South Dakota CDL — General Knowledge: Handling Emergencies Practice Test

Question 1

Which statement about ABS matches the manual's safety reminders?

Accepted Answer

It will not make up for bad brakes or poor brake maintenance — The reminders say ABS does not compensate for bad brakes or poor maintenance. It is an add-on to the normal brakes, it does not permit closer following, and it does not stop power or turning skids.

Answer

It lets you follow other vehicles more closely

Answer

It replaces your normal brakes

Answer

It prevents skids caused by spinning the drive wheels

Question 2

You tow an older trailer built before ABS was required and cannot tell whether it has ABS. Where does the manual say to look?

Accepted Answer

Under it, for an ECU and wheel speed sensor wires — With towed units made before the Department of Transportation required ABS, it can be hard to tell. The manual's tip is to check beneath the unit for the ECU, and for wheel speed sensor wires at the back of the brakes.

Answer

On the registration certificate, under equipment

Answer

On the tire sidewalls, next to the load rating

Answer

On the air line couplers at the front of the trailer

Question 3

A vehicle coming toward you has drifted over into your lane. Which way does the manual say is best to move, and why?

Accepted Answer

To your right, since that driver will likely steer back to their own lane — Moving right is best when an oncoming vehicle is in your lane. If its driver realizes what has happened, the natural reaction is to steer back into the proper lane, which is the space a leftward move would have put you in.

Answer

To your left, because the oncoming driver will keep drifting right

Answer

Nowhere; brake hard and hold your lane

Answer

Nowhere; stop in your lane and sound the horn

Question 4

In stab braking, when do you put the brakes fully back on after releasing them?

Accepted Answer

As soon as the wheels start rolling again — Stab braking means applying the brakes all the way and releasing when the wheels lock. The brakes go back on once the wheels are rolling, which may take as long as a second; reapplying sooner keeps the vehicle from straightening out.

Answer

Immediately, before the wheels roll

Answer

After a slow count of five

Answer

Only once the vehicle has stopped

Question 5

An emergency forces you back onto the road before you can stop on the shoulder. How should you return?

Accepted Answer

Make a sharp turn straight back onto the pavement, then counter-steer at once — Trying to edge back gradually can make the tires grab unexpectedly and cost you control. The manual calls for a turn sharp enough to put the vehicle straight back on the road, followed at once by a counter-steer, with the two turns made as one move.

Answer

Edge back gradually, a few inches at a time, until all tires are on the pavement

Answer

Brake hard and steer gently toward the road

Answer

Accelerate and let the tires climb the edge on their own

Question 6

With an engine fire, what does the manual say about the hood?

Accepted Answer

Keep it closed if you can and shoot foam through the louvers or radiator — To keep an engine fire from spreading, the driver shuts the engine off as soon as possible and leaves the hood closed if that can be done. Foam is directed through louvers, the radiator, or from the underside of the vehicle.

Answer

Open it fully to let the heat escape, then stand back

Answer

Remove it and set it well aside before you use the extinguisher on the engine

Answer

Open it and pour water directly on the engine

Question 7

In a bus or straight truck, what happens during a rear-wheel braking skid?

Accepted Answer

The vehicle slides sideways in a spin out — Locked rear wheels have less traction than rolling ones, so they slide sideways trying to catch up with the front. In a bus or straight truck the result is a sideways slide the manual calls a spin out.

Answer

The front end lifts off the road

Answer

The vehicle stops in a straight line

Answer

The steering locks to the left

Question 8

During a front-wheel skid, how does the front end of the vehicle behave?

Accepted Answer

It keeps heading straight, whatever you do with the steering wheel — When the front wheels skid, the vehicle's nose tends to continue in a straight line however the wheel is turned. On a very slippery surface the driver may be unable to steer around a curve or turn.

Answer

It swings sharply toward the inside of the curve and then snaps back

Answer

It bounces up and down

Answer

It follows the steering, only more slowly

Question 9

After a quick turn to miss an obstacle, what must you be ready to do?

Accepted Answer

Counter-steer back the other way — Drivers should be prepared to counter-steer as soon as they have passed whatever was in the way. The manual treats the emergency turn and the counter-steer as two halves of a single driving action.

Answer

Brake hard while still turning

Answer

Shift to neutral

Answer

Accelerate into the next lane

Question 10

Why can a road shoulder usually serve as an escape route for a large vehicle?

Accepted Answer

Most shoulders can support a large vehicle — Driving off the road can be less risky than a collision. The manual notes that most shoulders can carry a large vehicle's weight, which makes them an available escape route.

Answer

Shoulders are always paved

Answer

The law reserves shoulders for trucks

Answer

Shoulders give more traction than pavement

Question 11

What is the first step in correcting a drive-wheel braking skid, and what does it accomplish?

Accepted Answer

Stop braking, which lets the rear wheels roll again and keeps them from sliding — The correction starts with getting off the brake so the rear wheels can turn again instead of sliding. The driver then counter-steers, because a vehicle coming back on course tends to keep turning.

Answer

Brake harder, which shifts weight onto the front axle

Answer

Accelerate, which pulls the trailer straight

Answer

Shift to a lower gear right away, which locks the drive wheels in line with the trailer

Question 12

The manual lists four ways a skid is caused. How does it describe over-steering?

Accepted Answer

Turning the wheels harder than the vehicle is able to turn — The four causes are over-braking, over-steering, over-acceleration, and driving too fast. Over-steering means the wheels are turned more sharply than the vehicle itself can turn.

Answer

Locking the wheels by braking too hard

Answer

Sending more power to the drive wheels than they can use

Answer

Holding the steering wheel too loosely

South Dakota CDL — General Knowledge: Handling Emergencies practice test

Study questions with answers

1. Which statement about ABS matches the manual's safety reminders?

2. You tow an older trailer built before ABS was required and cannot tell whether it has ABS. Where does the manual say to look?

3. A vehicle coming toward you has drifted over into your lane. Which way does the manual say is best to move, and why?

4. In stab braking, when do you put the brakes fully back on after releasing them?

5. An emergency forces you back onto the road before you can stop on the shoulder. How should you return?

6. With an engine fire, what does the manual say about the hood?

7. In a bus or straight truck, what happens during a rear-wheel braking skid?

8. During a front-wheel skid, how does the front end of the vehicle behave?

9. After a quick turn to miss an obstacle, what must you be ready to do?

10. Why can a road shoulder usually serve as an escape route for a large vehicle?

11. What is the first step in correcting a drive-wheel braking skid, and what does it accomplish?

12. The manual lists four ways a skid is caused. How does it describe over-steering?

More CDL — General Knowledge topics

Practice Handling Emergencies in another state