In the event of a leak in a cargo of hazardous materials, do not continue to drive any longer than is necessary for safety. Continuing to drive would result in a larger area becoming contaminated. Instead, park the vehicle, secure the area, stay with the vehicle, and send someone to get help.

Due to the risks involved, government on federal, state, and local levels may impose regulations on the transportation of hazardous materials. These regulations exist to protect the driver, others near the vehicle, and the environment.

When carrying hazardous materials, it is a good idea to compare the shipping papers to the markings and labels on the packages.

Before transporting hazardous materials, you should research any restrictions that may apply to the routes you plan to take.

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.

You must have a CDL with a hazardous materials endorsement to drive a vehicle of any size that is used to transport hazardous materials.

A vehicle carrying hazardous materials must be appropriately placarded to be driven. An improperly placarded vehicle may only be driven if necessary to protect life or property in an emergency.

When a vehicle is required to have hazardous materials placards, at least four identical placards must be displayed. These placards must be placed on the front, back, and both sides of the vehicle.

A Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest must be signed by hand. The name and EPA registration number of the shippers, carriers, and destination must also appear on the manifest.

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.

When hazardous materials placards are required, a vehicle must display four identical placards. A placard should be placed on the front, on the rear, and on both sides of the vehicle.

If the letter “G,” for "Generic," is written in Column 1 of a shipping paper, the technical name of the associated hazardous material must also be listed.

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

Shippers of hazardous materials must retain a copy or electronic image of the associated shipping papers for at least two years from the date that the material is accepted by the initial carrier. For hazardous waste, this increases to three years.

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.

Nitric acid should not be stacked above any other product. Containers of nitric acid may be stacked, but no higher than two containers high.

It is a driver's responsibility to refuse packages or shipments of hazardous materials if they contain leaks.

You must have a CDL with a hazardous materials endorsement to operate a vehicle of any size to transport hazardous materials.

You must have a commercial driver license with a hazardous materials endorsement before driving a vehicle of any size that is used to transport hazardous materials, even if the vehicle is not transporting hazardous materials at the time of operation.

Radioactive materials are categorized as Class 7 hazardous materials.

For applicable materials, the "Poison Inhalation Hazard" placard and the appropriate hazard class placard must always be displayed, even for small amounts of the materials.

When the vehicle is being driven, hazardous materials' shipping papers must be kept in a pouch on the driver's door or somewhere else that is in clear view and within the driver's reach. If the driver is outside of the vehicle, the shipping papers should be kept on the driver's seat.

It is the responsibility of a carrier to refuse improper shipments of hazardous materials.

For some hazardous materials, placards are only required to be used if 1,001 pounds or more are being carried by a vehicle. For others, including mass explosives, placards are required to be used when carrying any amount of the material.

At a minimum, emergency response information must include the basic descriptions and technical names of the materials being transported; immediate hazards to health; risks of fire or explosion; immediate precautions to be taken in the event of an accident or incident; immediate methods for handling fires; initial methods for handling spills or leaks in the absence of fires; and preliminary first aid measures.

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. Leave the doors closed if there is a cargo fire.

If a cargo leak develops while you are carrying hazardous materials, do not continue driving any farther than safety requires. The farther you drive, the larger the contaminated area will become. You should park the vehicle, secure the area, and stay with the vehicle while sending someone else to get help.

Identification numbers, shipping names, and hazard classes must never be abbreviated when listed on a shipping paper. The only exception to this is if the abbreviation is specifically authorized in the hazardous materials regulations.

If a hazardous materials label will not fit on a package, it may be placed on a tag that is securely attached to the package.

One clue that a shipment may contain hazardous materials is that the shipper is in a line of business that you would expect to involve hazardous materials. Examples of such businesses include paint dealers, chemical supply businesses, or pest control firms.