Pennsylvania CDL DMV Knowledge Test Class A 2

If being shipped on a flatbed trailer or on a trailer without sides, cargo must be securely tied down to keep it from shifting or falling off while the vehicle moves.

The faster you drive, the hotter your engine and tires will become. When it is very hot, you can help prevent this overheating by decreasing your speed.

If the low pressure warning signal activates while you are driving, it is important that you safely exit the roadway as soon as possible and park your vehicle. If the air pressure gets too low, the brakes will no longer work well enough for you to stop safely.

In the event of tire failure, hold the steering wheel firmly. Stay off the brakes and let the vehicle slow down on its own. Once the vehicle has slowed considerably, you should brake very gently, pull off the road, and stop. Check your tires after coming to a complete stop.

Cargo should be inspected before beginning a trip, within the first 50 miles of the trip, and every three hours or 150 miles traveled. The driver of a truck transporting cargo is responsible for the cargo being safely secured throughout the trip.

Operators driving too fast is a major cause of fatal crashes. You must continually adjust your speed to a rate that is safe for road and traffic conditions.

When checking the engine compartment during the vehicle inspection test, you must check the power steering, water pump, alternator, and air compressor belts. In addition to cracks and frays, you should check the belts for snugness, allowing up to three-quarters of an inch of play at the center of each belt. If any of these items are not belt-driven, you must identify them and ensure that their components are operating properly, are not damaged or leaking, and are mounted securely.

Part of your vehicle should be visible in your mirrors so that you have a point of reference when judging how close other drivers and objects are to your vehicle.

Intrastate commerce is defined as when you drive a CMV only within a single state, and the cargo you are carrying is not part of a trip that began or will end outside of the state.

Black ice is a thin layer of ice that is clear enough for the road surface to be seen through it. A road covered in black ice may look like it is merely wet. You should be very careful when temperatures are below freezing and the road looks wet.

During the on-road driving test, you must listen to and follow the directions given by the examiner. They will never ask you to drive in an unsafe manner.

If the weight of a load is poorly balanced, it can lead to difficult and unsafe handling of a vehicle.

If you drive over a bridge during the on-road driving skills test, the examiner may ask you afterwards to recall the bridge's posted weight limit.

When stopping, the brake pedal should be pushed down gradually. Control the pressure so your vehicle comes to a slow, safe stop.

Air brakes consists of three separate braking systems: the service brake system, the parking brake system, and the emergency brake system.

If you use the parking brakes when the weather is very wet and the temperature is below freezing, the brakes may become frozen, preventing the vehicle from moving.

It is important to observe other drivers' actions and identify clues that a person could be driving impaired. Drivers who have had too much to drink, are sleepy, are on drugs, or are ill can present hazards to other drivers. One sign that a driver may be impaired is that they stop in inappropriate places, such as at green traffic lights.

When stopping your CMV on the side of a highway, warning devices must be placed 10 feet, 100 feet, and 200 feet behind the vehicle.

When examining your tires during the vehicle inspection test, you should ensure that treads are evenly worn.

In a tractor-trailer combination, if the tractor is equipped with an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) but the trailer is not, the ABS will still improve the driver's steering control. The driver should keep an eye on the trailer and let up on the brakes if the trailer begins to swing out.

There are two indicators that determine when you need to shift into a higher gear. One indicator is the engine speed (rpm). You should read your vehicle's manual to learn its rpm range and shift up when you reach the top of that range. The other indicator is road speed (mph). You should learn which speeds each gear can accommodate, then keep an eye on the speedometer and shift up as needed.

Drum brakes are attached to the wheels and located on the axles of a vehicle. The braking mechanisms that cause the vehicle to stop can be found inside of a drum brake.

To prevent rolling backward when starting from a stop, you should partly engage the clutch before removing your foot from the brake. Apply the parking brake whenever necessary to prevent your vehicle from rolling back.

While driving, you should continually scan the road to spot potential hazards in advance. Make emergency plans for how to deal with the hazards if they become dangerous.

Many large vehicles have curved, convex mirrors. Convex mirrors allow drivers to see a wider area than flat mirrors. However, they also make objects seem smaller and farther away than they really are.

Loads that are over-length, over-width, and/or overweight may require special permits. Drivers of such loads may be subject to special restrictions, such as only being permitted to drive at certain times.

During the vehicle inspection test, you must be able to indicate where the oil dipstick is located; show that the oil level is within a safe operating range; and show that the oil level is above the refill mark.

If you are being followed too closely, you should increase your following distance, avoid making quick moves, and avoid relying on tricks (such as flashing your lights) to help other drivers pass. Speeding up may only increase the danger by causing the tailgater to continue tailgating you at a higher speed.

A person operating a school bus is considered to be driving under the influence of alcohol if their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.02 percent or higher.

On a steep downgrade, you must use the engine's braking effect as your primary method of speed control. Be sure to decelerate and downshift appropriately before beginning to drive down the hill. Relying too heavily on the brakes may cause them to overheat and fade, becoming less effective.

At the end of each day of driving, you may be required to make a written report on the vehicle or vehicles driven. Be sure to make note of any issues that could affect the safety of the vehicle or that could lead to a mechanical breakdown.

In construction zones, do not exceed the posted safe sped limit. Slow down even more when workers are near the roadway.

You should make frequent mirror checks to monitor the traffic around you. This should help you notice if surrounding vehicles begin to move into your blind spots.

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

At dawn or dusk, and in snowy or rainy conditions, you should turn on your headlights to make it easier for other road users to see your vehicle.