General Driving Knowledge — West Virginia
West Virginia CDL practice test: 426 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. General Driving Knowledge: 138 questions.
Questions that do not fit a single topic: lane use, turning, signalling and other rules of the road.
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 | General Driving Knowledge |
| License test | West Virginia CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 138 (32% of 426 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 (138)
1. If you must make a quick stop while transporting liquids, one safe option is to:
- Turn while braking.
- Apply the emergency brake.
- Apply the brakes with minimal pressure.
- Use the stab braking method. ✓
Answer: D. Use the stab braking method.
Use the stab braking method for a quick stop while transporting liquids. The tank vehicle section says that because of the high center of gravity and liquid surge, you must start, slow down, and stop smoothly. If you must make a quick stop to avoid a crash, it says to use controlled braking or stab braking. It also warns that steering quickly while braking can roll the vehicle. Among the choices given, stab braking is the safe method named by the handbook.
2. Identification numbers assigned to chemicals can be found:
- In the DOT Emergency Response Guidebook. ✓
- In the truck's operation manual.
- On the EPA’s website.
- At fuel stations.
Answer: A. In the DOT Emergency Response Guidebook.
3. If a package contains liquid containers, the package must display:
- Arrows pointing in the correct upright direction. ✓
- A return address.
- The number of containers inside the box.
- The word "fragile."
Answer: A. Arrows pointing in the correct upright direction.
The package must display orientation markings with arrows pointing in the correct upright direction. The handbook passage says that packages holding liquid containers inside get package orientation markings. Those markings use arrows that point in the correct upright direction. The answer about arrows matches that requirement directly. This is a package marking rule, so it concerns how the box is marked rather than how many containers are inside or whether a fragility label is used.
4. Looking far ahead of your vehicle when driving is:
- Discouraged because the road ahead is not as important as your current location.
- Encouraged to help you identify hazards as early as possible. ✓
- Not allowed.
- Only encouraged when transporting hazardous materials.
Answer: B. Encouraged to help you identify hazards as early as possible.
Looking far ahead is encouraged because it helps you spot hazards early and gives you room to stop or change lanes safely. The handbook says many drivers do not look far enough ahead. It explains that stopping or changing lanes can take a lot of distance, so you need to see what traffic is doing well before you reach it. Good drivers look about 12 to 15 seconds ahead and shift their attention between near and far. If you do not look far enough ahead, you may have to stop too quickly or make quick lane changes.
5. If a substance is transported in a reportable quantity, which letters must appear on the shipping paper and package?
- WH
- LT
- RQ ✓
- NT
Answer: C. RQ
The letters RQ must appear on both the shipping paper and the package when a hazardous substance is transported in a reportable quantity. From the handbook: when a hazardous substance is shipped in a reportable quantity or more in one package, the shipper puts the letters RQ on both the shipping paper and the package. The same section says the letters RQ appear with the shipping description when a reportable quantity is involved. That is exactly what the question asks for, so RQ is the marking to look for; the other letter pairs are not given that meaning in these passages.
6. Emergency response information provided by the shipper must include:
- Any risks of fire or explosion. ✓
- Value of the materials.
- Driver information.
- How many people should respond in the event of an accident.
Answer: A. Any risks of fire or explosion.
Emergency response information from the shipper must include any risks of fire or explosion. The handbook's minimum list of emergency response information includes risks of fire or explosion. The shipper must give the carrier information that can be used away from the vehicle to safely handle incidents with the material, and the required list names fire and explosion risks along with health hazards, precautions, fire-fighting methods, spill handling, and first aid. That makes fire and explosion risk part of what must be provided, not the material's value, the driver's details, or a count of responders.
7. Multi-speed axles and auxiliary transmissions are used:
- To make a vehicle run more smoothly.
- To provide extra gears. ✓
- To get improved gas mileage.
- To make a vehicle less noisy.
Answer: B. To provide extra gears.
Multi-speed rear axles and auxiliary transmissions are used to provide extra gears. The handbook states this directly: these devices are used on many vehicles to give the driver more gear choices. It adds that you usually work them with a selector knob or switch on the main gearshift lever, that shift patterns vary a lot between vehicles, and that you should learn the correct shifting method for the specific vehicle you will drive. So the reason for the equipment is simply a bigger spread of gears, not smoothness, fuel economy, or noise.
8. If you must drive in reverse, it is helpful to:
- Drive as fast as possible and get it over with.
- First exit the truck and walk the path to look for obstacles. ✓
- Use only the passenger side mirror.
- Stick your head out the window and look backward.
Answer: B. First exit the truck and walk the path to look for obstacles.
If you must drive in reverse, you should first exit the truck and walk the path to look for obstacles. The handbook says that before you begin backing, you should look at your line of travel, get out, and walk around the vehicle. While walking, you check clearance to the sides and overhead along the path the vehicle will take. That is why leaving the truck to inspect the path for obstacles is the helpful step. The same section also tells you to back slowly and correct drift immediately, which fits with checking first rather than rushing.
9. What can be a clue that a shipment may contain hazardous materials?
- The shipper is a business you might expect to deal with hazardous materials. ✓
- The last shipment you picked up was labeled as hazardous.
- The packaging looks damaged.
- The road is made of gravel.
Answer: A. The shipper is a business you might expect to deal with hazardous materials.
A clue is that the shipper is a business you would expect to deal with hazardous materials, such as a paint dealer or chemical supplier. The handbook lists the shipper's business type as one clue. It tells drivers to ask what business the shipper is in and names examples such as a paint dealer, chemical supplier, scientific supply house, pest control or agricultural supplier, or explosives dealer. Those businesses commonly handle hazardous materials, so their involvement is a warning sign worth checking. The passage also mentions tanks with diamond labels or placards, package type such as cylinders and drums, hazard labels, shipping names, identification numbers, and handling precautions. It does not say a prior load or road surface is a clue.
10. To receive a hazardous materials endorsement, an applicant will be required to supply:
- Their fingerprints. ✓
- Their shoe size.
- A list of countries visited within the last 10 years.
- Their employment history for the previous five years.
Answer: A. Their fingerprints.
To receive a hazardous materials endorsement, an applicant must supply their fingerprints. The handbook states that if you need a hazardous materials endorsement, you must submit your fingerprints and go through a background check. It also says federal rules require a background check and fingerprinting for this endorsement. That makes fingerprints the required item among the choices. The passages do not list shoe size, countries visited, or five years of employment history as part of the application.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook