CDL School

With the stab braking method, you apply your brakes all the way and release brakes when wheels lock up. 

Blocking is used in the front, back, and/or sides of a piece of cargo to keep it from sliding. Blocking is shaped to fit snugly against cargo. It is secured to the cargo deck to prevent cargo movement.

Most vehicles now have an ABS light on the instrument panel that will light up briefly when the vehicle is started to alert you that the vehicle has ABS, you can check to see if the vehicle was built on or after March 1, 1998, or you can check for wires from your brakes.

In some weather, water or slush collects on the road. When this happens, your vehicle can hydroplane. The tires lose contact with the road and have little or no traction. You may not be able to steer or brake. Hydroplaning can occur at speeds as low as 30 mph. Hydroplaning is more likely if tire pressure is low, or the tread is worn.

You should check your mirrors every 8 to 10 seconds to know what is going on around your vehicle.

Explanation: The gear box is part of the steering system, and other choices are parts of the suspension system.

If for any reason you get stuck on the tracks, get out of the vehicle and away from the tracks. Check signposts or signal housing at the crossing for emergency notification information. Call 911 and give the location of the crossing using all identifiable landmarks, especially the DOT number, if posted.

A hazard is any road condition or other road user (driver, bicyclist, pedestrian) that is a possible danger.

Braking when a tire has failed could cause loss of control. Unless you're about to run into something, stay off the brakes until the vehicle has slowed down. Then brake very gently, pull off the road, and stop.

When driving a loud bang, vibrations, or heavy steering can indicate that a tire has failed.

Before you begin backing, work out a set of hand signals that you both understand. Agree on a signal for "stop."

Remember that when the road is slippery, you need much more space to stop, and should keep more space in front of your vehicle.

You need at least one second for each 10 feet of vehicle length at speeds below 40 mph. At greater speeds, you must add 1 second for safety. If your vehicle is 40 feet long and you are traveling at 50 mph, your following distance should be 5 seconds or more.

¾ second to 1 second.

The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) is the value specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a single vehicle.

Slow down to a safe speed, and downshift to the right gear before entering the curve. This lets you use some power through the curve to help the vehicle be more stable while turning. It also allows you to speed up as soon as you are out of the curve.

To test the parking brake: fasten safety belt, set parking brake, place vehicle into a low gear, and gently pull forward against parking brake to make sure the parking brake holds.

Wedge brakes and disc brakes are less common than s-cam brakes.

Watch for: vehicles that may drift over the lane divider lines or within their own lane; vehicles traveling at inconsistent speeds; drivers who are preoccupied with maps, food, cigarettes, cell phones, or other objects; drivers who appear to be involved in conversations with their passengers.

When you're in an accident and not seriously hurt, you need to act to prevent further damage or injury. The basic steps to be taken in any accident are to: protect the area, notify authorities, and care for the injured.

You should brake in a way that will keep your vehicle in a straight line and allow you to turn if it becomes necessary. You can use the "controlled braking" method or the "stab braking" method. 

Use windshield washer antifreeze to prevent freezing of the washer liquid.

Tire problems include: too much or too little air pressure, bad wear, at least 4/32-inch tread depth on front tires, 2/32 inch on all other tires, no fabric should show through the tread or sidewall, cuts or other damage, tread separation, dual tires that come in contact with each other or parts of the vehicle, mismatched sizes, radial and bias-ply tires used together.

Snub braking method is used for steep downhill grades, in this method apply the brakes just hard enough to feel a definite slowdown. When your speed has been reduced to approximately five mph below your "safe" speed, release the brakes. When your speed has increased to your "safe" speed, repeat.

While you are at the front of the vehicle, check the following items: headlight, low and high beam; windshield wiper arms for proper spring tension; wiper blades for damage; reflectors.

What you should do is make a lane change or slow down to prevent a crash if the car suddenly cuts in front of you, and you should not honk or stay close behind the car.

The governor controls when the air compressor will pump air into the air storage tanks. When air tank pressure rises to the "cut-out" level around 125 psi, the governor stops the compressor from pumping air. When the tank pressure falls to the "cut-in" pressure around 100 psi, the governor allows the compressor to start pumping again.

Accident statistics show that the chance of a crash is much greater for drivers who have been drinking than for drivers who have not.

Explanation: Warn following drivers by flashing your brake lights, don't stop suddenly. If you see a hazard that will require slowing down, warn the drivers behind by flashing your brake lights. At dawn, dusk, in rain, or snow, you need to make yourself easier to see so turn on your lights. 

Explanation: A skid happens whenever the tires lose their grip on the road. Most serious skids result from driving too fast for road conditions. Drivers who adjust their driving to conditions don't over-accelerate and don't have to over-brake or oversteer from too much speed. 

You must review the inspection report made by the previous driver. Only if defects reported earlier have been certified as repaired or not needed to be repaired, should you sign the previous driver's report.

Whether or not you load and secure the cargo yourself, you are responsible for inspecting your cargo, recognizing overloads and poorly balanced weight, knowing your cargo is properly secured and does not obscure your view ahead or to the sides, knowing your cargo does not restrict your access to emergency equipment.

Because you cannot see everything behind your vehicle, backing is always dangerous. Avoid backing whenever you can. When you must back, here are a few simple safety rules: Start in the proper position, look at your path, use mirrors on both sides, back slowly, back and turn toward the driver's side whenever possible, and use a helper with clear hand signals whenever possible.

You will lose your CDL for at least one year for a first offense for: Driving a CMV if your blood alcohol concentration is .04% or higher or driving a CMV under the influence of alcohol.

When people are working on the road, it is a hazard. There may be narrower lanes, sharp turns, or uneven surfaces.

In a front-wheel skid, the front end tends to go in a straight line regardless of how much you turn the steering wheel.

A stale green light is a traffic light that is green when you first see it, thus you do not know how long it has been green - so we have to assume it will change at any moment.

Hauling liquids in tanks requires special skills because of the high center of gravity and liquid movement.

When the low air pressure warning light and buzzer first come on, bring the vehicle to a safe stop right away, while you can still control the brakes.

To know how much space you have, wait until the vehicle ahead passes a shadow on the road, a pavement marking, or some other clear landmark. Then count off the seconds like this: "one thousand-and-one, one thousand-and-two" and so on, until you reach the same spot.

The tire load is the maximum safe weight a tire can carry at a specified pressure. This rating is stated on the side of each tire.

Don't over steer, over accelerate, or over brake by adjusting to conditions while driving. These include traction, curves, visibility, traffic and hills.

Strong winds make it difficult to stay in your lane. The problem is usually worse for lighter vehicles. This problem can be especially bad coming out of tunnels.

The B:C type fire extinguisher is designed to work on electrical fires and burning liquids. These are usually the following types of fire extinguishers: Regular Dry Chemical, KCl Dry Chemical, Carbon Dioxide (Dry), Halogenated Agent (Gas).

Driving too fast is a major cause of fatal crashes. You must adjust your speed depending on driving conditions. These include traction, curves, visibility, traffic, and hills.

Explanation: If you stop on a two-lane road carrying traffic in both directions or on an undivided highway, place warning devices within 10 feet of the front or rear corners to mark the location of the vehicle and 100 feet behind and ahead of the vehicle, on the shoulder or in the lane you stopped in.

If an oncoming driver has drifted into your lane, a move to your right is best. If that driver realizes what has happened, the natural response will be to return to their own lane. No one is likely to be driving on the shoulder, but someone may be passing you on the left.

Basic method for shifting up: release accelerator, push in clutch and shift to neutral at the same time. Release clutch. Let the engine and gears slow down to the rpm required for the next gear. Push in clutch and shift to the higher gear at the same time. Release clutch and press accelerator at the same time.