Tennessee CDL DMV Knowledge Test Class A 1

Reaction distance is the distance traveled between the moment you mentally recognize a hazard and when you physically hit the brakes.

If equipped, ABS is in addition to a vehicle's normal braking system and does not increase or decrease the braking power of any other system. ABS only activates when a vehicle's wheels are about to lock.

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.

If your vehicle begins to hydroplane, you should slow down by releasing the accelerator and pushing in the clutch.

An Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) helps to provide additional control during hard braking, but does not necessarily shorten a vehicle's stopping distance.

If you experience tire failure, you may hear the loud "bang" sound of a blowout or feel a heavy thumping or vibration in your vehicle. If steering begins to feel heavy, or if the rear of your vehicle begins to fishtail, you should stop to check your tires.

The total stopping distance for vehicles equipped with air brakes is made up of four factors: perception distance, reaction distance, brake lag distance, and braking distance. When braking at a speed of 55 mph while driving on dry pavement, the brake lag can add around 32 feet to a vehicle's total stopping distance.

Texting while driving is even more dangerous than speaking on a phone while driving. In addition to being mentally distracting, texting is also physically distracting.

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.

If cargo is covered, the cover should not flap in the wind in transit. The cover could tear loose, uncovering the cargo while potentially blocking your view or the view of others.

Regrooved, recapped, or retreaded tires are prohibited on the front wheels of a bus.

Most drivers are the least alert at night, especially after midnight. Therefore, crashes due to fatigued driving are more likely at night than any other time of day.

Drowsy driving is most common during the night because people are naturally prone to be less alert in the hours during which they are normally asleep. If you must drive at night, take every precaution to prevent fatigued driving.

Black ice is a layer of ice that is thin and clear enough for the road to be visible through it. The surface will look like a wet road. Always be alert to black ice if the road looks wet when the temperature is below freezing.

A cargo of hanging meat can be very unstable, both because the meat swings about in transit and because its center of gravity is high.

To ensure that you can see as well as possible, don't wear sunglasses when driving at night. If you wear eyeglasses, make sure they are clean and unscratched. Make sure you are rested and alert before driving at night.

A broken exhaust system can allow poisonous fumes to enter a vehicle's cab or sleeper berth. Be sure to regularly check your exhaust system for defects.

It is always important to have enough water and antifreeze in a vehicle's cooling system. Despite the name, antifreeze is beneficial to an engine even in hot weather.

Factors that can affect stopping distance include your vehicle's speed, its weight, and the traction provided by the road surface.

A common cause of vehicle fires in the aftermath of an accident is the improper use of flares near spilled fuel. Use flares with caution.

Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) is the total weight of a single vehicle and its load of cargo.

After starting the engine, warning lights and buzzers should go out right away. If a light stays on, it usually indicates an issue with the vehicle.

If you are asked to alley dock, you should first pull past the alley and stop your vehicle in a position that is parallel to the outer boundary. From there, you should back your vehicle entirely into the alley parking area. Your vehicle should be parked in a straight position within the boundaries of the parking space.

Over-length, over-width, and/or overweight loads may require special permits from the Department of Transportation.

Most heavy vehicles with manual transmissions require double clutching to shift gears. Learning to effectively change gears by double clutching takes practice.

Rust around wheel nuts can indicate that the nuts are loose. If you find rust near the wheel nuts, check their tightness before beginning to drive.

When approaching your vehicle before an inspection, make note of its general condition and ensure that it is not damaged or leaning. Look under the vehicle for fresh leaks of oil, grease, or fuel. Check around the vehicle for hazards to movement, such as people, other vehicles, or low-hanging wires or tree limbs.

When inspecting your tires, verify that there is tread depth of at least 4/32 of an inch in every major groove on the front tires and tread depth of at least 2/32 of an inch in grooves on the other tires. Be sure that your tires are not too worn, are not cracked, have proper air pressure, and are all equally sized.

During an inspection, there are a number of tire problems to check for and avoid. Look for air pressure that is too low or too high; excessive wear; cuts or other damage; tread separation; dual tires that come into contact with each other or other parts of the vehicle; mismatched tire sizes; radial and bias-ply tires used together; cut or cracked valve stems; and regrooved, recapped, or retreaded tires on the front wheels of a school bus.

In an air brake system with manually operated drains, the tanks should be drained at the end of each day of driving.

Your truck may block the views of drivers behind you, making them unaware of any upcoming hazards that require you to stop. For this reason, it is a good idea to flash your brakes and warn other drivers before slowing or stopping.

If the weight of your vehicle prevents you from matching the speed of surrounding traffic, you should stay in the right lane, if possible.

Water and compressor oil are removed from air storage tanks through a drain valve. The water and oil can damage the brakes if left to accumulate in the system. Manually operated tanks must be drained every day to remove this build-up.

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

A visual low pressure warning signal should activate before air pressure drops to a level between 55 and 75 psi. This signal could be a light, a buzzer, or a wig wag.