Series 3-5: Stopping Your Vehicle

The “Stopping Your Vehicle” section of the Alberta School Bus knowledge test examines a driver’s ability to stop safely and effectively under various conditions.

Alberta School Bus Test - SERIES 3-5: Stopping Your Vehicle

1 / 20

How should you position your front wheels when parking on a downgrade with a curb?

Turn wheels away from the curb

Turn wheels into the curb

Turn wheels slightly to the left regardless of curb

Leave wheels straight

2 / 20

What should you always do after stopping and parking on a hill?

Set the park brake, turn off the ignition, and remove the keys

Leave the engine idling with the park brake off

Leave the bus in gear without the park brake

Only turn off the ignition, leaving the keys in the bus

3 / 20

When starting on a hill with a standard transmission, what should already be engaged while you are stopped?

The horn

The emergency flashers

The parking brake

The clutch

4 / 20

What is meant by total stopping distance?

The distance between your bus and the vehicle behind you

The distance travelled while the bus is in neutral

The sum of perception distance, reaction distance, and braking distance

The braking distance only

5 / 20

Which three factors determine how long it takes a vehicle to stop?

Acceleration time, turning time, braking time

Perception time, steering time, idle time

Perception time, reaction time, braking time

Reaction time, turning time, coasting time

6 / 20

Which of the following can negatively affect perception time?

Use of alcohol or other drugs (including prescription or over-the-counter)

Use of signal lights

Use of seat belts

Use of the parking brake

7 / 20

What is perception time?

The time it takes the engine to respond to the brake

The time it takes to move your foot from gas to brake

The time it takes to see a situation and understand there is a reason to stop

The time between pressing the brake and coming to a full stop

8 / 20

On a downgrade, how should you initially apply the brakes when preparing to stop on a hill?

Use only the engine brake without touching the pedal

Apply maximum braking immediately

Shift to neutral and coast to a stop

Apply brakes lightly at first, possibly tapping them, then apply firm, even pressure for a smooth stop

9 / 20

What is braking time?

The time from when the brakes are applied until the vehicle actually stops

The total time to see, decide, and react

The time it takes to move the foot to the brake pedal

The time spent slowing down by using the engine only

10 / 20

Which is a recommended technique when coming to a normal stop?

Maintain speed until the last moment, then brake hard

Ease off the accelerator in advance of the stop to begin reducing speed

Shift to neutral and coast well before stopping

Pump the brakes rapidly from high speed

11 / 20

What is the average perception time for most people?

About 3/4 of a second

About 1/10 of a second

About 5 seconds

About 2 seconds

12 / 20

As your speed or load increases, what happens to your total stopping distance?

It is unaffected by speed and load

It stays about the same

It increases dramatically

It decreases slightly

13 / 20

What is the average reaction time for most people?

About 3/4 of a second

About 1/4 of a second

About 3 seconds

About 1½ seconds

14 / 20

How should you brake to achieve a smooth final stop?

Apply the brake and clutch at the same time from high speed

Press the brake as hard as possible and hold it

Ease up on the brake pedal slightly just before stopping, then reapply pressure to come to a complete stop

Use only the parking brake to come to a stop

15 / 20

When stopping and parking on a hill, what should you do regarding following traffic?

Ignore following traffic and stop immediately

Rely on brake lights only to warn others

Use hand signals only

Check side mirrors for following traffic and signal to pull over

16 / 20

Under what conditions should starting on an uphill grade be practiced?

Only at night to avoid distractions

With a full load of passengers to simulate real conditions

Without passengers on board and in an area with little or no traffic

Only during peak traffic hours

17 / 20

What is reaction time?

The time it takes to turn the steering wheel

The time the bus spends coasting in neutral

The time it takes the brakes to bring the bus to a stop

The time it takes to physically react by releasing the gas and moving to the brake pedal

18 / 20

How should you position your front wheels when parking on an upgrade with a curb?

Turn wheels sharply to the right

Turn wheels away from the curb

Leave wheels straight

Turn wheels into the curb

19 / 20

If there is no curb, how should you turn your wheels when parked on either an uphill or downhill grade?

It does not matter how the wheels are turned

Turn the wheels to the right

Turn the wheels to the left

Leave the wheels straight

20 / 20

In the recommended hill-start procedure, what is the correct sequence involving the clutch, gear, and parking brake?

Depress the clutch, shift into gear, grasp the parking brake handle, release the clutch to the friction point while adding accelerator, then release the parking brake as the clutch begins to grab

Shift into neutral, then release the parking brake and coast forward

Press the accelerator fully, then release the clutch and parking brake together

Release the parking brake first, then find a gear, then depress the clutch

Your score is

This section focuses on knowing when and how to stop, maintaining safe following distances, and using appropriate braking techniques. Drivers must understand the importance of anticipating stops, especially near school zones and loading areas, to ensure student safety. The test also covers the correct use of stop arms and warning lights. Mastery of stopping procedures is crucial for preventing accidents and keeping students safe, making this section a vital part of the Alberta School Bus knowledge test.