Chapter 3-4a: Driving at night and in bad weather

The “Driving at Night and in Bad Weather” section of the Ontario truck driver knowledge test prepares drivers for challenging conditions that affect visibility and road safety.

Ontario Truck Driver Test - Chapter 3-4a: Driving at night and in bad weather

1 / 30

In rain, you should leave extra space between you and the vehicle ahead to:

Keep other vehicles from passing

Allow more stopping distance and reduce spray that affects visibility

Make room to speed up suddenly

Let other drivers cut in

2 / 30

Reflective road signs can contribute to overdriving your headlights because they:

Absorb too much light

Are too dim to be helpful

Can make you believe you see farther than you really can

Only work with high beams

3 / 30

When driving in fog, you should use this as a guide:

Oncoming vehicles’ headlights

The right edge of the road rather than the centre line

Roadside trees and fences

The centre line only

4 / 30

When fog appears to be clearing, you should:

Accelerate quickly back to the speed limit

Begin passing other vehicles immediately

Turn off your headlights

Avoid speeding up suddenly

5 / 30

To reduce glare at night around other vehicles, you should:

Use parking lights only

Use low-beam headlights within 150 metres of oncoming traffic or when following within 60 metres

Use high-beam headlights at all times for maximum visibility

Turn off your headlights near other vehicles

6 / 30

To stay safe in fog, you should manage distractions by:

Reducing distractions, such as turning off your cell phone

Turning up the radio for company

Talking frequently on the phone to stay alert

Using your phone navigation in your hand

7 / 30

At night, when facing oncoming vehicles with bright headlights, you should look:

To the left edge of the road

Directly into the headlights

Up and beyond and slightly to the right of the oncoming lights

Down at your speedometer

8 / 30

Fog is best described as:

A patch of ice on the roadway

A strong wind that pushes the car

A heavy rainfall

A thin layer of cloud resting on the ground

9 / 30

In fog, you should NOT:

Stop on the travelled portion of the road

Use low-beam headlights

Reduce speed gradually

Increase following distance

10 / 30

When driving at night or in bad weather that reduces visibility, you should:

Use high beams at all times

Slow down to a speed that suits the conditions

Follow the vehicle ahead closely

Maintain the speed limit regardless of visibility

11 / 30

Hydroplaning occurs when:

Your windshield wipers fail

Your engine overheats in rain

Your tires ride on top of the water, like water skis

Your tires lose air pressure slowly

12 / 30

Rain makes road surfaces particularly slippery:

Especially as the first drops begin to fall

Only at very low temperatures

Only when it stops raining

Only after many hours of rain

13 / 30

To reduce daytime glare from the sun, you should:

Use your sun visor or good quality sunglasses

Close your eyes briefly

Turn on your high-beam headlights

Drive faster to get out of the glare

14 / 30

In fog, your following distance should be:

Increased, to allow extra distance to brake safely

Kept the same as in clear conditions

Determined only by the speed limit

Decreased, to see the vehicle ahead better

15 / 30

On country roads at night, you should switch to low beams when:

Approaching a curve or hilltop

You are driving under the speed limit

Following no other traffic

You see no signs on the road

16 / 30

The safest overall strategy when there is a fog warning is to:

Follow large trucks closely

Delay your trip until the fog clears

Drive faster to get through the fog quickly

Drive with hazard lights only

17 / 30

A key safety reminder when driving in fog is to:

Stop on the road if you feel unsure

Turn on high beams and flash them often

Leave a safe braking distance and remain calm and patient

Drive as close as possible to the car ahead

18 / 30

A major reason to avoid driving on flooded roads is that:

It uses more fuel

Water may prevent your brakes from working

It cleans the underside of your vehicle

It improves engine cooling too much

19 / 30

In rain, you should drive slowly enough to:

Be able to stop within the distance you can see

Avoid leaving any following distance

Match the speed of other traffic regardless of visibility

Keep your tires very warm

20 / 30

If your wiper blades do not clean the windshield without streaking, you should:

Drive only in daylight

Turn them off and rely on ventilation

Replace them

Use high beams instead

21 / 30

If fog becomes too dense to continue, you should:

Drive slowly with no lights

Drive on the shoulder with high beams

Stop in your lane with hazard lights on

Pull completely off the road into a safe parking area and turn on emergency flashers plus low beams

22 / 30

Overdriving your headlights occurs when:

You are driving only in well-lit areas

You are driving slower than the speed limit

Your stopping distance is farther than you can see with your headlights

Your headlights are set to low beam

23 / 30

You should avoid driving through puddles because they:

Clean your tires

Improve traction

Cool your brakes safely

Can hide potholes and may damage your vehicle or cause loss of control

24 / 30

When entering a tunnel on a bright day, you should first:

Slow down and let your eyes adjust to the reduced light

Turn off your headlights

Keep your sunglasses on for as long as possible

Speed up to exit the tunnel quickly

25 / 30

In fog, which headlights should you use?

No lights, to avoid glare

Low-beam headlights (and fog lights if equipped)

Parking lights only

High-beam headlights only

26 / 30

After driving through a flooded stretch of road, you should:

Test your brakes at about 50 km/h by stopping quickly and firmly when safe

Pump the brakes lightly at high speed without stopping

Continue driving normally without checking the brakes

Turn the engine off while moving

27 / 30

If visibility in fog is decreasing rapidly, you should:

Move off the road into a safe parking area and wait for the fog to lift

Turn on high beams and keep going

Stop on the travelled portion of the road

Sound your horn continuously

28 / 30

To reduce the risk of hydroplaning, you should:

Drive close to the vehicle in front

Drive faster to cut through the water

Have good tires with deep tread and slow down when the road is wet

Use cruise control in heavy rain

29 / 30

A danger of overdriving your headlights is that:

Oncoming drivers will see you too clearly

You may not have enough distance to stop safely

Your headlights will burn out faster

You will use more fuel

30 / 30

Glare is best described as:

Light that only affects your rearview mirror

Dim light that makes it hard to read signs

Any light coming from behind the vehicle

Dazzling light that makes it hard to see and be aware of others

Your score is

This section emphasizes the need for reduced speeds, increased following distances, and heightened alertness during night driving or adverse weather such as rain, snow, or fog. Drivers are taught to use headlights properly, avoid sudden maneuvers, and check that all lights and wipers are functioning. The section also covers recognizing hazards like black ice and slippery roads. Adhering to these guidelines helps truck drivers minimize risks, ensuring safer journeys for themselves and others on the road.