Which are the most dangerous roads in Maryland? Most analysts agree: For commercial driving, Interstate 95 is not only one of the worst in Maryland but also one of the worst in the country. As the main interstate highway on the East Coast from Florida to Maine, I-95 suffers from heavy traffic, frequent congestion, and numerous construction zones, which require you to stay alert. I-95 is not the only difficult road in Maryland. For example, sharp curves, steep grades, fog, and snow and ice in winter can make for hazardous driving on U.S. Route 40 and the road intended to largely replace it: Interstate 68. Truck drivers should use caution when driving on these roads, particularly in adverse weather.
On roads with hazardous driving conditions, your Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) must be able to handle such conditions safely and make sudden emergency maneuvers if necessary to prevent an accident. You must be sure that your brakes, horn, steering, lights, and tires are in good condition. Federal regulation 49 CFR § 396.13 requires you to be satisfied that your CMV is safe to drive before you drive it. To do this, you must conduct a comprehensive pre-trip inspection of your CMV before your first trip of the day in that vehicle.
Your official Maryland CDL manual (Maryland CDL Handbook 2025) discusses how to perform a pre-trip inspection, including which items you should check and how you can tell whether those items are working correctly.
The official General Knowledge test, which you must pass to become a commercial driver, will likely contain some questions on pre-trip inspections. All questions on the General Knowledge test are based on the official Maryland CDL manual. To prepare for this test, you should study the manual. But to make sure you pass the test, you should do even more.
Our practice tests can help you straighten out all that information in your mind and make it easier to absorb. This Maryland CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Test, the first of several we offer, will help you master the material on pre-trip inspections in the official CDL manual and ace those questions on the General Knowledge test.
If you need help with a practice question, call on our AI Assistant. It can supply hints and explanations and answer your own questions about commercial driving theory. If you still miss a question, the AI assistant will immediately let you know and provide an explanation of the correct answer.
Be sure to try our other Maryland CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Tests, too!