Montana Pre-Trip Vehicle Inspection Practice Questions

Pre-Trip Vehicle Inspection questions

1. 1. What is the purpose of a pre-trip inspection?

   1. A. To find faults before they cause a crash
   2. B. To record fuel consumption
   3. C. To satisfy the shipper's paperwork

   Answer: A — To find faults before they cause a crash

   Federal rules require a driver to be satisfied the vehicle is safe before operating it.

2. 2. What must a driver do if a defect found during an inspection affects safe operation?

   1. A. Note it and drive carefully
   2. B. Report it at the end of the trip
   3. C. Have it repaired before driving

   Answer: C — Have it repaired before driving

   A defect affecting safe operation must be corrected before the vehicle is driven.

3. 3. How often must an en-route inspection of cargo and securing devices be made?

   1. A. Once per day
   2. B. Within 50 miles, then every 150
   3. C. Only at the start of the trip

   Answer: B — Within 50 miles, then every 150

   Federal rules require an inspection within the first 50 miles and then at 150-mile or 3-hour intervals.

4. 4. What is the minimum tread depth required on front tyres of a commercial vehicle?

   1. A. 4/32 of an inch
   2. B. 2/32 of an inch
   3. C. 6/32 of an inch

   Answer: A — 4/32 of an inch

   Steering-axle tyres require at least 4/32 inch of tread; other tyres require 2/32 inch.

5. 5. What is the minimum tread depth on tyres other than the front wheels?

   1. A. 4/32 of an inch
   2. B. 1/32 of an inch
   3. C. 2/32 of an inch

   Answer: C — 2/32 of an inch

   Non-steering tyres must retain at least 2/32 inch of tread depth.

6. 6. Which wheel and rim defect makes a vehicle unsafe to operate?

   1. A. Mismatched wheel colours
   2. B. Cracked rims or loose lugs
   3. C. Minor surface rust

   Answer: B — Cracked rims or loose lugs

   Cracked rims and missing lugs can lead to wheel separation at speed.

7. 7. What emergency equipment must a commercial vehicle carry?

   1. A. Extinguisher, fuses, warning devices
   2. B. A first aid kit and a spare wheel
   3. C. A torch and a set of jump leads

   Answer: A — Extinguisher, fuses, warning devices

   Required emergency equipment includes a fire extinguisher, spare electrical fuses where used, and warning devices for stopped vehicles.

8. 8. How many reflective triangles must a commercial vehicle carry?

   1. A. One
   2. B. Six
   3. C. Three

   Answer: C — Three

   Three bidirectional reflective triangles are the standard warning-device requirement.

9. 9. Where should warning devices be placed when stopped on a two-lane undivided road?

   1. A. Only one, 200 feet behind
   2. B. At 10 feet, and 100 feet each way
   3. C. All three behind the vehicle

   Answer: B — At 10 feet, and 100 feet each way

   On a two-lane road the triangles go 10 feet from the vehicle and 100 feet in each direction.

10. 10. Where should warning devices be placed when stopped on a one-way or divided highway?

    1. A. At 10, 100, and 200 feet behind
    2. B. One in front and two behind
    3. C. All three within 20 feet

    Answer: A — At 10, 100, and 200 feet behind

    On a divided or one-way road all three devices go behind the vehicle at 10, 100, and 200 feet.

11. 11. How much play is allowed at the rim of a 20-inch steering wheel?

    1. A. No more than 6 inches
    2. B. No more than 10 inches
    3. C. No more than 2 inches

    Answer: C — No more than 2 inches

    More than about 10 degrees, or 2 inches on a 20-inch wheel, makes the vehicle hard to steer.

12. 12. Which suspension defect must be reported before driving?

    1. A. Slight paint wear on the frame
    2. B. Cracked or broken spring leaves
    3. C. Dust on the leaf springs

    Answer: B — Cracked or broken spring leaves

    Broken springs and leaking air suspension components can cause loss of control or dropped axles.

13. 13. When must all required lights and reflectors be checked?

    1. A. During the pre-trip inspection
    2. B. Only at night
    3. C. Only during annual inspection

    Answer: A — During the pre-trip inspection

    Lights and reflectors must be present, clean, and functional whenever the vehicle is operated.

14. 14. What windscreen condition makes a commercial vehicle unsafe?

    1. A. Any chip anywhere on the glass
    2. B. Rain streaks after washing
    3. C. Damage in the driver's view

    Answer: C — Damage in the driver's view

    Damage in the sight area interferes with the driver's ability to see hazards.

15. 15. Why is an exhaust leak a serious defect?

    1. A. It affects only fuel economy
    2. B. It can allow carbon monoxide into the cab
    3. C. It reduces engine power slightly

    Answer: B — It can allow carbon monoxide into the cab

    Carbon monoxide is odourless and can incapacitate a driver without warning.

16. 16. What must you check about the fuel system before driving?

    1. A. That caps are secure and dry
    2. B. Only the fuel gauge reading
    3. C. Only the tank capacity

    Answer: A — That caps are secure and dry

    Loose caps and leaks create both a fire hazard and an environmental violation.

17. 17. What must a driver do with the previous driver's vehicle inspection report?

    1. A. File it without reading
    2. B. Discard it before the trip
    3. C. Sign only if defects were repaired

    Answer: C — Sign only if defects were repaired

    The incoming driver must review the report and confirm noted defects were addressed.

18. 18. When must a driver vehicle inspection report be completed?

    1. A. Once per week
    2. B. At the end of each driving day
    3. C. Only when a defect is found

    Answer: B — At the end of each driving day

    A written report is required at the end of each day's driving for every vehicle operated.

19. 19. What are the three main types of vehicle inspection?

    1. A. Pre-trip, en-route, and post-trip
    2. B. Annual, monthly, and weekly
    3. C. Visual, mechanical, and electronic

    Answer: A — Pre-trip, en-route, and post-trip

    A driver inspects before the trip, monitors en route, and reports at the end of the day.

20. 20. In what order should a pre-trip inspection be carried out?

    1. A. In whatever order is quickest
    2. B. Starting with whatever looks suspect
    3. C. The same routine every time

    Answer: C — The same routine every time

    A fixed routine is what prevents an item being skipped on a rushed morning.

21. 21. What should you check about the brake drums during an inspection?

    1. A. That they are warm to the touch
    2. B. That they are free of cracks and oil
    3. C. That they are freshly painted and clean

    Answer: B — That they are free of cracks and oil

    Cracked drums and contaminated linings both cause a sudden loss of braking.

22. 22. How should tyre inflation be checked?

    1. A. With a pressure gauge
    2. B. By striking it with a mallet
    3. C. By eye

    Answer: A — With a pressure gauge

    A tyre can be dangerously under-inflated and still sound and look normal.

23. 23. What tyre condition makes a vehicle unsafe to drive?

    1. A. Uneven dirt on the sidewall
    2. B. Slightly mismatched tread patterns
    3. C. Cuts or bulges exposing the ply

    Answer: C — Cuts or bulges exposing the ply

    Exposed cords mean the tyre's structure has failed and a blowout can follow at any time.

24. 24. Why should you never mix bias-ply and radial tyres on the same axle?

    1. A. It is a purely cosmetic issue
    2. B. They flex differently under load
    3. C. They wear at different rates only

    Answer: B — They flex differently under load

    Mismatched construction on one axle produces unpredictable handling under load.

25. 25. What should you check on the coupling system during an inspection?

    1. A. Locking jaws, kingpin, and bolts
    2. B. Only the trailer lights
    3. C. Only the landing gear

    Answer: A — Locking jaws, kingpin, and bolts

    Every element of the coupling must be verified, because any one of them failing separates the trailer.

26. 26. What is a leak of any kind under a parked commercial vehicle a sign of?

    1. A. Normal condensation
    2. B. Excess washer fluid
    3. C. A defect needing correction

    Answer: C — A defect needing correction

    Fuel, oil, coolant, and air leaks all indicate a fault that must be traced before the trip.

27. 27. How should mirrors be set before a trip?

    1. A. So only the road is visible
    2. B. So the trailer and the road beside it show
    3. C. So the trailer fills the whole mirror

    Answer: B — So the trailer and the road beside it show

    A reference strip of the vehicle lets the driver judge where the mirror view sits relative to the truck.

28. 28. What steering component defect makes a vehicle unsafe?

    1. A. Loose, bent, or missing steering linkage parts
    2. B. Any slight play at all in the steering wheel
    3. C. A steering wheel cover that has worn thin

    Answer: A — Loose, bent, or missing steering linkage parts

    Any looseness in the linkage becomes lost motion at the wheel and a loss of directional control.

29. 29. What should be checked about the air suspension system?

    1. A. Only the tyre pressure
    2. B. Only the ride height gauge
    3. C. That the air bags hold pressure

    Answer: C — That the air bags hold pressure

    A failed air bag drops the axle and changes both ride height and load distribution.

30. 30. What must be true of the clearance lights on a trailer?

    1. A. Only that they are clean
    2. B. Present, clean, and working
    3. C. Only that they are present

    Answer: B — Present, clean, and working

    Colour and function both matter, because they define the vehicle's outline to other drivers at night.