CDL School

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

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.

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.

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

In a front-wheel skid, the front end tends to go in a straight line regardless of how much you turn the steering wheel. On a very slippery surface, you may not be able to steer around a curve or turn.

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.

¾ second to 1 second.

Explanation - For an e-route inspection: check the tires, wheels, and truck body for signs of heat whenever you stop during a trip.

Inspect the cargo and its securing devices again within the first 50 miles after beginning a trip. You need to inspect again after you have driven for 3 hours or 150 miles and after every break you take while driving.

Your CDL will be disqualified after two or more convictions of any state law on texting while operating a CMV. No motor carrier shall allow or require its drivers to engage in texting while driving.

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.

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.

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

Explanation: A safety relief valve is installed in the first tank the air compressor pumps air to. The safety valve protects the tank and the rest of the system from too much pressure. The valve is usually set to open automatically at 150 psi. 

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.

Without ABS you still have normal brake functions. Drive and brake as you always have.

Air pressure increases with temperature. Do not let air out or the pressure will be too low when the tires cool off.

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

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.

 If possible, avoid using the brakes until your speed has dropped to about 20 mph, and gently return to the road.

It will take longer to stop, and it will be harder to turn without skidding, when the road is slippery. Wet roads can double stopping distance at any speed, reduce speed, and slow down gradually on a wet road. 

Perception Distance + Reaction Distance + Brake Lag Distance + Braking Distance = Total Stopping Distance

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: Don't roll back when you start. You may hit someone behind you. If you have a manual transmission vehicle, partly engage the clutch before you take your right foot off the brake. Put on the parking brake whenever necessary to keep it from rolling back. Release the parking brake only when you have applied enough engine power to keep from rolling back 

Before you change lanes, you must first make sure that no vehicles are hiding in your blind spots.

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. 

Preventing drowsiness before a trip: Get adequate sleep (8 to 9 hours), prepare route, schedule trips for the hours you are normally awake, drive with a passenger, avoid medications that cause drowsiness.

Commercial vehicle must be equipped with 3 red reflective triangles, 6 fuses or 3 liquid burning flares.

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.

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.

If you find yourself being tailgated: avoid quick changes, signal early, reduce speed very gradually, increase your following distance, and don't speed up.

Rear wheel braking skids occur when the rear drive wheels lock. Because locked wheels have less traction than rolling wheels, the rear wheels usually slide sideways in an attempt to "catch up" with the front wheels. With vehicles towing trailers, a drive-wheel skid can let the trailer push the towing vehicle sideways, causing a sudden jackknife.

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

If the load is more than two feet wide and extends more than four feet behind the rear of the vehicle, two square red flags must be placed at the end of the load.

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.

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.

Air brakes are three different systems: service brake, parking brake, and emergency brake.

Heavy vehicles are often tailgated when they can't keep up with the speed of traffic. This often happens when you're going uphill. If a heavy load is slowing you down, stay in the right lane if you can. Going uphill, you should not pass another slow vehicle unless you can get around quickly and safely.

Most good drivers look at least 12 to 15 seconds ahead. That means looking ahead at the distance you will travel in 12 to 15 seconds. At lower speeds, that's about one block. At highway speeds it's about a quarter of a mile.

Protect the accident area: if your vehicle is involved in the accident, try to get it to the side of the road, if you're stopping to help, park away from the accident, put on your flashers, and set out reflective triangles to warn other traffic.

Too much weight on the steering axle can cause hard steering. It can damage the steering axle and tires.

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.

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.

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

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).

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.

Some vehicles have sight glasses, see-through coolant overflow containers, or coolant recovery containers. These permit you to check the coolant level while the engine is hot. If the container is not part of the pressurized system, the cap can be safely removed, and coolant added even when the engine is at operating temperature.

ABS helps you avoid wheel lock up and maintain control. You will not be able to use stab braking on a vehicle equipped with ABS.

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.