Always turn off your vehicle's engine before loading or unloading explosive materials. Never drop, throw, or roll packages containing explosives.

Hazardous materials warning placards are diamond-shaped.

If you are involved in an accident while carrying hazardous materials, it is your responsibility as the driver to keep people away from the scene; limit the spread of material if you can safely do so; inform emergency response personnel of the dangers posed by the materials; and provide emergency personnel with the shipping papers and emergency response information. Unless you have protective equipment and the necessary training, do not try to fight hazardous materials fires yourself.

Radioactive materials are categorized as Class 7 hazardous materials.

If loading by hand, load breakable containers of corrosive liquid one by one. Keep them facing upright. Do not drop or roll the containers.

In general, vehicles carrying hazardous materials are required to display diamond-shaped warning signs on all four sides. These warning signs are called "placards."

When required, hazardous materials placards must be placed on the front, rear, and both sides of a vehicle.

To determine which hazardous materials placards to use, you must know the hazard class of the materials; the amount of hazardous materials being shipped; and the total weight of all classes of hazardous materials in the vehicle.

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 transporting Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 explosives, you must follow a written route plan. Whenever placarded, avoid heavily populated areas, crowds, tunnels, narrow streets, and alleys. Be sure to research any restrictions that may apply to the routes you plan to take.

Parts of a vehicle that have been exposed to a corrosive material must be thoroughly washed with water.

If transporting any amount of chlorine, a driver must always stop at a railroad crossing 15 to 50 feet from the nearest track, regardless of the presence of a train.

If you are driving a vehicle that is transporting Class 1 explosives and it is involved in an accident, you should warn others of the danger, keep bystanders away, and not allow smoking or open fires near the vehicle. Before separating the vehicles involved in the collision, remove all explosives and place them at least 200 feet away from the vehicles and any occupied buildings.

The third column of the Hazardous Materials Table lists items' hazard classes and divisions. Drivers should never transport a material that is marked by the word "Forbidden."

Shippers of hazardous materials are required to include an emergency response telephone number on shipping papers.

Do not smoke within 25 feet of a placarded cargo tank used to transport Class 3 or Division 2.1 hazardous materials.

If the words "Inhalation Hazard" are on a package or its shipping paper, you must display the proper inhalation hazard placards, as well as any other necessary placards. This applies regardless of the amount of materials being carried.

When transporting hazardous materials, you may leave your vehicle unattended in a safe haven. A safe haven is a location that has been approved for parking unattended vehicles that are loaded with explosives.

When required, hazardous materials placards must be placed on all four sides of a vehicle transporting hazardous materials.

A material's ID number must appear on its accompanying shipping paper as well as on its packaging. It also must appear on cargo tanks and other bulk packaging.

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.

The use of cargo heaters is not always permitted. When transporting materials that are categorized as Class 1 (Explosives), Class 2.1 (Flammable Gases), or Class 3 (Flammable Liquids), the use of heaters in the same space is generally prohibited.

If a shipping paper lists both hazardous and non-hazardous materials, the hazardous materials must be entered first.

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. In this case, leave the doors closed because opening the doors could worsen the fire by supplying it with more oxygen.

In the event of a leak in a cargo of hazardous materials, use the shipping papers, labels, or package locations to identify the materials involved. Do not touch the leaking materials.

Keep liquid discharge valves on a compressed gas tank closed, except when loading and unloading.

Information about hazardous chemicals is found in the Emergency Response Guide (ERG) provided by U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The ERG is indexed by the proper shipping names and identification numbers of substances.

Always protect containers of hazardous materials. When loading hazardous materials, never use equipment that could damage containers or packaging, such as hooks.

If you discover a leak in a cargo of hazardous materials, identify the materials in question by using the shipping papers, labels, or package location. Do not touch the leaking material.

A driver transporting chlorine in cargo tanks must keep an approved gas mask and an emergency kit in their vehicle.