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

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

2 / 30

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

Only front, back, and oncoming

Only left and right

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

Above, below, left, right, front, back

3 / 30

Following distance should also be increased when following:

Vehicles with trailers only in good weather

Vehicles with very bright tail lights

Dangerous goods carriers

Police cars only

4 / 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

5 / 30

In the example of commentary driving, the driver first:

Swerves away from parked cars

Immediately brakes hard

Identifies existing conditions and potential hazards

Ignores the children because they are off the road

6 / 30

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

Signal, merge, pass, return

Identify, predict, decide, execute

See, steer, speed, stop

Look, listen, turn, stop

7 / 30

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

Maintain speed and change lanes

Pull onto the shoulder immediately

Slow down to increase following distance

Speed up to pass the vehicle ahead

8 / 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

Reduce your speed immediately and prepare to stop

Move left to force them back

Turn off your headlights

9 / 30

One major benefit of commentary driving is that it:

Develops good visual skills and helps resist distractions

Allows you to drive faster safely

Reduces fuel consumption

Eliminates the need to check mirrors

10 / 30

On right curves, you should:

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

Move slightly into the shoulder

Keep close to the center line

Use the left lane if available

11 / 30

On left curves, you should:

Keep the rear of the bus over the center line

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

Move closer to the center line to see better

Move left toward oncoming traffic

12 / 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

13 / 30

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

Focusing mostly on the speedometer

Maintaining a fixed speed regardless of traffic

Staying alert and allowing a safe following distance

Relying on the vehicle’s horn to warn others

14 / 30

A tailgater (vehicle behind) creates a hazard because:

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

They reduce your fuel economy

They increase your following distance automatically

They improve overall traffic flow

15 / 30

Centrifugal force on a curve tends to:

Pull the vehicle into the center of the curve

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

Stop the vehicle from turning

Eliminate the need to steer

16 / 30

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

Brake hard to warn them

Speed up above the limit

Ignore them and maintain your speed exactly

Slow down slightly to encourage them to pass

17 / 30

Faulty driving maneuvers that may cause lane intrusion include:

Misjudging distance needed to pass or making a wide turn

Using daytime running lights

Driving at or below the speed limit

Signaling too early

18 / 30

The four-second rule involves:

Measuring four bus lengths between vehicles

Counting stop signs passed in four seconds

Blinking headlights four times

Timing the gap after the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object

19 / 30

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

The traffic light will turn red

Child could run out onto the road from behind parked cars

The road will become slippery

The cars will move suddenly

20 / 30

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

Increase your following distance from the vehicle ahead

Decrease your following distance to clear the area faster

Move into the oncoming lane

Turn on hazard lights continuously

21 / 30

Head-on collisions could be largely avoided if everyone:

Drove slower than the posted limit

Used high beams at all times

Stayed carefully on the right side except when permitted to pass

Drove slightly over the center line

22 / 30

A common cause of collisions with the vehicle ahead is:

Following too close

Excessive signaling

Using low-beam headlights in the daytime

Driving under the speed limit

23 / 30

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

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

Excessive lane markings

Clear and empty roadway

Perfect weather conditions

24 / 30

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

Four seconds

One second

Three seconds

Two seconds

25 / 30

Commentary driving is a technique where the driver:

Drives with the radio off to focus

Follows GPS spoken instructions only

Uses only mirrors and not direct vision

Verbalizes their main observations and interpretations while driving

26 / 30

With practice, commentary driving should lead to:

Turning off all internal bus lights

Ignoring hazards that aren’t directly ahead

Relying on passengers to point out hazards

Silent but active observation becoming a habit

27 / 30

A good method to negotiate curves is to:

Stay centered over the center line for the widest path

Slow down before the curve and gently apply power after entering

Speed up into the curve and brake hard in the middle

Coast through with no pedal use

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 “execute” step is:

Ignoring the situation because the road is clear behind

Reducing speed and preparing to brake

Turning on hazard lights and stopping immediately

Changing lanes without signaling

30 / 30

You should also increase following distance when:

You are late for your route

Road conditions are poor and visibility is reduced

It is sunny and dry

The road is straight and empty

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.