Washington DOL CDL General Knowledge Practice Test 3
Test 3 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 Washington test.
- Questions50
- Correct to pass40
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age18 years
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1. 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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2. You have just passed another vehicle on a two lane road. What tells you it is safe to return to your lane?
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Answer B: You can see the whole front of that vehicle in your right mirror
Seeing the entire front of the vehicle you passed in your mirror proves you are far enough ahead to move back over without cutting the driver off.
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3. Federal rules forbid operating a commercial vehicle in which condition?
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Answer C: In a condition likely to cause a crash or a breakdown
A defect that makes a crash or a breakdown likely has to be corrected before the vehicle is driven, not reported at the end of the trip.
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4. You drive a 40 foot straight truck at 50 miles per hour in good conditions. What following distance does the rule of thumb call for?
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Answer A: 5 seconds
One second for every 10 feet of vehicle length gives 4 seconds, and one extra second is added for speeds above 40 miles per hour.
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5. What is the correct way to make a normal stop?
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Answer A: Push the brake pedal down gradually and bring the vehicle to a smooth stop
Steady, progressive pedal pressure keeps the vehicle stable and lets the driver behind you react to a predictable slowdown.
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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. 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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8. The brake pedal goes to the floor in a vehicle with hydraulic brakes. What can you do to build some braking pressure?
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Answer B: Pump the brake pedal rapidly, which may bring back enough pressure to slow the vehicle
Pumping can restore some hydraulic pressure; along with downshifting and the parking brake it is one of the ways to stop when the pedal fails.
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9. 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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10. 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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11. What condition should the fifth wheel be in before you back under a trailer?
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Answer C: Jaws open, plate greased, and the fifth wheel tilted down toward the rear
The jaws have to be open to take the kingpin, the plate must be lubricated to prevent hard steering, and the fifth wheel is tilted down at the rear so the trailer apron can ride up onto it.
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12. Why is driving much slower than the rest of the traffic dangerous?
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Answer B: Other drivers must keep passing you, which creates conflicts
Traffic that has to work its way around you produces lane changes and closing speeds, which is why a large speed difference is itself a hazard.
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13. How soon must warning devices be placed after a commercial vehicle stops on the traveled part or the shoulder of a highway?
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Answer D: As soon as possible and in any case within 10 minutes
The hazard warning flashers go on immediately and the warning devices must be in place as soon as possible, never later than 10 minutes after stopping.
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14. 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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15. What is the purpose of the header board, or headache rack, that you inspect behind the cab?
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Answer A: It protects the driver from cargo that shifts forward during a hard stop
In a hard stop the load keeps moving forward, and the header board is the barrier between that load and the back of the cab.
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16. 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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17. What should you check about the fuel tank during the walkaround?
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Answer A: That it is securely mounted, the cap is on tight and there are no leaks
A loose tank or a missing cap can spill fuel, and any fuel leak is a fire hazard that makes the vehicle unsafe to drive.
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18. What does the Washington CDL restriction coded K mean on a license issued from 2017 onward?
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Answer A: The driver is restricted to intrastate operation because of a non-excepted intrastate self certification or because the driver is under 21
On Washington CDLs issued from January 2017 the K restriction means intrastate only, applied when the driver self certifies as non-excepted intrastate or is under 21 years old.
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19. How long is a Washington CDL disqualified after a second serious traffic violation?
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Answer C: 60 days
Washington disqualifies a CDL for at least 60 days after a second serious traffic violation.
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20. What training proof does Washington require from a first-time CDL applicant?
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Answer D: Proof of completing a commercial driver training program from a Washington approved training school or registered employer
Washington requires a first-time CDL applicant, or one not commercially licensed in the last year, to provide proof of completing a commercial driver training program from a Washington approved training school or registered employer.
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21. Your axle weights are legal, but the tires on that axle are rated below the weight it is carrying. What controls?
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Answer B: The lower figure, so the tires may not be loaded beyond their marked rating
You may never exceed the rating marked on a tire, even when the axle limit would allow more, because an overloaded tire builds heat and can fail.
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22. You are backing a tractor-trailer in a straight line and the trailer starts to drift to the left. What is the standard correction?
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Answer D: Turn the top of the steering wheel a little to the left, toward the drift
Small corrections made in the direction the trailer is drifting bring it back into line; large or opposite movements make the drift worse.
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23. How does a front tire failure usually feel to the driver?
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Answer D: The steering suddenly becomes heavy and pulls to one side
A failed front tire loads the steering and makes the wheel feel heavy, while a rear tire failure shows up as the back end swaying.
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24. When should the horn of a commercial vehicle be used?
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Answer C: Only when it is needed to avoid a crash
An air horn is loud enough to startle other road users, so it is a warning device rather than a way to comment on other drivers.
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25. How can a driver tell that a shipment includes hazardous materials?
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Answer B: The shipping paper describes them and the packages carry hazard warning labels
Hazardous materials are identified on the shipping paper with their shipping name and hazard class, and the packages themselves carry labels showing the hazard.
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26. 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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27. With water standing on the road, hydroplaning can begin at speeds as low as what?
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Answer D: 30 mph
When enough water covers the surface, the tires can ride up on it and lose contact at speeds as low as 30 mph.
