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Saskatchewan Commercial overview

Saskatchewan Commercial: Driver condition, speed and following distance

Distraction, fatigue, alcohol and drugs, night vision and glare, the six driving conditions, traffic tempo, the time-based following count for long vehicles, tailgaters, intersections, railway crossings and the danger zone.

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Driver condition, speed and following distance · Question 1Score 0/0

Which of the six driving conditions does SGI call the most important?

Study reference: SGI Professional Driver's Handbook (2026-27), Ch. 2 Good driving habits — Driver condition, Night vision, Speed, Following distance, Intersections, Railway crossings, Danger zones

All 14 questions in this test

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

  1. Which of the six driving conditions does SGI call the most important?

    1. Driver condition
    2. Road condition
    3. Weather condition
    4. Vehicle condition

  2. What following distance should a taxi or ambulance driver keep in good conditions?

    1. At least one second
    2. At least three seconds
    3. At least two seconds
    4. Exactly one car length

  3. Why is driving in a caravan of trucks prohibited?

    1. It wastes fuel by increasing wind resistance on the lead truck
    2. It confuses drivers at weigh scales ahead
    3. It overloads bridges with too many axles
    4. It leaves too little room to stop and blocks passing

  4. If you double your speed, how much braking force do you need to stop in the same distance?

    1. Eight times as much
    2. Three times as much
    3. Four times as much
    4. Twice as much

  5. To avoid a blank stare in traffic, how often should you train your eyes to shift?

    1. About every fifteen seconds
    2. About every five seconds
    3. About every eight seconds
    4. About every two seconds

  6. How should you approach an intersection where your view is limited?

    1. At normal speed if your light is green, since you have the right of way
    2. At normal speed, sounding the horn
    3. Faster, to clear it before others arrive
    4. At a speed you can stop from, foot over the brake

  7. Your truck and trailer measure 17.8 m. Using SGI's method, what is your minimum following count?

    1. 6 seconds
    2. 9 seconds
    3. 4 seconds
    4. 3 seconds

  8. During which hours do most fatigue-related collisions occur?

    1. Noon–2 p.m. and 6–9 p.m.
    2. 1–4 p.m. and 2–6 a.m.
    3. 10 a.m.–noon and 8–11 p.m.
    4. 7–9 a.m. and 4–6 p.m.

  9. An experienced commercial driver in Saskatchewan wants to take a phone call while driving. What is allowed?

    1. Holding the phone on speaker below the dash
    2. Holding the phone briefly if the call lasts under one minute
    3. A mounted hands-free phone using voice or one touch
    4. Texting only while stopped at a red light

  10. After driving in the dark, how long can it take to recover from oncoming headlight glare?

    1. Up to five seconds, longer with age
    2. About two seconds at any age
    3. Exactly ten seconds for all drivers
    4. Less than one second for most drivers

  11. A driver has taken a sedating medication and then drinks a beer. How do the effects combine?

    1. They add up to the two amounts together
    2. They multiply, causing far more impairment
    3. The medication cancels out the alcohol
    4. Only the alcohol affects driving ability

  12. Your truck stalls on a railway crossing and a train is coming. Which way should you move once out?

    1. Along the tracks, away from the train
    2. Back to the cab to keep trying to start it
    3. Away from the tracks, toward the oncoming train
    4. Away from the tracks in the train's direction of travel

  13. How often does SGI recommend a commercial driver stop to rest?

    1. Only after 13 hours of driving
    2. At least every two hours
    3. At least every four hours
    4. Whenever the fuel tank is half empty

  14. You are climbing an upgrade below the traffic speed and a passing lane is provided. What should you do?

    1. Use the shoulder until the crest
    2. Turn on hazard lights and keep your lane
    3. Stay in the left lane to block tailgaters
    4. Keep to the right lane

Driver condition, speed and following distance: 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 ↗

Ch. 2 Attitude and driver condition (pp. 19–22)

  • Defensive driving means always being willing to yield to other drivers and pedestrians.
  • Driver condition (physical, mental, emotional fitness) is the most important of the six driving conditions.
  • Inattention causes the greatest number of collisions; make your eyes move about every two seconds to avoid a blank stare.
  • Most collisions happen near home on familiar roads.
  • Hand-held phones are banned in Saskatchewan; experienced (non-GDL) drivers may use mounted hands-free phones activated by voice or one touch.
  • Drowsy driving is as dangerous as impaired driving; lack of sleep is the most common cause.
  • Fatigue-related collisions peak 1–4 p.m. and 2–6 a.m.
  • The National Safety Code allows up to 13 hours of commercial driving a day, but SGI recommends a rest stop at least every two hours.
  • Coffee, radio and open windows only help briefly; prevention is sleep, regular breaks, a 20–40 minute mid-afternoon nap and not driving through normal sleeping hours.
  • Impaired driving is the leading cause of fatal collisions in Saskatchewan; there is zero tolerance for drug-impaired driving.
  • Alcohol combined with another drug multiplies impairment rather than simply adding to it.

Night vision and speed (pp. 23–24)

  • At night slow down and increase following distance; overdriving your headlights means you cannot stop within the lit area.
  • Recovering from oncoming glare takes up to five seconds and can reach 25 seconds as people age.
  • If you suspect a glare-recovery problem, see an eye professional and tell SGI's Medical Review Unit.
  • Posted limits are maximums for ideal conditions; adjust for six conditions: driver, vehicle, light, weather, road, traffic.
  • Driving faster than the traffic tempo eats into your following distance and adds lane changes and fatigue; driving much slower invites rear and side conflicts.

Following distance and tailgaters (pp. 24–26)

  • Caravanning (trucks or buses following closely to cut wind) is prohibited by law.
  • Taxis, ambulances, police vehicles and vans: at least a three-second gap.
  • Trucks, buses, power units and combinations: round the vehicle length to the nearest metre and divide by three to get the count in seconds (15 m = 5 seconds).
  • Lengthen the count on rain, snow or ice, and leave room for others to merge in front.
  • With a tailgater behind, stop gradually and help them pass; on an upgrade with a passing lane, slower vehicles use the right lane.

Intersections, railway crossings and danger zones (pp. 27–30)

  • Never enter a limited-view intersection faster than you can stop; cover the brake to cut reaction time.
  • Never pass in or approaching an intersection; do not use your size to bluff for the right of way.
  • Large vehicles need more time to clear and stop at railway crossings and can hang up on tracks.
  • Choose your gear before the crossing and do not shift on the tracks.
  • If stalled on tracks, get out and move away toward the oncoming train, then call the posted railway number or 911.
  • The danger zone is the area ahead in which you cannot stop; it grows with speed and poor surfaces.
  • Doubling weight needs double the braking force; doubling speed needs four times; doubling both needs eight times.

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