Virginia CDL — General Knowledge practice
Virginia CDL — General Knowledge: Signals & Pavement Markings practice test
How to read traffic signals, lane lines, and pavement markings — including yellow and white lines, arrows, and flashing lights.
Content reviewed against official driver handbooks · August 12, 2026
13 questions · pass with 10 correct. You get instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.
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12 sample Signals & Pavement Markings 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. A traffic light ahead has been showing green ever since it came into view. What should you do?
Correct answer: Ease off the accelerator and prepare to stop
A light that has stayed green a long while is due to change, so ease off, slow gradually and expect to have to stop for it.
Source: Virginia CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Seeing Ahead)
2. What should you avoid doing while crossing railroad tracks?
Correct answer: Shifting gears
Do not change gears on the tracks; a typical rig needs roughly 14 seconds to get fully across a single track and more than 15 across a double.
Source: Virginia CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Crossing the Tracks)
3. What do the pavement markings painted on the road before a railroad crossing look like?
Correct answer: A large X paired with the letters RR, plus a no-passing stripe where the road carries two lanes
Those markings carry the same message as the round yellow advance warning sign: slow down, look and listen, and be ready to halt for a train.
Source: Virginia CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Pavement Markings)
4. When should you use your four-way emergency flashers?
Correct answer: While moving well below traffic speed or while stopped
Turn on the flashers when you are moving much slower than traffic or stopped, to alert drivers who may be closing fast.
Source: Virginia CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Driving Slowly)
5. Which headlights should you use when driving in fog?
Correct answer: Low beams and fog lights, even during the day
Use low beams and fog lights in fog; high beams reflect off the fog and reduce your visibility.
Source: Virginia CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Driving in Fog)
6. Before making a slow, tight turn that car drivers may not expect, what should you do?
Correct answer: Brake early and slow gradually to warn drivers behind
Because other drivers do not realize how slowly a big vehicle must take a tight turn, warn them by braking early and slowing bit by bit.
Source: Virginia CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Tight Turns)
7. What should you do before changing lanes?
Correct answer: Put your turn signal on, then change slowly and smoothly
Signal before you move over and change lanes gradually, giving a driver you may not have seen a chance to react.
Source: Virginia CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Lane Changes)
8. At night, how can you let a vehicle you are about to pass know that you are there?
Correct answer: Blink the headlights from low beam up to high and back again
Assume a driver you are overtaking has not spotted you; after dark a quick blink of the high beams warns them, while a light horn tap does the same job by day.
Source: Virginia CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (When Passing)
9. At a railroad crossing with a painted white stop line, where must the front of the vehicle stay while stopped?
Correct answer: Behind the line
When a stop line is painted before the tracks, keep the front of the vehicle behind that line while stopped.
Source: Virginia CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Pavement Markings)
10. During the signal-light check of a walk-around inspection, what color must the turn signal lamps facing forward be?
Correct answer: Amber or white
Signal lamps pointed toward the front have to show amber or white and be clean and operating; red belongs on the lamps and reflectors at the back.
Source: Virginia CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Seven-step Inspection — Check Signal Lights)
11. Within how many feet of an oncoming vehicle must you dim your high beams?
Correct answer: 500 feet
Lower your high beams within 500 feet of a vehicle coming toward you, and also when following another vehicle within that range.
Source: Virginia CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Avoid Blinding Others)
12. Apart from the headlights, which lamps must be clean and working so other drivers can pick out your vehicle after dark?
Correct answer: Reflectors plus the marker, clearance, identification and tail lamps
Reflectors along with the marker, clearance, identification and tail lamps are what give your vehicle shape at night, so all of them need to be clean and functioning.
Source: Virginia CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Vehicle Factors — Other Lights)
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