Potential problems to check for when inspecting brakes include cracked drums; shoes or pads with oil, grease, or brake fluid on them; and shoes that are missing, broken, or worn dangerously thin.

In an air braking system, the air storage tanks can usually hold enough compressed air for the brakes to be used several times.

For safety, most heavy-duty vehicles are equipped with dual air brake systems.

For safe driving, it is important to be aware of what is happening on all sides of your vehicle. A vehicle should have mirrors on both sides, which should be checked regularly.

Be especially cautious when driving on ice that has begun to melt. Ice that is wet is much more slippery than ice that is dry.

While driving, regular mirror checks are essential to remaining aware of the traffic around you. Mirrors are also essential to helping you spot possible problems on your own vehicle.

Potential problems to check for when inspecting brakes include cracked drums; shoes or pads with oil, grease, or brake fluid on them; and shoes that are missing, broken, or worn dangerously thin.

A pre-trip inspection should be completed in the same way before every drive. Consistency will help you learn all of the proper steps and decrease the likelihood that you will forget to check something.

During a pre-trip inspection, belts in the engine compartment should be checked for tightness and excessive wear.

In an air brake system, there are three different braking systems: a service brake system, a parking brake system, and an emergency brake system. The emergency brake system uses parts of both the parking and service brake systems.

If you are transporting radioactive material and believe there is a leak or broken package in your cargo, you should tell your dispatcher or supervisor as quickly as possible. Do not touch or inhale the material. Do not use the vehicle until it has been cleaned or checked with a survey meter.

To alert drivers behind you that you plan to slow down, tap your brake pedal lightly a few times to make the brake lights flash.

All commercial motor vehicles are required to be equipped with the proper emergency equipment. This may include spare electrical fuses; three red reflective triangles, six fuses, or three liquid burning flares; and at least one properly charged and rated fire extinguisher.

Rust around wheel nuts may mean that they are loose. Check the tightness of the nuts if you see any rust in the area.

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

If you are involved in a crash, the three basic things you need to do are protect the area, notify the proper authorities, and care for anyone injured. It is important to protect the accident site immediately after the accident occurs to help prevent another crash from happening in the same location.

Driving drowsy is dangerous and should always be avoided. Warning signs of drowsiness include frequent blinking, your eyes closing or going out of focus by themselves, frequent yawning, and drifting between lanes.

In an air brake system, the application pressure gauge shows how much air pressure is being applied to the brakes. Not all vehicles with an air brake system have this gauge.

If at all possible, it is best to avoid driving in fog. However, if you must drive through fog, slow down before reaching it.

A parking brake should not be used if the vehicle's brakes are very hot from use on a steep downgrade or if the brakes are very wet and temperatures are freezing. Using the parking brake when brakes are hot could cause damage to the brakes, and using the brakes when they are wet in freezing weather may cause the brakes to ice up, rendering the vehicle immobile.