Bad Weather & Night Driving — Rhode Island
Rhode Island CDL practice test: 378 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: 21 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 | Rhode Island CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 21 (6% of 378 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 (21)
1. The trailer hand valve should not be used while you are driving because:
- It will disconnect from the vehicle.
- You will stop the vehicle too quickly.
- It can cause a skid. ✓
Answer: C. It can cause a skid.
The trailer hand valve should not be used while driving because it can cause the trailer to skid. The handbook says the trailer hand valve, also called the trolley valve or Johnson bar, works the trailer brakes and should be used only to test them. It warns that using it while driving creates a danger of making the trailer skid. The foot brake sends air to all the brakes, including the trailer's, and the handbook says there is much less chance of a skid or jackknife when you use just the foot brake.
2. When driving under wet conditions, a lack of spray coming from the tires of other vehicles indicates that:
- Ice has formed on the road. ✓
- The pavement is dry.
- The spray is caught on the underside of the vehicle.
Answer: A. Ice has formed on the road.
A lack of spray from other vehicles under wet conditions means ice has formed on the road. The handbook puts this under slippery-surface driving. It says to watch for ice, particularly on bridges and overpasses, and that when other vehicles throw no spray, ice has formed on the road. It also suggests checking your mirrors and wiper blades for ice, since ice there makes an icy road likely. So the missing spray is a warning sign to slow down and treat the surface as slippery, not a sign that the pavement is dry or that spray is trapped underneath.
3. One way to prevent hydroplaning on wet road surfaces is to:
- Ensure that your tires have good tread depth. ✓
- Under-inflate your tires.
- Drive faster than usual.
Answer: A. Ensure that your tires have good tread depth.
One way to prevent hydroplaning is to ensure that your tires have good tread depth. The handbook's inspection section says low tread depth increases the effect of hydroplaning. It also lists tread depth as an inspection item, with minimum measurements in the major grooves. So keeping adequate tread is the supported way to reduce hydroplaning, not a tire pressure change or higher speed. The driving section also says wet roads call for lower speed because traction is reduced.
4. Skids caused by over-acceleration can usually be resolved by:
- Removing your foot from the accelerator. ✓
- Braking.
- Swerving to the right.
Answer: A. Removing your foot from the accelerator.
The correct action is to remove your foot from the accelerator. The Texas CDL handbook says the most common skid is a drive-wheel skid, where the rear wheels lose traction from too much braking or acceleration. For an acceleration-caused skid, it says easing off the gas can stop it easily. It adds that on very slippery surfaces you may push the clutch in so the engine does not keep the wheels from rolling freely and regaining traction. Braking or steering harder is not the remedy it gives for this kind of skid.
5. 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.
6. Driving at night is:
- Safer than driving during the day.
- Just as safe as driving during the day.
- More dangerous than driving during the day. ✓
Answer: C. More dangerous than driving during the day.
Driving at night is more dangerous than driving during the day. The handbook opens its night-driving section by saying you are at greater risk after dark. In daylight you can spot hazards sooner; at night you cannot see them as quickly, so you have less time to react. A driver caught by surprise is less able to avoid a crash. The handbook also ties night driving to glare and fatigue, which impair vision and judgment. That combination supports the answer that night driving is more dangerous than daytime driving.
7. If a trailer begins to skid, it is best for the driver to:
- Release the brakes. ✓
- Accelerate.
- Quickly turn the steering wheel in one direction, then in the other.
Answer: A. Release the brakes.
When a trailer begins to skid, release the brakes. The handbook's procedure for stopping a trailer skid is to release the brakes. It explains that the trailer wheel brakes caused the skid, so letting them off lets the tires regain traction. Once the trailer wheels grip again, the trailer follows the tractor and straightens out. The handbook also says to watch the trailer in your mirrors during hard braking, because once it swings out of your lane a jackknife is hard to prevent. That is why getting traction back matters more than braking harder or steering sharply.
8. When driving in fog, you should:
- Slow down. ✓
- Speed up.
- Drive on the shoulder.
Answer: A. Slow down.
Slow down when driving in fog. The handbook warns that fog can appear without warning and visibility can drop fast. It says to be ready to reduce speed and to slow down before you enter fog. If fog is bad enough, it is better to pull off the road into a rest area or truck stop than to keep driving. That supports slowing down rather than trying to drive faster or treating the shoulder as a travel lane.
9. When carrying Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 explosives, your vehicle should not be:
- Parked within 300 feet of a bridge. ✓
- Parked within 40 feet of the road.
- Driven in rain or snow.
Answer: A. Parked within 300 feet of a bridge.
You should not park within 300 feet of a bridge when carrying Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 explosives. The handbook's parking rule for these explosives forbids parking within 300 feet of a bridge, tunnel, building, place where people gather, or open fire, except for short operational stops such as fueling. It also says never park within five feet of the traveled part of the road. That makes the bridge-distance choice the one that matches the rule. The passages do not set a 40-foot road distance and do not ban driving in rain or snow.
10. Of the following, which is the most slippery surface?
- Ice that is dry
- Ice that is wet ✓
- Wet pavement
Answer: B. Ice that is wet
Wet ice is the most slippery of the choices; the handbook says wet ice is much more slippery than ice that is not wet. The handbook lists melting ice as a sign of a slippery road. It explains that slight melting makes ice wet, and that wet ice is much more slippery than ice that is not wet. That directly supports choosing wet ice over dry ice. It also says wet roads can double stopping distance, so wet pavement is slippery too, but the handbook's direct comparison is between wet ice and ice that is not wet.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook