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

Following distance should also be increased when following:

Vehicles with very bright tail lights

Dangerous goods carriers

Vehicles with trailers only in good weather

Police cars only

2 / 30

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

Drivers using turn signals too early

Use of automatic transmissions

Too many lane markings

Many drivers following too close

3 / 30

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

Increase your following distance from the vehicle ahead

Move into the oncoming lane

Decrease your following distance to clear the area faster

Turn on hazard lights continuously

4 / 30

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

Look, listen, turn, stop

Signal, merge, pass, return

Identify, predict, decide, execute

See, steer, speed, stop

5 / 30

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

Slow down slightly to encourage them to pass

Brake hard to warn them

Ignore them and maintain your speed exactly

Speed up above the limit

6 / 30

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

Pull onto the shoulder immediately

Maintain speed and change lanes

Speed up to pass the vehicle ahead

Slow down to increase following distance

7 / 30

One major benefit of commentary driving is that it:

Reduces fuel consumption

Eliminates the need to check mirrors

Allows you to drive faster safely

Develops good visual skills and helps resist distractions

8 / 30

With practice, commentary driving should lead to:

Turning off all internal bus lights

Relying on passengers to point out hazards

Ignoring hazards that aren’t directly ahead

Silent but active observation becoming a habit

9 / 30

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

Swerve into the oncoming lane to surprise the other driver

Brake and stop in the middle of the lane only

Aim directly for the vehicle to stop it

Ride right off the road rather than into the oncoming vehicle

10 / 30

A common cause of collisions with the vehicle ahead is:

Using low-beam headlights in the daytime

Excessive signaling

Following too close

Driving under the speed limit

11 / 30

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

One second

Two seconds

Three seconds

Four seconds

12 / 30

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

Excessive lane markings

Clear and empty roadway

Perfect weather conditions

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

13 / 30

You should also increase following distance when:

It is sunny and dry

The road is straight and empty

Road conditions are poor and visibility is reduced

You are late for your route

14 / 30

Commentary driving is a technique where the driver:

Drives with the radio off to focus

Verbalizes their main observations and interpretations while driving

Uses only mirrors and not direct vision

Follows GPS spoken instructions only

15 / 30

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

Turning on hazard lights and stopping immediately

Ignoring the situation because the road is clear behind

Reducing speed and preparing to brake

Changing lanes without signaling

16 / 30

In the example of commentary driving, the driver first:

Identifies existing conditions and potential hazards

Ignores the children because they are off the road

Immediately brakes hard

Swerves away from parked cars

17 / 30

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

Staying alert and allowing a safe following distance

Maintaining a fixed speed regardless of traffic

Focusing mostly on the speedometer

Relying on the vehicle’s horn to warn others

18 / 30

Faulty driving maneuvers that may cause lane intrusion include:

Misjudging distance needed to pass or making a wide turn

Driving at or below the speed limit

Using daytime running lights

Signaling too early

19 / 30

The four-second rule involves:

Blinking headlights four times

Measuring four bus lengths between vehicles

Timing the gap after the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object

Counting stop signs passed in four seconds

20 / 30

A tailgater (vehicle behind) creates a hazard because:

They reduce your fuel economy

They improve overall traffic flow

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

They increase your following distance automatically

21 / 30

On left curves, you should:

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

Move left toward oncoming traffic

Keep the rear of the bus over the center line

Move closer to the center line to see better

22 / 30

Centrifugal force on a curve tends to:

Stop the vehicle from turning

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

Eliminate the need to steer

Pull the vehicle into the center of the curve

23 / 30

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

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

Driving in the oncoming lane

24 / 30

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

Oversize vehicles that obscure your vision

Vehicles with clear rear visibility

Only vehicles going slower than you

Very small cars

25 / 30

On right curves, you should:

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

Move slightly into the shoulder

26 / 30

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

The traffic light will turn red

The cars will move suddenly

Child could run out onto the road from behind parked cars

The road will become slippery

27 / 30

A good method to negotiate curves is to:

Slow down before the curve and gently apply power after entering

Coast through with no pedal use

Speed up into the curve and brake hard in the middle

Stay centered over the center line for the widest path

28 / 30

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

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

Only front, back, and oncoming

Above, below, left, right, front, back

Only left and right

29 / 30

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

Move left to force them back

Speed up to get past them quickly

Reduce your speed immediately and prepare to stop

Turn off your headlights

30 / 30

Head-on collisions could be largely avoided if everyone:

Stayed carefully on the right side except when permitted to pass

Used high beams at all times

Drove slower than the posted limit

Drove slightly over the center line

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.