Canada Exam Prep
NWT Class 7 overview

NWT Class 7: Starting, steering and stopping

Pre-drive checks, seat, mirrors, seat belts and head restraints, transmissions, steering, stopping distances, braking technique and backing up.

  • 20 questions
  • Topic drill
0/20
Starting, steering and stopping · Question 1Score 0/0

What is threshold braking?

Study reference: NWT Driver's Manual (rev. August 2022), Ch. 3 Starting Your Vehicle — Starting your vehicle to Reversing, pp. 52–60

All 20 questions in this test

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

  1. What is threshold braking?

    1. Pumping the brakes quickly
    2. Braking only with the parking brake to avoid a skid
    3. Braking until the wheels lock
    4. Braking almost to the point of locking the wheels

  2. According to the manual's chart, about how far does it take to stop from 100 km/h on dry pavement?

    1. About 76 m
    2. About 108 m
    3. About 126 m
    4. About 66 m

  3. Your steering wheel has an air bag. How far back from it does Transport Canada recommend you sit?

    1. At least 10 cm
    2. At least 15 cm
    3. At least 25 cm
    4. At least 50 cm

  4. Traffic is building up behind you because you are driving well below the limit. What does the manual suggest?

    1. Speed up past the limit
    2. Turn on your hazard lights
    3. Drive on the shoulder
    4. Pull over and let traffic pass

  5. For best control, where should your hands be on the steering wheel?

    1. Both hands at 12 o'clock
    2. At 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock
    3. At 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock
    4. At 10 o'clock and 6 o'clock

  6. What speed is good practice when backing up?

    1. About 20 km/h
    2. About normal walking speed
    3. As fast as is comfortable
    4. About 30 km/h

  7. If your head restraint tilts, what is the ideal gap between your head and the restraint?

    1. About 15 cm
    2. Less than 10 cm
    3. About 20 cm
    4. More than 25 cm

  8. You are pulling away from the right side of the road. What signal do you use?

    1. Your right turn signal
    2. No signal is needed
    3. Your hazard lights
    4. Your left turn signal

  9. Before getting into your parked vehicle, what should you do?

    1. Honk to warn people nearby
    2. Walk around it to check for hazards
    3. Adjust the radio and mirrors
    4. Start the engine to warm it up

  10. What is "riding the clutch"?

    1. Releasing the clutch pedal too quickly
    2. Leaving your foot on the clutch pedal
    3. Shifting without the clutch
    4. Starting in second gear

  11. On smooth, dry pavement, about how far does a car at 50 km/h travel before it stops, counting perception and reaction?

    1. About 108 m
    2. About 37 m
    3. About 18 m
    4. About 76 m

  12. What makes up total stopping distance?

    1. Following distance and braking distance
    2. Braking distance only
    3. Reaction and braking distance only
    4. Perception, reaction and braking distance

  13. About how long is the average driver's reaction time, moving the foot from gas to brake?

    1. 3/4 of a second
    2. 3 seconds
    3. 1/4 of a second
    4. 2 seconds

  14. A passenger tucks the shoulder belt behind their back because it is uncomfortable. What does the manual say?

    1. It is fine on short trips
    2. Do not do it; the belt must cross the chest
    3. It is fine if the lap belt is on
    4. It is fine in a car that has front air bags

  15. How should the lap part of your seat belt fit?

    1. Under your thighs
    2. High across your ribs
    3. Low and snug over your hips
    4. Loose across your stomach

  16. In an automatic transmission, which position locks the transmission and is used for starting and parking?

    1. P (Park)
    2. D (Drive)
    3. 1 (Low gear)
    4. N (Neutral)

  17. How should an adjustable head restraint be set?

    1. Its centre level with the back of your neck
    2. Its top level with your chin
    3. As low as it will go
    4. Its centre level with the top of your ears

  18. In a city, town or village, where are you not allowed to back a vehicle?

    1. Into a marked parking stall on a street
    2. Into an intersection or crosswalk
    3. Into a garage
    4. Out of a driveway

  19. You are backing out of a driveway onto a two-lane street. How far may you back?

    1. Into any lane with no traffic
    2. Only into the nearest lane
    3. Across both lanes if clear
    4. To the far curb

  20. Backing straight up, which way do you turn the wheel for a small correction?

    1. You should not turn it at all
    2. The way you want the back to go
    3. Always to the right
    4. Opposite to where you want to go

Starting, steering and stopping: 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 ↗

Starting your vehicle (Ch. 3)

  • Walk around the vehicle before getting in: check for children, pedestrians, oncoming traffic and obstructions.
  • Seat: see over the wheel, reach all controls, arms relaxed. With a steering-wheel air bag, Transport Canada recommends sitting at least 25 cm (10 in.) back from the wheel while still reaching the brake.
  • Mirrors: inside mirror to see as much behind as possible; side mirrors to reduce blind spots.
  • Seat belt is the law; lap belt low and snug over hips, shoulder belt across chest and shoulder; never behind your back or under your arm. Wear it even with air bags.

Head restraint; pulling out

  • Centre of the head restraint level with the top of your ears; if it tilts, less than 10 cm (4 in.) between head and restraint is ideal.
  • Before pulling out: use mirrors and also shoulder check.
  • Pulling out from the right side of the road: left signal. From the left side of a one-way road: right signal.

Transmissions

  • P locks the transmission; used for starting and parking. R reverse. N out of gear. D normal driving. 3,2,1 stop upshifting (hills). Overdrive: higher speeds, saves fuel.
  • Manual: start with gearshift in neutral and clutch fully pressed. Friction point = where engagement is first felt. Lugging vs racing. "Riding the clutch" (foot left on pedal) wears the clutch. Stay in gear going downhill; don't press the clutch too early when stopping (coasting).

Steering

  • Hands at 9 o'clock (left) and 3 o'clock (right). Use hand-over-hand for turning and recovery.

Accelerating

  • Accelerate smoothly; never exceed the posted limit; don't spin tires; driving well below the limit is also a hazard — pull over to let traffic pass if needed.

Stopping distance

  • Perception time about 3/4 second; average reaction time 3/4 second.
  • Total stopping distance = perception distance + reaction distance + braking distance.
  • Chart (smooth dry pavement): 50 km/h ≈ 37 m total; 80 km/h ≈ 76 m; 100 km/h ≈ 108 m; 110 km/h ≈ 126 m; 30 km/h ≈ 18 m.

Braking techniques

  • Brake early; ease off the gas first; ease up slightly just before stopping for smoothness.
  • Threshold braking for quick stops: brake almost to lock-up; if wheels lock, ease up. Locked wheels = loss of steering.

Reversing

  • Look behind; walk around first if backing out of a driveway.
  • Straight back: left hand at top of wheel, look over right shoulder through rear window; turn the wheel the way you want the back of the vehicle to go.
  • Backing left: look over left shoulder; backing right: over right shoulder. The front swings the opposite way.
  • Back only into the nearest lane; backing across a centre line is illegal. In urban areas you may not back into an intersection or crosswalk. Keep to walking speed. White back-up lights = vehicle in reverse.

Study the Starting, steering and stopping rules as flashcards →

Other topics

Full practice tests