What You Should Do When Confronted by an Aggressive Driver)

9. 9. When you are being tailgated, why is it safer not to speed up?

   Correct answer: Being tailgated is safer at a lower speed

   Riding closely followed is less risky at a slow pace than at speed, so accelerating only makes a rear-end collision worse.

   Source: South Carolina CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Dealing with Tailgaters Safely)

10. 10. What is one danger of traveling for long stretches right alongside another vehicle?

    Correct answer: You may get boxed in with no room to change lanes

    Driving next to another vehicle risks being trapped when you need to change lanes, or the other driver turning into you unexpectedly.

    Source: South Carolina CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Traveling Next to Others)

11. 11. You can see only the front or rear of a nearby vehicle but not its driver. What should you assume?

    Correct answer: The driver cannot see you either

    If you cannot see the driver, that driver cannot see you, so be ready for the vehicle to move into your lane or back out.

    Source: South Carolina CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Blocked Vision)

12. 12. What is one way to keep yourself from becoming an aggressive driver?

    Correct answer: Reduce your stress and allow for delays

    Reduce your stress before and during the trip; be realistic about travel time and slow down while keeping a reasonable following distance.

    Source: South Carolina CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Don't Be an Aggressive Driver)