Sharing the Road — 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. Sharing the Road: 25 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 | Rhode Island CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 25 (7% 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
Not yet verified
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Questions (25)
1. 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.
2. When approaching a school bus stop, the bus driver should:
- Not use their mirrors.
- Approach the stop with caution. ✓
- Stop on the sidewalk.
Answer: B. Approach the stop with caution.
Approach the school bus stop with caution — slow down and come in carefully. The handbook tells you to use extreme caution when approaching a school bus stop and to approach cautiously at a slow rate of speed. While you approach and stop, you keep watching for pedestrians, traffic, or other objects and keep checking all your mirrors. The passage also ties caution to following state and local laws about mirrors, flashing lights, and the stop arm and crossing control arm. So entering a stop slowly and carefully is exactly the behavior the handbook describes.
3. When approaching a school bus stop, the driver should:
- Honk the horn.
- Drive slowly. ✓
- Talk to students on the bus.
Answer: B. Drive slowly.
When you approach a school bus stop, drive slowly. The handbook says to use extreme caution when coming up to a school bus stop and to approach at a slow rate of speed. It also tells you to watch for pedestrians, traffic, and other objects before, during, and after you stop, and to keep checking all mirrors. Driving slowly fits that instruction because it gives you time to see and respond to what is around the bus.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. A passive railroad crossing:
- Has a control device.
- Does not have any control devices. ✓
- Should be avoided.
Answer: B. Does not have any control devices.
A passive railroad crossing does not have any traffic control devices, so you must rely on your own eyes and ears to decide when it is safe to cross. The handbook separates crossings into two kinds. A passive crossing has no traffic control device at all, while an active one has devices such as flashing red lights, bells or gates. At a passive crossing you have to spot the crossing yourself, look for a train, and judge whether there is enough clear space on the other side. Because nothing warns or stops you, the decision to stop or go rests with you, so the handbook says to be especially careful there.
7. When a school bus is approaching a bus stop, the driver should:
- Not use the mirrors.
- Approach with caution. ✓
- Drive quickly and stop abruptly.
Answer: B. Approach with caution.
Approach the bus stop with caution, using a slow rate of speed. The handbook says to use extreme caution when approaching a school bus stop and to approach cautiously at a slow rate of speed. It also says to look for pedestrians, traffic, or other objects before, during, and after coming to a stop, and to check all mirrors continuously. Those instructions match a cautious approach. They do not support driving fast, stopping abruptly, or skipping mirror checks.
8. What should you do if your vehicle gets stuck on railroad tracks?
- Stay in the vehicle.
- Get out of the vehicle and call for assistance. ✓
- Continue trying to get your vehicle off the tracks until you are successful.
Answer: B. Get out of the vehicle and call for assistance.
If your vehicle gets stuck on the tracks, get out of the vehicle and call for assistance. The handbook says that if you get stuck on the tracks for any reason, you should get out of the vehicle and away from the tracks. Then you check the signposts or signal housing at the crossing for emergency notification information and call 911 or another emergency number, giving the location with all identifiable landmarks, especially the DOT number if it is posted. So the right move is to leave the vehicle and phone for help, not to sit inside it or keep working the controls.
9. If your vehicle gets stuck on railroad tracks, you should:
- Sit in the cab and call for help.
- Exit the cab and walk away from the tracks. ✓
- Motion for another driver to push your vehicle.
Answer: B. Exit the cab and walk away from the tracks.
Leave the cab and move away from the tracks. The handbook says that if you get stuck on the tracks for any reason, you should get out of the vehicle and away from the tracks. Once clear, check the signposts or signal housing at the crossing for emergency notification information, then call 911 or another emergency number. When you call, give the crossing location using landmarks, especially the DOT number if it is posted. The first action is to get yourself off the tracks, not to stay with the vehicle.
10. Dry bulk tanks:
- Usually have a low center of gravity.
- Usually have a high center of gravity. ✓
- Are usually not allowed to cross railroad tracks.
Answer: B. Usually have a high center of gravity.
Dry bulk tanks usually have a high center of gravity. The handbook section on cargo needing special attention says dry bulk tanks require extra care because their center of gravity is high and the load can shift. That high, shifting weight makes the vehicle less stable, so the handbook says to be very cautious and go slowly around curves and sharp turns. The answer follows directly from that warning: dry bulk tanks usually have a high center of gravity.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook