General Driving Knowledge — Kansas
Kansas CDL practice test: 397 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: 120 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 | Kansas CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 120 (30% of 397 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 (120)
1. A driver needs a CDL with a hazardous materials endorsement to transport hazardous materials in:
- A vehicle requiring a Class A license.
- A vehicle requiring a Class B license.
- A vehicle requiring a Class C license.
- Any sized vehicle. ✓
Answer: D. Any sized vehicle.
A hazardous materials endorsement is required for any sized vehicle, including vehicles in Class A, B, or C. The handbook says the H endorsement applies to any driver, no matter whether the vehicle is Class A, B, or C, when the load is hazardous material that must be placarded or is a select agent or toxin in any quantity. It also says drivers of placarded vehicles must have a CDL with the hazardous materials endorsement. Because the rule is tied to the cargo and placarding, not to one license class, the requirement covers vehicles of any size.
2. If your vehicle is equipped with a cargo lift, you should ensure that:
- The lift is loosely attached.
- The lift is not leaking. ✓
- The lift is fully extended.
- The lift is the proper color.
Answer: B. The lift is not leaking.
You should make sure the lift is not leaking. The handbook's lift inspection item tells you to check an equipped lift for leaking, damaged, or missing parts. That makes a leak-free condition part of the inspection. The same passage also says the lift should be fully retracted and latched securely when it is not in use, so being fully extended is not the standard. Checking for leaks helps you catch a lift problem during the vehicle inspection.
3. Test the low pressure warning signal:
- Once a month.
- Once a week.
- Twice a week.
- Before every trip. ✓
Answer: D. Before every trip.
You test the low pressure warning signal before every trip, as part of your pre-trip air brake check. The handbook puts the low pressure warning test right in the air brake inspection sequence you run through before driving: with the engine off and enough pressure that the warning is not on, you turn the electrical power on and pump the brake pedal to bleed air down, and the signal must come on before pressure falls below 55 psi. Because it is one step in that inspection routine, you check it before each trip rather than on a calendar schedule. If the signal does not work, you could lose air pressure without knowing it.
4. Which of the following is a good rule to follow when making a turn?
- Honk your horn.
- Use your arms to get the attention of other drivers.
- Turn off your turn signal before entering the turn to avoid confusing other drivers.
- Signal early. ✓
Answer: D. Signal early.
Signal early is the good rule to follow when making a turn. The handbook gives three rules for using turn signals, and the first is to signal well before you turn. It says early signaling is the best way to keep other drivers from trying to pass you. The same passage also says to leave the signal on until the turn is complete. So the safe habit is to warn others early and keep the signal running through the turn.
5. During a trip, which shut-off valves should be open?
- All shut-off valves should be open.
- The rear shut-off valves should be open.
- All shut-off valves should be in the open position, except the rear shut-off valves. ✓
- No shut-off valves should be open.
Answer: C. All shut-off valves should be in the open position, except the rear shut-off valves.
Keep all shut-off valves open except the ones at the back of the last trailer, which must stay closed. The handbook explains that shut-off valves let you close air lines when no trailer is being towed behind. For a combination with doubles or triples, the valves at the rear of the front trailers must be open so air can move through the rig. The valves at the rear of the last trailer must be closed. That supports opening everything except the rear valves on the final trailer.
6. Hazardous materials laws are controlled by:
- Local regulations.
- State regulations.
- Federal regulations.
- All levels of government. ✓
Answer: D. All levels of government.
Hazardous materials laws are controlled by all levels of government. The handbook states that because hazardous materials pose risks and potential consequences, all levels of government regulate their handling. It identifies the federal Hazardous Materials Regulations in 49 CFR and elsewhere refers to federal and state rules. It also notes that states and counties may require special hazardous materials routes, and some locations may require permits. That combination supports the answer that control is not limited to one level but involves local, state, and federal government.
7. When driving through a curve during the skills test, you should:
- Veer from your lane if needed to complete the curve.
- Reduce your speed after entering the curve.
- Refrain from looking for other vehicles while turning.
- Reduce your speed before entering the curve. ✓
Answer: D. Reduce your speed before entering the curve.
You should reduce your speed before entering the curve. The handbook's rule is to slow to a safe speed and shift into the right gear before the curve. That way you can use some power through the turn to keep the vehicle stable and can speed up once you are out. Another section adds that braking in a curve can lock the wheels and cause a skid, which is why the speed change belongs before the curve, not during it.
8. If you are unsure if there is enough space for your vehicle to safely travel under a bridge, you should:
- Speed up.
- Swerve as you pass under the bridge.
- Slow down. ✓
- Drive on the shoulder.
Answer: C. Slow down.
9. A high center of gravity:
- Makes a vehicle more susceptible to rollover. ✓
- Is encouraged in inclement weather.
- Is required on some roads.
- Improves fuel efficiency.
Answer: A. Makes a vehicle more susceptible to rollover.
A high center of gravity makes a vehicle more susceptible to rollover. The handbook explains that when cargo is piled up high, the center of gravity rises above the road, and the truck becomes easier to turn over. It says a high center of gravity from cargo stacked high or heavy cargo on top means you are more likely to tip over, and that this is most dangerous in curves or when you swerve to avoid a hazard. The fix it gives is to load cargo as low as possible, with the heaviest parts under the lightest.
10. To prevent a rollover, a driver should:
- Keep cargo low. ✓
- Place cargo high.
- Keep cargo loose.
- Turn quickly.
Answer: A. Keep cargo low.
To prevent a rollover, keep the cargo low. The handbook says piling cargo high raises the center of gravity and makes a truck easier to turn over. It advises keeping cargo as close to the ground as possible and driving slowly around turns. Section 3 repeats that a high center of gravity, such as heavy cargo on top, makes tipping over more likely, especially in curves or when swerving. So placing the load low is the rollover-prevention choice among these.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook