Drivers who are engaged in conversation with passengers may be distracted from the task of driving. Use extra caution when driving near distracted drivers.

When inspecting your brakes, you should check for cracked drums; shoes or pads covered in oil, grease, or brake fluid; and shoes that are missing, broken, or worn dangerously thin.

Mirror adjustment should be checked prior to the start of any trip. If your vehicle has a trailer, the trailer must be straight in order for the mirrors to be checked accurately.

Be sure that you are able to accelerate without first rolling back. Rolling backwards may cause you to collide with a vehicle or other obstacle behind your truck.

At speeds below 40 mph, you should allow at least one second of following distance for every 10 feet of your vehicle. When traveling at higher speeds, follow the same formula, then add one additional second to your following distance.

When backing a straight truck, you would turn the wheel in the direction you want to go. By contrast, when backing a vehicle with a trailer, you must turn the steering wheel in the direction opposite of where you want to go. Once your trailer starts to turn, you should turn the steering wheel the other way to follow the trailer.

The posted speed limit on a curve may be safe to be taken by cars, but can still be too fast to be taken by larger vehicles, such as trucks. An operator driving their truck at the posted limit on a curve could cause their vehicle to tip over.

As the first step of a vehicle inspection, a driver should review any inspection report left by the previous driver.

The body processes alcohol at a fixed rate that cannot be sped up through tricks like drinking coffee. The only way to sober up is to give the body the time it needs to remove the alcohol on its own.

When performing a static leakage test on a double combination vehicle with air brakes, the leakage rate should be no more than 3 psi in one minute. If the air leaks from the air brake system at a quicker rate, the vehicle should not be driven because something likely needs to be repaired.

When inspecting the fifth wheel before a trip, you should ensure that the release arm is properly seated and the safety latch or lock is engaged. All components should be present and in proper working condition.

If confronted by an aggressive driver, the most important thing for you to do is get out of their way. Avoid making eye contact, do not challenge them by increasing your speed, and do not let yourself be provoked by any angry gestures they direct toward you.

If a tractor-trailer is so equipped, the trailer brake hand valve can be used to stop the vehicle from rolling back when being started from a stop.

Defects in an exhaust system are very dangerous because they can cause poisonous fumes to enter the cab or sleeper berth.

When coupling a double or triple combination, the rearmost trailer should be the final trailer attached.

A vehicle inspection report allows a driver to inform the motor carrier of issues that could affect the safe operation of a vehicle. If required, the driver should fill out a vehicle inspection report after every day of driving. They should make note of any issues that could affect the safety of the vehicle or that could lead to a mechanical breakdown.

Backing a large CMV is always dangerous because you will not be able to see everything behind you. If you must back up, use a helper, if possible.

A wig wag is a type of low air pressure warning device in an air brake system. It drops a mechanical arm into the driver's view when the air pressure in the tanks falls below 60 psi.

The average driver has a reaction time between three-quarters of a second and one second. At 55 mph, this corresponds to a distance of 61 feet traveled.

The securement of cargo must be checked before beginning a trip, within the first 50 miles of a trip, and then again every three hours or 150 miles.