Michigan SOS CDL General Knowledge Practice Test 5
Test 5 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 Michigan test.
- Questions50
- Correct to pass40
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age18 years
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1. What are you looking for when you check the drive belts in the engine compartment?
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Answer C: That each belt is snug and free of cracks, frays or heavy wear
A loose or cracked belt can break and stop the fan, the water pump or the alternator, which leads quickly to overheating or a dead electrical system.
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2. When should a driver add space beyond the basic following distance rule?
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Answer D: On slippery roads and whenever visibility is poor
The seconds rule is a minimum for good conditions, so rain, snow, darkness and heavy traffic all call for more space than that.
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3. Your brakes have failed and you decide to use the parking brake to slow down. Why should you hold the release button or lever while doing so?
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Answer D: So you can release the brake at once if the wheels lock and the vehicle starts to skid
The parking brake can lock the wheels; keeping your hand on the release lets you let go the moment a skid starts and regain control.
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4. If an intersection has two lanes marked for left turns, which one should a large vehicle use?
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Answer D: The right hand of the two turning lanes
The outside turning lane leaves room for the rear of the vehicle to swing without striking a vehicle in the adjacent lane.
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5. Besides being uncomfortable, what can a series of hard, jerky brake applications do to a loaded combination?
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Answer A: Shift the load and push the trailer out of line behind the tractor
Sudden, uneven braking can move cargo forward and upset the alignment of a trailer, which is why stops should be made smoothly.
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6. Why should a large vehicle be accelerated smoothly and gradually?
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Answer A: Rough acceleration can damage the drivetrain and, on a combination, the coupling
Jerky throttle inputs put shock loads through the driveline and the coupling, which causes mechanical damage over time.
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7. Some commodities have their own detailed securement rules on top of the general ones. Which list is made up of such commodities?
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Answer C: Logs, metal coils, paper rolls, concrete pipe and crushed vehicles
The cargo securement rules add specific requirements for particular commodities, including logs, dressed lumber, metal coils, paper rolls, concrete pipe, intermodal containers, vehicles, crushed cars, roll on containers and large boulders.
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8. On a scale, your loaded truck is well under the gross weight limit, but one axle is above the limit for that axle. What does this mean?
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Answer D: The vehicle is overloaded and the load must be shifted or reduced before you drive on
Each axle and axle group has its own limit and each must be respected; being under the gross limit does not excuse an overloaded axle.
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9. Which exhaust system condition must be reported as a defect?
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Answer B: A section repaired by wrapping tape or patching material around the pipe
Exhaust parts may not be patched with wrap or tape, because the repair does not contain the gas or the heat and it fails quickly in service.
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10. An oncoming vehicle drifts across the center line into your lane. What is usually the safest move?
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Answer C: Steer to the right, toward the shoulder if necessary
Moving right keeps you away from the drifting vehicle and off the oncoming side; the other driver may swerve back and hit you if you go left.
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11. An overpass you have driven under before now has a fresh layer of pavement on the road below it. Why does that matter?
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Answer B: The new layer raises the road and reduces the clearance
Repaving lifts the road surface, so the real clearance under a structure can be less than the height posted on it.
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12. What should you do with the previous driver vehicle inspection report before starting your trip?
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Answer B: Review it and confirm that listed defects were certified as repaired or as not needing repair
Reviewing the last report and the carrier certification tells you whether reported defects have been corrected before you take the vehicle out.
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13. Your vehicle stalls on a railroad crossing and a train is coming. What should you do?
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Answer C: Get out at once and move toward the train, well off to one side
Leave the vehicle immediately and move at an angle toward the oncoming train, so that wreckage thrown forward by the impact travels away from you.
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14. Which items belong to the in-cab part of the inspection?
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Answer D: Gauges, controls, mirrors, windshield, wipers, horn, heater and defroster
The in-cab step checks the instruments and controls the driver depends on, along with mirrors, glass, wipers, horn and the heater and defroster.
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15. Cargo falls from your trailer and causes a crash behind you. Who is likely to answer for it?
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Answer C: The driver and the carrier, since securing the load on the road is their duty
Whoever loaded the vehicle, the driver and the carrier are responsible for the load being secure while it is on the road.
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16. 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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17. What is required of the hooks, rails, rings and anchor points that tiedowns attach to?
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Answer A: They must be part of the vehicle and strong enough for the load being secured
A tiedown is only as strong as what it is hooked to, so anchor points must be proper vehicle fittings rated for the job.
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18. A vehicle becomes unsafe while you are already on the road. What does the federal rule allow?
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Answer A: Continuing only to the nearest place where repairs can safely be made
If stopping where you are would be more dangerous than moving, the rule allows you to reach the nearest place where the vehicle can safely be repaired, and no further.
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19. Why does the manual insist on a firm grip with both hands on opposite sides of the steering wheel?
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Answer A: A hard bump can pull the wheel out of a loose grip
Hitting a curb or a deep pothole can jerk the wheel violently, and only a firm two-handed grip keeps the vehicle under control when that happens.
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20. What is the minimum tread depth for tires in positions other than the steering axle?
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Answer A: 2/32 inch
Drive and trailer tires must keep at least 2/32 inch of tread in a major groove, measured away from tie bars and fillets.
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21. A carrier operates commercial vehicles every day of the week. What weekly on-duty limit applies to its drivers?
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Answer A: 70 hours in 8 consecutive days
The limit is 60 hours in 7 consecutive days for a carrier that does not run every day, and 70 hours in 8 consecutive days for one that does.
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22. What does mountain driving demand that flat country driving does not?
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Answer D: Lower gears and constant allowance for gravity
In the mountains gravity works for you on the climb and against you on the descent, so gear selection and speed control matter far more than on level road.
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23. 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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24. Why is a quick lane change particularly risky with a load of hanging meat or of livestock?
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Answer A: The load swings or leans and can keep pushing the trailer after you straighten out
A swinging or leaning load keeps moving after the vehicle has finished the maneuver, so its momentum acts on the trailer at the worst moment.
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25. 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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26. A straight truck has a long body behind the rear axle. What happens to that overhang in a sharp left turn?
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Answer D: It swings out to the right and can strike a vehicle or an object on that side
Body that hangs behind the rear axle swings the opposite way to the turn, so the tail of the truck sweeps out into the next lane or over the curb.
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27. What happens to braking distance when speed is doubled?
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Answer C: It becomes about four times longer
Braking distance grows with the square of speed, so doubling the speed multiplies both the braking distance and the force of an impact by about four.
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28. An unblocked crate 4 feet long and weighing 1,500 pounds needs at least how many tiedowns?
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Answer A: Two
A short article that weighs more than 1,100 pounds requires at least two tiedowns even though it is under 5 feet long.
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29. What does it mean to overdrive your headlights at night?
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Answer D: Driving so fast that you cannot stop within the distance lit by your headlights
You must be able to stop inside the distance you can see; at night that distance is limited by the headlights, so speed must be lowered to match.
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30. Why is backing toward the driver side preferred?
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Answer C: You can watch the rear of the vehicle directly through the side window
Backing to the left lets the driver look out the window and see the rear of the vehicle directly instead of relying on a mirror alone.
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31. Besides slowing down, which technique most reduces the risk of a skid on a snow covered road?
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Answer B: Make every steering, braking and speed change gradual
Traction is limited on snow, and sudden inputs demand more grip than the surface can supply, so smoothness is what keeps the tires attached to the road.
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32. A strap is a little too long, so a driver ties a knot in it to take up the slack. Is that acceptable?
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Answer C: No, tiedowns must not contain knots
A knot destroys the rated strength of a tiedown, so the rules do not allow knotted securement devices; the excess is taken up by the winch or ratchet instead.
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33. 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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34. A commercial vehicle stops on the shoulder of a one-way or divided highway. Where do the three warning devices go?
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Answer A: At 10 feet, 100 feet, and 200 feet back toward approaching traffic
Traffic arrives from one direction only, so all three devices are set back toward it at 10, 100, and 200 feet, and they must be out within ten minutes.
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35. During the engine compartment check, which leaks are you looking for?
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Answer D: Fuel, coolant, engine oil, power steering fluid and battery fluid
Every fluid in the compartment matters, because a fuel leak is a fire risk and a loss of coolant, oil, steering fluid or electrolyte can disable the vehicle.
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36. In the seven-step method, what comes immediately after starting the engine and inspecting inside the cab?
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Answer D: Turn off the engine and check the lights
Step four shuts the engine down and switches on the lamps needed for driving so the driver can leave the cab and confirm they actually work.
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37. What extra benefit does the Michigan enhanced commercial driver's license provide?
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Answer B: It allows re-entry to the United States by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean
The enhanced CDL lets the holder re-enter the United States by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean without presenting additional identity or citizenship documents.
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38. What is the first step of the standard seven-step vehicle inspection?
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Answer C: A general overview of the vehicle, including the last inspection report
The routine opens with a walk-up overview of the vehicle and a review of the previous inspection report so known defects are addressed first.
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39. Who may remove an out-of-service sticker from a commercial vehicle?
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Answer B: Only an authorized person, and only after the defect that caused it has been repaired
The sticker stays on the vehicle until the repairs are made and an authorized person removes it, so nobody can simply peel it off and drive away.
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40. Where on a tire is tread depth measured?
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Answer C: In a major tread groove, away from any tie bar or wear indicator
Depth is taken in a major groove and away from the raised tie bars and wear indicators, which would give a shallower and misleading reading.
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41. A car is following you far too closely. What is the safest response?
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Answer A: Open up more space ahead so you can slow gradually, avoid sudden changes, and do not speed up
Extra room in front lets you slow smoothly instead of braking hard, which is exactly what the driver behind cannot cope with.
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42. Loading heavy freight on top of lighter freight has what effect on the vehicle?
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Answer B: It raises the center of gravity and makes a rollover more likely
A high center of gravity lets the vehicle tip more easily in curves or during a sudden swerve.
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43. You want to check whether a tire on your truck is properly inflated. What is the correct method?
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Answer A: Measure the pressure with a tire gauge
Only a tire gauge tells you the actual pressure; a tire can look and sound normal while being badly underinflated.
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44. Why should a driver avoid traveling alongside another vehicle for any length of time?
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Answer D: You lose your escape route and you may be sitting in the other driver blind spot
Running beside someone leaves nowhere to move if you have to change lanes, and the other driver may not know you are there at all.
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45. The combined working load limit of the tiedowns on a load must equal at least what share of the cargo weight?
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Answer C: One half of the cargo weight
Federal securement rules set the aggregate working load limit at no less than half the weight of the article or group of articles being held.
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46. During the walkaround you notice a bulge in the sidewall of a trailer tire. What does it indicate?
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Answer B: Damage inside the tire, which can lead to a sudden failure
A bulge means the internal structure has broken and only the rubber is holding the air, so the tire can burst without warning.
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47. 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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48. A company mechanic serviced your truck this morning and signed the work order. Do you still have to inspect the vehicle?
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Answer B: Yes, the driver is still responsible for being satisfied the vehicle is safe
Shop work does not transfer the duty; the driver who takes the vehicle out remains responsible for being satisfied it is in safe operating condition.
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49. You are loading a flatbed that has no sides or bulkheads. How must the cargo be held?
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Answer D: By tiedowns, blocking or bracing, since there are no walls to keep it from shifting or falling off
Open decks depend entirely on securement devices; every article must be tied down or otherwise immobilized so it cannot move, spill or fall.
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50. When should mirror adjustment be checked, and what should each mirror show?
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Answer B: Before every trip, with each mirror adjusted to show some part of the vehicle
Checking the mirrors before each trip and keeping a small part of the vehicle in view gives a reference point for judging distance behind and beside you.