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

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

Oversize vehicles that obscure your vision

Very small cars

Only vehicles going slower than you

Vehicles with clear rear visibility

2 / 30

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

Identify, predict, decide, execute

See, steer, speed, stop

Look, listen, turn, stop

Signal, merge, pass, return

3 / 30

In the example of commentary driving, the driver first:

Identifies existing conditions and potential hazards

Swerves away from parked cars

Immediately brakes hard

Ignores the children because they are off the road

4 / 30

Commentary driving is a technique where the driver:

Uses only mirrors and not direct vision

Verbalizes their main observations and interpretations while driving

Drives with the radio off to focus

Follows GPS spoken instructions only

5 / 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

Move left to force them back

Reduce your speed immediately and prepare to stop

6 / 30

A common cause of collisions with the vehicle ahead is:

Driving under the speed limit

Using low-beam headlights in the daytime

Excessive signaling

Following too close

7 / 30

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

Only front, back, and oncoming

Only left and right

Above, below, left, right, front, back

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

8 / 30

You should also increase following distance when:

Road conditions are poor and visibility is reduced

You are late for your route

It is sunny and dry

The road is straight and empty

9 / 30

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

Driving in the oncoming lane

Honking continuously regardless of child movement

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

Speeding up to clear the area sooner

10 / 30

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

Aim directly for the vehicle to stop it

Ride right off the road rather than into the oncoming vehicle

Brake and stop in the middle of the lane only

Swerve into the oncoming lane to surprise the other driver

11 / 30

Head-on collisions could be largely avoided if everyone:

Used high beams at all times

Drove slower than the posted limit

Drove slightly over the center line

Stayed carefully on the right side except when permitted to pass

12 / 30

The four-second rule involves:

Counting stop signs passed in four seconds

Blinking headlights four times

Measuring four bus lengths between vehicles

Timing the gap after the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object

13 / 30

One major benefit of commentary driving is that it:

Allows you to drive faster safely

Reduces fuel consumption

Eliminates the need to check mirrors

Develops good visual skills and helps resist distractions

14 / 30

With practice, commentary driving should lead to:

Ignoring hazards that aren’t directly ahead

Relying on passengers to point out hazards

Turning off all internal bus lights

Silent but active observation becoming a habit

15 / 30

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

Excessive lane markings

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

Perfect weather conditions

Clear and empty roadway

16 / 30

On right curves, you should:

Move slightly into the shoulder

Use the left lane if available

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

Keep close to the center line

17 / 30

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

Use of automatic transmissions

Too many lane markings

Drivers using turn signals too early

Many drivers following too close

18 / 30

A tailgater (vehicle behind) creates a hazard because:

They improve overall traffic flow

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

They increase your following distance automatically

They reduce your fuel economy

19 / 30

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

Three seconds

Four seconds

Two seconds

One second

20 / 30

Following distance should also be increased when following:

Vehicles with trailers only in good weather

Dangerous goods carriers

Police cars only

Vehicles with very bright tail lights

21 / 30

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

The cars will move suddenly

Child could run out onto the road from behind parked cars

The traffic light will turn red

The road will become slippery

22 / 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

Ignore them and maintain your speed exactly

Speed up above the limit

23 / 30

Faulty driving maneuvers that may cause lane intrusion include:

Driving at or below the speed limit

Signaling too early

Misjudging distance needed to pass or making a wide turn

Using daytime running lights

24 / 30

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

Focusing mostly on the speedometer

Staying alert and allowing a safe following distance

Relying on the vehicle’s horn to warn others

Maintaining a fixed speed regardless of traffic

25 / 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

26 / 30

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

Increase your following distance from the vehicle ahead

Turn on hazard lights continuously

Decrease your following distance to clear the area faster

Move into the oncoming lane

27 / 30

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

Changing lanes without signaling

Turning on hazard lights and stopping immediately

Ignoring the situation because the road is clear behind

Reducing speed and preparing to brake

28 / 30

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

Speed up to pass the vehicle ahead

Maintain speed and change lanes

Slow down to increase following distance

Pull onto the shoulder immediately

29 / 30

Centrifugal force on a curve tends to:

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

Pull the vehicle into the center of the curve

Stop the vehicle from turning

Eliminate the need to steer

30 / 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

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.