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View All Plans- Updated for May 2025
- Based on 2025 VA commercial driver's license manual
Free VA CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Exam 2025
Virginia’s road network is vital to the state’s role as a key logistics hub for the Mid-Atlantic region. Unfortunately, some commercial routes are especially hazardous.
Two examples are Interstates 64 and 81, which are key trucking routes, east-west and north-south respectively. Unfortunately, numerous crashes involving trucks and other vehicles have occurred on both roads. Speeding and drunk driving are frequent causes of accidents, of course. Still, the design and locations of these interstates also play a significant role. Because of high traffic volume and urban congestion, traffic on I-64 can stop suddenly, potentially leading to crashes. A particularly curvy stretch of I-64 in the Newport News/Hampton Roads area has had many fatal crashes. Snow and ice in western and mountainous sections also increase the danger. Factors making I-81 hazardous include high truck traffic, steep grades and winding stretches through the Appalachian Mountains, and snow and ice in the Appalachian region.
On roads with dangerous drivers or other hazardous driving conditions, your Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) must be able to operate safely and perform emergency maneuvers if necessary to avert an accident. Federal regulation 49 CFR § 396.13 requires you to be satisfied that your CMV is safe to drive before you drive it, and 49 CFR § 392.7 lists the most safety-critical vehicle systems you must ensure are working properly. To do this, you must conduct a thorough pre-trip inspection before your first trip of the day in that vehicle.
To practice operating CMVs under supervision, you must obtain a Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP). For this credential, you must pass a series of official knowledge tests, starting with the General Knowledge test on general driving theory. This test will likely contain some questions related to pre-trip inspections. All questions on the General Knowledge test are based on the official Virginia CDL manual (Virginia CDL Handbook 2025). You should study the manual. However, there’s a lot of material on many topics to learn, and the manual is written more like a reference work than a workbook for self-study.
Our Virginia CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Tests will help you absorb and memorize all that information. Taking practice tests like this one will help prepare you for all the pre-trip inspection questions on the General Knowledge test.
Like the official General Knowledge test, this practice test is multiple choice. Each question comes with several answer options. You must choose the best or most complete answer. Our AI assistant accompanies each question. It can help you learn by supplying hints and explanations and answering your own questions about commercial driving theory.
Please try all our Virginia CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Tests!
- Perfect for first-time and renewal CDL/CLP applicants, and those adding endorsements
- Triple-checked for accuracy
What you need to know
What to expect on the actual VA DMV exam
questions
correct answers to pass
passing score
List of questions (classic view)
- What structure supporting the fifth wheel skid plate should be checked for cracks or breaks?
- You pump the pedal three times and hold it down for five seconds, making sure that the pedal does not move. What are you inspecting?
- What transmits power from the transmission to the drive axle?
- What carries air or hydraulic fluid to the wheel brake assembly?
- ________ are gas or hydraulic devices that cushion the vehicle's ride and stabilize the vehicle.
- What is the sliding mechanism and locking device for tandem axles on trailers?
- What do you inspect to make sure that all are present and show no signs of looseness such as rust trails or shiny threads?
- What should you check to be sure it is solid, clear of objects, and securely bolted to the tractor frame?
- What maintains air pressure in the air brake system?
- Which tires should have a minimum tread depth of 4/32 inch?
- Which of the following can disengage the engine from the drivetrain?
- What transforms steering column action into wheel action?
- Make sure that the _________ are not cut, chafed, spliced, or worn, and not tangled, pinched, or dragged against tractor parts.
- You are looking for puddles on the ground and dripping fluids on the underside of the engine and transmission. What are you checking for?
- What should be fully engaged with no loose or missing pins in the slide mechanism of the sliding fifth wheel?
- To improve visibility during severe or stormy weather, __________ must be secure, undamaged, and operating smoothly and correctly.
- _________ should be clean with no dirt, illegal stickers, obstructions, or damage.
- _________ are the brackets, bolts, or bushings that are used to attach the spring or air bag to the axle and vehicle frame.
- If the wheel has a sight glass, check that the oil level is adequate. Otherwise, look for leaks around the
- What releases the fifth wheel locking jaws so the trailer can be coupled?
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