To avoid overusing your brakes, you should always shift into a lower gear before starting down a hill.

If you are being tailgated, it is best to allow more room to open up in front of your vehicle. This will help you avoid the need for sudden stops, which could result in the tailgater rear-ending you, and will make it easier for the tailgater to pass. Speeding up may only make things more dangerous by prompting the other driver to continue tailgating you at a higher speed.

When inspecting the interior of a bus, you must make sure everything is safe and in proper working condition. Make sure all signaling devices, such as bathroom emergency buzzers, work properly.

Press the brake pedal down smoothly and gradually every time you slow or stop. The amount of brake pressure you need to apply depends on the speed of your vehicle and how quickly you need to stop.

When stopping, you should push the brake pedal down gradually. Braking gradually will help you to maintain proper control of your vehicle.

If you are not certain that your vehicle will fit under overhead objects, you should slow down and take a different route, if possible.

Black ice is a layer of ice that is thin and clear enough for the road to be visible through it. The surface will look like a wet road. Always be alert to black ice if the road looks wet when the temperature is below freezing.

A vehicle should be inspected before every trip to help ensure that any small mechanical issues are caught before they become more serious problems. It is better to discover a problem with your vehicle before a drive than after the drive has begun.

To reduce the chances of becoming fatigued on a long trip, a driver should stop for a break at least once every two hours or 100 miles driven.

If you must drive in reverse, you should back up slowly and use the mirrors on both sides of your vehicle. Use a helper to monitor your blind spots whenever possible. You and the helper should agree on a signal for "stop."

Commercial drivers are required by federal and state laws to inspect their vehicles before every trip. Regular inspections can help drivers identify issues before they become dangerous and costly.

You should start and stop as smoothly as possible to help prevent passenger injury. After passengers have boarded your bus at a stop, you should allow them time to be seated or to brace themselves before you begin driving.

A bus driver should stop between 15 and 50 feet before any railroad crossing and check for trains before proceeding across the tracks. The driver may open the door to improve their ability to see or hear any approaching trains.

You should never assume that you will hear an approaching train. The train operator may fail to sound the horn, or the use of a train's horn may be prohibited in a specific area. Even if the train does sound its horn, noise from inside your own vehicle may prevent you from hearing the train until it is dangerously close.

Bus passengers must not leave luggage in doorways or aisles. All items should be secured in a way that allows passengers to exit by any door or window in an emergency.

Skids caused by acceleration frequently occur on slippery road surfaces. These skids can generally be resolved by the driver removing their foot from the accelerator.

Good drivers look down the road at least 12 to 15 seconds ahead of their vehicles. This makes it possible to identify hazards early, when drivers are more likely to have time to respond appropriately.

During the vehicle inspection test, you will be asked to do a complete inspection of your vehicle. You will need to explain what you are inspecting and why.

Problems to check for when inspecting a vehicle's exhaust system include loose, broken, or missing exhaust pipes, mufflers, tailpipes, or vertical stacks; loose, broken, or missing mounting brackets, clamps, bolts, or nuts; exhaust system parts rubbing against fuel system parts, tires, or other moving parts of the vehicle; and exhaust system parts that are leaking.

Operators driving too fast is a major cause of fatal crashes. You must continually adjust your speed to a rate that is safe for road and traffic conditions.