Tennessee CDL DMV Knowledge Test Class B 1

If you must drive onto the shoulder to avoid a hazard, stay on it until you come to a stop; then signal, check your mirrors, and merge back into traffic. Avoid braking on the shoulder at speeds higher than about 20 mph. To help maintain control, always keep one set of wheels on the pavement, if possible.

The weight of cargo in a trailer should be evenly balanced. Having too much or too little weight on an axle can interfere with proper control of the vehicle. Additionally, having too much weight on one axle can damage it.

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.

An Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) is in place as an addition to a braking system. It intervenes to prevent brakes from locking up during hard braking. When driving a vehicle with ABS, you should brake in the same way that you would in a vehicle without ABS. It will not necessarily shorten your stopping distance.

The stab braking method for emergency stops involves fully applying the brakes until they lock up. The brakes are then released until the wheels start rolling, then the process is repeated.

You must have a hazardous materials endorsement to transport any hazardous materials that require the vehicle to be placarded.

Distractions while driving can be physical (such as reaching for an object), mental (such as making conversation with a passenger), or both (such as holding a phone to send texts).

When inspecting your vehicle's engine, check the belts for tightness and excessive wear. The amount of "give" that is safe for each belt in a given engine will vary, so learn what is appropriate for your vehicle.

Check hydraulic brakes by pumping the brake pedal three times before applying firm pressure to the pedal for five seconds. The pedal should not move. If it does, there may be a leak or some other problem in the braking system.

During the vehicle inspection test, you will be asked to do a complete inspection of your vehicle. You will need to explain what you are inspecting and why.

When making mirror checks, you should look at the mirrors fairly quickly. If you spend too much time looking in a mirror, you may travel a substantial distance down the road without seeing what is coming up ahead.

It is safest not to drive in foggy areas. However, if you must drive through fog, you should slow down, use your low beam headlights and fog lights, and turn on your four-way flashers.

You should always slow down and shift into a lower gear before starting down a hill. If you do not begin to drive down a hill at a low enough speed, you risk overusing your brakes, causing them to overheat and fade.

A pre-trip inspection should be completed in the same way before every drive. Consistency will help you learn all of the proper steps and decrease the likelihood that you will forget to check something.

Hazardous materials placards must be at least 10 and three-quarter inches square.

Hydroplaning is an effect in which a vehicle's tires lose traction with the surface of the road and instead glide along a layer of water. There does not have to be a large amount of water on the road for this to occur.

Hydroplaning is most likely to occur on wet roads if tire pressure is low or if tire tread is worn. If there is enough water on the road, hydroplaning can occur at speeds as low as 30 mph.

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

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.

Completing the steps of a vehicle inspection in the same order before every trip aids in learning what the proper steps are. Additionally, you be less likely to forget a step when going through the checklist in a prescribed order.

In low temperatures, bridges usually freeze before other road surfaces. When driving in cold weather, especially when weather conditions have been wet, use special caution on bridges and overpasses.

Backing a CMV is always dangerous due to limited visibility, so using a helper to monitor your blind spots is encouraged whenever possible.

If confronted by an aggressive driver, it is most important to get out of their way, if possible. Do not make eye contact with the driver, as doing so could provoke them. Do not let them provoke you with their actions.

Always observe posted speed limits for work zones. Slow down if road or weather conditions are adverse, and slow down even more if workers are on or near the road.

Maneuvers that may be included in the basic vehicle control skills test include straight line backing, offset back/right parking, offset back/left parking, driver side parallel parking, conventional parallel parking, and alley docking.

One way to know when it is time to shift gears is to learn your vehicle's operating rpm range. You should shift up when your engine reaches the top of that range. You can also learn which speeds each gear is good for and shift up based on your speedometer.

If you must drive in reverse, you should first walk around the vehicle to check for hazards in your path of travel. Make frequent use of the mirrors on both sides of your vehicle while backing. Always back up as slowly as possible.

If brakes are used too much, they will overheat and become less effective. This is referred to as brake fade.

Never assume that the posted height on a bridge or other overhead object is correct. Even if it was accurate when posted, things may have changed that affect clearance, either permanently (such as a repaving of the road) or temporarily (such as packed snow on the road).

All trucks, truck tractors, and buses must be equipped with emergency brakes and parking brakes.

A person cannot have more than one license. States share driver data through a computer database to prevent the issuance of duplicate licenses.

Black ice is a thin layer of ice that is clear enough for the road surface to be seen through it. Be alert to black ice any time the temperature is below freezing and the road surface looks wet.

Always change lanes slowly and smoothly. If there is a vehicle in the other lane that you did not see before beginning to move, they will have more time to react to your vehicle.

Backing a large CMV is always dangerous because you will not be able to see everything behind you. If you must back up, use a helper, if possible.

If you experience a loss of hydraulic pressure in your brakes, you should downshift, pump the brakes, and use the parking brake. Seek an escape route, such as an escape ramp, open field, or side street.