Kentucky KYTC CDL General Knowledge Practice Test 2
Test 2 of 5. Pick an answer for each question to see if it is right and why; your score appears at the end. You need 40 correct answers to pass, the same ratio as the real Kentucky test.
- Questions50
- Correct to pass40
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age18 years
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1. You stop to check the load. Which set of things are you looking at?
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Answer C: Tight tiedowns, cargo that has not moved, secure doors and tarps still fastened
A cargo check covers the load and everything holding it: whether it has shifted, whether the devices are still tight, and whether doors and covers are still closed and fastened.
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2. Your load projects more than 4 feet beyond the rear of the vehicle. How must the projecting end be marked?
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Answer A: With a red or orange flag by day and a red lamp after dark
Federal rules require a warning flag on a rear projecting load in daylight and a red lamp on the end of it when lights are required.
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3. What does a front-end header board on a van or flatbed protect against?
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Answer A: Cargo moving forward toward the cab in a crash or hard stop
The header board, often called a headache rack, blocks forward movement of the load toward the driver.
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4. You are given a ratchet strap with a deep cut along one edge. What should you do?
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Answer C: Do not use it; a damaged tiedown cannot be relied on to hold its rated load
Cuts, burns, knots and broken stitching weaken a strap far below its marked working load limit, so it must be taken out of service.
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5. Which commercial driving may a Kentucky CDL holder aged 18 to 20 not perform?
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Answer A: Driving a school bus or a vehicle hauling hazardous material
The Kentucky CDL Manual states that a commercial license issued to an individual between 18 and 20 years of age applies only to intrastate commerce and does not allow driving a school bus or a vehicle hauling hazardous material.
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6. What does the driver check in the final step of the seven-step inspection?
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Answer A: Hydraulic brake leaks where those brakes are fitted, then the parking brake and the service brakes
The last step is done with the engine started: test for hydraulic leaks on vehicles with hydraulic brakes, then prove that the parking brake holds and that the service brakes stop the vehicle.
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7. Your right wheels drop off the pavement onto a soft shoulder. What is the correct recovery?
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Answer A: Stay on the shoulder, ease off the accelerator, brake gently only once speed is down to about 20 mph, then steer back sharply and countersteer at once
Bringing speed down on the shoulder first avoids a violent sideways jolt, and countersteering the instant the tires are back on the pavement keeps the vehicle out of the next lane.
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8. How are the extra gears of a multi-speed rear axle or auxiliary transmission usually controlled?
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Answer D: With a selector knob or switch on the gearshift lever of the main transmission
A range selector on the shift lever lets the driver choose the extra gear range while shifting the main transmission.
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9. After the first inspection of a trip, how often must cargo securement be checked again?
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Answer D: Every 3 hours or 150 miles or at each change of duty status, whichever happens first
The load must be re-checked at whichever of those points arrives first, so a loosening tiedown is found long before it fails.
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10. What are you checking when you pull the engine oil dipstick during the pre-trip?
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Answer A: That the oil level is within the safe operating range marked on the stick
The dipstick shows whether there is enough oil to lubricate and cool the engine, and a level outside the safe range must be corrected before driving.
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11. Besides allowing the move at all, what does an oversize load permit usually set out?
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Answer C: The route to be followed, the hours of travel allowed and the warning equipment needed
Permits for oversize movements normally name the roads that may be used, restrict the times of travel, and list the flags, signs and escorts required.
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12. On packed snow, how much should a commercial driver reduce speed?
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Answer D: By about one half or more
Packed snow costs far more traction than rain, so speed should be cut by half or more.
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13. Why do cracked spring hangers or badly worn shackles matter?
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Answer A: They allow the axle to shift out of its correct position under the vehicle
Hangers and shackles hold the spring, and therefore the axle, in place, so when they fail the axle can move and the vehicle may become uncontrollable.
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14. An intermodal container is being carried on an ordinary flatbed rather than on a container chassis. What does that mean for securement?
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Answer B: It must be secured with tiedowns that meet the container securement requirements
A container carried on a vehicle that is not fitted with integral locking devices has to be secured to the deck with tiedowns that satisfy the rules for containers.
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15. Two vehicles of exactly the same length make a right turn, one gently and one very tightly. What is the effect on off-tracking?
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Answer A: Turning more sharply increases off-tracking, so the tight turn needs more room
Off-tracking depends on both the length of the vehicle and the sharpness of the turn; a tighter corner brings the rear wheels further inside the path of the front wheels.
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16. A chain rated at 6,600 pounds is fitted with a hook rated at 4,700 pounds. What is the working load limit of that assembly?
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Answer A: 4,700 pounds, the rating of the weakest part
An assembly is only as strong as its weakest component, so hooks, binders and links all count and the lowest rating governs.
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17. How many questions are on the Kentucky air brakes test and on the hazardous materials test?
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Answer B: 25 on air brakes and 30 on hazardous materials
The Kentucky CDL Manual lists 25 questions on air brakes and 30 questions on hazardous materials, with 20 questions each for combination vehicles, doubles and triples, tankers, passenger transport and school bus.
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18. A car that passed you on the right slows and stays alongside your trailer. What is the best response?
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Answer D: Ease off the accelerator so the car can move clear
A vehicle sitting beside a trailer is in a blind area and has nowhere to go if you need the lane, so the safest fix is to let it get ahead or behind.
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19. Why must exhaust components be checked for contact with other parts of the vehicle?
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Answer B: Hot exhaust parts touching fuel lines, tires or wiring can start a fire
Exhaust pipes run hot enough to ignite fuel and melt insulation, so they must be kept clear of the fuel system, the tires and the electrical harness.
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20. Which parts of total stopping distance can a driver shorten simply by staying alert and looking far ahead?
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Answer B: Perception distance and reaction distance
Alertness shortens the time spent recognizing a hazard and moving your foot to the pedal; braking distance depends on speed, weight, brakes and the road surface.
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21. What must the driver check about the seat belt during the inspection?
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Answer A: That it is securely mounted, adjusts properly and is not ripped or frayed
A belt only restrains the driver if its anchorage is sound and the webbing is intact, so mounting and condition are both checked.
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22. An enforcement officer inspects your vehicle at the roadside and attaches an out-of-service sticker. What may you do?
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Answer C: Nothing until the defect is repaired; the vehicle may not be driven
An out-of-service order means the vehicle is unsafe, and no schedule, load or destination allows it to be driven before the defect is corrected.
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23. When is tire pressure most accurately compared with the recommended figure?
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Answer B: When the tires are cold, before the vehicle has been driven
Recommended pressures are cold pressures, so a reading taken before the tires have heated up is the only one that can be compared directly.
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24. What happens to braking performance if oil or grease reaches a brake lining?
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Answer B: That brake loses much of its effect and the vehicle can pull to one side
A contaminated lining cannot grip the drum, so that wheel contributes little braking and the vehicle pulls toward the side that is still working.
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25. How does bracing differ from blocking when securing cargo?
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Answer B: Bracing runs from the upper part of the cargo to the floor or walls to keep it from moving, while blocking fits snugly against the cargo
Blocking is shaped to fit against the front, back or sides of a piece of cargo; bracing supports it from above so it cannot tip or shift.
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26. During the vehicle overview, what should the driver look for on the ground under the vehicle?
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Answer B: Fresh puddles of oil, coolant, grease or fuel
New stains on the ground are the earliest sign of a leak, so the overview includes a look underneath before anything is opened or started.
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27. How much free play in the steering wheel is enough to make a vehicle hard to steer and should be reported?
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Answer B: More than 10 degrees, roughly 2 inches of movement at the rim of a 20 inch wheel
Excess play means steering input is lost before the wheels respond, and more than about 10 degrees is treated as a defect.
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28. How do you confirm that the coupling is locked before pulling out of the yard?
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Answer D: By locking the trailer brakes and pulling gently forward against them
The tug test loads the coupling in the direction that would pull it apart, so if the jaws are not closed on the kingpin you find out at walking pace.
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29. The paperwork shows a weight, but the load looks heavier than you expected. What should you do?
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Answer C: Weigh the vehicle, since you are the one answerable for driving it overweight
The driver is the one who can be cited for an overweight vehicle, so a doubtful weight is settled on a scale before the trip continues.
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30. You are the first to arrive at a crash. What is the correct order of actions?
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Answer C: Protect the area, notify the authorities, care for the injured
Preventing a second crash comes first, because an unprotected scene puts the injured and the helpers in more danger than the original collision.
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31. A commercial vehicle stops on the shoulder of an undivided two-lane road that carries traffic in both directions. Where do the warning devices go?
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Answer B: Within 10 feet of the vehicle, plus 100 feet to the front and 100 feet to the rear
On a two-way road the devices must mark the vehicle itself and warn traffic approaching from each direction, and they must be in place within ten minutes.
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32. What is a bulkhead in a cargo body used for?
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Answer D: To divide the space and stop cargo from moving into another part of the body
A bulkhead is a solid partition that separates one part of the load space from another and blocks the cargo from moving past it.
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33. Which shock absorber condition is a defect?
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Answer C: A shock that is leaking, broken or disconnected at either mounting
A shock that has lost its fluid or its mounting no longer damps the suspension, so the wheel bounces and loses contact with the road.
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34. Which factors determine a safe speed for a long, steep downgrade?
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Answer C: The steepness and length of the grade, the weight of the vehicle and cargo, and the road and weather conditions
Gravity, weight and traction all decide how fast a heavy vehicle can safely descend, which is why signs often post lower speeds for trucks on grades.
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35. Which components on a typical engine are driven by belts that must be checked for wear and tension?
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Answer D: The alternator, the water pump and, on many vehicles, the air compressor
Belts drive accessories such as the alternator, the water pump and the air compressor, so one failed belt can take out charging, cooling or air supply.
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36. May a commercial driver use a hand-held phone while stopped at a red light?
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Answer B: No, a stop in traffic still counts as driving
Hand-held use is allowed only when the vehicle has been moved to the side of or off the highway and halted where it can safely remain stopped.
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37. An oncoming vehicle at night has bright headlights that are making it hard to see. What should you do?
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Answer B: Look toward the right edge of your lane and avoid looking directly at the lights
Looking at the right edge of the road keeps your eyes off the glare while you stay in your lane; glare can leave you nearly blind for several seconds.
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38. What must the motor carrier do about a defect listed on a driver vehicle inspection report?
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Answer D: Repair it, or certify that repair is not needed, before the vehicle is dispatched again
A reported defect must be corrected, or certified as not needing correction, and that certification is what the next driver reads before taking the vehicle.
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39. During the walkaround you notice one tire on an axle is a radial and the tire next to it is bias-ply. What should you do?
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Answer B: Treat it as a defect, because radial and bias-ply tires must not be mixed on the same axle
Radial and bias-ply tires flex and grip differently, so mixing them on one axle makes the vehicle handle unpredictably and is not allowed.
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40. On a one way street or a divided highway, where are the warning devices placed?
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Answer B: About 10 feet, 100 feet and 200 feet back toward the approaching traffic
When traffic can only come from one side, all three devices are spread out behind the vehicle to give approaching drivers a longer warning.
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41. On a two lane road carrying traffic in both directions, where do the three warning devices go?
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Answer C: About 10 feet from the vehicle on the traffic side, 100 feet behind and 100 feet ahead
Traffic can approach from either direction, so one device goes close to the vehicle and one is placed about 100 feet away in each direction.
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42. How do you avoid the sharp lurch that comes at the very end of a stop in a heavy vehicle?
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Answer A: Ease off the brake pressure just before the vehicle actually comes to rest
A smooth stop is finished by reducing pedal pressure as the vehicle settles, so the suspension does not rock the cab and the load forward.
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43. Where are the OVERSIZE LOAD signs normally carried on a vehicle moving under such a permit?
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Answer A: On the front and the rear of the vehicle
The warning signs face the traffic that meets the load and the traffic that comes up behind it, so they go on the front and the rear.
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44. You pick up a trailer that another driver dropped in the yard. What must you do before pulling it?
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Answer B: Inspect it yourself, because you are responsible for the whole vehicle you drive
Responsibility follows the driver who moves the vehicle, and a trailer that has stood in a yard may have lost air, developed a flat tire or been damaged.
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45. In very hot weather, how often should you check the tires during a trip?
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Answer D: About every two hours or every 100 miles
Heat raises tire pressure and can lead to blowouts, so tires are checked about every two hours or 100 miles when it is very hot.
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46. When traction is poor, such as on packed snow, how should you speed up?
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Answer C: Very gradually, so the drive wheels do not spin
Gentle throttle keeps the drive wheels from breaking traction, because spinning wheels give up both grip and directional control.
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47. During uncoupling, when may the fifth wheel locking lever be released?
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Answer D: Only after the landing gear is down and taking the weight of the trailer
The landing gear has to be supporting the trailer before the lock is released; otherwise the trailer nose can drop as soon as the tractor pulls out.
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48. What does the gross vehicle weight rating of a vehicle describe?
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Answer A: The maximum loaded weight of that single vehicle, as specified by the manufacturer
The rating is the manufacturer figure for the loaded weight of one vehicle, so it is a limit fixed in advance rather than a measurement of the load on board today.
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49. What is the coupling device weight rating on a vehicle?
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Answer A: The most weight that the coupling on the vehicle is rated to pull
The coupling device rating is a limit on how much weight the coupling may tow, and it is one of the ratings that has to be respected when a combination is loaded.
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50. During a stop you find a package in the trailer leaking an unknown chemical. What should you do?
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Answer C: Keep clear, keep others away and get help without touching the package
A driver without the training and equipment does not handle a leak; the job is to protect people from the material and get qualified help to the scene.