General Driving Knowledge — New York
New York CDL practice test: 389 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. General Driving Knowledge: 135 questions.
Questions that do not fit a single topic: lane use, turning, signalling and other rules of the road.
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 | General Driving Knowledge |
| License test | New York CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 135 (35% of 389 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 (135)
1. Which of the following may result in an applicant being denied a hazardous materials endorsement?
- They are not a lawful permanent resident of the United States. ✓
- They have had a speeding conviction within the previous three years.
- They did not correctly answer every question on the written hazardous materials endorsement test.
- They did not pass the written hazardous materials endorsement test on the first attempt.
Answer: A. They are not a lawful permanent resident of the United States.
An applicant may be denied a hazardous materials endorsement if they are not a lawful permanent resident of the United States. The handbook says you will be denied or lose a hazardous materials endorsement if you are not a lawful permanent resident of the United States. It also lists other security-related grounds, such as renouncing citizenship, being wanted or under indictment for certain felonies, certain felony convictions, being adjudicated as lacking mental capacity, or being considered a security threat. The passage does not list a speeding conviction or written-test scoring as denial grounds for this endorsement.
2. How many classes of hazardous materials are there?
- One
- Three
- Six
- Nine ✓
Answer: D. Nine
There are nine classes of hazardous materials. The handbook states that hazardous materials are grouped into nine hazard classes and lists the materials included in each class. It repeats the same count when it describes the major hazard classes and the diamond-shaped hazard labels. Since the question asks for the number of classes, the handbook's count of nine is the answer, not a smaller grouping such as one, three, or six.
3. If there is a collision involving a vehicle transporting Class 1 explosives, the driver should:
- Not warn others of the danger.
- Allow smoking near the vehicle.
- Keep the explosives inside the vehicle until after separating the vehicles involved in the collision.
- Remove the explosives from the vehicle before separating the vehicles involved in the collision. ✓
Answer: D. Remove the explosives from the vehicle before separating the vehicles involved in the collision.
Take the explosives out of the vehicle before you pull apart the vehicles involved in the collision. The handbook's Class 1 explosives section tells you to remove every explosive before separating the vehicles in a collision. It also says to place them at least 200 feet from the vehicles and occupied buildings, and to stay a safe distance away. Before that, warn others, keep bystanders back, and allow no smoking or open flame near the vehicle. The bank answer matches that instruction: get the explosives off the vehicle before the wrecked vehicles are separated.
4. When a shipper packages hazardous materials, they certify that the package:
- Does not contain hazardous materials.
- Has been prepared in compliance with the rules. ✓
- Was packed at a specific location.
- Will be placed on the trailer first.
Answer: B. Has been prepared in compliance with the rules.
The shipper certifies that the package has been prepared in compliance with the rules. The handbook says a shipper who packages hazardous materials signs a certification that the package was prepared according to the rules. That signed certification appears on the original shipping paper, with limited exceptions for private carriers hauling their own product and carrier-supplied packages such as cargo tanks. The driver may rely on the shipper's certification about proper packaging unless the package is clearly unsafe or does not comply with the hazardous materials rules. So the certification is about compliance with packaging rules, not about what the package contains or where it sits in the load.
5. During the straight line backing exercise, how many times are you permitted to exit the vehicle to check its position?
- One time ✓
- Two times
- Three times
- Four times
Answer: A. One time
You are permitted to exit the vehicle one time during the straight-line backing exercise. The handbook sets a maximum of one free look for Exercise 2, Straight-Line Backing. It defines a look as safely stopping and exiting the vehicle to check its external position while backing. The same passage allows two free looks for Exercise 4, Reverse Offset Backing, so the single look is specific to the straight-line exercise. The examiner explains looks when giving instructions, and the exercise must be completed as directed.
6. If you need to back your trailer but cannot back up in a straight path, you should:
- Back toward the passenger's side.
- Back toward the driver's side. ✓
- Swerve back and forth while backing.
- Always turn to your right.
Answer: B. Back toward the driver's side.
If you cannot back in a straight line, back toward the driver's side. The handbook says that when backing with a trailer, you should try to set up for a straight line. If the path must curve, back toward the driver's side so you can see. It also explains that backing toward the right side is dangerous because your view is worse, and that driver-side backing lets you watch the rear of the vehicle through the side window. That visibility reason is what makes the driver's side the safer choice.
7. There may be restrictions on the transportation of explosives or hazardous waste in certain areas. These restrictions:
- Are usually not a concern.
- Are waived on the weekends.
- Should be researched before taking a route. ✓
- Only apply if transporting more than 1,000 pounds of a material.
Answer: C. Should be researched before taking a route.
You should research restrictions on explosives or hazardous waste before taking a route. The handbook says some states and counties require permits for hazardous materials or wastes and may limit which routes you can use. It also warns that local route and permit rules change often. The driver is responsible for finding out whether permits or special routes are needed and for having the needed papers before starting. It tells drivers to ask a dispatcher or check with state agencies and to always check before starting. That supports researching the route before you take it.
8. Placards should be used:
- Any time a vehicle is carrying hazardous materials. ✓
- If there is open space in the truck.
- If the amount of hazardous materials in the truck exceeds 200 pounds.
- If the hazardous materials create an inhalation hazard.
Answer: A. Any time a vehicle is carrying hazardous materials.
9. An improperly placarded vehicle:
- Can never be moved.
- Can only be moved in an emergency. ✓
- Can be driven short distances.
- Can be driven if it does not contain radioactive materials.
Answer: B. Can only be moved in an emergency.
An improperly placarded vehicle may be moved only in an emergency, to protect life or property. The placarding section tells you to put the right placards on the vehicle before you drive it. It then gives one narrow exception: you are allowed to move a vehicle that is not placarded correctly only during an emergency, and only to protect life or property. Because the rule ties any movement to an emergency situation, the answer that limits movement to emergencies matches what the handbook says.
10. When transporting Division 1.1 materials, the floor liner should be:
- Made from metallic materials.
- Made from an iron alloy.
- Made from non-ferrous materials. ✓
- Loose.
Answer: C. Made from non-ferrous materials.
The floor liner should be made from non-ferrous materials when you haul Division 1.1 materials. The handbook says that for Division 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 you need a floor lining, the floors have to be tight, and the liner must be either non-metallic material or non-ferrous metal. It then explains that non-ferrous metals are metals without iron or iron alloys. So a liner made of non-ferrous material fits what the handbook requires, and that is the choice that matches this rule.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook