Michigan CDL DMV Knowledge Test Class B 1

Missing clamps, spacers, studs, or lugs are dangerous, as are mismatched, bent, or cracked lock rings. Be sure your tires and rims are in good condition before operating your commercial motor vehicle.

Almost any foreign object on the road poses some potential danger. For example, even something as seemingly harmless as a cardboard box could contain a hard or heavy object that could damage your vehicle.

It is important to know the maximum air loss rate that is safe for your specific vehicle. A triple combination should have a leakage rate no higher than 6 psi in a minute during an applied leakage test.

A leaking exhaust system can introduce carbon monoxide, which is poisonous, into the cab or sleeper berth.

Reduce your speed when traveling on surfaces that provide reduced traction. Reduce your speed by about one-third when driving on a wet road.

During a pre-trip inspection, you should check for emergency equipment, including spare electrical fuses; three red reflective triangles, six fuses, or three liquid burning flares; and at least one properly charged and rated fire extinguisher.

You should always complete an after-trip inspection of your vehicle at the end of a trip, day, or tour of duty. Complete a vehicle inspection report, if required.

Reduce your speed when traveling on surfaces that provide reduced traction. Reduce your speed by one-half or more when traveling on packed snow.

Cargo inside a trailer must be secured appropriately to prevent it from shifting in transit.

The suspension system holds up a vehicle and its load while keeping the axles in place. Defects in this system are extremely dangerous.

You must be properly restrained by a safety belt at all times when driving a commercial motor vehicle.

In some emergencies, the best strategy for avoiding a hazard may be to drive onto the shoulder. Most shoulders are strong enough to support the weight of a large vehicle.

Radial and bias-ply tires should not be used together. All wheels on a vehicle should be the same style and equally-sized.

Before a trip, you should check each slack adjuster after parking, setting wheel chocks, and disengaging the parking brake. Pull the slack adjusters to make sure that they do not move more than about one inch from where the push rod is attached. If they move more than one inch, they may be out of adjustment and will need to be fixed.

Always apply the parking brake when leaving your vehicle unattended.

Aggressive driving is defined as operating a motor vehicle in a selfish, bold, or pushy manner. Road rage is defined as operating a motor vehicle with the intent of doing harm to others, or the intent of physically assaulting another driver or their vehicle.

A broken exhaust system can let poisonous fumes into a vehicle's cab or sleeper berth. Be sure to inspect your exhaust system for any loose, broken, or missing parts.

Pressing and releasing the brake pedal unnecessarily can let air out of the braking system faster than the compressor can replace it. Air brakes may cease to work effectively if the pressure becomes too low.

You should be cautious when passing parked vehicles. A person may step out of a parked vehicle or out from between parked vehicles without looking for oncoming traffic. A driver may begin moving their vehicle before realizing you are there.

In general, you should always use the parking brake when parking your vehicle. However, you should not apply the parking brake if your brakes are very hot or if your brakes are wet and temperatures are below freezing.

To obtain a hazardous materials endorsement, you must submit your fingerprints and pass a background check.

Your vehicle's stopping distance can be calculated by adding together your perception distance, your reaction distance, and your vehicle's braking distance. Reaction distance is the distance traveled between the moment you mentally perceive a hazard and the moment you physically hit the brakes.

Some vehicles with air brake systems manufactured before 1975 have a front brake limiting valve with "normal" and "slippery" settings.

When driving at dawn, at dusk, or in inclement weather, you should use your headlights on their low beam setting to increase your visibility.

When inspecting your tires, verify that there is at least 4/32 of an inch of tread depth in every major groove on the front tires, and tread depth of at least 2/32 of an inch on the other tires. Tires on the same vehicle should all be the same size.

Avoid being an aggressive driver by being realistic about your travel time, making allowance for delays, maintaining reasonable following distances, and not making hand gestures that could anger another driver.

During the on-road driving test, you must not stop, change gears, pass another vehicle, or change lanes while any part of your vehicle is in a railroad crossing.

When stopping, apply gradual pressure to the brake pedal and stop smoothly. If stopping a manual transmission vehicle, push the clutch in when the engine is close to idle.

Always signal your intentions before turning or changing lanes. Do not assume that other drivers will move out of your way simply because you are signaling to turn.

As the temperature begins to rise and ice on the road begins to melt, the road surface will often become even more slippery. Water from the slight melting will sit on top of the ice, decreasing the available traction even more. Always decrease your speed and drive with caution when traveling on slippery surfaces.

Ice cream trucks can create hazardous conditions for other drivers because they attract children. Children often do not notice or pay attention to other vehicles on the roadway when running to or from ice cream trucks.

Before beginning a trip, it is important to check the brake drums during your walk-around inspection. It is unsafe to drive if any brake drum has a crack more than one half of the width of the friction area.

You must notify your employer within two business days if your license is suspended, revoked, or canceled, or if you are otherwise disqualified from driving.

To avoid hitting vehicles behind you, you must ensure that your vehicle will not roll backward when you start moving forward from a stopped position.

You should always slow down to a safe speed and shift into a lower gear before entering a curve.