Alabama ALEA CDL warm-up test

  • Questions50
  • Correct to pass40
  • Passing score80%
  • Minimum age18 years

10 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why; you need 8 correct answers to pass.

  1. 1. You are backing a tractor-trailer in a straight line and the trailer starts to drift to the left. What is the standard correction?

    Show answer

    Answer D: Turn the top of the steering wheel a little to the left, toward the drift

    Small corrections made in the direction the trailer is drifting bring it back into line; large or opposite movements make the drift worse.

  2. 2. Under the federal hours of service rules, how long may a property-carrying driver drive after 10 consecutive hours off duty?

    Show answer

    Answer D: Up to 11 hours, and only within a 14 hour window that starts when the driver comes on duty

    The federal limit is 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty, and all of that driving has to fall inside a 14 hour window.

  3. 3. A hard frost has left your vehicle covered in ice. What must be cleared before you drive?

    Show answer

    Answer D: The windshield, mirrors, lights and reflectors

    You must be able to see out and other drivers must be able to see your lights and reflectors, so all of those surfaces have to be cleared.

  4. 4. In hazard perception, what counts as a hazard?

    Show answer

    Answer C: Any road user or condition that could become a danger

    A hazard is anything with the potential to create danger, which is why drivers are taught to spot them early rather than react to emergencies.

  5. 5. Who may remove an out-of-service sticker from a commercial vehicle?

    Show answer

    Answer B: Only an authorized person, and only after the defect that caused it has been repaired

    The sticker stays on the vehicle until the repairs are made and an authorized person removes it, so nobody can simply peel it off and drive away.

  6. 6. After the first inspection of a trip, how often must cargo securement be checked again?

    Show answer

    Answer D: Every 3 hours or 150 miles or at each change of duty status, whichever happens first

    The load must be re-checked at whichever of those points arrives first, so a loosening tiedown is found long before it fails.

  7. 7. On a set of dual tires, which condition must be reported as a defect?

    Show answer

    Answer D: The two tires are touching each other or rubbing on part of the vehicle

    Duals that touch each other or the vehicle overheat and wear quickly, so they must be separated by proper spacing and inflation before driving.

  8. 8. Which vehicles are most likely to get hung up on a raised railroad crossing?

    Show answer

    Answer A: Low-slung units such as car carriers and lowboys

    Vehicles with low ground clearance or a long wheelbase can bottom out on a humped crossing and become stuck on the tracks.

  9. 9. Why is braking while in a curve dangerous in a heavy vehicle?

    Show answer

    Answer A: The wheels lock more easily and the vehicle can skid

    Tires already using their grip to turn have little left for braking, so hard braking in a curve locks the wheels; slow down before the curve instead.

  10. 10. Where is the yellow antilock brake malfunction lamp on a trailer, and what does it mean if it stays lit?

    Show answer

    Answer D: On the left side, at the front or rear corner, and it means the antilock function may not be working

    Trailers carry the yellow lamp on the left side, and a lamp that stays on after the bulb check means the antilock function may be lost even though the normal brakes still work.