Bad Weather & Night Driving — Oregon
Oregon CDL practice test: 463 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: 20 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 | Oregon CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 20 (4% of 463 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 (20)
1. An air supply control in its "emergency" position will:
- Turn on the air supply.
- Apply the trailer emergency brakes. ✓
- Prevent a skid.
- Accelerate the vehicle.
Answer: B. Apply the trailer emergency brakes.
An air supply control in the "emergency" position applies the trailer emergency brakes. The handbook describes the trailer air supply control as the valve you use to manage the tractor protection valve. Pushing it in sends air to the trailer; pulling it out cuts that air off and sets the trailer emergency brakes. The same section says the emergency position is for shutting off the air and applying those brakes, while normal is for pulling a trailer. That matches the answer.
2. When driving on packed snow, you should reduce your speed:
- By at least one-half. ✓
- By about one-third.
- By about one-quarter.
- By about one-eighth.
Answer: A. By at least one-half.
On packed snow, reduce your speed by at least one-half. The handbook ties speed to traction: on a slippery surface it takes longer to stop and is harder to turn without skidding. It gives a specific cut for packed snow: reduce speed by a half, or more. That matches the answer calling for at least one-half. The same passage gives a smaller reduction, about one-third, for a wet road, so it is the packed-snow figure that supports going slower by half or more.
3. Black ice is:
- A thick layer of ice on the road.
- A thin layer of ice on the road. ✓
- Ice that is black from debris on the road.
Answer: B. A thin layer of ice on the road.
Black ice is a thin layer of ice on the road. The handbook describes black ice as a thin, clear layer that lets you see the road underneath it. Because it is clear, the road can look wet rather than icy. The manual warns that when the temperature is below freezing and the road looks wet, you should watch for black ice. That wording points to a thin layer, not a thick slab, and it has nothing to do with debris coloring the ice black.
4. When other vehicles have trouble seeing you at dawn or dusk, you can increase your visibility by:
- Turning on your four-way flashers.
- Honking your horn.
- Turning on your headlights. ✓
- Turning on your windshield wipers.
Answer: C. Turning on your headlights.
Turning on your headlights is the way to increase your visibility to other drivers at dawn or dusk. The handbook says that at dawn, dusk, rain, or snow you need to make yourself easier to see. It points out that if you have trouble seeing other vehicles, they likely have trouble seeing you. The instruction is to turn on your lights, and specifically to use your headlights, not just the identification or clearance lights. It also says to use low beams because high beams can bother other people. Turning on your headlights helps other drivers notice your vehicle.
5. 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.
6. Roads are especially slippery right after it begins to rain because:
- The water mixes with oil and grease on the road. ✓
- Tires are not made to drive in wet weather.
- The water yet hasn't absorbed the dirt and grease.
Answer: A. The water mixes with oil and grease on the road.
Roads are especially slippery right after rain begins because the water mixes with oil and grease left on the road. The handbook says that just after it starts to rain, water mixes with oil left on the road by vehicles, making the road very slippery. If rain continues, it washes the oil away. That oil-and-water film reduces traction, and the handbook notes that slippery roads make stopping take longer and turning harder without skidding. So the first rain is the risky time, before the oil has been washed off.
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. Hydroplaning:
- Rarely occurs with large trucks.
- Usually happens when vehicles are traveling faster than 65 mph.
- Can occur with a minimal amount of water on the roadway. ✓
Answer: C. Can occur with a minimal amount of water on the roadway.
Hydroplaning can occur with a minimal amount of water on the roadway. The handbook states that only a small amount of water is needed for hydroplaning, and it points to clear reflections, tire splashes, and raindrops as signs of standing water. It also says hydroplaning can happen at speeds as low as 30 mph when there is a lot of water, and that low tire pressure or worn tread makes it more likely. That supports water amount, not vehicle size or a high speed threshold, as the key condition.
9. If an approaching driver is using their high beam headlights, you should:
- Look directly at the headlights.
- Flash your high beam lights to remind the driver to switch to their low beams.
- Look to the right side of your lane until the vehicle has passed. ✓
- Pull to the side of the road until the vehicle has passed.
Answer: C. Look to the right side of your lane until the vehicle has passed.
10. Driving at night is usually:
- More difficult than driving during the day. ✓
- Simpler than driving during the day.
- Discouraged.
Answer: A. More difficult than driving during the day.
Driving at night is more difficult than driving during the day. The handbook's night driving section treats darkness as a harder condition to drive in. It says your turn signals and brake lights matter even more at night for telling other drivers what you plan to do, and that a clean windshield and clean mirrors matter more than in daytime. The reason it gives is glare: bright lights at night hit dirt on glass or mirrors and block your view. It also warns about glare from oncoming headlights and from your own lights in other drivers' mirrors. All of that adds work and risk that daytime driving does not.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook