On a curve to the left, where should you keep the front of the vehicle?

Toward the outside (right side)

Exactly in the middle of your lane

Close to the centre line the whole way

How often should you sound the horn when reversing a large vehicle?

Before moving and once per vehicle length

Only if you can see people near the truck

Only once, just before you start to move

You must turn right onto a narrow street. What should you do?

Go well into the intersection first

Swing left into the oncoming lanes before turning

Cut over the curb with the trailer

Start turning early, right at the corner

Alberta Class 1–4 overview

Alberta Class 1–4: Tractor-trailer driving skills

Following distance, low- and high-speed off-tracking, right and left turns, curves, parking and hill parking, reversing methods, and breakdown warning devices.

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Tractor-trailer driving skills · Question 1Score 0/0

You are backing a semi-trailer and want the trailer to go left. Which way do you turn the steering wheel?

Tip: press 1–4 to answer and Enter for the next question.

Study reference: Commercial Driver's Guide (Spring 2023), Ch. 4 Operating Class 1 Vehicles — Driving skills and manoeuvres, Off-tracking, Turns, Curves, Parking, Reversing, Important information

All 18 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

You are backing a semi-trailer and want the trailer to go left. Which way do you turn the steering wheel?
1. To the right
2. It depends on trailer length
3. To the left
4. Straight, then left
What following distance should you keep when driving a large vehicle in good conditions?
1. At least four seconds
2. At least one second
3. At least ten seconds
4. At least two seconds
On a curve to the left, where should you keep the front of the vehicle?
1. Exactly in the middle of your lane
2. Close to the centre line the whole way
3. On the left shoulder
4. Toward the outside (right side)
How often should you sound the horn when reversing a large vehicle?
1. Before moving and once per vehicle length
2. Only if you can see people near the truck
3. Only once, just before you start to move
4. Every 50 metres
You must turn right onto a narrow street. What should you do?
1. Swing left into the oncoming lanes before turning
2. Cut over the curb with the trailer
3. Start turning early, right at the corner
4. Go well into the intersection first
How should you hold a parked tractor-trailer?
1. Trailer hand valve and low gear
2. Tractor parking brake and wheel chocks
3. Transmission in gear only
4. Trailer hand valve and chocks
Which steering method does the guide recommend for turning a large vehicle?
1. Palming the wheel with one hand
2. Using the spinner knob
3. Hand-over-hand, using both hands
4. Shuffle steering with one hand
During a slow city turn, which way do the rear tires of a tractor-trailer track?
1. Inside the path of the steering tires
2. Outside the path of the steering tires
3. It depends only on the load
4. Exactly in the steering tire path
You must back up more than two vehicle lengths. What should you do?
1. Speed up a little to finish the move quickly
2. Sound the horn continuously
3. Stop, get out and look again
4. Rely on the convex mirror for the rest
What is the minimum size for a square wheel block?
1. 20 cm by 20 cm
2. 10 cm by 10 cm
3. 30 cm by 30 cm
4. 15 cm by 15 cm
What causes high-speed off-tracking?
1. A heavy load at the front
2. Centrifugal force pushing the rear outward
3. Low tire pressure on the steering axle tires
4. Turning the wheel too slowly
Roads are icy and visibility is poor. How should you change your following distance?
1. Add one second
2. Halve it to stay with traffic
3. Keep four seconds
4. Double it
Your truck is hauling flammable goods. What must you do at every uncontrolled railway crossing?
1. Switch on the hazard lights only
2. Sound the horn twice
3. Slow to 30 km/h
4. Stop before crossing
You park a tractor-trailer facing uphill with no curb, on the right side. Which way do you turn the front wheels?
1. To the right
2. Straight ahead
3. To the left
4. Away from the trailer
Which reversing manoeuvre does the guide call the most difficult and dangerous?
1. 90-degree reversing from the blind (right) side
2. Offset reversing to the left
3. Straight-line reversing
4. 90-degree reversing from the left side
Your truck breaks down on a rural highway at night. Where do you place warning devices?
1. 75 m ahead and behind
2. 150 m ahead only
3. 10 m behind only
4. 30 m ahead and behind
At what speed should you enter a curve?
1. Any speed, then brake hard if needed
2. One needing no braking in the curve
3. The posted limit, braking hard once in the curve
4. Slightly above the limit to keep momentum
During a right turn in a tractor-trailer, what should you watch for on the right side?
1. Vehicles passing you on the left side
2. Pedestrians walking behind the trailer
3. Oncoming left-turning trucks
4. Cyclists and small vehicles on your right

Tractor-trailer driving skills: key rules to remember

Our summary of what the official handbook says on this topic, in our own words. Read it before or after the practice questions above, then check the original chapter. Read the official chapter ↗

Following distance (p. 47)

Two seconds is the minimum following distance for passenger vehicles; for large vehicles use at least four seconds.
Count "one-thousand-and-one…" from when the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object; reaching the object before four means you are too close.
Double and triple trailer units need more following distance because they are longer and cannot turn or stop as quickly.
Double your following distance when weather, road or traffic conditions are poor.
Make sure gaps are large enough before entering or crossing traffic, and check sides are clear before changing lanes.

