Highway & Freeway Driving — Maryland
Maryland CDL practice test: 460 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Highway & Freeway Driving: 8 questions.
Entering and exiting freeways, lane changes, overtaking and HOV lane rules.
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 | Highway & Freeway Driving |
| License test | Maryland CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 8 (2% of 460 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 (8)
1. During the driving test, when asked to make a lane change:
- You should not be concerned with other motorists.
- You should use your turn signal and change lanes when safe. ✓
- You should make the lane change as quickly as possible, even if that means cutting off another driver.
Answer: B. You should use your turn signal and change lanes when safe.
You should use your turn signal and make the lane change only when it is safe to do so. The handbook's lane-change section says that during the driving test you first make the necessary traffic checks, then use proper signals, and then change lanes smoothly when it is safe. Section 2 adds that you must check your mirrors before changing lanes, after signaling, and again as you start, to be sure no one is alongside you or in your blind spot. Signaling and waiting for a safe gap are what the test is looking for.
2. Off-ramps:
- Are usually safest for trucks.
- Can be dangerous for trucks. ✓
- Should not be used by trucks.
Answer: B. Can be dangerous for trucks.
Off-ramps can be dangerous for trucks, so you need to slow down before you reach the curve. The handbook says freeway and turnpike exits can be particularly dangerous for commercial vehicles. Posted ramp speeds may be fine for cars but not for larger or heavily loaded vehicles, and an exit that drops downhill while it curves is especially risky because the downgrade makes it hard to slow down. Braking and turning at the same time is dangerous, so you should be going slowly enough before you get to the curved part of the ramp.
3. When you need to change lanes:
- Other vehicles will likely get out of your way.
- You should change lanes slowly and smoothly. ✓
- You should wait to change lanes until you are in an intersection.
Answer: B. You should change lanes slowly and smoothly.
4. To change lanes, you should:
- Move quickly.
- Move slowly and smoothly. ✓
- Hold down your horn.
Answer: B. Move slowly and smoothly.
5. When entering traffic on an expressway during the skills test, you should:
- Check for traffic. ✓
- Not use signals.
- Abruptly enter a lane of traffic.
- Cut off other drivers if needed.
Answer: A. Check for traffic.
Check for traffic is the correct action when entering expressway traffic during the skills test. The handbook's on-road driving section expects regular traffic checks and a safe following distance. For lane changes, it says to make the needed traffic checks first, signal properly, and change lanes smoothly when safe. For expressway driving, it says to merge smoothly and to check traffic and mirrors thoroughly in all directions. When returning to the flow of traffic, it also says to check traffic from all directions, especially to the left, and to steer and accelerate smoothly when safe.
6. When passing another vehicle, you should:
- Make eye contact with the driver.
- Assume the driver doesn’t see you. ✓
- Honk your horn.
- Wait for the other driver to signal that it is safe to do so.
Answer: B. Assume the driver doesn’t see you.
When passing another vehicle, assume the driver does not see you. The handbook says other drivers may not notice your vehicle even when it is plainly visible. When you are about to pass a vehicle, pedestrian, or bicyclist, you should assume they do not see you because they could suddenly move in front of you. It adds that you may tap the horn lightly when legal, or flash your lights at night, but you must still drive carefully enough to avoid a crash even if they do not see or hear you. So the safe rule is to expect that the other driver has not noticed you.
7. One way to overcome the challenges of blind spots is to:
- Drive faster than surrounding vehicles so no other drivers can pass you.
- Drive in the left lane, allowing you to only worry about vehicles to your right.
- Make frequent mirror checks and assess the positions of surrounding vehicles. ✓
- Avoid using your mirrors.
Answer: C. Make frequent mirror checks and assess the positions of surrounding vehicles.
Make frequent mirror checks and keep track of where surrounding vehicles are, so you know when one has slipped into a blind spot. The handbook says you cannot see everything with your mirrors, since blind spots exist that they do not show. That is exactly why it tells you to check your mirrors regularly: to know where other vehicles are around you and to notice when one moves into a blind spot. Checking often keeps you aware of traffic on both sides and behind, which matters if you suddenly need to change lanes.
8. When driving at highway speeds, you should watch the road about ____ ahead of your vehicle.
- One block
- 100 yards
- A quarter mile ✓
Answer: C. A quarter mile
At highway speeds you should watch the road about a quarter mile ahead of your vehicle. The handbook explains that good drivers look 12 to 15 seconds ahead, which is the distance the vehicle will cover in that time. At lower speeds that works out to roughly one block, and at highway speeds it comes to about a quarter mile. Looking that far ahead matters because stopping and lane changes take a lot of distance, so you need to see traffic early enough to have room to make those moves safely. Close attention still counts; good drivers shift their eyes between near and far.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook