Bridges will generally freeze before other parts of the roadway. Be careful on bridges when temperatures are around the freezing point.

You should always exercise caution when driving near a stopped bus. There could be passengers in the vicinity and the bus may either prevent them from seeing you or you from seeing them.

During a trip, you should regularly monitor the instruments, gauges, meters, and mirrors. Check the tires, cargo, and lights for signs of trouble.

Smoking, eating, or drinking are distracting activities and should be avoided while you are driving. Instead, plan ahead and allow yourself time to stop to eat when making a lengthy trip.

Texting while driving is even more dangerous than speaking on a phone while driving. In addition to being mentally distracting, texting is also physically distracting.

Oil pressure should come up to normal within seconds of starting the engine.

Hydroplaning is an effect in which a vehicle's tires lose traction with the surface of the road and instead glide along a layer of water. There does not have to be much water on the road for this to occur.

Driving in fog is always dangerous and should be avoided entirely if at all possible. If you must drive in fog, be sure to turn on your low beam headlights and fog lights, even during the daytime.

To avoid becoming fatigued on a long trip, you should take a break after every 100 miles or two hours of driving. Driving through the night, or during any other time when you would normally be asleep, raises the danger of fatigue.

As a precaution, you should always approach a railroad crossing under the assumption that a train is coming. Do not rely only on signals or your hearing to indicate that a train is approaching.

Air expands as it gets warmer, so the air pressure in your tires could reach dangerously high levels while being used in very hot weather. If this happens, stop and let your tires cool. Do not let air out of the tires, as this could result in the pressure dropping to an unsafe level once the tires cool down.

Because air pressure increases with temperature, you should pay special attention to the tire mounting and pressure when traveling in hot weather.

Except when parking briefly to perform necessary functions for vehicle operation (such as refueling), never park a vehicle carrying Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 explosives within 300 feet of a bridge, tunnel, or building. Never park such a vehicle within five feet of the traveled portion of a road. Such vehicles should be parked only briefly.

Once you have begun to drive after a tire has been changed, you should stop after a short distance to recheck the tightness of the lug nuts.

When inspecting your windshield, you should look for cracks or other problems that could interfere with your ability to clearly see the road. The windshield wiper arms should be checked for proper spring tension. The wiper blades should be checked for damage, stiff rubber, and improper securement.

Fighting a hazardous materials fire requires special training and protective gear. Unless you have the proper equipment and training, do not try to fight a hazardous materials fire yourself.

A passive railroad crossing is a crossing that lacks control devices, like gates or warning lights. Before crossing a passive railroad crossing, you should search the tracks for approaching trains coming from either direction.

When backing with a trailer, begin by turning the steering wheel in the direction opposite of the turn. Once the trailer starts to turn, reverse the direction of the steering wheel to follow the trailer.

Most heavy vehicles with manual transmissions require double clutching to change gears. A driver should release the accelerator, push in the clutch, and shift into neutral at the same time. After releasing the clutch and allowing the vehicle to change to the necessary speed, the driver should push in the clutch, shift gears, then simultaneously release the clutch and accelerate.

Most heavy vehicles with manual transmissions require double clutching to shift gears. Learning to effectively change gears by double clutching takes practice.

When stopping, it is best to gradually press down the brake pedal.

If your CMV gets stuck on railroad tracks, you should immediately leave the vehicle and get away from the tracks. Check the signposts or signal housing at the crossing for emergency contact information and call 911, or another appropriate emergency number.

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

Before inspecting under a vehicle's hood, make sure the parking brake is engaged and/or the wheels are properly chocked.

When approaching your vehicle, you should check under the vehicle for fresh oil, coolant, grease, or fuel leaks. Spotting any of these before a trip is a cause for concern.

Explosives are placed in hazardous materials Class 1.

A vehicle being equipped with anti-lock brakes on only the tractor or only the trailer provides additional control during braking.

The emergency response information for a cargo of hazardous materials must include details about risks of fire or explosion associated with the materials.

If you experience tire failure, you may hear the loud "bang" sound of a blowout or feel a heavy thumping or vibration in your vehicle. If steering begins to feel heavy, or if the rear of your vehicle begins to fishtail, you should stop to check your tires.

When inspecting an exhaust system, you should verify that parts of the system are not loose, broken, or missing. The system's parts must be properly mounted and should not be rubbing against moving parts of the vehicle.