Sharing the Road — 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. Sharing the Road: 25 questions.
Pedestrians, cyclists, school buses, emergency vehicles and heavy trucks.
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 | Sharing the Road |
| License test | Maryland CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 25 (5% 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 (25)
1. When backing a truck, you should:
- Only use the side mirrors on the driver’s side.
- Use both side mirrors. ✓
- Not use a helper.
- Only use the mirror on the passenger's side.
Answer: B. Use both side mirrors.
When backing a truck, you should use both side mirrors, checking them often as you back. The handbook's backing rules say to use mirrors on both sides and to check the outside mirrors on both sides frequently. Looking at both sides lets you catch problems on either side of the vehicle while you back slowly. The same rule appears in the combination-vehicle section, which tells you to check both outside mirrors often and to get out and look again if you are unsure of your path.
2. A school bus stop:
- Can be added by the driver if students are given notice of the change.
- Should be voted on by the students and parents.
- Should change frequently.
- Should be established by the school and not changed. ✓
Answer: D. Should be established by the school and not changed.
A school bus stop should be established by the school and not changed. The handbook says each school district sets official routes and official school bus stops. All stops should be approved by the school district before the stop is made. It also says you should never change a bus stop location without written approval from the appropriate school district official. That means a driver does not create or move stops on their own. The passage says nothing about students and parents voting or about changing stops often.
3. If approaching a railroad crossing while driving a placarded vehicle, you should always:
- Activate your four-way flashers. ✓
- Stop within five feet of the tracks.
- Change gears while on the tracks.
- Change lanes while on the tracks.
Answer: A. Activate your four-way flashers.
When you approach a railroad crossing in a placarded vehicle, turn on your four-way flashers. The handbook lists the crossing steps for placarded vehicles: move as far right as possible on the roadway, and as you come up to the crossing, activate the four-way flashers. It also says to stop within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail, put the transmission in neutral or park, and set the parking brake. Once any part of the vehicle is on the tracks, do not stop, change gears, or change lanes. Turning on the flashers is the step tied to approaching the crossing.
4. If you are taking the driving test and the route does not include a railroad crossing, you:
- Will not have to do anything related to a crossing.
- May have to explain how you would cross railroad tracks. ✓
- Will have to take a different route.
Answer: B. May have to explain how you would cross railroad tracks.
If your road test route has no railroad crossing, you may still be asked to explain and demonstrate the proper crossing procedures at a simulated location. The handbook states that not every road test route includes a railroad crossing, and that the examiner may ask you to explain and demonstrate proper railroad crossing procedures at a simulated location. So the crossing requirement does not disappear just because the route lacks real tracks; the examiner can still test your knowledge of the procedures. The safest preparation is to know the crossing steps well enough to describe and show them anywhere.
5. When students are boarding a school bus, the driver should do all of the following, except:
- Let students know when it is safe to board.
- Count the number of students at the bus stop and ensure that all have boarded.
- Allow student to board in pairs. ✓
- Check all mirrors for students rushing toward the bus.
Answer: C. Allow student to board in pairs.
The driver should not let students board in pairs; students should board in single file. The handbook's loading steps say to count the students at the bus stop and make sure all of them get on, then check the mirrors again. It also says students board slowly, in single file, using the handrail, and only when the driver signals them. Boarding in pairs is not part of those steps; the stated procedure is one student after another. That is why allowing pairs is the exception among these choices.
6. If taking the driving test and the route does not include a railroad crossing, you:
- Will not have to do anything related to a crossing.
- May have to explain how you would cross railroad tracks. ✓
- Will have to take the test again on a route that does include a railroad crossing.
Answer: B. May have to explain how you would cross railroad tracks.
You may have to explain how you would cross railroad tracks, even if the driving test route has no crossing. The handbook says not every road test route includes a railroad crossing. If yours does not, the examiner may still ask you to explain and demonstrate the correct crossing steps at a simulated location. The crossing requirement does not disappear just because the route lacks tracks, so you should be ready to talk through and show the procedure. The bank answer matches this.
7. Which of the following is acceptable?
- Dual tires that do not come into contact with each other ✓
- Tires of mismatched sizes if used only on short trips
- Retreaded tires on the front of a school bus
- Tires with cracks
Answer: A. Dual tires that do not come into contact with each other
Dual tires that do not come into contact with each other are acceptable — duals that touch each other or touch parts of the vehicle are a defect. The handbook's tire inspection list names the things that make a tire or tire setup unacceptable. Among those listed problems are dual tires that come in contact with each other or with parts of the vehicle, and mismatched sizes. So a pair of duals that stay clear of each other and of the vehicle is the one situation here that isn't on the defect list.
8. Drivers trapped behind a slow-moving vehicle often:
- Follow the vehicle too closely. ✓
- Allow the vehicle plenty of space.
- Are happy with the speed of travel.
Answer: A. Follow the vehicle too closely.
Drivers stuck behind a slow-moving vehicle often follow it too closely, so expect tailgaters when you are traveling slowly. The handbook lists the times you are likely to be tailgated, and traveling slowly is one of them. It says plainly that drivers trapped behind slow vehicles tend to follow closely. The same passage notes heavy vehicles get tailgated when they cannot keep up with traffic, often on an uphill grade. So as a commercial driver, the habit to expect from the traffic behind you is a tight following distance, not patience.
9. The loading of a school bus:
- Is not a dangerous process.
- Does not need to be supervised.
- Should be done quickly.
- Can be dangerous. ✓
Answer: D. Can be dangerous.
Loading a school bus can be dangerous. The handbook warns that students may drop an object near the bus during loading or unloading, and going back for it can put them out of the driver's sight at a dangerous moment. It also describes danger zones around the bus where children are most at risk of being hit by another vehicle or their own bus. Loading puts students near the bus, so it is a process that can be dangerous and calls for close attention.
10. When entering traffic, a large vehicle usually needs:
- Less space than is needed for a car.
- About the same amount of space as is needed for a car.
- More space than is needed for a car. ✓
Answer: C. More space than is needed for a car.
A large vehicle usually needs more space than is needed for a car. The handbook says that because large vehicles accelerate slowly and take up more room, you may need a much larger gap to enter traffic than you would in a car. It also notes that acceleration changes with the load, so a heavily loaded vehicle needs even more room. That is why the correct choice is the one saying more space is needed than for a car.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook