Sharing the Road — New Mexico
New Mexico CDL practice test: 411 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: 30 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 | New Mexico CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 30 (7% of 411 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 (30)
1. When approaching a school bus stop, the driver should:
- Honk the horn.
- Drive slowly. ✓
- Talk to students on the bus.
Answer: B. Drive slowly.
When you approach a school bus stop, drive slowly. The handbook says to use extreme caution when coming up to a school bus stop and to approach at a slow rate of speed. It also tells you to watch for pedestrians, traffic, and other objects before, during, and after you stop, and to keep checking all mirrors. Driving slowly fits that instruction because it gives you time to see and respond to what is around the bus.
2. When a school bus is approaching a bus stop, the driver should:
- Not use the mirrors.
- Approach with caution. ✓
- Drive quickly and stop abruptly.
Answer: B. Approach with caution.
Approach the bus stop with caution, using a slow rate of speed. The handbook says to use extreme caution when approaching a school bus stop and to approach cautiously at a slow rate of speed. It also says to look for pedestrians, traffic, or other objects before, during, and after coming to a stop, and to check all mirrors continuously. Those instructions match a cautious approach. They do not support driving fast, stopping abruptly, or skipping mirror checks.
3. Containerized loads are used:
- When the cargo is too large to fit on a truck.
- When the cargo has been or will be transported by a train. ✓
- When the cargo is a liquid.
Answer: B. When the cargo has been or will be transported by a train.
Containerized loads are used when the cargo has been or will be transported by a train. The handbook explains that containerized loads are generally used when freight travels part of the way by rail or ship, with truck delivery at the start and/or end of the trip. So the container fits a journey that includes another carrier, not just a truck-only move. Once loaded, containers still must be secured properly, and sealed loads cannot be inspected, but you should still check weight limits. The rail or ship part of the journey is why this choice fits.
4. During the driving test, when encountering a railroad crossing, you should:
- Pass another vehicle on the tracks if the other vehicle is going too slow.
- Get out of the vehicle to check for a train.
- Not change gears while your vehicle is on the tracks. ✓
Answer: C. Not change gears while your vehicle is on the tracks.
You should not change gears while any part of your vehicle is on the tracks. The handbook says that before the crossing you should decelerate, brake smoothly, and shift gears as needed, but once any part of the vehicle is in the crossing you must not stop, change gears, pass another vehicle, or change lanes. Gears are set before you reach the tracks so you can keep both hands on the wheel and drive straight across without interruption. The school bus section repeats the same idea: cross in a low gear and do not shift while crossing.
5. Dry bulk tanks:
- Usually have low centers of gravity.
- Usually have high centers of gravity. ✓
- Are usually not allowed to cross railroad tracks.
Answer: B. Usually have high centers of gravity.
Dry bulk tanks usually have high centers of gravity. The handbook's cargo section directly describes dry bulk tanks as needing special care because they have a high center of gravity and the load can shift. That means the weight is carried high, making the vehicle less stable. The same passage tells you to be very cautious, slowing down for curves and sharp turns. The tank vehicle section also explains that a high center of gravity makes a vehicle top-heavy and easier to roll over, which fits the warning given for dry bulk tanks.
6. If there is a fire on a school bus, the students:
- Must be evacuated. ✓
- Should stay on the bus but be moved to a part of the bus unaffected by the fire.
- Should stay in their seats.
Answer: A. Must be evacuated.
If there is a fire on a school bus, the students must be evacuated. The handbook sets a general rule that student safety and control are best kept by leaving students on the bus during an emergency, but only as long as staying aboard does not put them at unnecessary risk. It then lists the conditions a driver should weigh when deciding whether to evacuate, and the first one is whether there is a fire or danger of fire, or a smell of raw or leaking fuel. A fire is exactly the kind of risk that makes staying on the bus unsafe, so the students need to be gotten off.
7. If a school bus stalls on a railroad track:
- Students should remain on the bus.
- Students should be evacuated to a location near the bus.
- Students should be evacuated and moved away from the bus. ✓
Answer: C. Students should be evacuated and moved away from the bus.
Students should be evacuated and moved away from the bus. The handbook's special-situation rule for a bus stalled or trapped on tracks says to get everyone out and off the tracks right away. It also says to move everyone far from the bus at an angle, both away from the tracks and toward the train. That matches evacuating the students and getting them away from the bus, rather than keeping them aboard or leaving them close by. The point is to clear the track area and put distance between the students and the bus after they exit.
8. More than half of all accident-related truck driver deaths are caused by:
- Rollovers. ✓
- Slippery roads.
- Other drivers.
Answer: A. Rollovers.
9. When approaching a railroad crossing while transporting chlorine:
- You must stop before crossing the tracks. ✓
- You must reduce your speed before crossing the tracks.
- You may proceed across the tracks without stopping if no warning lights are flashing.
Answer: A. You must stop before crossing the tracks.
When you are hauling chlorine, you must stop before the railroad tracks. The handbook says to stop before a railroad crossing if your vehicle carries any amount of chlorine. It also says to stop 15 to 50 feet before the nearest rail, then cross only when you are sure no train is coming and you can clear the tracks without stopping. The handbook's stop requirement is based on carrying chlorine, so slowing down or rolling across when no warning lights are flashing does not meet the rule.
10. A passive railroad crossing:
- Has a control device.
- Does not have any control devices. ✓
- Should be avoided.
Answer: B. Does not have any control devices.
A passive railroad crossing does not have any traffic control devices, so you must rely on your own eyes and ears to decide when it is safe to cross. The handbook separates crossings into two kinds. A passive crossing has no traffic control device at all, while an active one has devices such as flashing red lights, bells or gates. At a passive crossing you have to spot the crossing yourself, look for a train, and judge whether there is enough clear space on the other side. Because nothing warns or stops you, the decision to stop or go rests with you, so the handbook says to be especially careful there.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook