Home › CDL Practice Tests › General Knowledge Questions › Question 249
If no ramp is available and your brakes have failed on a grade, which terrain choice is generally the least harmful last resort?
- A.Steering into soft ground, an open field, or uphill terrain that will scrub speed gradually, rather than striking a fixed object head-on
- B.Driving off a steep drop to end the ride quickly
- C.Aiming for a bridge support to stop instantly
- D.Hitting the vehicle ahead so its brakes help
Correct answer
A. Steering into soft ground, an open field, or uphill terrain that will scrub speed gradually, rather than striking a fixed object head-on
Why
Energy has to go somewhere, and spreading the stop over distance in soft or rising ground gives the occupants the gentlest deceleration available. Fixed objects and other vehicles concentrate that energy into the worst possible outcome.
Manual topic: Brake Failure - Last Resort · From the General Knowledge practice bank (GK-249).