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28. Under the federal hours of service rules, when must a property-carrying driver take a 30 minute break?
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Answer C: After 8 cumulative hours of driving time
Driving is not allowed after 8 cumulative hours of driving time without at least a 30 consecutive minute interruption of driving.
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29. The shipper hands you the placards for a load that needs them. Who puts them on the vehicle?
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Answer C: The driver, who must also make sure they are the correct ones and are readable
The shipper supplies the placards, but it is the driver who must place them on the vehicle and confirm that they match the load and can be read.
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30. Why should a driver avoid stopping partway up a snow covered hill?
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Answer D: You may not get moving again and could slide backwards
On a slippery grade the drive wheels may simply spin when you try to restart, leaving the vehicle stuck across the road or sliding back down it.
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31. Why does a driver use pull-ups while backing into a tight space?
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Answer C: To pull forward and start the approach again when the angle is going wrong
Stopping, pulling ahead and repositioning fixes a bad angle safely, and there is nothing wrong with needing more than one attempt.
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32. Which lights should be used in fog, by day or by night?
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Answer A: Low beams and fog lights, together with the four-way flashers
High beam light bounces back off the water droplets and makes seeing worse, while low beams, fog lights and flashers help you see and help others see you.
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33. 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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34. Why must cargo also be held down against vertical movement and not only against sliding?
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Answer D: Because a load that bounces can jump the blocking and slacken its own tiedowns
Rough road makes an unrestrained article lift; every bounce lets it move a little and works the tiedowns loose until nothing is holding it.
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35. Which lamp must make the rear registration plate legible after dark?
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Answer C: A white lamp that lights the plate
A white license plate lamp is required so the plate can be read at night, and a burned out one is a defect like any other lamp.
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36. What reinstatement fee does Washington charge to restore a license suspended or revoked specifically for a DUI or test-refusal violation?
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Answer A: $170
Washington charges an enhanced $170 reinstatement fee for a license suspended or revoked for driving under the influence or refusing a chemical test.
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37. A 40 foot straight truck and a 70 foot tractor-trailer make the same right turn. Which needs more room and why?
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Answer B: The tractor-trailer, because the longer the vehicle the farther inside the rear wheels track
Off-tracking grows with the distance between the front and rear axles, so the longer combination cuts the corner much more sharply and needs extra room.
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38. Which step of the seven-step inspection method comes immediately after checking the engine compartment?
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Answer D: Start the engine and inspect the inside of the cab
Once the hood is closed the driver moves to the driver seat, starts the engine and checks gauges, controls and warning devices before going any further.
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39. You are about to cross a long, high bridge with a light load in gusty wind. What should you do?
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Answer C: Slow down and be ready for a sudden push
Wind is strongest where a bridge leaves the shelter of the land, and lower speed gives you time to correct when the first gust hits.
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40. 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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41. Which winter preparation matters most for keeping the road in view?
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Answer D: Working wipers, washer fluid and a working defroster
Slush and road spray coat the windshield within minutes in winter, so wipers, washer fluid and the defroster are what keep any view at all.
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42. Why should the radio, the fan and other noisy equipment be switched off during a required stop at a railroad crossing?
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Answer C: So that an approaching train can be heard
The rules require the driver to look and listen along the track, and on a double track crossing a passing train can hide a second one, so hearing matters as much as seeing.
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43. As a long vehicle goes around a corner, how do the rear wheels travel compared with the front wheels?
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Answer A: They follow a tighter path, closer to the inside of the turn
The rear wheels off-track toward the inside of the turn, and the longer the vehicle the bigger the difference, which is why the front must swing wide enough to keep the rear off the curb.
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44. You are on a freeway and see brake lights come on in several vehicles far ahead of you. What should you do?
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Answer A: Ease off the accelerator and get ready to slow down
Brake lights well ahead are an early warning that traffic is slowing, and acting on them gives a heavy vehicle the room it needs.
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45. The engine has overheated and you need to check the coolant. What is the safe procedure with a pressurized radiator cap?
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Answer A: Shut the engine off, let the system cool, protect your hands, turn the cap slowly to its first stop so pressure escapes, step back, then remove it
A hot pressurized system throws steam and boiling coolant out of the opening, so the pressure is released slowly and only after the engine has cooled.
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46. Why must tiedowns be rechecked during a trip even when they were tight at the start?
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Answer C: Road vibration and cargo movement can loosen them as the miles go by
Straps and chains settle and loosen as the vehicle bounces and the cargo shifts slightly, so the load must be rechecked at the required intervals.
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47. 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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48. During the walkaround inspection, where does the driver normally start and how does the check proceed?
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Answer C: At the left front of the vehicle, working around it in a set order that returns to the cab
The walkaround follows the same route every time, starting at the left front and circling the vehicle, so that nothing is skipped when the driver is tired or rushed.
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49. Why must the driver of a large vehicle keep it centered in its lane?
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Answer B: The vehicle needs the full width of the lane
A commercial vehicle is close to lane width already, so any drift takes part of the vehicle into the next lane or onto the shoulder.
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50. What should the ammeter or voltmeter show once the engine is running?
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Answer D: A reading in the normal charging range
With the engine running, the alternator should be charging; a discharge reading or an abnormal charge level means an electrical fault.