Sharing the Road — Virginia
Virginia CDL practice test: 417 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: 21 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 | Virginia CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 21 (5% of 417 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 (21)
1. Doors should be closed while a school bus is being driven, except when:
- Crossing railroad tracks. ✓
- Needing to cool off the inside of the vehicle.
- There is no vehicle next to the bus.
Answer: A. Crossing railroad tracks.
The doors may be open when the school bus is crossing railroad tracks. The handbook's on-road driving section says a bus driver may be required to open the window and door before going over tracks. That is the exception given for having the door open while the bus is moving. The railroad-crossing passages focus on stopping, sight distance, and clearing the tracks; none of them say doors must stay shut at crossings. So the bank answer fits the handbook: crossing tracks is when door use can be required.
2. If there is a fire on a school bus, the students:
- Must be evacuated. ✓
- Should stay on the bus but be moved to a part of the bus unaffected by the fire.
- Should stay in their seats.
Answer: A. Must be evacuated.
If there is a fire on a school bus, the students must be evacuated. The handbook sets a general rule that student safety and control are best kept by leaving students on the bus during an emergency, but only as long as staying aboard does not put them at unnecessary risk. It then lists the conditions a driver should weigh when deciding whether to evacuate, and the first one is whether there is a fire or danger of fire, or a smell of raw or leaking fuel. A fire is exactly the kind of risk that makes staying on the bus unsafe, so the students need to be gotten off.
3. 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.
4. If your bus has a manual transmission, what should you never do when crossing railroad tracks?
- Change gears. ✓
- Use the brakes.
- Look both ways.
Answer: A. Change gears.
When your bus has a manual transmission, you should never change gears while crossing railroad tracks. The handbook directly says that if your bus has a manual transmission, never change gears while crossing the tracks. It also says not to change gears while any part of your vehicle is in the crossing. Gear shifting belongs before the crossing, when you slow down and brake smoothly; during the crossing, the manual says to keep your hands on the steering wheel. Looking and listening for trains is still required.
5. When students are being picked up by a school bus:
- The students should wait at a designated bus stop. ✓
- The driver should stop to pick up students who are walking to a designated bus stop.
- The parents may choose where the bus stops are located.
Answer: A. The students should wait at a designated bus stop.
Students should wait at a designated bus stop for the school bus. The manual tells students to wait at a designated spot and face the bus as it approaches. It also describes stopping the bus a set distance from the students at the designated stop, so they walk to the bus. That gives the driver a better view of their movements. Waiting at the designated stop matches this loading procedure.
6. If your bus stalls on a railroad track, what should you do?
- Get everyone out of the bus and move far from the bus. ✓
- Keep everyone inside of the bus and try to wave down the train to make it stop.
- Keep everyone inside the bus and wait for help.
Answer: A. Get everyone out of the bus and move far from the bus.
Get everyone out of the bus and move far from it, at an angle away from the tracks and toward the train. The handbook's special situation for a bus that stalls or is trapped on railroad tracks says to clear everyone out and off the tracks right away. It then says to move everyone far from the bus at an angle that takes them away from the tracks and toward the train. The bank answer matches that procedure. The passage does not describe keeping passengers inside or trying to signal the train, so the safe action it gives is to evacuate and get well clear.
7. If other vehicles are having a difficult time getting around your truck on a road with two or more lanes, you should:
- Speed up.
- Drive on the shoulder.
- Use the right lane. ✓
Answer: C. Use the right lane.
Use the right lane when other vehicles are having trouble getting around your truck. The handbook says heavy vehicles often get tailgated when they cannot keep up with traffic, especially uphill. It advises staying in the right lane if you can. It also says not to speed up when tailgated and to open space ahead so the driver behind can get around. Using the right lane leaves other lanes free for faster traffic and fits that guidance.
8. Who is responsible for cargo that has been loaded onto a truck?
- The person who loaded the truck
- The supervisor of the company
- The truck driver ✓
Answer: C. The truck driver
The truck driver is responsible for cargo loaded onto the truck. The handbook puts the cargo-securement inspection on the person driving the truck. It says drivers transporting cargo must check the securement within the first 50 miles and then every 150 miles or three hours, whichever comes first. Because that continuing check is assigned to the driver, the driver is the choice that fits. The passages do not say the loader or company supervisor carries this duty.
9. When students are boarding a school bus, the driver should do all of the following, except:
- Check all mirrors for students rushing toward the bus.
- Count the number of students at the bus stop and ensure all have boarded.
- Allow student to board in pairs. ✓
Answer: C. Allow student to board in pairs.
The driver should not let students board in pairs; students must board slowly, in single file, using the handrail. The handbook's loading procedure tells you to count the students at the stop and confirm that all of them get on, checking your mirrors again for anyone near or coming back to the bus. It also spells out how they should get on: slowly, one behind the other in single file, holding the handrail. Boarding in pairs is not part of that procedure, so it is the step that does not belong with the others listed.
10. To ensure that you do not slow down traffic when driving a large truck, you should:
- Switch gears while driving uphill.
- Try to pass another vehicle while driving uphill.
- Stay in the right lane whenever possible. ✓
Answer: C. Stay in the right lane whenever possible.
You should stay in the right lane whenever possible. The handbook addresses this directly in its uphill driving guidance. It says heavy vehicles get tailgated when they cannot keep up with traffic, and that this often happens uphill. If a heavy load is slowing you down, the instruction is to stay in the right lane if you can. That keeps slower traffic out of the way of faster vehicles. The same passage also warns against passing another slow vehicle uphill unless you can get around quickly and safely.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook