General Driving Knowledge — Wisconsin
Wisconsin CDL practice test: 443 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: 150 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 | Wisconsin CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 150 (34% of 443 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 (150)
1. A driver should ensure that:
- The shipping paper matches the marking and labels on packages. ✓
- The shipping paper is written in code.
- All packages are labeled as poison.
- The shipping paper is not in the vehicle.
Answer: A. The shipping paper matches the marking and labels on packages.
A driver should make sure the shipping paper matches the markings and labels on the packages. The handbook says the driver makes sure the shipper has identified, marked, and labeled hazardous materials properly. It also says an important package marking is the material's name, and that name must match the name on the shipping paper. Checking the paper against the package markings and labels fits that driver duty. The passages do not support a coded paper, poison labels on every package, or leaving the paper out of the vehicle.
2. Header boards:
- Should never be used.
- Protect drivers from being hit by cargo. ✓
- Protect drivers' heads when they are entering the cab of a truck.
Answer: B. Protect drivers from being hit by cargo.
Header boards, often called headache racks, protect drivers from being hit by cargo in a crash or during an emergency stop. The cargo section of the handbook explains that front-end header boards, which some drivers call headache racks, keep your cargo from coming forward into the cab if you crash or have to stop suddenly. It also says the front-end structure must be in good shape and should block any forward movement of the load. So a header board is a barrier between you and what you are hauling, not a part of the cab you bump into when climbing in.
3. Talking on a hands-free phone while driving:
- Does not distract the driver.
- Only distracts the driver if the driver is speaking.
- Can be distracting to the driver. ✓
Answer: C. Can be distracting to the driver.
Talking on a hands-free phone while driving can be distracting to the driver. The handbook lists talking on a cell phone among activities inside the vehicle that can distract your attention. It also says research shows the burden of a phone conversation, even hands-free, takes energy away from safe driving. A later passage is more direct: hands-free devices are no less likely than hand-held phones to cause distraction, and attention is diverted from the driving task while using either. That supports the answer that hands-free phone use can distract you; it does not make distraction impossible or limited to speaking.
4. When backing, it is best to:
- Rely only on the passenger’s side mirror.
- Try to back up quickly.
- Turn toward the passenger’s side whenever possible.
- Use a helper, if possible. ✓
Answer: D. Use a helper, if possible.
When backing, use a helper whenever you can. The handbook says there are blind spots behind a large vehicle that you simply cannot see, and that is why a helper matters. The helper should stand near the back of the vehicle where you can see them, and before you start backing you should agree on a set of hand signals, including one for stop. Using a helper works together with the other rules: check both mirrors, get out and look if you are unsure, back slowly in the lowest reverse gear, and back toward the driver's side when you can.
5. Class 1, Class 2.1, and Class 3 materials should not be placed in a trailer with:
- A heater. ✓
- An air conditioner.
- Other items.
Answer: A. A heater.
Class 1, Class 2.1, and Class 3 materials should not be placed in a trailer that has a heater. The handbook sets out a block of special Cargo Heater Rules and lists Class 2.1 flammable gas and Class 3 flammable liquids among the materials those rules cover. Elsewhere it says the rules usually forbid cargo heaters and warn against loading such products into a cargo space with a heater unless you have read all the related rules. For Class 1 explosives it adds a step-by-step precaution: shut the engine off, then disable the cargo heaters, disconnect their power sources, and drain their fuel tanks. The equipment those rules single out is the heater.
6. In general, the legal maximum width of a vehicle and load is:
- 5 feet
- 6 feet
- 8 feet 6 inches ✓
- 12 feet
Answer: C. 8 feet 6 inches
The legal maximum width of a vehicle and load is 8 feet 6 inches, which is 102 inches. The handbook's special requirements section lists width and says a vehicle including its load may not exceed 102 inches. Since 102 inches converts to 8 feet 6 inches, that measurement matches the legal maximum stated in the passage. The rule applies generally, with exceptions noted separately in the handbook.
7. If a substance is being transported in a reportable quantity, what letters will appear on the shipping paper and package?
- DQ
- LT
- RQ ✓
- BR
Answer: C. RQ
The letters RQ will appear on both the shipping paper and the package when a hazardous substance is transported in a reportable quantity. The handbook explains that the List of Hazardous Substances and Reportable Quantities shows each product's reportable quantity, and when such a material moves in that quantity or more in one package, the shipper puts RQ on the shipping paper and package. The letters can go before or after the basic description. A second passage also lists RQ among the details required on shipping papers when a reportable quantity is present. That directly supports choosing the letters RQ.
8. To know which placards to use, you need to know:
- The hazard classes of the materials. ✓
- The types of containers holding the materials.
- The destination.
- The shipper.
Answer: A. The hazard classes of the materials.
You need to know the hazard classes of the materials. The handbook's placarding section lists the hazard class of the materials as one of the facts that decides placarding, and the placard tables are organized around hazard classes. It also links placard requirements to the amount shipped and total weight, but the class tells you which table and which placard applies. So to choose the right placard, start with the material's hazard class.
9. Shippers must label hazardous materials. If an item is smaller than its label, how should the item be labeled?
- The item may be tied together with other hazardous materials and labeled with a sheet of paper on the outside of the bundle.
- The label may be attached to a tag that is securely attached to the package. ✓
- The item may be marked with a large orange dot.
- The item may be placed in a box displaying a warning label.
Answer: B. The label may be attached to a tag that is securely attached to the package.
10. Many products classed as poison are also:
- Radioactive.
- Flammable. ✓
- Gases.
Answer: B. Flammable.
Many products classed as poison are also flammable. The handbook, in its section on poisonous materials, says to remember that many products classed as poison are also flammable. It then tells drivers to take the added precautions used for flammable liquids or gases if a poison gas or poison material might be flammable, including keeping away smoking, open flame, and welding. That directly supports flammability as the trait that often comes with poison products.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook