Bad Weather & Night Driving — Montana
Montana CDL practice test: 435 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: 22 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 | Montana CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 22 (5% of 435 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 (22)
1. 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.
2. Of the following, which is the most slippery surface?
- Ice that is dry
- Ice that is wet ✓
- Wet pavement
Answer: B. Ice that is wet
Wet ice is the most slippery of the choices; the handbook says wet ice is much more slippery than ice that is not wet. The handbook lists melting ice as a sign of a slippery road. It explains that slight melting makes ice wet, and that wet ice is much more slippery than ice that is not wet. That directly supports choosing wet ice over dry ice. It also says wet roads can double stopping distance, so wet pavement is slippery too, but the handbook's direct comparison is between wet ice and ice that is not wet.
3. What happens when a vehicle hydroplanes?
- The tires lose contact with the road. ✓
- The trailer disengages from the tractor.
- The vehicle becomes easier to control.
Answer: A. The tires lose contact with the road.
The tires lose contact with the road. The handbook compares hydroplaning to water skiing: water or slush builds up and the tires stop touching the pavement. With little or no traction, you may not be able to steer or brake. That matches the choice saying the tires lose contact with the road. The handbook also warns not to use the brakes to slow down while hydroplaning, and says low tire pressure or worn tread makes hydroplaning more likely.
4. Driving at night is:
- Safer than driving during the day.
- Just as safe as driving during the day.
- More dangerous than driving during the day. ✓
- Discouraged.
Answer: C. More dangerous than driving during the day.
Driving at night is more dangerous than driving during the day. The handbook opens its night driving section by saying plainly that you are at greater risk at night. Drivers cannot see hazards as quickly as they can in daylight, so they get less time to respond, and drivers caught by surprise are less able to avoid a crash. The same section adds that most people are less alert at night, especially after midnight, and that people who drive at night are much more likely to have fall-asleep crashes.
5. Shaded areas of a road:
- Usually don’t freeze.
- Are usually blocked from all moisture, so they cannot freeze.
- Will remain slick after ice has melted on other areas of the road. ✓
Answer: C. Will remain slick after ice has melted on other areas of the road.
Shaded areas of the road will remain slick after ice has melted on other areas. The handbook lists shady areas as one sign of a slippery road. It explains that these parts stay icy and slick well after exposed sections have thawed. That is why a shaded stretch can still be dangerous even when the rest of the road looks clear. The answer that says shaded areas stay slick after ice elsewhere has melted matches that warning.
6. Hydroplaning:
- Only occurs at extremely high speeds.
- Can occur at speeds as slow as 30 mph. ✓
- Happens most frequently when tire pressure is too high.
- Happens most frequently when tires have good tread.
Answer: B. Can occur at speeds as slow as 30 mph.
Hydroplaning can occur at speeds as slow as 30 mph when there is a lot of water on the road. The handbook says it does not take much water to cause hydroplaning, and that it can happen at speeds as low as 30 mph if there is a lot of water. So speed alone does not protect you; a slow-moving truck can still lose contact with the road on a wet surface. The same passage adds that low tire pressure and worn tread make hydroplaning more likely, which points to keeping tires properly inflated and checking tread.
7. If unsure if a road is becoming icy, a driver can:
- Guess.
- Open the window and check the front of the mirror for ice. ✓
- Try to look at the road closely.
- Look at a weather forecast.
Answer: B. Open the window and check the front of the mirror for ice.
Open the window and feel the front of the mirror, mirror support, or antenna for ice. The handbook describes an easy, direct way to tell whether the road is starting to freeze: roll down the window and feel the front of the mirror, the mirror support, or the antenna. If ice has formed on those parts, the road surface is probably starting to ice up too. That makes the mirror check a physical test of the conditions around your truck rather than a guess, and it matches what the handbook lists among the signs of a slippery road.
8. When driving at night, you should do all of the following, except:
- Make sure you are rested.
- Make sure your glasses are clean.
- Wear sunglasses. ✓
Answer: C. Wear sunglasses.
You should not wear sunglasses when driving at night. The night-driving section says to make sure you are rested and alert, and if you wear eyeglasses, to keep them clean and unscratched. It then says plainly not to wear sunglasses at night. So resting and clean glasses are recommended for night driving, while sunglasses are the one listed action you should not do. The passage gives the instruction directly and does not add a separate reason beyond it.
9. A person should not smoke within ____ of a vehicle placarded for Class 3 or Division 2.1 materials.
- 10 feet
- 25 feet ✓
- 100 feet
- 1,000 feet
Answer: B. 25 feet
You should stay at least 25 feet away from a placarded vehicle carrying Class 3 flammable liquids or Division 2.1 gases when you smoke. The no-smoking rule in the handbook sets one distance for these loads: keep smoking 25 feet away from a placarded cargo tank holding Class 3 flammable liquids or Division 2.1 gases. The same 25-foot limit applies to smoking or carrying a lighted cigarette, cigar, or pipe near any vehicle carrying those materials. So the bank answer matches the handbook exactly. The reason is straightforward: these are flammable liquids and gases, and a flame near them is a fire hazard, which is why the handbook names a fixed distance rather than leaving it to judgment.
10. 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.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Not yet verified
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook