Drivers and people who are hazards

Review questions with answers

1. At a blind alley you can see the rear of a car but not its driver. What does this tell you?
   1. The car is parked and will not move
   2. The driver can see you in the mirror
   3. The driver probably cannot see you either
   4. You have the right-of-way, so keep going
   Show answer

   The driver probably cannot see you either

   If you cannot see the driver, he or she cannot see you. Be ready to stop because the car may back out or pull into your lane.

2. Why should you watch rental trucks carefully?
   1. Their drivers are often not used to the limited side and rear view
   2. They always have bad brakes
   3. They are not allowed on highways
   4. They are always overloaded
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   Their drivers are often not used to the limited side and rear view

   Rental truck drivers are often not used to the limited vision to the sides and rear of a truck.

3. Which is a clue that a parked vehicle may be about to pull out?
   1. It has a clean windshield
   2. It is parked under a street light
   3. It has out-of-state license plates
   4. Exhaust smoke or brake/backup lights are on
   Show answer

   Exhaust smoke or brake/backup lights are on

   Watch for brake lights, backup lights, exhaust, and movement inside the vehicle; these show a driver is about to move.

4. Drivers of step vans, postal trucks and local delivery vehicles are hazards mainly because:
   1. They drive slower than the speed limit
   2. They are often in a hurry and may suddenly step out or pull into traffic
   3. They never use turn signals
   4. They always park on the shoulder
   Show answer

   They are often in a hurry and may suddenly step out or pull into traffic

   Packages and doors block their view, and they often rush, stepping out or driving into the lane suddenly.

5. Near a stopped bus you should be careful because:
   1. Buses always pull out without signaling
   2. Bus drivers cannot use mirrors
   3. Passengers may cross in front of or behind it and may not see you
   4. Buses leak fuel when stopped
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   Passengers may cross in front of or behind it and may not see you

   Passengers may walk in front of or behind a stopped bus, and they often cannot see you.

6. On a rainy day, pedestrians may be extra hazardous because:
   1. Hats and umbrellas block their view and they hurry to get out of the rain
   2. They walk slower in the rain
   3. They always use crosswalks in the rain
   4. Rain makes them easier to see
   Show answer

   Hats and umbrellas block their view and they hurry to get out of the rain

   Hats and umbrellas can keep pedestrians from seeing you, and they may hurry without watching traffic.

7. A pedestrian is looking right at your truck as you approach. You should:
   1. Assume they will wait for you
   2. Speed up so they know you are coming
   3. Flash your high beams
   4. Stay alert, because they may think they have the right-of-way
   Show answer

   Stay alert, because they may think they have the right-of-way

   Even when people look at you, they may believe they have the right-of-way. Stay alert.

8. An ice cream truck on a street is a hazard clue mainly because:
   1. It drives very fast
   2. Children may be nearby and may not see you
   3. It blocks the whole road
   4. It has no brake lights
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   Children may be nearby and may not see you

   Someone selling ice cream means children may be close by, and they may not see you.

9. Which is a hazard clue for a disabled vehicle with people working on it?
   1. Its turn signal is blinking
   2. Its windows are rolled down
   3. Jacked-up wheels or a raised hood
   4. A clean license plate
   Show answer

   Jacked-up wheels or a raised hood

   Jacked-up wheels or raised hoods are clues. People fixing vehicles often ignore the danger of passing traffic.

10. Which pair of clues suggests a tourist who may be confused?
    1. Car-top luggage and out-of-state license plates
    2. A loud exhaust and tinted windows
    3. A clean car and a new license plate
    4. A trailer hitch and fog lights
    Show answer

    Car-top luggage and out-of-state license plates

    Car-top luggage and out-of-state plates are clues to tourists unfamiliar with the area.

11. Where is driver confusion especially common?
    1. On long straight rural roads
    2. In empty parking lots
    3. On roads with no signs
    4. Near freeway interchanges and major intersections
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    Near freeway interchanges and major intersections

    Confusion is common near freeway or turnpike interchanges and major intersections.

