Steering wheel play of more than 10 degrees (approximately 2 inches movement at the rim of a 20-inch steering wheel) can make it hard to steer. It is considered to be a steering system defect and needs to be fixed.
Keep the load centered. Too much weight on the steering axle can cause hard steering. It can damage the steering axle and tires. Under-loaded front axles (caused by shifting weight too far to the rear) can make the steering axle weight too light to steer safely.
Many large vehicles have curved (convex, "fish-eye," "spot," "bug-eye") mirrors that show a wider area than flat mirrors. This helps to reduce the size of blind spots.
When people are working on the road, it is a hazard. There may be narrower lanes, sharp turns, or uneven surfaces. Other drivers are often distracted and drive unsafely. Workers and construction vehicles may get in the way. Drive slowly and carefully near work zones. Use your four-way flashers or brake lights to warn drivers behind you.
Federal and state inspectors may inspect your vehicles. If they judge the vehicle to be unsafe, they will put it "out of service" until it is fixed.
You should brake in a way that will keep your vehicle in a straight line and allow you to turn if it becomes necessary. Unless you have ABS on your vehicle, you can use the “controlled braking” method or the “stab braking” method.
Cold medicines and other over-the-counter medication may make the driver drowsy or otherwise affect safe driving ability. However, possession and use of a drug given to a driver by a doctor is permitted if the doctor informs the driver that it will not affect safe driving ability.
When driving in heavy rain or deep standing water, your brakes will get wet. Water in the brakes can cause the brakes to be weak, to apply unevenly, or to grab. This can cause lack of braking power, wheel lockups, pulling to one side or the other, and jackknife if you pull a trailer.
Shock absorbers are part of the suspension system and they should be inspected when you are working on suspension system defects.
Off-tracking causes the path followed by a tractor to be wider than the rig itself. Longer vehicles will off-track more. The rear wheels of the powered unit (truck or tractor) will off-track some, and the rear wheels of the trailer will off-track even more.
When you don't have enough room to stop, you may have to steer away from what's ahead. Remember, you can almost always turn to miss an obstacle more quickly than you can stop. (However, top-heavy vehicles and tractors with multiple trailers may flip over.)
Use windshield washer antifreeze to prevent freezing of the washer liquid. If you can't see well enough while driving (for example, if your wipers fail), stop safely and fix the problem.
Correct shifting of gears is important. If you can't get your vehicle into the right gear while driving, you will have less control.
A burning tire must be cooled. You can achieve this by pouring large quantities of water over the tire.
Your horn can let others know you're there. It can help to avoid a crash. Use your horn when needed. However, it can startle others and could be dangerous when used unnecessarily.
Do not use the trailer hand valve in driving because of the danger of making the trailer skid. The foot brake sends air to all of the brakes on the vehicle (including the trailer(s). There is much less danger of causing a skid or jackknife when using just the foot brake.
With low beams you can see ahead about 250 feet.
You will be put out-of-service for 24 hours if you have any detectable amount of alcohol under .04%.
In most cases, a tire blowout causes the vehicle to thump or vibrates heavily, this is a sign that one of the tires has gone flat. With a rear tire, that may be the only sign you get.
When backing to a dock, you must stop just before you reach it. Back towards the driver's side whenever possible, as this will help you see better. Use a helper and hand signals.
