You should shift your vehicle's transmission into a low gear before staring a downhill grade. Be prepared for gravity to increase your vehicle's speed when traveling downhill.

It is best not to avoid driving in fog. However, if you must drive under foggy conditions, be sure to decrease your speed.

If there is a fire in your vehicle, the first thing you need to do is leave the road and stop. Park in an open area away from anything that could catch fire, such as plants or other vehicles. Do not pull into a service station.

Aggressive driving is defined as operating a motor vehicle in a selfish, bold, or pushy manner. Road rage is defined as operating a motor vehicle with the intent of doing harm to others, or the intent of physically assaulting another driver or their vehicle.

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

As a resource to police and firefighters, the National Response Center helps coordinate emergency response to chemical hazards.

If you think the road surface may be becoming icy, you can check for ice on your vehicle by opening the window and feeling the front of the side mirror, mirror support, or antenna. If ice has formed on any of these items, the road is likely becoming icy as well.

For the first step of a vehicle inspection, you should review the last inspection report on your vehicle, if there is one. The carrier should have repaired any problems noted on the report.

Baffled tanks contain bulkheads with holes to help control the movement of liquid cargo. These bulkheads lower the risk of front-to-back surge, though side-to-side surge may still occur.

If you begin to feel drowsy while driving, the only safe response is to safely leave the road and get some sleep. Using artificial stimulants can be dangerous because they may cause extreme fatigue when they begin to wear off.

When filling a tank that is divided by bulkheads, make sure that you do not place too much weight on the front or rear of the vehicle.

Before adding coolant to a system without a recovery or overflow tank, you must turn the engine off and wait until it cools. Use gloves or a thick cloth to protect your hands. To release the pressure seal, turn the radiator cap slowly to the first stop.

If you see, hear, smell, or feel anything while driving that does not feel right, you should have it checked out.

Class 1 hazardous materials are typically items that present certain explosion or fire hazards.

Trailers built before 1975 are not required to have spring brakes. When parking a trailer without spring brakes, be sure to use wheel chocks to prevent the trailer from rolling.

Cargo tanks remain on a vehicle at all times, regardless of whether or not they are carrying cargo. Portable tanks are bulk packaging and are not permanently attached to a vehicle.

Do not assume that posted height clearances are accurate. If the road was repaved after the sign was posted, or if there is packed snow on the ground, the actual height of the opening may be different than what is indicated. If you are not confident that your vehicle will be able to safely clear an upcoming bridge or overpass, you should slow down and find another path, if possible.

After starting your vehicle during the pre-trip inspection, you should watch the gauges. The coolant temperature should gradually rise to a normal operating range.

The person in charge of loading or unloading a hazardous materials cargo tank must ensure that a qualified person is always supervising the process. The supervisor must be alert; have a clear view of the tank; be within 25 feet of the tank; know the hazards of the involved materials; know the procedures to follow in the case of an emergency; and be authorized to and capable of moving the tank.

It is essential that a driver always uses proper signals to make their intentions known to others on the road.