12. The slow-moving vehicle symbol is:
    1. A yellow diamond with a black border
    2. A red triangle with an orange center
    3. An orange square with a red center
    4. A white circle with a red slash
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    A red triangle with an orange center

    The slow-moving vehicle symbol is a red triangle with an orange center, used on farm machinery, construction equipment, and similar vehicles.

13. Which is a sign that a driver may be impaired (sleepy, drunk, drugged or ill)?
    1. Using turn signals early
    2. Keeping a steady speed
    3. Stopping at a green light or waiting too long at a stop
    4. Checking mirrors often
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    Stopping at a green light or waiting too long at a stop

    Clues include stopping at the wrong time, weaving, leaving the road, an open window in cold weather, and sudden speed changes.

14. On a cold night, a car ahead has its driver's window wide open and drifts within its lane. This is a clue of:
    1. A possibly impaired driver
    2. A driver about to park
    3. A driver with good ventilation habits
    4. A police vehicle
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    A possibly impaired driver

    An open window in cold weather and drifting are clues to a sleepy or impaired driver. Be alert for drunk and sleepy drivers late at night.

15. A driver who makes an over-the-shoulder check may be about to:
    1. Stop for a red light
    2. Turn on headlights
    3. Slow for a school zone
    4. Change lanes
    Show answer

    Change lanes

    Over-the-shoulder checks are a body-movement clue that a driver may change lanes, even without a signal.

16. Body-movement clues that a road user is about to turn are easiest to see with:
    1. Bus drivers
    2. Motorcyclists and bicyclists
    3. Tractor-trailer drivers
    4. Drivers of vans with tinted windows
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    Motorcyclists and bicyclists

    Drivers look the way they plan to turn; these head and body clues are most easily seen with motorcyclists and bicyclists.

17. A driver who feels stuck behind your truck at an on-ramp may:
    1. Wait patiently for a gap behind you
    2. Turn on hazard lights and stop
    3. Pull in front of you, causing you to brake
    4. Always pass on the left with a safe gap
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    Pull in front of you, causing you to brake

    Drivers in a hurry may cut in front of you or pass without a safe gap to avoid being stuck behind you.

18. You are "in conflict" when:
    1. You must change speed and/or direction to avoid hitting someone
    2. You disagree with another driver
    3. You are in the left lane
    4. Two traffic signs give different speeds
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    You must change speed and/or direction to avoid hitting someone

    A conflict means you have to change speed or direction to avoid a collision. They occur at intersections, merges, lane endings, stalled traffic and crash scenes.

19. Why should you watch other drivers who are in conflict?
    1. They are required to yield to trucks
    2. They always signal before reacting
    3. They usually stop completely
    4. When they react, they may put themselves in conflict with you
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    When they react, they may put themselves in conflict with you

    Another driver's reaction to a conflict may cause them to do something that creates a conflict with you.

20. Why should you make an emergency plan when you see a hazard?
    1. So you can report the other driver later
    2. So you have time to plan a way out if it becomes an emergency
    3. Because the law requires a written plan
    4. So you can drive faster past it
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    So you have time to plan a way out if it becomes an emergency

    You look for hazards so you have time to plan an escape if they turn into emergencies, and be ready to act on that plan.

21. Drivers or pedestrians who are talking with each other are a hazard because:
    1. They walk faster
    2. They always use cell phones
    3. They may not be paying close attention to traffic
    4. They are usually tourists
    Show answer

    They may not be paying close attention to traffic

    People talking to one another may not watch traffic closely.

22. At a crash scene, which is a common hazard?
    1. Passing drivers look at the crash and vehicles may stop suddenly
    2. Traffic always speeds up
    3. People involved always watch for traffic
    4. The road is always closed completely
    Show answer

    Passing drivers look at the crash and vehicles may stop suddenly

    At crash scenes, people may run across the road, passing drivers stare, and vehicles may slow or stop suddenly.

23. A car ahead is signaling a tight right turn into a driveway. What should you expect?
    1. It will keep its speed until the turn
    2. It may slow down a lot or even stop in the road
    3. It will always pull onto the shoulder first
    4. It will speed up to clear your lane
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    It may slow down a lot or even stop in the road

    Drivers signaling a turn may slow more than you expect or stop, especially for a tight turn or when pedestrians block them.