Rhode Island CDL — General Knowledge practice
Rhode Island CDL — General Knowledge: Safe Driving Practices practice test
Following distance, scanning, blind spots, using your lights, and the habits that prevent crashes and keep you in control.
Content reviewed against official driver handbooks · August 12, 2026
13 questions · pass with 10 correct. You get instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.
Study questions with answers
12 sample Safe Driving Practices questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.
Show all 12 questions with answers
1. On the CDL vehicle inspection test, how many axles must you actually inspect?
Correct answer: Just one, though you should be ready to inspect every axle the same way
Only one axle is inspected during the test, but be ready to inspect any of the axles in the same way.
Source: Rhode Island CDL Manual — Section 11: Vehicle Inspection Test
2. Research cited in the manual says talking on a cell phone, even a hands-free one, takes about how much of the brain energy normally devoted to driving?
Correct answer: About 39 percent
Phone conversation drains about 39 percent of the mental energy the brain would otherwise spend on safe driving, whether or not the phone is hands-free.
Source: Rhode Island CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Distracted Driving)
3. During an inspection, how much steering wheel play can make the vehicle hard to steer?
Correct answer: More than 10 degrees, which is about 2 inches on a 20-inch wheel
The manual flags play beyond 10 degrees, which works out to roughly 2 inches at the edge of a 20-inch wheel, as enough to make steering difficult.
Source: Rhode Island CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Vehicle Inspection — What to Look For)
4. If you notice signs of fatigue, the manual says to stop and sleep for the night or take a nap of about how long?
Correct answer: 15 to 20 minutes
When fatigue signs appear, stop driving. Either sleep for the night or take a nap of 15 to 20 minutes.
Source: Rhode Island CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Driving at Night)
5. You are blinded by glare for two seconds at 55 mph. About how far does your vehicle travel in that time?
Correct answer: More than half the length of a football field
Recovering from glare can take several seconds, and even two seconds at 55 mph carries you more than half a football field.
Source: Rhode Island CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Driving at Night)
6. Why check your mirrors again right after you begin a lane change?
Correct answer: To double-check that your path is still clear
Mirror checks on a lane change come before you move, after signaling, right after you start, and after you finish. The check just after starting confirms nothing has moved into your path.
Source: Rhode Island CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Seeing)
7. Which pair of effects does the manual attribute to distracted driving?
Correct answer: Slowed perception and delayed decision making
Distraction can delay or completely block your perception of a key traffic event and slow decisions, leading to late or wrong inputs to the steering, accelerator or brakes.
Source: Rhode Island CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Distracted Driving)
8. According to the manual, what happens to crashes if drivers react just a half-second slower because of distractions?
Correct answer: They double
Even a small delay matters: the manual says a half-second slower reaction caused by distraction doubles crashes.
Source: Rhode Island CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Distracted Driving)
9. Besides watching traffic, what can regular mirror checks help you catch on your own vehicle?
Correct answer: A tire fire
Watching your tires in the mirrors can reveal a tire fire. With open cargo, the mirrors also show loose straps or a flapping tarp.
Source: Rhode Island CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Seeing)
10. You just had a tire changed. What does the manual advise?
Correct answer: Pull over a little while later and make sure the wheel nuts are still tight
Nuts can loosen after a tire change, so pull over a little later and confirm they are still tight.
Source: Rhode Island CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Vehicle Inspection — What to Look For)
11. What is an easy way to check whether the road may be starting to ice up?
Correct answer: Roll down the window and touch the mirror's front, its support, or the antenna to feel for ice
If ice is forming on the mirror, the mirror support or the antenna, the road surface is probably beginning to ice as well.
Source: Rhode Island CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Controlling Speed)
12. Why does the manual want your hands on opposite sides of the steering wheel with a firm grip?
Correct answer: Hitting a curb or pothole could pull the wheel out of a loose grip
Keep a firm two-handed grip with hands on opposite sides. If a wheel strikes a curb or pothole, a weak hold can let the steering wheel jerk free.
Source: Rhode Island CDL Manual — Section 2: Driving Safely (Basic Control of Your Vehicle)
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Every Rhode Island question is written from the official Rhode Island driver handbook and checked against its current edition. DMV Test Free is a free, independent study resource — not affiliated with any DMV or government agency. About DMV Test Free