Driving Safely with Passengers: Inspection, Loading, Passenger Safety, and Crossings
What this domain tests
Driving Safely with Passengers tests your judgment before and during movement of a passenger-carrying vehicle in Delaware. Expect questions on vehicle inspection, loading and unloading, passenger safety, and railroad-highway crossings. The exam rewards the driver who stops, checks, and refuses to move until the bus and passengers are secure.
Core rules
- Inspection: Before loading, inspect tires, brakes, lights, mirrors, horn, steering, doors, emergency exits, fire extinguisher, and first aid kit. Inside, verify the aisle is clear and loose items are secured. Recheck critical items during the trip.
- Loading and unloading: Use a safe location away from traffic when possible. Count passengers as they board and leave. Keep the doorway clear, close the door before moving, and do not move until passengers are seated or safely standing behind the standee line.
- Passenger safety: You are responsible for the passenger compartment. Enforce seat-belt use if belts are provided, keep the aisle and exits clear, and do not carry hazardous materials or unauthorized riders.
- Railroad-highway crossings: A passenger bus carrying passengers must stop at railroad crossings unless a police officer or flagman lawfully directs it through. Stop 15–50 feet from the nearest rail, look and listen, cross only when clear, and do not shift gears while crossing.
Worked example
You drive a 47-passenger bus with 30 aboard and approach a crossing with a stop sign and flashing red lights. A car ahead stops, then crosses. You still must stop the bus 15–50 feet before the nearest rail, verify the track is clear, and proceed without shifting gears. The car’s action does not exempt a passenger bus, and active warning lights are a reason to stop, not a signal to follow the car.
Traps that cost marks
Treating a passenger bus like a car at crossings; stopping closer than 15 feet or farther than 50 feet; failing to count passengers after unloading; allowing luggage in the aisle; skipping the interior inspection; assuming flashing lights give you the right to cross.