Section 2 - Driving Safely

Question 0

True or False: Federal and state inspectors also may inspect your vehicles.

Answer 0

True

Question 1

Why should you do a vehicle inspection?

Answer 1

Safety is the most important reason.

A vehicle defect found during an inspection could save you problems later.

Federal and state laws require that drivers inspect their vehicles.

Question 2

What will a Federal or state inspector do if they judge your vehicle to be unsafe?

Answer 2

They will put it “out of service” until it is fixed.

Question 3

What are the three types of vehicles inspections that you should do?

Answer 3

Pre-trip inspection
During a trip
After-trip inspection and report

Question 4

What type of inspection should you do during a trip?

Answer 4

• Watch gauges for signs of trouble
• Use your senses to check for problems (look, listen, smell, feel).
• Check critical items when you stop:
• Tires, wheels and rims.
• Brakes.
• Lights and reflectors.
• Brake and electrical connections to trailer.
• Trailer coupling devices.
• Cargo securement devices.

Question 5

What type of inspection should you do after a trip?

Answer 5

You should do an after-trip inspection at the end of the trip, day, or tour of duty on each vehicle you operated. It may include filling out a vehicle condition report, listing any problems you find. The inspection report helps a motor carrier know when the vehicle needs repairs.

Question 6

What should you look for during a vehicle inspection?

Answer 6

• Tire problems
• Wheel and rim problems
• Bad brake drum or shoes
• Steering system defects
• Suspension system defects
• Emergency equipment
• Cargo (trucks)

Question 7

What type of tire problems should you look for?

Answer 7

• Too much or too little air pressure.
• Bad wear (You need at least 4/32-inch tread depth in every major groove on front tires. You need 2/32 inch on other tires. No fabric should show through the tread or sidewall.)
• Cuts or other damage.
• Tread separation.
• Dual tires that come in contact with each other or parts of the vehicle.
• Mismatched sizes.
• Radial and bias-ply tires used together.
• Cut or cracked valve stems.
• Regrooved, recapped, or retreaded tires on the front wheels of a bus. These are prohibited

Question 8

How much tread should you have on your tires?

Answer 8

You need at least 4/32-inch tread depth in every major groove on front tires. You need 2/32 inch on other tires.

Question 9

True or False: It is acceptable to use regrooved, recapped, or retreaded tires on the front wheels of a bus if they are all that is available.

Answer 9

False, these are prohibited.

Question 10

What type of wheel and rim problems should you look for?

Answer 10

• Damaged rims.
• Rust around wheel nuts may mean the nuts are loose–check tightness. After a tire has been changed, stop a short while later and re-check tightness of nuts.
• Missing clamps, spacers, studs, or lugs means danger.
• Mismatched, bent, or cracked lock rings are dangerous.
• Wheels or rims that have had welding repairs are not safe.

Question 11

What should you do after a tire has been changed?

Answer 11

Stop a short while later and re-check tightness of nuts.

Question 12

What type of brake problems should you look for?

Answer 12

• Cracked drums.
• Shoes or pads with oil, grease, or brake fluid on them.
• Shoes worn dangerously thin, missing, or broken.

Question 13

What type of steering system problems should you look for?

Answer 13

• Missing nuts, bolts, cotter keys, or other parts.
• Bent, loose, or broken parts, such as steering column, steering gear box, or tie rods.
• If power steering equipped, check hoses, pumps, and fluid level; check for leaks.
• 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.