Washington CDL — General Knowledge practice
Washington CDL — General Knowledge: Handling Emergencies practice test
What to do when things go wrong — brake failure, tire blowouts, skids, and stalling on railroad tracks.
Content reviewed against official driver handbooks · August 12, 2026
15 questions · pass with 12 correct. You get instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.
Study questions with answers
12 sample Handling Emergencies 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. What does an antilock braking system (ABS) do during hard braking?
Correct answer: Keeps the wheels from locking so you keep control
ABS is a computerized add-on that keeps your wheels from locking up during hard braking, helping you keep control; it does not necessarily shorten your stopping distance.
Source: Washington CDL Guide — Section 2: Driving Safely (Antilock Braking Systems)
2. There is a fire in a van or box trailer that may contain hazardous materials. What should you do with the doors?
Correct answer: Keep them shut so the fire does not get more oxygen
Keep the doors shut on a cargo fire in a van or box trailer; opening them supplies oxygen and can make the fire burn much faster.
Source: Washington CDL Guide — Section 2: Driving Safely (Keep the Fire from Spreading)
3. When you do not have room to stop before an obstacle, what is often your best option?
Correct answer: Steer around the obstacle instead of only braking
You can almost always turn to miss an obstacle more quickly than you can stop, so steering away is often safest.
Source: Washington CDL Guide — Section 2: Driving Safely (Steering to Avoid a Crash)
4. You are forced to drive onto the shoulder. When should you begin to brake?
Correct answer: Not until your speed drops to about 20 mph
If possible, avoid braking until your speed has dropped to about 20 mph, then brake gently to avoid skidding on the loose surface.
Source: Washington CDL Guide — Section 2: Driving Safely (Leaving the Road)
5. Your hydraulic brakes fail because of a loss of pressure. Which of these can help slow the vehicle?
Correct answer: Downshifting, pumping the brakes, and using the parking brake
Downshifting, pumping the brake pedal, and using the parking or emergency brake can all help slow a vehicle after a hydraulic brake failure.
Source: Washington CDL Guide — Section 2: Driving Safely (Brake Failure)
6. If a front tire fails, why does holding the steering wheel firmly matter so much?
Correct answer: A front-tire failure can pull the wheel from your hands
A failed front tire can wrench the steering wheel out of your hands. Holding the wheel firmly with both hands at all times is the only way to prevent that.
Source: Washington CDL Guide — Section 2: Driving Safely (Respond to Tire Failure)
7. Your brakes fail on a long downgrade. What is your best hope for stopping safely?
Correct answer: Using an escape ramp built into the downgrade
If your brakes fail on a downgrade, your best hope is an escape ramp; signs will tell you where it is.
Source: Washington CDL Guide — Section 2: Driving Safely (Brake Failure on Downgrades)
8. After you have steered around an obstacle in an emergency, what must you be ready to do?
Correct answer: Counter-steer back the other direction
Be prepared to counter-steer, turning the wheel back the other way, so you do not keep turning and lose control.
Source: Washington CDL Guide — Section 2: Driving Safely (How to Turn Quickly and Safely)
9. When you have to leave the road onto the shoulder, what helps you keep control of the vehicle?
Correct answer: Keeping one set of wheels on the pavement
Keep one set of wheels on the pavement, if possible, to help maintain control while on the shoulder.
Source: Washington CDL Guide — Section 2: Driving Safely (Leaving the Road)
10. A tire suddenly blows out while you are driving. What should you do with the brakes?
Correct answer: Stay off the brake until the vehicle slows down
Stay off the brake until the vehicle has slowed down; braking right after a blowout could cause a loss of control.
Source: Washington CDL Guide — Section 2: Driving Safely (Respond to Tire Failure)
11. At an accident scene, how should you deal with a victim who is bleeding heavily?
Correct answer: Apply direct pressure to the wound
Stop heavy bleeding by applying direct pressure to the wound.
Source: Washington CDL Guide — Section 2: Driving Safely (Care for the Injured)
12. In a front-wheel skid, what is the only way to stop the skid?
Correct answer: Let the vehicle slow down by easing off turning and braking
In a front-wheel skid the only cure is to let the vehicle slow down by stopping hard turning or braking until traction returns.
Source: Washington CDL Guide — Section 2: Driving Safely (Front-wheel Skids)
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