Federal and state laws require drivers to inspect their vehicles before every trip, regardless of length.

In bad weather, many automobile drivers will follow large trucks too closely, particularly if visibility is poor.

After starting a vehicle's engine, the warning lights and buzzers should turn on, then quickly turn off.

After a vehicle is started, the warning lights and buzzers should go out after a few seconds. If the warning signals do not turn off, there may be something wrong with the vehicle.

After starting a vehicle's engine, the oil pressure should come up to a normal level within seconds. Do not operate a vehicle if it has oil pressure that is low, dropping, or fluctuating.

Backing a truck is always dangerous because the driver may not be able to see everything behind them. CMV operators should avoid backing whenever possible.

When driving with a tank of liquid, you should increase your following distance in order to reduce the need for sudden stops, thereby reducing the chance of liquid surge.

The easiest way to become aware that your trailer has begun to jackknife is to observe it in your mirrors. Checking your trailer in your mirrors will also allow you to spot any skidding at the earliest possible moment.

A skid caused by over-acceleration can be resolved simply by removing your foot from the accelerator. Skids of this nature happen most frequently on surfaces covered in snow or ice.

While inspecting a coupling, you should go under the trailer and look into the back of the fifth wheel. Ensure that the fifth wheel jaws are secured around the shank of the kingpin.

When inspecting an exhaust system, you should verify that parts of the system are not loose, broken, or missing. The system's parts must be properly mounted and should not be rubbing against moving parts of the vehicle.

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.

Check hydraulic brakes by pumping the brake pedal three times before applying firm pressure to the pedal for five seconds. The pedal should not move. If it does, there may be a leak or some other problem in the braking system.

To help prevent a rig from rolling over, you should keep the weight of the cargo as close to the ground as possible when loading. You should also drive slowly around turns.

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

Smooth bore tanks, which lack internal bulkheads to limit the flow of liquid, are the most vulnerable to surge.

The Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) indicator light should come on after an engine is started. The light will then turn off. If the light remains on, the ABS it not working properly.

When inspecting your tires, verify that there is at least 4/32 of an inch of tread depth in every major groove on the front tires, and tread depth of at least 2/32 of an inch on the other tires. Tires on the same vehicle should all be the same size.

You should use a floor lining when transporting Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 materials. The floors must be tight and the liner must be made from either non-metallic material or non-ferrous metal. Non-ferrous metals are any metals that do not contain iron or iron alloys.

Liquid surge in a tank can have potentially serious effects on handling. A forward surge, for example, could push a stopped vehicle into an intersection.