General Driving Knowledge — Kentucky
Kentucky CDL practice test: 427 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: 160 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 | Kentucky CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 160 (37% of 427 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 (160)
1. When operating a set of doubles, the shut-off valves at the rear of the first trailer should be in their:
- Lifted position.
- Closed position.
- Open position. ✓
Answer: C. Open position.
The shut-off valves at the rear of the first trailer in a set of doubles should be in the open position. The handbook's coupling steps tell you to open the shut-off valves at the rear of the first trailer. It also explains that shut-off valves let you close air lines when no trailer is being towed behind. In a double, the first trailer still feeds air to the second trailer, so its rear valves must stay open. Only the rear valves on the last trailer are closed.
2. The trailer hand valve:
- Should always be used for parking.
- Should only be used for parking on a downgrade.
- Should never be used for parking. ✓
Answer: C. Should never be used for parking.
3. Blocking is used to:
- Keep cargo in a large box.
- Prevent cargo from sliding in a trailer. ✓
- Prevent cargo from falling out of a trailer.
Answer: B. Prevent cargo from sliding in a trailer.
Blocking is used to prevent cargo from sliding in a trailer. The handbook describes blocking as material placed at the front, back, or sides of cargo, shaped to fit snugly and secured to the cargo deck so the load cannot move. That description matches stopping cargo from sliding. Bracing is mentioned as another way to stop cargo movement, but it runs from the upper part of the cargo to the floor or walls. Nothing in the passage says blocking is for holding cargo inside a large box or for keeping it from falling out of the trailer.
4. Rearward amplification refers to:
- The amount of noise projected to the rear of a vehicle.
- The cause of the "crack-the-whip" effect. ✓
- The number of trailers that can be pulled by a tractor.
Answer: B. The cause of the "crack-the-whip" effect.
Rearward amplification is the cause of the "crack-the-whip" effect in combination vehicles. The handbook says rearward amplification is what produces the crack-the-whip effect. It shows eight rig types in a quick lane change, with the least effect at the top and the most at the bottom. The number compares how easily the rear trailer can roll compared with the tractor; triples listed at 3.5 means the last trailer can be rolled 3.5 times as easily as a five-axle tractor. That is why the handbook tells you to steer gently and smoothly and avoid sudden steering moves with trailers.
5. A shipping paper:
- Is not needed for most shipments of hazardous materials.
- Is required for all shipments of hazardous materials. ✓
- Can be kept in a digital file.
Answer: B. Is required for all shipments of hazardous materials.
A shipping paper is required for all shipments of hazardous materials. The handbook treats shipping papers as part of preparing any hazardous materials shipment, not an optional extra. The shipper prepares them and certifies on the paper that the load was prepared according to the rules, and the driver makes sure the shipping papers and emergency response information are kept in the proper place while the shipment moves. The paper is also how you confirm what is in the load, since you check the proper shipping name, hazard class and identification number on it.
6. Shipping papers should be:
- Hidden from view.
- Placed in the glove box.
- Easily seen by anyone entering the cab. ✓
Answer: C. Easily seen by anyone entering the cab.
Shipping papers should be easily seen by anyone entering the cab. The handbook's hazardous materials section says a shipping paper has to be recognized fast, because other people may need to find it after a crash. It tells you to keep it within reach while driving, or in a pouch on the driver's door, and to leave it in that pouch or on the driver's seat when you are out of the cab. The same section states it must be easy for someone entering the cab to see. That fits the choice about being easily seen when someone gets in.
7. A placard should be placed:
- At least three inches away from any other markings. ✓
- Under a ladder, if space is an issue.
- On a background that is a similar color to the placard.
Answer: A. At least three inches away from any other markings.
Place placards at least three inches away from any other markings. The handbook's placard checklist says each placard must sit at least three inches from other markings. It also says placards must be kept clear of attachments or devices like ladders, doors, and tarpaulins, and must be on a background of contrasting color. Those rules point to spacing placards away from other markings, not tucking them under equipment or blending them into a similar background.
8. Placards must be placed:
- Within three inches of other markings.
- So words or numbers are read from left to right. ✓
- Upside down.
Answer: B. So words or numbers are read from left to right.
Placards must be placed so their words or numbers are level and read from left to right. The handbook's placard rules say each placard must be easily seen from the direction it faces and placed so the words or numbers are level and read from left to right. That supports the reading-direction choice. The same list says placards must stay at least three inches away from any other markings, so crowding them close is not allowed. It also requires them to be clear of attachments, clean and undamaged, and on a contrasting background. These details show placards are positioned for clear, correct reading.
9. Wheels with welding repairs are:
- Safe to be used if the repairs were done by a professional.
- Safe to be used if the repair seems solid.
- Not safe to be used. ✓
Answer: C. Not safe to be used.
Wheels with welding repairs are not safe to be used. The handbook lists welded wheels or rims among wheel and rim problems and states plainly that they are not safe. The inspection section repeats the point by saying rims cannot have welding repairs. The rule does not depend on who did the work or whether the repair looks strong; the concern is the wheel or rim itself. A damaged wheel or rim can lead to loss of vehicle control, so a wheel with welding repairs should be rejected rather than trusted on the road.
10. The ____ trailer is the most likely to turn over if a driver takes a turn too quickly.
- Front
- Last ✓
- Middle
Answer: B. Last
The last trailer is the one most likely to turn over when a driver takes a turn too quickly. The handbook's doubles and triples section says a set of two or three trailers is less stable than other commercial vehicles. It warns that a speed that is safe for a straight truck or a single trailer may be too fast for doubles or triples, so you steer gently and go slowly around corners, ramps and curves. It names the crack-the-whip effect and states plainly that the last trailer in a combination is the one most likely to turn over.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook