CDL Permit Practice Test (50 Questions Answers)

CDL Permit Practice Test (50 Questions Answers): In order to get this special license, you must first take and pass the required CDL knowledge test and skills tests. Using this free sample test correctly will prepare you to take and pass these tests. This practice test is consist of 50 questions and is followed by an answer key.

Taking our free CDL Permit Practice Test and any other practice Endorsement Tests that apply to your vehicle type, and studying the explanations of the correct answers for the practice tests, you can find out how well you are prepared for the actual Commercial Driver’s License Exam and what material you need to review again.

CDL Permit Practice Test (50 Questions Answers)

Test Name	CDL Practice Test 2025
Language	English
License	CDL (Class A, B, or C),
Total Questions	50 Knowledge Practice Test
Test For	Commercial Driver License
Test Preparation	Driving Knowledge
Country	USA
Explanation	No

0 votes, 0 avg

CDL General Knowledge Test 6

1 / 50

You are driving a 60-foot rig at 55 mph. How many seconds of space should you have between you and the vehicle ahead?

A) 8 seconds

B) 7 seconds

C) 6 seconds

D) 5 seconds

2 / 50

Which of the following should you examine when inspecting the front of your vehicle?

A) All of the above

B) Condition of shock absorbers

C) Condition of steering system

D) Condition of brakes

3 / 50

What are the three types of safety equipment that you must have before driving?

A) Spare fuses, tire chains and a fire extinguisher

B) Tire-changing equipment, spare fuses, and a fire extinguisher

C) Spare fuses, three red reflective triangles, and a fire extinguisher

D) An accident reporting kit, three red reflective triangles, and tire- changing equipment

4 / 50

Which of the following is true about overhead clearance?

A) A loaded truck is higher than an empty one.

B) Posted heights are always correct.

C) An empty van is higher than a loaded van.

D) Repaving or packed snow increases the clearance height.

5 / 50

To go down a long, steep hill you should

A) shift to a low gear after starting down the grade.

B) shift to a low gear before starting down the grade.

C) apply your brakes hard.

D) shift to a high gear before starting down the grade.

6 / 50

You are stopped on the shoulder of a curve that prevents approaching traffic from seeing your vehicle. How far back should you place your last warning device?

A) 100 feet

B) 200 feet

C) 500 feet

D) 10 feet

7 / 50

To extinguish an electrical fire,

A) pull into a service station and wait for qualified firefighters.

B) use a lot of water.

C) use the B:C extinguisher on the base of the fire.

D) use the A:B:C extinguisher on the flames of the fire.

8 / 50

Which of the following statements is true about alcohol?

A) Alcohol increases your ability to drive.

B) A few beers are the same as a few shots of whiskey.

C) If you eat a lot first, you will not get drunk

D) Some people are not affected by alcohol

9 / 50

You are approaching a vehicle for a pre-trip inspection. What should be the first step?

A) Writing a written report on the condition of the vehicle

B) Fastening your seatbelt

C) Putting the vehicle key in your pocket

D) Starting the engine

10 / 50

Which of the following is a sign of a tire failure?

A) All of the above

B) A loud “bang”

C) Vibration

D) The steering wheel pulls to one side

11 / 50

Which of the following emergency equipment should be carried in the truck at all times?

A) All of the above

B) reflective warning triangles or flares

C) spare electrical fuses (if the truck has fuses)

D) a fully charged 5 B:C fire extinguisher

12 / 50

A broken coolant hose while driving

A) causes the air-conditioner to fail.

B) causes the heater to fail.

C) can cause a fire

D) increases the chances of tire failure.

13 / 50

the best kind of driver is a(n) __________ one.

A) sober

B) slow

C) Offensive

D) safety first-minded and defensive

14 / 50

Some vehicles have automatic transmissions. Why is it important to select a low range when going down grades?

A) To allow the transmission to shift up

B) To get greater engine braking

C) To prevent hydroplaning

D) To prevent a hydraulic brake failure

15 / 50

Which of the following is one of the potential causes of fire in the electrical system?

A) Poor ventilation

B) Short circuits due to damaged insulation

C) Duals that touch

D) Flammable cargo

16 / 50

Which of the following is one of the best ways to deal with tailgaters in heavy traffic?

A) Increase your following distance.

B) Speed up to increase the distance between you and the tailgater.

C) Brake quickly several times to flash your brake lights.

D) Turn on your tail lights.

17 / 50

You are driving on a rainy day and the drive wheels begin to spin. To keep control of the vehicle, which of the following is the best action to take?

A) Brake hard

B) Steer to the left or right

C) Accelerate slightly

D) Take your foot off the accelerator

18 / 50

You should inspect the tires every _________ when driving in very hot weather.

A) one hour or every 50 miles

B) four hours or every 400 miles

C) three hours or every 150 miles

D) two hours or every 100 miles

19 / 50

What is the proper way to make a right turn when you are driving a long vehicle?

A) Turn wide to the left as you start the turn.

B) Keep the rear of the vehicle far away from the curb

C) Turn quickly to stop other drivers from hitting you.

D) Turn wide as you complete the turn.

20 / 50

What is a tractor jackknife?

A) A device used in the hydraulic system

B) A type of trailer truck

C) Another name for hard steering

D) A drive-wheel skid

21 / 50

Which of the following is the best way to slow the vehicle when driving down a hill?

A) Shift to a higher gear.

B) Apply heavy pressure on the brakes from time to time.

C) Shift gears to neutral.

D) Downshift before the hill and keep light, continuous pressure on the brakes.

22 / 50

When driving down a steep curve in the snow, you should

A) brake hard.

B) turn as gently as possible.

C) use the speed retarder.

D) use the engine brake.

23 / 50

If you must pull over to the shoulder on a major highway, you should

A) use the controlled braking method.

B) keep one set of wheels on pavement, if possible.

C) turn onto the shoulder without braking.

D) brake quickly several times to flash your brake lights.

24 / 50

Controlled braking is

A) braking so that the wheels lock

B) releasing the brakes slowly.

C) stab braking lock.

D) jamming on the brakes.

25 / 50

Why don’t new trucks use the same gear for going down a hill as they would for going up a hill?

A) They have low friction parts.

B) They take up more fuel.

C) They have more air drag.

D) They have weaker engines.

26 / 50

What is the total stopping distance when driving a heavy vehicle on dry pavement at 55 mph?

A) 5 seconds

B) 6 seconds

C) 7 1/2seconds

D) 4 1/2 seconds

27 / 50

You are driving on a highway and your front tire has just blown out. You should

A) keep driving until you find a service station.

B) stay off the brake until you have slowed down.

C) pump the brakes.

D) brake hard.

28 / 50

At speeds below 40 mph, you need at—————for each————of vehicle length.

A) one second; 10 feet

B) one second; 20 feet

C) two seconds; 10 feet

D) two seconds; 30 feet

29 / 50

If the radiator shutters freeze shut when driving in the winter, which of the following will occur?

A) The brakes will freeze.

B) Carbon monoxide will leak into your vehicle.

C) It will be harder to steer.

D) The engine may overheat and stop.

30 / 50

How much tread depth should you have on your front tires when driving in the winter?

A) Minimum of 2/32 inch

B) Minimum of 4/32 inch

C) Under 4/32 inch

D) Maximum of 2/32 inch

31 / 50

You are driving on slippery ice. Your rear-drive wheels lock and you begin to skid. Which of the following is the best action to take?

A) Take your foot off the accelerator and push in the clutch.

B) Brake hard and pull off the road.

C) Take your foot off the accelerator and push the brake.

D) Shift to neutral.

32 / 50

What causes brakes to fade?

A) Using the brakes too lightly when going downhill

B) Coasting

C) Frozen brake pads

D) Slowing down from high speeds too quickly

33 / 50

Your brakes have failed on a downgrade. Using an escape ramp, downshifting and ____________________ are helpful in slowing the vehicle.

A) countersteering

B) using the braking effect of the engine

C) shifting to a higher gear

D) using your horn

34 / 50

What is the correct placement of warning devices when parked on the shoulder of a one-way or divided highway?

A) At 100 feet and 500 feet from the front of the vehicle

B) At 10 feet, 100 feet, and 200 feet from the rear of the vehicle

C) At 10 feet, 100 feet, and 200 feet from the front of the vehicle

D) At 100 feet and 500 feet from the rear of the vehicle

35 / 50

You are stopped on an incline. How do you keep from rolling back?

A) Engage the clutch

B) Shift to neutral

C) Pump the accelerator hard

D) Put on the parking brake

36 / 50

Which of the following is true about empty trucks?

A) They have better traction.

B) They are easier to steer.

C) They require less braking power.

D) They require greater stopping distance.

37 / 50

What is black ice?

A) Oil

B) Freshly paved tar

C) Fog or mist

D) Clear ice

38 / 50

Where and when is it best to downshift?

A) Before entering a curve

B) After starting down a hill

C) Before speeding up

D) After starting up a hill

39 / 50

he proper distance to use high beams is at least _______________ away from an approaching vehicle.

A) 500 feet

B) 25 feet

C) 50 feet

D) 1,000 feet

40 / 50

You are driving a large vehicle that cannot make a right turn without swinging into another lane. Which of the following figures shows the correct way to make the turn?

A) Figure A

B) Figure D

C) Figure C

D) Figure B

41 / 50

You wish to turn left from one multilane two-way street into another multilane two-way street. Which of the figures below shows how the turn should be made?

A) Figure d

B) Figure c

C) Figure A

D) Figure b

42 / 50

One of the steps in shifting up is to

A) push in the clutch and shift to the higher gear at the same time

B) press the accelerator and shift to neutral.

C) increase engine and gear speed to the RPM required.

D) release the clutch and shift to neutral.

43 / 50

When backing a trailer,

A) turn the steering wheel toward the direction you want to go.

B) use the highest reverse gear.

C) urn the steering wheel in the opposite direction you want to go.

D) turn and back toward the right side.

44 / 50

If you have to steer away from what’s ahead in order to avoid a crash, which of the following is the best action to take?

A) Turn very sharply to clear whatever is in your way

B) Apply the brakes while turning.

C) Hit the brakes.

D) Turn, then countersteer once you have cleared the obstacle

45 / 50

f one-fourth of a multileaf spring is missing, which of the following is most likely to happen?

A) It will make it hard to steer.

B) It will cause a pop-pop-pop sound.

C) It will put the vehicle out of service.

D) It will have no effect.

46 / 50

How often must drivers of trucks and truck tractors conduct a safety inspection?

A) Before driving, every 3 hours during driving, and after driving

B) After driving

C) Every 5 hours and after driving

D) Before driving

47 / 50

A tie rod is part of the ________ system.

A) exhaust

B) brake

C) suspension

D) steering

48 / 50

The controlled braking method is used

A) to make the wheels lock.

B) by applying the brakes slowly.

C) when making large steering wheel movements

D) by applying the brakes as hard as you can without locking the wheels.

49 / 50

Why must you tab or keep shipping papers related to hazardous materials in special places?

A) f the driver is in an accident and cannot speak, people must know the hazards involved.

B) In case there are no placards

C) Because you must know what products you can load together, and which you cannot

D) Because they must be delivered first

50 / 50

If the steering feels heavy or hard, it is probably a sign of

A) engine problems.

B) tire problems.

C) worn brakes.

D) battery failure.

Your score is

The average score is 71%

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