Sharing the Road — Alabama
Alabama CDL practice test: 447 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Sharing the Road: 24 questions.
Pedestrians, cyclists, school buses, emergency vehicles and heavy trucks.
This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines.
| Topic / Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Topic | Sharing the Road |
| License test | Alabama CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 24 (5% of 447 total) |
| Review status | This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines. |
Official handbook
Not yet verified
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Questions (24)
1. When approaching a railroad crossing:
- You will likely be able to outdrive a train.
- You should not rely only on warning signals. ✓
- You should roll a window down to listen for an approaching train.
- You should only worry about the track closest to your vehicle.
Answer: B. You should not rely only on warning signals.
You should not rely only on warning signals; treat signals, gates, and flagmen as aids, not guarantees, and keep looking and listening for a train. The handbook's crossing section says you should not rely solely on warning signals, gates, or flagmen. It also warns that trains may not sound horns at some crossings and that noise inside the cab can keep you from hearing a horn until the train is close. So the safe approach is to slow down, look and listen in both directions, and stay alert even when a signal or gate appears to clear the way.
2. If there are no warning gates or lights at a railroad crossing, you should:
- Not worry because the tracks are likely abandoned.
- Park your vehicle and walk up to the tracks to determine if a train is approaching.
- Look down the tracks in both directions to ensure that no trains are approaching. ✓
- Do whatever surrounding vehicles are doing.
Answer: C. Look down the tracks in both directions to ensure that no trains are approaching.
3. If driving a school bus, your four-way flashers should:
- Be activated before crossing railroad tracks. ✓
- Never be used.
- Only be used after crossing railroad tracks.
- Only be used near railroad tracks if a train is approaching.
Answer: A. Be activated before crossing railroad tracks.
Your four-way flashers should be activated before crossing railroad tracks. The handbook lists the steps a school bus driver should follow at railroad crossings. As the vehicle approaches the crossing, the driver activates the four-way flashers. Later steps include stopping within the required distance, setting the parking brake, and looking and listening for a train. The same section says to deactivate the flashers after the vehicle crosses the tracks. Together these show the flashers are on during the approach and crossing, so they must be turned on before crossing, not only afterward or only when a train is approaching.
4. If backing a truck:
- You should rely on your mirrors to guide you.
- You should first walk the area to become more familiar with obstacles. ✓
- You should look straight ahead.
Answer: B. You should first walk the area to become more familiar with obstacles.
5. If you are taking the driving test and the route does not include a railroad crossing, you:
- Will not have to do anything related to a crossing.
- May have to explain how you would cross railroad tracks. ✓
- Will have to take a different route.
Answer: B. May have to explain how you would cross railroad tracks.
If your road test route has no railroad crossing, you may still be asked to explain and demonstrate the proper crossing procedures at a simulated location. The handbook states that not every road test route includes a railroad crossing, and that the examiner may ask you to explain and demonstrate proper railroad crossing procedures at a simulated location. So the crossing requirement does not disappear just because the route lacks real tracks; the examiner can still test your knowledge of the procedures. The safest preparation is to know the crossing steps well enough to describe and show them anywhere.
6. If your vehicle gets stuck on railroad tracks, you should:
- Sit in the cab and call for help.
- Exit the cab and walk away from the tracks. ✓
- Motion for another driver to push your vehicle.
Answer: B. Exit the cab and walk away from the tracks.
Leave the cab and move away from the tracks. The handbook says that if you get stuck on the tracks for any reason, you should get out of the vehicle and away from the tracks. Once clear, check the signposts or signal housing at the crossing for emergency notification information, then call 911 or another emergency number. When you call, give the crossing location using landmarks, especially the DOT number if it is posted. The first action is to get yourself off the tracks, not to stay with the vehicle.
7. Hanging meat in a refrigerated truck:
- Is a good way for inexperienced drivers to gain experience.
- Requires a skilled driver. ✓
- Is illegal in most states.
Answer: B. Requires a skilled driver.
Hanging meat in a refrigerated truck requires a skilled driver. The handbook describes hanging meat as a very unstable load with a high center of gravity. It warns that sharp curves, such as on ramps and off ramps, need particular caution and says to go slowly. Because the load is unstable and raises the center of gravity, handling it safely calls for a skilled driver. The passage does not present it as a beginner training task or say it is illegal; it focuses on the handling difficulty.
8. When near a railroad crossing:
- You should expect to hear every approaching train.
- You may not hear a train, even if one is approaching. ✓
- You will hear two short blasts of a train's horn if a train is approaching.
Answer: B. You may not hear a train, even if one is approaching.
You may not hear a train, even if one is approaching, so do not rely on hearing it. The handbook warns that trains may not sound their horns at some crossings, and signs identify public crossings where horns are not used. It also says noise inside your vehicle can keep you from hearing a horn until the train is dangerously close. Since your ears are not a dependable warning, approach crossings expecting a train, stay alert, and look both ways.
9. When approaching a school bus stop, the driver should:
- Honk the horn.
- Drive slowly. ✓
- Talk to students on the bus.
Answer: B. Drive slowly.
When you approach a school bus stop, drive slowly. The handbook says to use extreme caution when coming up to a school bus stop and to approach at a slow rate of speed. It also tells you to watch for pedestrians, traffic, and other objects before, during, and after you stop, and to keep checking all mirrors. Driving slowly fits that instruction because it gives you time to see and respond to what is around the bus.
10. To ensure that you do not slow down traffic when driving a large truck, you should:
- Switch gears while driving uphill.
- Try to pass another vehicle while driving uphill.
- Stay in the right lane whenever possible. ✓
Answer: C. Stay in the right lane whenever possible.
You should stay in the right lane whenever possible. The handbook addresses this directly in its uphill driving guidance. It says heavy vehicles get tailgated when they cannot keep up with traffic, and that this often happens uphill. If a heavy load is slowing you down, the instruction is to stay in the right lane if you can. That keeps slower traffic out of the way of faster vehicles. The same passage also warns against passing another slow vehicle uphill unless you can get around quickly and safely.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Not yet verified
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook