Bad Weather & Night Driving — Maine
Maine CDL practice test: 373 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Bad Weather & Night Driving: 23 questions.
Rain, snow, ice, fog and night driving: visibility, traction and headlight use.
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 | Bad Weather & Night Driving |
| License test | Maine CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 23 (6% of 373 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 (23)
1. How do ice cream trucks become hazardous to other drivers?
- Ice cream trucks must be kept cold.
- Children often run toward an ice cream truck without looking for other traffic. ✓
- Ice cream trucks leave trails of water and ice on the roadway.
Answer: B. Children often run toward an ice cream truck without looking for other traffic.
Children make an ice cream truck hazardous because they often run toward it without looking for other traffic. The handbook lists someone selling ice cream as a hazard clue. It explains that children may be nearby and may not see you, and it also says children tend to act quickly without checking traffic. That combination is what makes the truck hazardous: the truck attracts children, and their attention may be on it rather than on other vehicles. The bank answer matches this idea by pointing to children moving toward the truck without looking for traffic.
2. When driving on a wet road, you should reduce your speed by:
- About one-half.
- About one-third. ✓
- About one-quarter.
Answer: B. About one-third.
On a wet road, you should reduce your speed by about one-third. The handbook explains that wet roads can double your stopping distance, so you have to drive slower to stop within the same distance you would need on dry pavement. It gives a specific target for a wet road: cut your speed by roughly a third, slowing from 55 to about 35 mph. That is the wet-road figure, separate from the guidance for packed snow or ice.
3. You are especially likely to encounter strong winds when:
- Coming out of tunnels. ✓
- Going into tunnels.
- Driving on shoulders.
Answer: A. Coming out of tunnels.
You are especially likely to meet strong winds when coming out of tunnels. The handbook's strong-wind section says strong winds make it hard to stay in your lane, and that this problem can be especially bad as you come out of a tunnel. That directly supports the answer. The passage does not tie the hazard to entering a tunnel or to driving on shoulders; it points to the moment you leave the sheltered tunnel and meet the wind.
4. If you use the trailer hand brake while your trailer is skidding, it will:
- Stop the skid.
- Straighten the trailer.
- Continue the skid. ✓
Answer: C. Continue the skid.
Using the trailer hand brake while the trailer is skidding will continue the skid. The handbook says the trailer hand valve is for testing trailer brakes, not for use while driving. It warns that using it can make the trailer skid. When a trailer is already skidding, applying the hand brake does not fix it: the handbook says not to use it to straighten the rig because the trailer wheel brakes caused the skid in the first place. Releasing the brakes is what lets the wheels regain grip, after which the trailer follows the tractor and straightens out.
5. If a trailer begins to skid, it is best for the driver to:
- Release the brakes. ✓
- Accelerate.
- Quickly turn the steering wheel in one direction, then in the other.
Answer: A. Release the brakes.
When a trailer begins to skid, release the brakes. The handbook's procedure for stopping a trailer skid is to release the brakes. It explains that the trailer wheel brakes caused the skid, so letting them off lets the tires regain traction. Once the trailer wheels grip again, the trailer follows the tractor and straightens out. The handbook also says to watch the trailer in your mirrors during hard braking, because once it swings out of your lane a jackknife is hard to prevent. That is why getting traction back matters more than braking harder or steering sharply.
6. A person should not smoke within ____ of a vehicle placarded for Class 3 or Division 2.1 materials.
- 50 feet
- 25 feet ✓
- 100 feet
Answer: B. 25 feet
Do not smoke within 25 feet of a vehicle placarded for Class 3 flammable liquids or Division 2.1 gases. The handbook's no-smoking rule sets a 25-foot buffer around a placarded cargo tank carrying Class 3 flammable liquids or Division 2.1 gases. It also repeats that 25-foot limit for smoking or carrying a lighted cigarette, cigar, or pipe near certain vehicles. Because the passage directly names 25 feet for these placards, that is the distance to use. The other figures in the handbook cover different situations, such as attending a parked placarded vehicle, not smoking near hazardous materials.
7. The trailer hand valve should not be used while you are driving because:
- It will disconnect from the vehicle.
- You will stop the vehicle too quickly.
- It can cause a skid. ✓
Answer: C. It can cause a skid.
The trailer hand valve should not be used while driving because it can cause the trailer to skid. The handbook says the trailer hand valve, also called the trolley valve or Johnson bar, works the trailer brakes and should be used only to test them. It warns that using it while driving creates a danger of making the trailer skid. The foot brake sends air to all the brakes, including the trailer's, and the handbook says there is much less chance of a skid or jackknife when you use just the foot brake.
8. When driving in fog, you should:
- Slow down. ✓
- Speed up.
- Drive on the shoulder.
Answer: A. Slow down.
Slow down when driving in fog. The handbook warns that fog can appear without warning and visibility can drop fast. It says to be ready to reduce speed and to slow down before you enter fog. If fog is bad enough, it is better to pull off the road into a rest area or truck stop than to keep driving. That supports slowing down rather than trying to drive faster or treating the shoulder as a travel lane.
9. Black ice is:
- Usually thick.
- Usually thin. ✓
- Not a hazard when driving.
Answer: B. Usually thin.
Black ice is usually thin — it is a thin, clear layer that lets you see the road underneath it. The handbook describes black ice as a thin layer that is clear enough to see the road underneath, which is why the road just looks wet. It also warns that any time the temperature is below freezing and the road looks wet, you should watch for black ice. So the layer itself is thin, not thick, and it is a real slipping hazard on cold, wet-looking pavement.
10. Hydroplaning usually occurs:
- When tires are properly inflated.
- When driving at speeds slower than 15 mph.
- In areas where water collects on the road. ✓
Answer: C. In areas where water collects on the road.
Hydroplaning usually occurs in areas where water collects on the road. The handbook says that when water or slush collects on the road, your vehicle can hydroplane. The tires lose contact with the road and have little or no traction, so you may not be able to steer or brake. It also says road surfaces where water can collect create conditions for hydroplaning, and you should watch for signs of standing water such as clear reflections and tire splashes. Low tire pressure or worn tread makes hydroplaning more likely.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook