General Driving Knowledge — California
California CDL practice test: 392 free practice questions (20 official sample questions · Official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. General Driving Knowledge: 133 questions.
Questions that do not fit a single topic: lane use, turning, signalling and other rules of the road.
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 | General Driving Knowledge |
| License test | California CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 133 (34% of 392 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
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Questions (133)
1. Which of the following statements is true about overhead clearance?
- Posted signs for overhead clearance are always correct.
- Paving a road does not affect the clearance height under bridges or overpasses.
- Cargo weight may change the height of your vehicle. ✓
Answer: C. Cargo weight may change the height of your vehicle.
Cargo weight may change the height of your vehicle, so that is the true statement about overhead clearance. The handbook's overhead clearance section warns drivers not to assume posted bridge and overpass heights are correct. It says re-paving or packed snow can reduce clearance after the sign was made, so a posted figure may be outdated. It also explains that a cargo van's height changes with weight: an empty van is higher than a loaded one. That directly supports the statement that cargo weight can change vehicle height. The other choices are contradicted because posted signs may be wrong and paving can reduce clearance.
2. Water can safely be used on which of these fires?
- Electrical.
- Gasoline.
- Neither of the above. ✓
Answer: C. Neither of the above.
Neither electrical nor gasoline fires are safe for water; water should not be used on either one. Water is only listed for ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, and cloth. The handbook warns against using water on electrical fires because it can cause shock, and against using it on gasoline fires because it can spread the flames. Since both choices listed in the question are fires where water should not be used, the correct choice is neither. Electrical fires call for non-conducting agents, and gasoline-type fires call for smothering, cooling, or heat shielding with carbon dioxide or dry chemicals.
3. When a coolant container is part of a pressurized system, you can:
- check the coolant level of a hot engine. ✓
- safely remove the radiator cap and add coolant while the engine is hot.
- use water only in the cooling system.
Answer: A. check the coolant level of a hot engine.
You can check the coolant level of a hot engine. The handbook says see-through coolant overflow or recovery containers and sight glasses let you check the coolant level while the engine is hot. It also says never remove the radiator cap or open a pressurized system until it has cooled, because steam and boiling water can spray and cause severe burns. So checking the level is allowed; opening a hot pressurized system is not.
4. Containerized loads
- are exempt from hazardous materials restrictions.
- are exempt from weight limit restrictions.
- generally are used when freight is carried part way by rail or ship. ✓
Answer: C. generally are used when freight is carried part way by rail or ship.
Containerized loads generally are used when freight is carried part way by rail or ship. The handbook says containerized loads are usually used when freight travels part of the way by rail or ship, with truck delivery at the beginning or end of the trip. It also says containers must be secured properly like any other cargo, and you must check that you do not exceed gross weight and axle weight limits. That description matches the choice about rail or ship freight, not any exemption.
5. The term “Gross Combination Weight” refers to:
- total weight of a powered unit and the trailer.
- total weight of the trailer and the load.
- total weight of a powered unit, the trailer and the cargo. ✓
Answer: C. total weight of a powered unit, the trailer and the cargo.
Gross Combination Weight is the total weight of a powered unit, the trailer and the cargo together. The handbook's weight definitions treat a combination as the power unit plus the towed unit, and it measures weight as loaded weight rather than empty weight. In the gross vehicle weight rating definition, the manufacturer's figure is the loaded weight of a vehicle, and the combination rating is built from the weights of the power unit and the towed unit. So when you talk about the gross combination weight, you count the truck, the trailer it pulls, and the load riding on them, not just some of those pieces.
6. A driver should look _______ ahead of the vehicle while driving.
- 2–5 seconds
- 5–10 seconds
- 12–15 seconds ✓
Answer: C. 12–15 seconds
You should look at least 12 to 15 seconds ahead of your vehicle. The handbook says most good drivers look at least 12 to 15 seconds ahead, meaning the distance the vehicle will cover in that time. That works out to roughly a block at lower speeds and about a quarter of a mile at highway speeds. The reason given is that stopping or changing lanes takes a lot of distance, so you need to see what traffic is doing well ahead to have room for those moves. Looking that far ahead does not mean ignoring what is closer; good drivers shift their attention near and far.
7. What is road rage?
- Operating a motor vehicle with the intent of doing harm to others ✓
- Operating a motor vehicle that is deemed unsafe
- Operating a motor vehicle that has not been inspected
Answer: A. Operating a motor vehicle with the intent of doing harm to others
Road rage is operating a motor vehicle with the intent of doing harm to others, such as assaulting a driver or their vehicle. The handbook passage separates aggressive driving from road rage. Aggressive driving is described as selfish, bold, or pushy driving without regard for other people's rights or safety, such as abrupt lane changes. Road rage goes further: it is operating a vehicle with the intent to do harm to others or to physically assault a driver or their vehicle. So the key element in the definition is the intent to cause harm, not the condition of the vehicle.
8. When exiting a vehicle, it is important to maintain ____ with your vehicle at all times.
- Three points of contact ✓
- Four points of contact
- Two points of contact
Answer: A. Three points of contact
When you get out of the vehicle, keep three points of contact with it at all times. The handbook describes exiting during CDL tests: secure the vehicle, face it, and keep three points of contact as you get out. The same wording appears for vehicle inspection and for the look during backing. That means you keep three contact points with the vehicle while entering or exiting. The rule is stated directly, so the answer is three points, not four or two.
9. Cargo should be covered:
- To protect people from spillage. ✓
- To hide the materials.
- To make it more difficult to steal.
Answer: A. To protect people from spillage.
Cargo should be covered to protect people from spillage. The handbook lists two basic reasons for covering cargo: protecting people from spilled cargo and protecting the cargo from weather. The bank answer matches the first reason. Covering a load is about keeping spilled material from reaching people, not about concealment or theft prevention. The handbook does not give hiding materials or making them harder to steal as reasons for covering cargo.
10. When re-entering traffic after a bus stop, you should:
- Assume other drivers will allow you to merge back into traffic.
- Wait for a gap large enough to allow you to accelerate and merge with traffic. ✓
- Allow a passenger to leave the bus and halt traffic to allow you to merge.
Answer: B. Wait for a gap large enough to allow you to accelerate and merge with traffic.
Wait for a gap large enough to let your bus accelerate and merge with traffic. The passenger section of the handbook tells you to know how much space your bus needs to speed up and join traffic, then wait for that space to open before leaving the stop. It also warns against counting on other drivers to brake and make room when you signal or begin to pull out. The general driving section adds that large vehicles accelerate slowly and may need a much bigger gap than a car, especially when heavily loaded. So the safe choice is to wait for enough room to build speed and merge.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Not yet verified
Updated: · 20 official sample questions · Official driver handbook