CDT Vehicle Control & Handling Skills 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When teaching highway merging, what speed principle should a CDT instructor emphasize?
- Match highway traffic speed before entering the travel lane (Correct answer)
- Enter at 10 mph below traffic speed and accelerate after merging
- Stop at the end of the acceleration lane if a gap is unavailable
- Merge at any speed as long as a gap exists
Correct answer: Match highway traffic speed before entering the travel lane
Matching traffic speed before merging reduces relative speed differentials and minimizes the risk of rear-end collisions with following highway traffic.
Question 2: A student is driving a vehicle with rear-wheel drive and the rear slides out during acceleration on a wet road. What should the trainer instruct?
- Apply the brakes firmly to stop the vehicle
- Ease off the accelerator and steer into the slide (Correct answer)
- Accelerate harder to pull the vehicle straight
- Turn sharply in the opposite direction of the slide
Correct answer: Ease off the accelerator and steer into the slide
Reducing throttle removes the excess torque causing wheelspin while counter-steering aligns the vehicle's path with its direction of travel.
Question 3: What is the recommended following distance for a novice driver during initial training on a dry roadway at 55 mph?
- 1 second
- 2 seconds
- 3-4 seconds (Correct answer)
- 6 seconds or more
Correct answer: 3-4 seconds
A minimum 3-second following distance gives novice drivers adequate time to perceive a hazard and execute a safe braking response at highway speeds.
Question 4: When coaching a student through parallel parking, at what angle should the vehicle be positioned relative to the curb before beginning the reverse arc?
- Parallel to the parked cars with the front bumper aligned to the lead car's rear bumper (Correct answer)
- At a 45-degree angle pointing toward the curb
- At a 30-degree angle with the vehicle partially in the space
- Perpendicular to the curb to maximize turning clearance
Correct answer: Parallel to the parked cars with the front bumper aligned to the lead car's rear bumper
Starting parallel to the lead vehicle and aligning the front bumpers provides the correct reference point to begin the initial reverse arc into the space.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes 'target fixation' and its danger in driver training?
- Focusing on a specific stopping point to improve braking precision
- Staring at a hazard causing the driver to steer toward it instead of away (Correct answer)
- Using a fixed reference point to maintain lane position
- Focusing mirrors on a single target to track following vehicles
Correct answer: Staring at a hazard causing the driver to steer toward it instead of away
Target fixation causes drivers to unconsciously steer toward whatever they are staring at, making it critical to teach students to look where they want to go.
Question 6: A student over-corrects after drifting toward the right edge of the lane. What skill should the CDT instructor address?
- Threshold braking technique
- Smooth, small steering inputs and visual targeting ahead (Correct answer)
- Proper mirror adjustment before driving
- Correct hand position on the steering wheel
Correct answer: Smooth, small steering inputs and visual targeting ahead
Over-correction results from coarse steering inputs and looking too close to the vehicle; training should emphasize gentle corrections and looking far ahead to maintain lane position.
Question 7: What effect does increasing vehicle speed have on the minimum turning radius?
- It decreases the turning radius due to centrifugal force
- It has no effect on turning radius
- It requires a larger turning radius to maintain control (Correct answer)
- It allows sharper turns because tires heat up and grip better
Correct answer: It requires a larger turning radius to maintain control
At higher speeds, centrifugal force pushes the vehicle outward in a turn, requiring a larger radius or risk of losing traction and control.
CDT Vehicle Control & Handling Skills 3
When teaching highway merging, what speed principle should a CDT instructor emphasize?