Bad Weather & Night Driving — Vermont
Vermont CDL practice test: 438 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 | Vermont CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 21 (5% of 438 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. If you are driving in fog, you should not:
- Turn on the four-way flashers.
- Slow down.
- Use your high beam lights. ✓
Answer: C. Use your high beam lights.
When you are driving in fog, you should not use your high beam lights; the handbook calls for low-beam headlights and fog lights instead. The fog section of the handbook tells you to slow down before you enter fog and to run low-beam headlights and fog lights for the best visibility, even in daytime. High beams are never listed as a fog setting, so that is the action on this list you should not take. The handbook's high-beam advice belongs to clear driving: use them only when it is safe and legal, and keep them off when you are within 500 feet of an approaching vehicle.
2. When driving on packed snow, you should reduce your speed by:
- One-half or more. ✓
- About one-third.
- About one-quarter.
Answer: A. One-half or more.
When driving on packed snow, reduce your speed by one-half or more. The handbook pairs each road surface with a speed reduction. On a wet road, it says to cut speed by about one-third. For packed snow, it goes further and says to reduce speed by a half, or more. Slippery surfaces make stopping and turning harder, so you need to slow down to keep control. The packed snow guidance therefore matches the choice of one-half or more.
3. How much water must be present for a vehicle to hydroplane?
- Usually several inches
- A good amount, such as a large puddle
- A small amount ✓
Answer: C. A small amount
4. Hydroplaning:
- Rarely happens to trucks.
- Usually happens when vehicles are traveling at speeds above 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 says it does not take much water to cause hydroplaning, so a small amount on the road can be enough. It describes hydroplaning as the tires losing contact with the road and having little or no traction, which can leave you unable to steer or brake. The same passage also notes it can happen at speeds as low as 30 mph when there is a lot of water, so high speed is not required. That makes the minimal-water statement the one that matches the handbook.
5. A thin layer of ice that forms on road surfaces is called:
- White ice.
- Black ice. ✓
- Blue ice.
Answer: B. Black ice.
A thin layer of ice on a road surface is called black ice. The handbook's slippery-road section defines black ice as a thin, clear layer that lets you see the pavement underneath. Because it is clear, it can make the road look wet instead of icy. The passage also warns that when the temperature is below freezing and the road looks wet, you should watch for black ice. That description matches the question exactly, so black ice is the correct term.
6. If you must drive during periods of high winds, you should:
- Loosen your grip on the steering wheel.
- Increase your speed.
- Reduce your speed. ✓
Answer: C. Reduce your speed.
When you have to drive in high winds, reduce your speed. The handbook explains that higher speed makes the impact of a crash more severe and stretches out braking distance, and that slowing down shortens the distance you need to stop. It also advises not speeding up and notes it is safer to travel at a low speed than a high one. Wind pushes a tall vehicle around, so keeping your speed down leaves you more room to correct and stop if the gusts move you. The manual does not give a separate high-wind speed rule, but its general speed guidance points to slowing down.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. If your vehicle is hydroplaning, you should:
- Turn the steering wheel as hard as possible.
- Not use the brakes. ✓
- Put the vehicle in reverse.
Answer: B. Not use the brakes.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook