CCDL Permit Prep

General Knowledge · page 18 of 19

General Knowledge questions 341–360

Part of the 376-question General Knowledge pool. Each answer cites the FMCSA CDL Manual or the federal rule it comes from.

Practise these as a timed set

  1. Steering wheel play of more than how many degrees can make a vehicle hard to steer?

    • A10 degreesCorrect
    • B2 degrees
    • C20 degrees
    • D45 degrees

    The manual says play of more than 10 degrees, about 2 inches at the rim of a 20-inch wheel, can make it hard to steer.

    FMCSA Commercial Driver's License Manual (July 2014) · 2.1.3 What to Look For (steering) · verified 2026-09-25

  2. Which finding is a prohibited suspension condition under federal equipment rules?

    • AA dusty air bag surface
    • BSurface rust on a leaf spring
    • CA cracked or broken spring or hangerCorrect
    • DPaint missing from a torque rod

    49 CFR 393.207 prohibits cracked or broken spring hangers and other listed suspension failures. The cited rule alone does not make a CVSA out-of-service determination.

    49 CFR § 393.207 · Suspension systems · verified 2026-09-08

  3. What is checked on the fifth wheel during an inspection?

    • AOnly the color of the release handle
    • BOnly the grease on the plate
    • COnly the height above the frame
    • DMounting, locking jaws and no visible gapCorrect

    The coupling carries the trailer's front end, so the mounting bolts, the jaws around the kingpin and the absence of a gap between the plates all get checked.

    49 CFR § 393.70 and FMCSA CDL Testing System Model Manual · § 393.70(b)(1)–(2) — Mounting and locking; Oregon Manual § 7.3.1 visual inspection · verified 2026-09-19

  4. The coolant temperature gauge goes above the highest safe temperature while driving. What should you do?

    • AStop driving as soon as safely possible and find out what is wrongCorrect
    • BKeep driving to the next stop
    • CShift to a higher gear
    • DIgnore it if the oil gauge is normal

    The manual says a reading above the highest safe temperature may mean something wrong that could lead to engine failure and fire, so stop as soon as safely possible.

    FMCSA Commercial Driver's License Manual (July 2014) · 2.14.2 Driving (hot weather) · verified 2026-09-25

  5. What should a driver look for when inspecting the drive shaft?

    • AThat it is not bent or cracked and couplings are secureCorrect
    • BThat it is painted
    • CThat it has a spare universal joint
    • DThat it is warm

    The inspection says to see that the drive shaft is not bent or cracked and that couplings are secure and free of foreign objects.

    FMCSA Commercial Driver's License Manual (July 2014) · 11.2 External Inspection (Drive Shaft) · verified 2026-09-25

  6. What does the rule require of a driver whose alertness is impaired by fatigue?

    • ATo drive with the window open
    • BNot to begin or continue driving, except in a grave emergency only to the nearest safe placeCorrect
    • CTo reduce speed by ten miles per hour
    • DTo finish the trip and rest after

    A fatigued or ill driver may not operate, and the carrier may not require it — the only exception is a grave emergency, to the nearest safe place.

    49 CFR § 392.3 · Ill or fatigued operator · verified 2026-09-08

  7. What actually reverses driver fatigue?

    • ACold air through the window
    • BCoffee taken every two hours
    • CSleep, and nothing elseCorrect
    • DLoud music and conversation

    Caffeine, air and noise postpone the feeling of tiredness without restoring alertness, which is why a driver can fall asleep with the radio on.

    49 CFR § 392.3 · Ill or fatigued operator · verified 2026-09-08

  8. Which signs suggest a driver is already dangerously fatigued?

    • ASlower shifting on a long grade
    • BSteady speed and smooth steering
    • CFrequent mirror checks and signaling
    • DDrifting, missed exits and heavy eyelidsCorrect

    By the time the vehicle wanders or a familiar exit goes past, the driver has been micro-sleeping, not just feeling tired.

    49 CFR § 392.3 · Recognising impairment · verified 2026-09-08

  9. When is a driver's natural alertness at its lowest?

    • AIn the small hours and mid-afternoonCorrect
    • BIn the first hour after sunrise
    • CDuring the evening rush period
    • DImmediately after a heavy meal only

    The body clock dips overnight and again in the early afternoon, so a trip planned through those windows needs the rest built in beforehand.

    FMCSA Commercial Driver's License Manual · Section 2 - Staying Alert and Fit to Drive · verified 2026-09-08

  10. Why can an untreated sleep disorder matter to a commercial driver?

    • AIt shortens the medical certificate to 30 days
    • BBroken sleep leaves the driver unrestedCorrect
    • CIt disqualifies a driver permanently
    • DIt only affects passenger endorsements

    The FMCSA manual identifies untreated sleep disorders as increasing fall-asleep-crash risk. A required off-duty period does not prove that sleep was restorative.

    FMCSA Commercial Driver's License Manual · Section 2 - Staying Alert and Fit to Drive · verified 2026-09-08

  11. Under 49 CFR 395.3(a)(1), how many consecutive hours off duty must a property-carrying driver take before driving?

    • A10Correct
    • B8
    • C7
    • D12

    A driver may not drive without first taking 10 consecutive hours off duty.

    eCFR 49 CFR 395.3 · 395.3(a)(1) · verified 2026-09-25

  12. How should a driver treat the 30-minute break in a fatigue plan?

    • AAs a chance to make up lost minutes
    • BAs time to complete paperwork faster
    • CAs an optional stop on short trips
    • DAs a 30-minute interruption of driving, not extra driving timeCorrect

    The federal rule requires a 30-minute interruption of driving after 8 cumulative driving hours. The interruption may be off duty or on-duty not driving; it is not extra driving time.

    49 CFR § 395.3 · Interruption of driving periods · verified 2026-09-08

  13. What should a driver do when fatigue arrives before the hours run out?

    • AStop at the first safe place to restCorrect
    • BContinue to the planned rest stop
    • CSwitch to the sleeper berth while driving
    • DLog the time as off duty and drive on

    The hours-of-service limit is a ceiling, not a target, and a driver still inside it who is unfit to drive is covered by the ill-or-fatigued rule.

    49 CFR § 392.3 · Ill or fatigued operator · verified 2026-09-08

  14. What is the first thing to do at an accident scene?

    • AKeep another accident from happening in the same spotCorrect
    • BGet the other driver's insurance details
    • CInspect the trailer for damage
    • DPhone the dispatcher about delivery

    The manual says the first thing to do is to keep another accident from happening in the same spot, then notify authorities and care for the injured.

    FMCSA Commercial Driver's License Manual (July 2014) · 2.20.1 Protect the Area · verified 2026-09-25

  15. How is the crash area protected before help arrives?

    • ABy moving all vehicles off the highway
    • BBy directing traffic on foot
    • CFlashers on, then warning devices placedCorrect
    • DBy waiting inside the cab

    The flashers go on immediately and the reflective triangles follow, because the second crash into the first one is the common way people are killed.

    49 CFR § 392.22 · Emergency signals; stopped commercial motor vehicles · verified 2026-09-08

  16. If your vehicle is involved in an accident, what should you try to do to protect the area?

    • AGet it to the side of the roadCorrect
    • BLeave it in the traffic lane
    • CTurn off the flashers
    • DWait for the load to be inspected

    The manual says to try to get the vehicle to the side of the road, which helps prevent another accident and lets traffic move.

    FMCSA Commercial Driver's License Manual (July 2014) · 2.20.1 Protect the Area · verified 2026-09-25

  17. When must an employer test a driver for alcohol after a crash?

    • AWhen a person is killed in the crashCorrect
    • BAfter every crash of any kind
    • COnly when the trailer is disabled
    • DOnly when the police request it

    A fatality requires the test regardless of citation; an injury needing treatment away from the scene, or a tow-away, requires it only if the driver is cited.

    49 CFR § 382.303 · Post-accident testing · verified 2026-09-08

  18. What timing applies to an employer's post-accident alcohol test?

    • ATwo hours, and no longer
    • BAttempt within 2 hours; stop attempts after 8 hours and document any delayCorrect
    • CThirty-two hours from the crash
    • DTwenty-four hours from the crash

    Under 49 CFR 382.303, the employer must attempt the alcohol test within 2 hours, document why it was delayed, and stop attempts after 8 hours if it has not been completed.

    49 CFR § 382.303 · Timing of post-accident tests · verified 2026-09-08

  19. After how many hours must an employer stop trying to obtain a post-accident controlled substances test?

    • A12 hours after the crash
    • B8 hours after the crash
    • C32 hours after the crashCorrect
    • D72 hours after the crash

    The employer stops trying at 32 hours and files a record of why the test was not done, which is why a driver must stay reachable.

    49 CFR § 382.303 · Post-accident controlled substances testing · verified 2026-09-08

  20. May a driver leave the scene for emergency medical care?

    • AOnly after the test is completed
    • BNo, under any circumstances
    • COnly with written carrier approval
    • DYes, and it is not a refusal to testCorrect

    Nothing in the testing rule delays necessary medical attention, but the driver must otherwise stay available or the employer may treat it as a refusal.

    49 CFR § 382.303 · Availability for post-accident testing · verified 2026-09-08