Sharing the Road — North Carolina
North Carolina 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: 27 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 | North Carolina CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 27 (6% 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 (27)
1. If equipped with flashing lights, how far in advance of a school bus stop should the bus's lights be activated?
- At least 50 feet
- At least 100 feet
- At least 200 feet ✓
- At least 1,000 feet
Answer: C. At least 200 feet
The bus's alternating flashing amber warning lights should be activated at least 200 feet before the school bus stop. The school bus section of the handbook tells drivers to approach a bus stop slowly and with caution, watching for pedestrians and traffic and checking mirrors throughout. When the bus has the equipment, the alternating amber warning lights should be turned on at least 200 feet before the stop, which the handbook also describes as roughly 5 to 10 seconds ahead, or as state law requires. That early warning distance is what the question is asking about, so the 200-foot figure is the one to remember.
2. On trucks and buses, where are ABS malfunction lamps located?
- On the driver’s door
- On the instrument panel ✓
- On the outside of the vehicle by the passenger’s door
- Under the hood
Answer: B. On the instrument panel
On trucks and buses, the ABS malfunction lamp is on the instrument panel. The handbook states that for tractors, trucks, and buses, the yellow lamp that signals an ABS problem sits on the dashboard panel. It gives the same location for the school bus lamp. That is where you watch for the start-up bulb check and for a lamp that stays on or comes on while driving, which can mean ABS control is lost at one or more wheels. Nothing in the passages puts the truck or bus lamp on the door, outside by the passenger door, or under the hood.
3. At a passive railroad crossing, the decision to proceed:
- Rests with the driver. ✓
- Is indicated by a control device.
- Is decided by the vehicle in front of you.
Answer: A. Rests with the driver.
At a passive railroad crossing, the decision to proceed rests with the driver. A passive crossing has no traffic control device, so nothing at the crossing tells you when to go. The handbook says you must recognize the crossing, look for any train on the tracks, and judge whether there is enough clear space to cross safely. Because no signal or gate makes that call for you, the choice to stop or proceed is entirely in your hands. Active crossings are different: they have devices like flashing red lights or gates that regulate traffic.
4. When driving a school bus, mirrors should be adjusted:
- During the drive.
- Before beginning to drive. ✓
- By the students.
Answer: B. Before beginning to drive.
5. Passive railroad crossings:
- Are controlled by flashing lights.
- Are not controlled by any type of traffic control device. ✓
- Have gates that lower when trains are approaching.
- Should never be crossed by a CMV.
Answer: B. Are not controlled by any type of traffic control device.
Passive railroad crossings are not controlled by any type of traffic control device. The handbook defines a passive crossing as one with no traffic control device installed at the crossing. That is why the driver must recognize it, look for a train, and judge whether there is enough clear space to cross safely; the decision to stop or go is left to the driver. The yellow advance warning signs, pavement markings, and crossbucks help you notice the crossing, but they do not control traffic the way active devices do.
6. Parked delivery trucks may be hazardous because:
- The trucks are often shiny.
- People are often in a hurry when exiting such trucks and may not look for other vehicles. ✓
- Packages often fall out of the trucks and into the road.
Answer: B. People are often in a hurry when exiting such trucks and may not look for other vehicles.
7. Backing a school bus is:
- Strongly encouraged.
- Strongly discouraged. ✓
- Only to be done in the morning.
Answer: B. Strongly discouraged.
Backing a school bus is strongly discouraged; you should back only when there is no other safe way to move the bus. The handbook states that backing a school bus is strongly discouraged. It says you should back only when you have no other safe way to move the vehicle, and you should never back when students are outside the bus. Backing is dangerous and raises the risk of a collision. If you must back, the handbook lists precautions such as posting a lookout, signaling for quiet on the bus, and constantly checking mirrors and rear windows. That supports the bank answer that backing is strongly discouraged rather than encouraged.
8. 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.
9. A commercial motor vehicle driver:
- May use any cell phone while driving.
- May only use a hands-free cell phone while driving, if permitted. ✓
- May only use a cell phone while driving on rural roads.
Answer: B. May only use a hands-free cell phone while driving, if permitted.
A CMV driver may use only a hands-free mobile phone while driving, where use is permitted, and it must be kept close and operable while restrained by the seat belt. The handbook section on cell phones says federal rules restrict hand-held mobile telephone use by CMV drivers, and carriers may not require or allow it. If you choose to use a phone while operating a CMV, the handbook states you may only use a hands-free phone located close to you that you can operate in line with the rule for a voice communication. Using a hand-held phone covers holding it to talk, pressing more than one button to dial, or leaving the seated position to reach it. So the lawful choice is the hands-free phone, not just any phone.
10. 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.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook