Series 3-23a: Collision Avoidance 1

The “Collision Avoidance” section of the Alberta School Bus Knowledge Test assesses a driver’s understanding of safe driving practices to prevent accidents.

Alberta School Bus Test - SERIES 3-23a: Collision Avoidance 1

1 / 30

One reason a driver might move into the wrong lane is:

A problem in their lane, such as a construction barrier or animal

Perfect weather conditions

Clear and empty roadway

Excessive lane markings

2 / 30

If you are already at the speed limit and being tailgated, a good response is to:

Brake hard to warn them

Slow down slightly to encourage them to pass

Speed up above the limit

Ignore them and maintain your speed exactly

3 / 30

Faulty driving maneuvers that may cause lane intrusion include:

Using daytime running lights

Misjudging distance needed to pass or making a wide turn

Signaling too early

Driving at or below the speed limit

4 / 30

One major benefit of commentary driving is that it:

Eliminates the need to check mirrors

Develops good visual skills and helps resist distractions

Allows you to drive faster safely

Reduces fuel consumption

5 / 30

The six positions another vehicle can take relative to yours before a collision include:

Only left and right

Above, below, left, right, front, back

Only front, back, and oncoming

Ahead, behind, oncoming, intersection/angle, passing you, you passing

6 / 30

The four basic hazard-avoidance steps used with commentary driving are:

Look, listen, turn, stop

Signal, merge, pass, return

See, steer, speed, stop

Identify, predict, decide, execute

7 / 30

In the example of commentary driving, the driver first:

Ignores the children because they are off the road

Identifies existing conditions and potential hazards

Swerves away from parked cars

Immediately brakes hard

8 / 30

You should also increase following distance when:

Road conditions are poor and visibility is reduced

You are late for your route

The road is straight and empty

It is sunny and dry

9 / 30

Commentary driving is a technique where the driver:

Uses only mirrors and not direct vision

Follows GPS spoken instructions only

Drives with the radio off to focus

Verbalizes their main observations and interpretations while driving

10 / 30

Following distance should also be increased when following:

Dangerous goods carriers

Police cars only

Vehicles with trailers only in good weather

Vehicles with very bright tail lights

11 / 30

Head-on collisions could be largely avoided if everyone:

Drove slower than the posted limit

Used high beams at all times

Drove slightly over the center line

Stayed carefully on the right side except when permitted to pass

12 / 30

A tailgater (vehicle behind) creates a hazard because:

They may not be able to stop in time if you brake

They increase your following distance automatically

They reduce your fuel economy

They improve overall traffic flow

13 / 30

A professional operator defends against rear-end collisions with the vehicle ahead by:

Focusing mostly on the speedometer

Relying on the vehicle’s horn to warn others

Staying alert and allowing a safe following distance

Maintaining a fixed speed regardless of traffic

14 / 30

For a school bus, the minimum normal following distance from the vehicle ahead should be:

Three seconds

One second

Two seconds

Four seconds

15 / 30

If a head-on collision seems unavoidable after following previous steps, you should:

Brake and stop in the middle of the lane only

Ride right off the road rather than into the oncoming vehicle

Aim directly for the vehicle to stop it

Swerve into the oncoming lane to surprise the other driver

16 / 30

A common cause of collisions with the vehicle ahead is:

Excessive signaling

Driving under the speed limit

Following too close

Using low-beam headlights in the daytime

17 / 30

Your following distance should be more than four seconds when following:

Vehicles with clear rear visibility

Oversize vehicles that obscure your vision

Very small cars

Only vehicles going slower than you

18 / 30

In the example involving children playing near parked cars, the “predict” step is:

The road will become slippery

The cars will move suddenly

Child could run out onto the road from behind parked cars

The traffic light will turn red

19 / 30

If an oncoming vehicle enters your lane and continues toward you, one key defensive action is to:

Speed up to get past them quickly

Turn off your headlights

Reduce your speed immediately and prepare to stop

Move left to force them back

20 / 30

On left curves, you should:

Move left toward oncoming traffic

Move closer to the center line to see better

Keep the rear of the bus over the center line

Keep the front of the vehicle to the right side of the lane

21 / 30

A good method to negotiate curves is to:

Coast through with no pedal use

Speed up into the curve and brake hard in the middle

Slow down before the curve and gently apply power after entering

Stay centered over the center line for the widest path

22 / 30

On right curves, you should:

Move slightly into the shoulder

Use the left lane if available

Keep close to the center line

Keep the front of the vehicle close to the right side of the lane

23 / 30

When being tailgated and unable to get rid of the tailgater, you should:

Turn on hazard lights continuously

Move into the oncoming lane

Decrease your following distance to clear the area faster

Increase your following distance from the vehicle ahead

24 / 30

Centrifugal force on a curve tends to:

Push the vehicle in a straight line, outward from the curve

Stop the vehicle from turning

Eliminate the need to steer

Pull the vehicle into the center of the curve

25 / 30

If you reach the roadside object before finishing the “one-thousand-and-four” count, you should:

Maintain speed and change lanes

Slow down to increase following distance

Pull onto the shoulder immediately

Speed up to pass the vehicle ahead

26 / 30

The four-second rule involves:

Timing the gap after the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object

Counting stop signs passed in four seconds

Measuring four bus lengths between vehicles

Blinking headlights four times

27 / 30

With practice, commentary driving should lead to:

Silent but active observation becoming a habit

Turning off all internal bus lights

Ignoring hazards that aren’t directly ahead

Relying on passengers to point out hazards

28 / 30

“Domino” effect crashes involving many vehicles are often caused by:

Too many lane markings

Many drivers following too close

Use of automatic transmissions

Drivers using turn signals too early

29 / 30

In the same example, the “decide” step includes:

Driving in the oncoming lane

Choosing to hit a parked car rather than a child if necessary

Speeding up to clear the area sooner

Honking continuously regardless of child movement

30 / 30

In the same example, the “execute” step is:

Ignoring the situation because the road is clear behind

Reducing speed and preparing to brake

Changing lanes without signaling

Turning on hazard lights and stopping immediately

Your score is

This section highlights the importance of keeping a safe distance from other vehicles, anticipating the actions of fellow road users, and identifying dangerous situations promptly. Drivers should demonstrate an understanding of proper braking techniques, defensive driving practices, and safe navigation through intersections. The examination also includes the effective use of mirrors and emphasizes the importance of clear communication with other drivers. Mastering techniques to avoid collisions is vital for school bus operators to ensure the safety of students and all road users, making it a central focus of the knowledge assessment.