You become stranded in a severe snowstorm. What should you do?

Sleep with all windows sealed tight

Walk to the nearest town for help

Run the engine nonstop for heat

Ontario Class D (DZ): Night, weather and emergencies

Glare and high beams, fog, rain, ice and snow plows, skids and ABS, warning devices when broken down, truck fires, collisions, drowsy and distracted driving.

No sign-up
Every answer explained
Independent · not a government site

24 questions
Topic drill

0/24

Night, weather and emergencies · Question 1Score 0/0

You feel very sleepy. Which remedy works?

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

Study reference: MTO Truck Handbook (online edition, 2026), Ch. 3 Safe and responsible driving — Night and bad weather, emergencies

All 24 questions in this test

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

You feel very sleepy. Which remedy works?
1. Pulling over to sleep
2. Opening the window
3. Turning up the radio
4. Drinking coffee and pushing on
What is hydroplaning?
1. Brakes overheating in the rain
2. Wipers lifting off the glass
3. Tires riding up on water
4. Water getting into the engine
Your truck has lane-keeping assist. Can you still be charged with careless driving?
1. Yes, you must stay in control
2. No, the system is responsible
3. Only on city streets
4. Only at night
Should you use warning devices for a daytime breakdown off the road?
1. It is recommended
2. No, never in daylight
3. Only if police ask
4. Only on 400-series roads
You become stranded in a severe snowstorm. What should you do?
1. Sleep with all windows sealed tight
2. Stay with the truck
3. Walk to the nearest town for help
4. Run the engine nonstop for heat
Which habit is listed as a common cause of truck fires?
1. Checking the tire pressure
2. Using cruise control on hills
3. Tossing cigarettes out
4. Washing the truck too often
Which is a warning sign that you are too drowsy to drive?
1. Noticing a sign
2. Wanting to change radio stations
3. Feeling hungry
4. Drifting into the next lane
Which type of fire involves live electrical equipment?
1. Class D
2. Class C
3. Class B
4. Class A
Your truck stalls on a busy road. What is your first priority if it can still move?
1. Leave it and call a tow truck at once
2. Set flares in your lane before anything
3. Get it off the road if you can
4. Wait inside with the doors locked
When may you leave a truck stopped on the roadway itself?
1. For up to one hour at most
2. Only on weekends and holidays
3. Any time the flashers are on
4. If immovable, or seen 125 m each way
The road ahead looks black and shiny on a cold day. What should you suspect?
1. A fuel spill
2. Black ice
3. Clean dry pavement
4. Fresh asphalt
Under the handbook, what counts as limited visibility besides night-time?
1. Can't see clearly 150 m ahead
2. Driving at under 60 km/h
3. Being in a construction zone
4. Any day with cloud cover
Entering a tunnel on a bright day, what should you do?
1. Keep your sunglasses on inside
2. Slow down, sunglasses off, lights on
3. Speed up to get through it sooner
4. Switch on your high beams
In fog, what should you use as your guide on the road?
1. The right edge of the road
2. The left shoulder
3. The vehicle ahead's lights
4. The centre line
When following another vehicle at night, within what distance must you use low beams?
1. 30 m
2. 60 m
3. 300 m
4. 150 m
A collision causes $3,000 of damage and no injuries. What must you do?
1. Exchange information
2. Pay the other driver in cash
3. Report it to police within 1 hour
4. Leave the scene without stopping
How far to the right can a snow plow's wing extend?
1. Up to 3 m
2. Up to 5 m
3. Up to 10 m
4. Up to 1 m
How should you drive through a construction zone?
1. Keep to the normal speed limit
2. Stay in lane, expect stops
3. Pass the pilot vehicle when clear
4. Change lanes often to save time
After driving through a flooded stretch, what should you do?
1. Speed up to dry the tires
2. Test the brakes to dry them
3. Drain the fuel tank
4. Turn off the engine
In a hard stop with ABS, the pedal pulses. What should you do?
1. Release the pedal quickly
2. Pump the pedal rapidly
3. Keep pressing firmly
4. Shift into neutral at once
Instead of flares or lanterns, which warning devices are acceptable?
1. Portable reflectors
2. Cardboard signs
3. Spare tires
4. Orange traffic vests
A person is hurt in a collision and there is no fire danger. What should you do?
1. Move them into your cab
2. Drive them to the hospital
3. Have them walk around
4. Leave them where they are
Your cargo could explode in a fire. What extra step should you take?
1. Spray foam on the cab roof
2. Stop traffic, keep people back
3. Drive on to the nearest town
4. Open the cargo doors to vent it
What should you do if you think a fire is caused by a short circuit?
1. Open the hood and leave it
2. Pour water on the wiring
3. Remove the battery cables
4. Start the engine to clear it

Night, weather and emergencies: 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 ↗

Emergency warning devices

From one-half hour before sunset to one-half hour after sunrise, every commercial vehicle on a provincial highway must carry warning devices: flares, lamps or lanterns giving two lights each visible from 150 m for at least 8 hours, or portable reflectors.
If the vehicle breaks down, move it off the road if you can and turn on the hazard flashers; use low beams when visibility is limited.
Where the limit is over 60 km/h and you cannot get off the road, set a warning device about 30 m (100 ft) ahead of and behind the vehicle during limited visibility.
Limited visibility means one-half hour before sunset to one-half hour after sunrise, or any time you cannot clearly see people or vehicles 150 m away.
Do not leave a vehicle on the road unless moving it is impractical or there is a clear view of it for 125 m in both directions; if a hill or curve hides it within 150 m, place an extra warning.
Using warning devices in every breakdown, day or night, is recommended.

Fire

Class A fires: wood, paper, textiles, tires. Class B: grease, oil, gasoline, solvents, paint. Class C: live electrical equipment. Class D: burning metals, which need special compounds.
Common truck fire causes: a soft tire, overheated brakes, fuel leaks, uneven loads rubbing tires, careless smoking, carelessly placed flares, and electrical short circuits.
Check hub temperatures every time you check tires.
If a fire starts: stop away from buildings and vehicles, uncouple a combination if possible, call the fire department and say what is burning, remove battery cables if a short circuit is suspected, and keep people back if the cargo could explode.

Collisions

Report a collision to police when anyone is injured or damage exceeds $5,000; below that you must still exchange information.
With fuel leaks, turn engines off, do not move the vehicles, keep flames and flares away and warn approaching drivers.
Unless there is fire danger, leave injured people where they are until medical help arrives; cover them to reduce shock.

Driving at night and in bad weather

Overdriving your headlights means your stopping distance is longer than the distance you can see.
Dim your high beams within 150 m of an oncoming vehicle and within 60 m when following.
For oncoming glare, look up, beyond and slightly to the right of the lights.
In fog or blowing snow use low beams (and fog lights if fitted), slow down gradually, use the right edge of the road as a guide and never stop in a driving lane.
Snow plows show flashing blue lights visible from 150 m and may have a wing extending 3 m to the right; never pass between staggered plows.
Bridges, overpasses and shaded areas freeze first; black ice looks like shiny new asphalt.
After driving through deep water, test the brakes (for example a firm stop at 50 km/h) to dry them.
In a skid, ease off the brake or accelerator, steer where you want to go and do not oversteer.
ABS keeps steering control by preventing wheel lock but does not shorten stopping distance; threshold braking is used without ABS.

Dealing with particular situations

Drowsy-driving crashes peak between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. and between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.; commercial drivers are a higher-risk group.
The only cure for drowsiness is sleep: pull into a safe, well-lit rest stop and nap.
Hand-held phones are banned; commercial drivers may use a two-way radio whose microphone is securely mounted within easy reach.
If you see an animal, slow down and sound the horn; do not swerve around it. Report a collision with a deer or moose.
In construction zones obey workers and signs, avoid changing lanes and watch for sudden stops.

More conditions

Entering a tunnel on a bright day, slow down, remove sunglasses and turn on your headlights.
Hydroplaning is when tires ride on top of water like water skis; control becomes very difficult, so slow down on wet roads.
If stranded in severe weather, stay with the vehicle, open a window slightly, run the motor sparingly and use the flashers.
With ABS, keep firm pressure on the pedal in a hard stop; do not let the pulsing make you release it.
Drowsiness warning signs include trouble keeping eyes open, frequent yawning, missing signals and drifting out of your lane.
Driver-assistance features do not remove your duty to stay in control; you can still be charged with careless or dangerous driving.

Study the Night, weather and emergencies rules as flashcards →