Off-tracking (p. 48)

When the rear axle cannot steer, rear tires follow a different path from the steering tires: this is off-tracking.
Low-speed off-tracking (city turns): rear tires are pulled inside the path of the steering tires.
Longer wheelbase or a tighter turn means more off-tracking.
High-speed off-tracking comes from centrifugal force: at higher speed the rear tires move outward from the steering path.
Enter curves on open highways at moderate speed to avoid dangerous high-speed off-tracking.

Turns (pp. 48–49)

Large vehicles have a wider turning radius; hand-over-hand steering with both hands is recommended.
Select the gear before starting the turn (manual transmission).
Right turns: rear wheels follow a shorter path than the front wheels; failing to allow for it can hit vehicles, objects, curbs or pedestrians.
On a narrow street, drive well into the intersection before turning; you may need to cross the centre line or use the second lane of the street you enter.
Watch for small vehicles and cyclists that try to pass on the right side of the tractor-trailer during a right turn.
Left turns: make the arc wide enough that the unit can off-track on the left without crossing the centre line, finishing to the right of the centre line.

Curves (p. 49)

Enter a curve at a speed that needs no braking and lets you accelerate gently through the curve.
Centrifugal force pushes the vehicle to the outside of the curve; traction resists it.
Higher speed increases momentum and centrifugal force; too fast can overcome traction and cause loss of control.
Braking hard in a curve when going too fast can cause a skid, rollover or jackknife.
Right curves: keep the front of the vehicle closer to the centre of the road so trailer wheels stay off the curb and shoulder edge.
Left curves: keep the front closer to the outside (right side) so the trailer wheels do not cut into the left lane.

Parking (p. 50)

Set the tractor parking brake; never hold a parked unit with the trailer hand valve.
Leave a manual transmission in the lowest forward or reverse gear; put a two-speed axle in low range.
Block wheels with chocks; square blocks should be at least 15 cm by 15 cm.
Do not rely on the transmission to hold the vehicle; always use the parking brake and wheel blocks.
When parked, wheels may be no more than 50 cm from the curb.
Downhill, with or without a curb: turn front wheels to the right (vehicle parked on the right side).
Uphill with a curb: turn front wheels to the left.
Uphill without a curb: a tractor-trailer with one articulation point turns its front wheels to the left.
With a curb, let the unit roll gently until the front wheels touch the curb before setting the brake.

Reversing (pp. 50–52)

To back a semi-trailer, turn the steering wheel opposite to the direction you want the trailer to go (or move your hand at the bottom of the wheel toward where you want the trailer to go).
The tractor follows an S-shape to bring the trailer around smoothly.
Reverse slowly using both mirrors; there is always a blind spot directly behind.
Sound the horn before reversing and at least once more for every vehicle length reversed.
Use a guide if possible; agree on hand signals; the guide must see the vehicle's path and the driver must see the guide; stop if you lose sight of the guide.
The driver remains responsible for every movement even with a guide.
Without a guide, get out and walk around to check before backing.
If reversing more than two vehicle lengths, stop, get out and recheck behind, above, below and around the unit.
Keep your foot off the throttle, use the lowest reverse gear and cover the brake.
Straight-line reversing is the easiest and safest; use it whenever possible.
90-degree reversing to the left (clear side) lets you see the space in the left mirror.
Blind-side (right side) reversing is the hardest and most dangerous; avoid it if you can and stop often to check.
Offset reversing: line up with the target space while driving forward, then back into the adjacent space after visual checks.

Important information for commercial drivers (pp. 52–53)

Overhanging logs can swing across other lanes when you turn; let following traffic pass first if possible.
Breakdown outside an urban municipality in daylight: hazard lights on and approved warning devices about 30 m (100 ft) ahead and behind.
Breakdown in darkness, or when people and vehicles cannot be seen at 150 m: hazard lights and warning devices 75 m (250 ft) ahead and behind.
After a breakdown, park as soon as possible in a safe position on the right side of the roadway.
A truck carrying explosives or flammable goods must stop before every uncontrolled railway crossing.
In cities and towns, drive only on routes specified for trucks and dangerous goods vehicles.
A load reaching or extending 1.5 m or more beyond the rear needs a red flag at least 30 cm square by day and a red light by night.
For occasional loads to the United States, contact each state's transportation or highways department before the trip.

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