MTO Road Safety & Traffic Management 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A driver notices their vehicle begins to hydroplane. The correct response is to:
- Ease off the accelerator and steer straight until traction returns (Correct answer)
- Apply the brakes firmly to slow down immediately
- Turn the steering wheel sharply toward the skid
- Accelerate slightly to spin tires through the water
Correct answer: Ease off the accelerator and steer straight until traction returns
Gentle deceleration without braking and holding a straight line allows tires to re-establish contact with the road surface.
Question 2: What does the term 'level of service' (LOS) measure in traffic engineering?
- Qualitative measure of traffic flow conditions from free-flow (A) to gridlock (F) (Correct answer)
- The posted speed limit on a given roadway segment
- The number of lanes on a highway corridor
- Average fuel economy of vehicles using a road
Correct answer: Qualitative measure of traffic flow conditions from free-flow (A) to gridlock (F)
LOS grades roadway performance on a scale from A (free flow) to F (forced or breakdown flow).
Question 3: Which action is MOST effective in reducing pedestrian fatalities at unsignalized midblock locations?
- Installing raised pedestrian crossings with high-visibility markings (Correct answer)
- Adding advisory speed signs upstream
- Painting double yellow centerlines
- Widening shoulders for parking
Correct answer: Installing raised pedestrian crossings with high-visibility markings
Raised crosswalks slow traffic and increase driver awareness, significantly reducing pedestrian crash severity.
Question 4: Under federal regulations, commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers are subject to hours-of-service rules primarily to:
- Reduce fatigue-related crashes by limiting driving hours (Correct answer)
- Standardize pay across different trucking companies
- Ensure CMVs undergo weight checks at regular intervals
- Control fuel consumption on interstate routes
Correct answer: Reduce fatigue-related crashes by limiting driving hours
Hours-of-service rules limit consecutive driving time to combat driver fatigue, a major cause of large-truck crashes.
Question 5: A bicyclist is riding in a travel lane on a road with no bike lane. Legally, the cyclist:
- Has the right to use the full travel lane (Correct answer)
- Must ride on the sidewalk
- Is only permitted during non-peak hours
- Must always ride facing traffic
Correct answer: Has the right to use the full travel lane
In most US states, cyclists have the legal right to occupy a travel lane when no bike lane is present.
Question 6: Which sign shape in the US exclusively indicates a railroad crossing ahead?
- Round (Correct answer)
- Diamond
- Pentagon
- Pennant
Correct answer: Round
A circular (round) sign is reserved exclusively for advance warning of railroad grade crossings.
Question 7: When merging onto a freeway, the correct technique is to:
- Accelerate in the acceleration lane to match freeway traffic speed before merging (Correct answer)
- Stop at the end of the on-ramp and wait for a large gap
- Merge immediately at the beginning of the ramp regardless of speed
- Use the hard shoulder to increase merge speed safely
Correct answer: Accelerate in the acceleration lane to match freeway traffic speed before merging
Matching freeway speed before merging minimizes speed differentials and reduces rear-end crash risk.
MTO Road Safety & Traffic Management 4
A driver notices their vehicle begins to hydroplane.
The correct response is to: