A vehicle that lacks the proper placards for any hazardous materials on board may not be driven, except as necessary to protect life and property in an emergency.

When a shipping paper includes both hazardous and non-hazardous materials, one acceptable method of identifying the hazardous items is to highlight them in a contrasting color.

The loading and unloading of a tank must be watched by a qualified person. They must be alert; have a clear view of the tank; stay within 25 feet of the tank; know the hazards of the materials involved; know the procedures to follow in an emergency; and be authorized and able to move the tank if necessary.

There are nine different hazard classes. A material's hazard class reflects its associated risks.

When transporting hazardous materials, shipping papers should be kept in a pouch in the driver's side door, or in another location where the driver is able to easily reach them while their seat belt is fastened. The papers must be easily visible to anyone who is entering the cab.

Drivers must be aware of the risks associated with materials they are transporting. Hazardous materials shipping papers must include an emergency response telephone number.

You should never transport damaged packages of explosives. Do not accept a package that seems damp or has an oily stain.

Parts of a vehicle that have been exposed to corrosive liquids must be thoroughly washed with water.

Shippers must retain a physical copy or an electronic image of hazardous materials shipping papers for a minimum of two years after the materials are accepted by the initial carrier. For hazardous waste, this increases to three years.

Radioactive materials are categorized as Class 7 hazardous materials.

If a package of hazardous materials is not large enough to display the proper label, the label may be placed on a tag that is securely attached to the package.

Hazardous materials warning placards are diamond-shaped.

A person attending a parked placarded vehicle must be either awake inside the vehicle or they must be within 100 feet of it. If not inside the vehicle itself, the person must have a clear view of the vehicle. The person attending may not be inside the sleeper berth.

If you discover a cargo leak while transporting hazardous materials, use the shipping papers, label, or package location to identify which materials are involved. Do not try to touch or smell the leaking materials to determine what they are because doing so could result in injury or death.

Unless your engine runs a pump for product transfer, turn it off when loading or unloading a compressed gas tank. If you do use your engine to run a pump, you should turn the engine off after the product transfer but before unhooking the hoses.

A shipping paper describes hazardous materials being transported. Shipping orders, bills of lading, and manifests are all shipping papers.

If you are experiencing a truck fire, you should not attempt to open trailer doors without first feeling the doors to see if they are hot. If the doors are hot, there may be a cargo fire. In this case, leave the doors closed because opening the doors could worsen the fire by supplying it with more oxygen.

If the words "Inhalation Hazard" appear on a package or its shipping paper, the "Poison Inhalation Hazard" or "Poison Gas" placards, as appropriate, must be displayed.

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.

Packages containing liquid containers should display arrows pointing in the correct upright direction. These packages should be placed facing the correct direction.

Employees who work with hazardous materials must be trained and tested at least once every three years.

Keep liquid discharge valves on a compressed gas tank closed, except when loading and unloading.

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 the road.

The loading of a tank with hazardous materials must always be watched by a qualified person. This person must be alert; have a clear view of the tank; stay within 25 feet of the tank; know the hazards associated with the materials; know what to do in an emergency; and be able and authorized to move the tank if necessary.

The use of cargo heaters is not always permitted. When transporting materials that are categorized as Class 1 (Explosives), Class 2.1 (Flammable Gas), or Class 3 (Flammable Liquids) materials, heaters are generally prohibited.

When transporting hazardous materials, you may leave your vehicle unattended in a safe haven. A safe haven is a location that has been approved for parking unattended vehicles that are loaded with explosives.

Transporting hazardous materials can be risky. The regulations are intended to protect you, those around you, and the environment.

If transporting chlorine in cargo tanks, a driver must have an approved gas mask in their vehicle.

Some radioactive materials are required to be accompanied by a transport index. A transport index is a number that indicates how much control the material will require during transport. The total transport index of all cargo in a single vehicle may not exceed 50.

You must examine each tire on a motor vehicle at the beginning of each trip. The only effective way to check tire pressure is by using a tire pressure gauge.