Home › CDL Practice Tests › Air Brakes Questions › Question 183
Why should you check your brakes and speed at the top of a grade, where a brake check area or pullout is provided?
- A.Brake checks are only for vehicles that already have smoke showing
- B.It is the last easy place to confirm the brakes work and set a safe gear and speed before gravity takes over
- C.Stopping at the top overheats the brakes
- D.The check replaces the pre-trip inspection
Correct answer
B. It is the last easy place to confirm the brakes work and set a safe gear and speed before gravity takes over
Why
At the top you still have flat ground, low speed, and room to stop if something is wrong. Discovering weak brakes or the wrong gear partway down leaves far fewer and worse options.
Manual topic: Air Brakes - Downgrade Braking · From the Air Brakes practice bank (AB-183).