Sharing the Road — 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. Sharing the Road: 20 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 York CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 20 (5% 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
Not yet verified
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Questions (20)
1. If your truck or trailer catches fire, you should:
- Park in a congested area near trees.
- Pull into a service station.
- Park near other vehicles.
- Park in an open area. ✓
Answer: D. Park in an open area.
Park in an open area. The handbook says to stop in an open spot and keep clear of buildings, trees, brush, other vehicles, and anything that might catch fire. It also says not to pull into a service station. That guidance points to an open area because it keeps the fire away from things it could reach. The other choices put the truck near things that can burn or near people and property.
2. Compared to other commercial motor vehicles, combination vehicles need more space on the road because they are longer and they:
- Need more space to turn and stop. ✓
- Drive more slowly.
- Are twice the width.
- Swerve more often.
Answer: A. Need more space to turn and stop.
Combination vehicles need more space because they are longer and need more room to turn and stop. The handbook says doubles and triples take up more space than other commercial vehicles. They are longer, and they cannot be turned or stopped suddenly, so you should allow more following distance and make sure you have large enough gaps before entering or crossing traffic. The general driving section makes the same point for large vehicles: they take up more space and need more space for stopping and turning. That directly supports choosing the answer about turning and stopping.
3. At railroad crossings, bus drivers:
- Do not need to stop.
- Do not need to stop, but must reduce their speed to 25 mph below the posted speed limit.
- Do not need to stop, but must open the door to listen for trains.
- Must stop and check for any approaching trains. ✓
Answer: D. Must stop and check for any approaching trains.
Bus drivers must stop at railroad crossings and check for any approaching trains. The handbook tells school bus drivers not to cross the tracks unless they can see far enough down the track to know for certain that no train is approaching. It also says to look and listen even when active signals indicate the tracks are clear, because signals alone are not enough. That means the bus driver must stop and make the check before committing the bus to the crossing, rather than rolling through on the signal.
4. When approaching a railroad crossing, you should:
- Increase your speed to get across the tracks as quickly as possible.
- Roll your window down to listen for a train.
- Rely on traffic control signals.
- Never try to outdrive an approaching train. ✓
Answer: D. Never try to outdrive an approaching train.
You should never try to outdrive an approaching train; slow down and be ready to stop if needed. The handbook says to approach every railroad crossing expecting a train and warns that judging a train's speed or distance is very hard. It directly tells drivers not to race a train to a crossing. Trying to beat a train depends on a judgment you cannot make reliably, so the safe choice is to hold back rather than outdrive it.
5. Buses must never carry:
- Tear gas. ✓
- Any amount of solid Class 6 poisons.
- Bottled oxygen.
- Emergency hospital supplies.
Answer: A. Tear gas.
Buses must never carry tear gas. The passenger-safety section lists tear gas with Division 2.3 poison gas, liquid Class 6 poison, and irritating material as things a bus must never carry. It treats solid Class 6 poisons differently: only more than 100 pounds are prohibited. That is why tear gas is the clear never-carry item among these choices. The passage does not list bottled oxygen or emergency hospital supplies as banned bus cargo.
6. The area to the left of a school bus is considered especially dangerous to students because:
- The sun’s reflection obscures the left side of the bus.
- Passing vehicles are located to the left of the bus. ✓
- It is difficult to see the left side of any bus.
- There is no door on the left side of the bus.
Answer: B. Passing vehicles are located to the left of the bus.
The left side of a school bus is especially dangerous to students because passing vehicles are located there. The handbook describes the danger zone as the area around the bus where children are most at risk of being hit by another vehicle or by their own bus. It also says the area to the left of the bus is always considered dangerous because of passing cars. That matches the answer: the hazard on the left side comes from traffic passing the bus, not from the bus door or from poor visibility of that side.
7. 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.
8. When approaching a railroad crossing:
- You will likely be able to outdrive a train.
- You should not rely only on warning signals. ✓
- You should roll a window down to listen for an approaching train.
- You should only worry about the track closest to your vehicle.
Answer: B. You should not rely only on warning signals.
You should not rely only on warning signals; treat signals, gates, and flagmen as aids, not guarantees, and keep looking and listening for a train. The handbook's crossing section says you should not rely solely on warning signals, gates, or flagmen. It also warns that trains may not sound horns at some crossings and that noise inside the cab can keep you from hearing a horn until the train is close. So the safe approach is to slow down, look and listen in both directions, and stay alert even when a signal or gate appears to clear the way.
9. When stopped at a railroad crossing while operating a school bus, you should:
- Assume you'll hear an approaching train.
- Rely solely on signals to tell you if a train is approaching.
- Open the door and listen for a train. ✓
- Immediately proceed after a train has passed.
Answer: C. Open the door and listen for a train.
You should open the door and listen for a train. The school bus section tells you to turn off radios and noisy equipment, silence the passengers, open the service door and driver's window, and then look and listen for an approaching train. Opening the door is part of making sure you can hear a train before you cross. The general crossing passage also says to listen and look in both directions along the track and watch for signals. The choice about opening the door and listening matches that guidance.
10. If driving a truck that requires a CDL for operation:
- You do not need to wear a seat belt.
- You are required to wear a seat belt, but only if transporting more than 500 pounds of cargo.
- You are always required to wear a seat belt. ✓
- You are only required to wear a seat belt when driving a tank trailer.
Answer: C. You are always required to wear a seat belt.
If you drive a truck that requires a CDL, you are always required to wear a seat belt. The handbook's vehicle-inspection material tells you the driver's seat should have a seat belt and that you should always use it for safety. That instruction is not tied to a particular load, trailer type, or cargo weight, so nothing in it gives a CDL driver a pass to skip the belt. The rule applies to the driver every time the vehicle is moving, whatever you happen to be hauling.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook