General Driving Knowledge — Hawaii
Hawaii CDL practice test: 378 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. General Driving Knowledge: 136 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 | Hawaii CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 136 (36% of 378 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
Advertisement
Questions (136)
1. To safely unload a bus, students should:
- Remain seated until they are told to exit. ✓
- Stand up and head toward the door while the bus is slowing down.
- Exit the bus and stand directly next to the bus while it is being driven away from the stop.
Answer: A. Remain seated until they are told to exit.
Students should remain seated until they are told to exit. The handbook's unloading procedure says the driver makes a safe stop at the designated unloading area, turns off the ignition, and removes the key if leaving the driver's compartment. It then says to have students remain seated until told to exit, and to pull away only when it is safe. That sequence makes the driver, not the students, decide when unloading starts. Standing early or stepping out beside a moving bus does not fit that procedure.
2. If you must leave the roadway and drive on the shoulder in an emergency situation, you should:
- Brake as hard as possible.
- Get both sets of wheels onto the shoulder.
- Stay on the shoulder until your vehicle has stopped, if possible. ✓
Answer: C. Stay on the shoulder until your vehicle has stopped, if possible.
3. To know which placard to use, you need to know:
- The hazard class of the materials. ✓
- The type of container that is holding the materials.
- The destination of the materials.
Answer: A. The hazard class of the materials.
You need to know the hazard class of the materials to know which placard to use. The handbook links placard choice to the shipment's quantity and hazard class. It also says placards identify a material's primary or subsidiary hazard class. So the hazard class is the fact that tells you which placard fits the load. The container and the destination are not the basis for picking the placard in these passages.
4. What is often found in compressed air?
- Water ✓
- Cardboard
- Brake fluid
Answer: A. Water
Compressed air often has water in it, along with some compressor oil. The handbook says compressed air usually carries some water and some compressor oil. It points out that water is harmful to the air brake system; in cold weather it can freeze and cause brake failure. Because water and oil collect at the bottom of the air tank, the handbook stresses draining each tank completely. That direct statement about what compressed air contains is what makes water the correct choice.
5. While driving, gauges are:
- Unreliable.
- Unpredictable.
- To be monitored for potential signs of trouble. ✓
Answer: C. To be monitored for potential signs of trouble.
While driving, gauges are to be monitored for potential signs of trouble. The handbook's during-a-trip inspection guidance says to watch your gauges for signs of trouble, and to use your senses to check for problems. Gauges are treated as one of the tools that help you catch a defect early, before it turns into a breakdown or a crash. So they aren't something to ignore or dismiss; you keep an eye on them as you drive.
6. Air storage tanks:
- Are not allowed on a vehicle.
- Hold compressed air for the brakes. ✓
- Should be drained of excess air after every trip.
Answer: B. Hold compressed air for the brakes.
Air storage tanks hold compressed air for the brakes. The handbook says air storage tanks are used to hold compressed air, and that they carry enough air for several brake applications even if the compressor stops working. So the tanks are the supply the brakes draw from. Nothing in the passages says tanks are banned, and the draining described is about removing water and oil, not air.
7. Keeping cargo centered on a rig can:
- Help you drive faster.
- Prevent a rollover. ✓
- Make turns more dangerous.
Answer: B. Prevent a rollover.
Keeping cargo centered on a rig helps prevent a rollover. The handbook's rollover-risk section says a load that sits off to one side can make a trailer lean, and that lean makes a rollover more likely. It lists keeping the cargo centered and spread out as one of the things that helps prevent rollover, along with keeping the load close to the ground and driving slowly around turns. So centering the load is a stability measure, not a speed measure.
8. When you are about to start down a hill, you should switch into a ____ gear.
- Higher
- Faster
- Lower ✓
Answer: C. Lower
You should switch into a lower gear before you start down a hill. The handbook says to slow down and shift down before beginning a descent so you can control speed without braking hard. It warns that relying too much on the brakes can overheat them and cause loss of braking power. It also says to pick a low enough gear, usually lower than the one you needed to climb that same hill. The engine's braking effect is strongest in lower gears, so choosing that gear before the grade helps you keep control.
9. How can a driver maintain alertness while driving?
- Stay fit and healthy ✓
- Keep the cab warm
- Eat heavy foods
Answer: A. Stay fit and healthy
10. Before a trip, you should make sure that:
- The brake pedal sticks.
- The gas pedal is loose.
- The grooved pedal surface has not been smoothed out. ✓
Answer: C. The grooved pedal surface has not been smoothed out.
Advertisement
Source
Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook