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CDL Test: Staying alert questions and answers

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Staying alert

11 questions

  1. #1

    On a long trip, the manual recommends a break about every:

    1. 5 hours or 300 miles
    2. 100 miles or 2 hours
    3. 20 miles
    4. 8 hours

    Answer: B. Take breaks about every 100 miles or 2 hours.

    Source: Michigan CDL Manual (2022), 2.11.2

  2. #2

    If you become sleepy while driving, the only safe cure is to:

    1. Drink coffee
    2. Open the window
    3. Turn up the radio
    4. Get off the road and get some sleep

    Answer: D. Coffee, cold air and music do not fix fatigue — only sleep does.

    Source: Michigan CDL Manual (2022), 2.11.2the only safe cure is to get off the road and get some sleep

  3. #3

    Sleeping six hours or less a night does what to your risk of a crash?

    1. Triples it
    2. Has no effect
    3. Cuts it in half
    4. Doubles it only at night

    Answer: A. Sleeping six hours or less triples your risk of a crash.

    Source: Michigan CDL Manual (2022), 2.11.2

  4. #4

    At night, with low beams you can see ahead about how far?

    1. About 150 feet
    2. About 350 feet
    3. About 600 feet
    4. About 250 feet

    Answer: D. With low beams you can see ahead about 250 feet; with high beams about 350-500 feet.

    Source: North Dakota CDL Manual (AAMVA model), Section 2, p. 51With low beams you can see ahead about 250 feet and with high beams about 350-500 feet.

  5. #5

    You should dim your high beams when you are within how many feet of an oncoming vehicle?

    1. 300 feet
    2. 500 feet
    3. 200 feet
    4. 1,000 feet

    Answer: B. Dim your lights within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle.

    Source: North Dakota CDL Manual (AAMVA model), Section 2, p. 52Dim your lights within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and when following another vehicle within 300 feet.

  6. #6

    To avoid glare from the lights of oncoming vehicles at night, you should:

    1. look directly at the lights to judge the other vehicle's position
    2. close one eye and look straight ahead at the oncoming lights
    3. look at the center line, slightly to the left of your lane
    4. look slightly to the right at a right lane or edge marking

    Answer: D. Do not look directly at oncoming lights; look slightly to the right at a lane or edge marking.

    Source: North Dakota CDL Manual (AAMVA model), Section 2, p. 52Look slightly to the right at a right lane or edge marking, if available.

  7. #7

    How much of the light they should give may dirty headlights provide?

    1. About three-quarters
    2. About 90 percent
    3. Only half
    4. None at all

    Answer: C. Dirty headlights may give only half the light they should, cutting down your ability to see.

    Source: North Dakota CDL Manual (AAMVA model), Section 2, p. 51Dirty headlights may give only half the light they should.

  8. #8

    An oncoming driver does not dim lights. Why should you not turn on your own high beams to "get back" at them?

    1. It reduces your own visibility to zero
    2. It increases glare and the chance of a crash
    3. It is only illegal in the daytime
    4. It drains the battery quickly

    Answer: B. Putting your high beams on increases glare for oncoming drivers and increases the chance of a crash.

    Source: North Dakota CDL Manual (AAMVA model), Section 2, p. 52This increases glare for oncoming drivers and increases the chance of a crash.

  9. #9

    The average person needs how much sleep every 24 hours?

    1. Seven or eight hours
    2. Four or five hours
    3. Five or six hours
    4. Ten to twelve hours

    Answer: A. The average person needs seven or eight hours of sleep every 24 hours.

    Source: North Dakota CDL Manual (AAMVA model), Section 2, p. 65The average person needs seven or eight hours of sleep every 24 hours.

  10. #10

    A "micro sleep" lasts four or five seconds. At 55 miles an hour, how far do you travel during it?

    1. About 20 yards
    2. More than 100 yards
    3. About 50 yards
    4. About 10 yards

    Answer: B. Micro sleeps are brief naps; you can fall asleep and never even know it.

    Source: North Dakota CDL Manual (AAMVA model), Section 2, p. 66At 55 miles an hour, that’s more than 100 yards, and plenty of time for a crash.

  11. #11

    Which does more to overcome fatigue?

    1. A nap as short as a half-hour
    2. A half-hour coffee stop
    3. A half-hour with the window open
    4. A half-hour of loud radio

    Answer: A. Sleep is the only thing that can overcome fatigue; coffee and radio tricks do not.

    Source: North Dakota CDL Manual (AAMVA model), Section 2, p. 66A nap as short as a half-hour will do more to overcome fatigue than a half-hour coffee stop.
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