It is essential that you are aware of what is happening on all sides of your vehicle at all times. Scan the road ahead and make regular checks of the mirrors on both sides of your vehicle while you are driving.

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, are in proper working order.

When approaching your vehicle for an inspection, you should look underneath the vehicle for fresh leaks of oil, coolant, grease, or fuel. Seeing a fresh puddle of any of these fluids could indicate a safety issue with your vehicle.

Looking at your mirrors for too long is dangerous because you may travel a substantial distance without knowing what is going on ahead of you. It is important to be aware of your surroundings in all directions.

An encroachment during the basic vehicle control skills test is when an exercise boundary line is touched or crossed by any portion of the applicant's vehicle. Every encroachment will be counted as an error.

Hydroplaning is an effect in which a vehicle's tires lose traction with the surface of the road and instead glide along a layer of water. There does not have to be a large amount of water on the road for this to occur.

A steering wheel should have no more than 10 degrees of play. This is equal to about two inches of movement at the rim of a 20-inch wheel. If there is more play than this, it may be difficult to steer.

The posted speed limit on a curve may be safe to be taken by cars, but can still be too fast to be taken by larger vehicles, such as trucks. An operator driving their truck at the posted limit on a curve could cause their vehicle to tip over.

Ice cream trucks can create hazardous conditions for other drivers because they attract children. Children often do not notice or pay attention to other vehicles on the roadway when running to or from ice cream trucks.

Overuse of the brakes may cause them to overheat, making them less effective. This is known as "fade."

Because air pressure increases as air expands in the heat, it is important to monitor your tire pressure when driving in very hot weather. To prevent the engine from overheating, there must be an adequate amount of oil in the engine, as well as enough water and antifreeze in the cooling system. Antifreeze is helpful for the engine in both hot and cold weather.

You should finish each exercise with your vehicle in the exact position described by the examiner. You can be penalized for failing to complete an exercise exactly in the manner described by the examiner, potentially resulting in failure of the basic control skills test.

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.

Bus passengers should not be allowed to leave baggage in any doorway or aisle. Baggage and freight must be secured in a manner that will prevent damage, allow the driver to move freely and easily, allow riders to exit by any window or door in an emergency, and protect riders from injury if the items fall or shift.

Almost any foreign object on the road poses some potential danger. For example, even something as seemingly harmless as a cardboard box could contain a hard or heavy object that could damage your vehicle.

For your own safety, when placing reflective warning triangles, you should carry them between your body and the oncoming traffic.

You should accelerate very gradually when driving under slippery conditions. Using too much power in such conditions may cause you to lose control of your vehicle.

Confused drivers can be hazardous because they may change directions suddenly. If someone is driving with hesitation or continues to stop unexpectedly, they may be confused. Out-of-state license plates or luggage on top of a car may indicate that the driver is a tourist who is unfamiliar with the area.

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.

Side mirrors should be adjusted to display part of your vehicle. This will provide a point of reference when judging the location of nearby objects.