Vehicle Equipment & Safe Operation — Alaska
Alaska CDL practice test: 416 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Vehicle Equipment & Safe Operation: 169 questions.
Brakes, tires, lights, mirrors, seat belts, child seats and basic vehicle control.
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 | Vehicle Equipment & Safe Operation |
| License test | Alaska CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 169 (41% of 416 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 (169)
1. What color malfunction lamps do vehicles equipped with ABS have?
- Green
- Yellow ✓
- Blue
Answer: B. Yellow
Vehicles with ABS have yellow malfunction lamps. The handbook states that ABS-equipped vehicles use yellow malfunction lamps to signal that something in the system is not working. It also describes where those lamps appear: on the instrument panel in tractors, trucks, and buses, and on the left side of trailers. Because the passage names yellow as the ABS warning lamp color, the answer is yellow. The passage does not describe green or blue lamps for this ABS warning purpose.
2. When starting an engine as part of a pre-trip inspection, the driver should:
- Listen for unusual noises. ✓
- Place the engine in first gear.
- Turn on the heater.
Answer: A. Listen for unusual noises.
Start the engine and listen for unusual noises. The pre-trip inspection sequence in the handbook says to make sure the parking brake is on, put the gearshift in neutral or park, and then start the engine while listening for unusual noises. That listening step is part of using your senses to find defects. The handbook also says inspections help you find problems that could cause a breakdown or crash, so noticing odd sounds at start-up is a reasonable safety check.
3. How much distance will an air brake-equipped vehicle need to come to a complete stop if it is traveling at 55 mph under ideal driving conditions?
- 300 feet
- 100 feet
- 450 feet ✓
Answer: C. 450 feet
At 55 mph under ideal conditions, an air brake-equipped vehicle needs over 450 feet to come to a complete stop. The handbook explains that air brakes do not apply instantly. Air has to travel through the lines after the pedal is pushed, so there is a brake lag. At 55 mph on dry pavement that lag adds about 32 feet. When it is added to the other parts of stopping distance, the handbook says the total is over 450 feet for an average driver with good traction and brakes. That is why the figure given for this question is 450 feet.
4. Trailers built before ____ are not required to have spring brakes.
- 1985
- 1975 ✓
- 1999
Answer: B. 1975
Trailers built before 1975 are not required to have spring brakes. The handbook says newer trailers have spring brakes, but it exempts trailers built before 1975, along with converter dollies. It explains that trailers without spring brakes use emergency brakes that work from air stored in the trailer air tank. Those emergency brakes come on when air pressure in the emergency line is lost or the trailer is disconnected. Since that air eventually leaks away, these trailers have no parking brake, so wheel chocks are needed when parking them. This directly supports 1975 as the cutoff.
5. To prevent your vehicle from rolling backward when beginning to move, you can:
- Partly engage the clutch before taking your foot off the brake pedal. ✓
- Place the vehicle in second gear.
- Use the parking brake when stopping.
Answer: A. Partly engage the clutch before taking your foot off the brake pedal.
To prevent rolling backward when beginning to move, partly engage the clutch before taking your foot off the brake pedal. The handbook says not to roll back when you start because you may hit someone behind you. For a manual transmission vehicle, it tells you to partly engage the clutch before you take your right foot off the brake. That gives you a way to hold the vehicle as you move from brake to engine power. The same passage also mentions using the parking brake when needed, but the specific manual-transmission step for beginning to move is the partial clutch engagement before releasing the brake.
6. If unsure if a trailer has an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), you can:
- Look under the trailer for wheel speed sensors coming from the back of the brakes. ✓
- Remove a tire and look for the ABS sensor on the axle.
- Assume it does have ABS.
Answer: A. Look under the trailer for wheel speed sensors coming from the back of the brakes.
If you are unsure whether a trailer has ABS, look under the trailer for wheel speed sensor wires coming from the back of the brakes. The handbook says that on towed units built before ABS was required, it can be hard to tell whether the unit has ABS. It gives a specific check: look under the vehicle for the ECU and wheel speed sensor wires that come from the back of the brakes. That visual check is the stated way to identify ABS on an older trailer when the equipment is not obvious.
7. When operating a vehicle with a dual air brake system, the driver should:
- Let the vehicle warm up before driving to ensure that the fuel reaches the engine.
- Let the air compressor build up a minimum of 100 psi pressure in the primary and secondary systems before driving. ✓
- Begin driving just after the vehicle starts.
Answer: B. Let the air compressor build up a minimum of 100 psi pressure in the primary and secondary systems before driving.
Before driving, wait for the air compressor to build at least 100 psi in both the primary and secondary systems. The handbook says that in a dual air brake system you should give the compressor time to bring both the primary and secondary systems up to a minimum of 100 psi before you drive. It also tells you to watch the gauges and the low pressure warning light and buzzer. If pressure falls too low while you are driving, the handbook says to stop right away and park safely, because one brake circuit may not be working fully and stopping will take longer.
8. Why should you regularly drain the air tanks?
- Because the air gets old and needs to be replaced
- Because compressed air contains some water and the water collects in the tanks ✓
- To allow for a change in pressure
Answer: B. Because compressed air contains some water and the water collects in the tanks
You drain the air tanks because compressed air carries some water, and that water gathers in the bottom of the tanks. The handbook says compressed air usually contains water and compressor oil, and these collect at the bottom of each air tank. Water in the brake system can freeze in cold weather and cause brake failure. That is why each tank has a drain valve, and you must open it to drain the tank completely. It also warns that letting water and oil build up can keep the brakes from working correctly. Draining removes the collected moisture before it causes trouble.
9. When loading a trailer, weight should be:
- Placed as high as possible.
- Placed as low as possible. ✓
- Placed as far to the left as possible.
Answer: B. Placed as low as possible.
10. When using your turn signal, you should:
- Signal before beginning the turn. ✓
- Turn the signal off before beginning the turn.
- Signal only if vehicles are in front of you.
Answer: A. Signal before beginning the turn.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook