Driving Motor Vehicles

Reference

Part 392 Driving of Motor Vehicles

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rulesregs/fmcsr/regs/392.htm

Ill or Fatigued Operator

Drivers shall not drive when their ability

and/or alertness is impaired by:FatigueIllnessAny other cause that makes it unsafe to

drive the vehicle

Drugs

No driver may be on duty and possess, be under the influence of, or use:Any Schedule I drugAny amphetamine or formulation (including

pep pills and bennies)Narcotics or derivativesAny other substance that makes driving

unsafe

Alcohol

A driver is forbidden to:Consume or be under the influence of

alcohol within four hours of going on duty, while on duty, or while driving

Possess an alcoholic beverage while on duty, unless it is a manifested part of the shipment

Follow the Speed Limit

No motor carrier shall schedule a run that

would necessitate the Commercial Motor

Vehicle (CMV) being operated at speeds

greater than the posted speed limits.

Equipment Inspection and Use

No commercial motor vehicle shall be driven unless the driver is satisfied that the parts and accessories are in good working order

No driver shall fail to use

or make use of such parts

and accessories when

needed

Safe Loading

No one may drive or require anyone to

drive a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV)

unless the cargo is properly loaded and

secured.

Operating Authority

A motor vehicle providing transportation

requiring registration may not be operated

without the required registration or

operated beyond the scope of its

registration.

Railroad Crossing

Motor vehicles transporting hazardous materials, and most buses transporting passengers, are forbidden to cross railroad tracks without first stopping and looking both ways

Railroad Crossing

The driver MUST not shift gears while crossing the track

Hazardous Conditions

Extreme caution in the operation of a CMV shall be exercised when hazardous conditions affect visibility or traction

Speed shall be reduced when such conditions exist

If conditions become dangerous, the operation of the CMV shall be discontinued and shall not be resumed until the vehicle can be safely operated

Seat Belt

A driver MUST NOT drive before correctly

restraining him/herself, if the vehicle is

equipped with seat belt assemblies.

Emergency Signals

When a vehicle stops on a highway or shoulder the vehicles flashers must be activated at once.

The driver must leave the flashers on until warning devices are activated

The flashers must be used while the warning devices are being picked up

Placement of Warning Devices

One warning device must be placed on the traffic side of the vehicle, within 10 feet, in the direction of approaching traffic

A second device must be placed facing approaching traffic about 100 feet away in the center of the lane/shoulder where the vehicle is stopped

The third device must be placed about 100 feet away from the stopped vehicle away from approaching traffic

Placement of Warning Devices

No driver shall attach or permit anyone to

attach any flame-producing emergency

signal to any part of the vehicle.

Obscured Lamps/Reflectors

No commercial motor vehicle shall be

driven when any of the required lamps or

reflectors are obscured.

Ignition of Fuel Prevention

No driver or any employee of a motor carrier shall: Fuel a CMV with the engine running Smoke or expose any open flame in the

vicinity of a CMV being fueled Fuel a CMV unless the nozzle of the fuel hose

is continuously in contact with the intake pipe of the fuel tank

Permit any person to engage in activities that would result in fire or explosion

Unauthorized Passengers

No driver shall transport any person or

permit any person to be transported on

any CMV, other than a bus, unless

specifically authorized in writing to do so

by the motor carrier.

Safe Operation of Buses

No person shall drive unless : All standees on the bus are behind the standee line Baggage or freight on the bus is stowed and

secured in a manner which assures: Unrestricted freedom of movement to the

driver Unobstructed access to all exits Protection of occupants of the bus against

injury resulting from the falling or displacement of articles transported in the bus

Proper Exits

No person shall ride within the closed body

of a CMV or its trailer unless there are

means on the inside of easily exiting.

Carbon Monoxide

No person shall drive any CMV or permit any passengers thereon, when the following conditions are known to exist: an occupant has been affected by carbon

monoxide carbon monoxide has been detected in the

interior a mechanical condition of the CMV is

discovered that would likely produce a carbon monoxide hazard to the occupants

Flame-producing Heaters

No open flame heater shall be in operation

while the commercial motor vehicle is in

motion.

Radar Detectors

Radar detectors shall not be used by a driver in a CMV

A driver shall not operate any CMV that is equipped with a radar detector

Motor carriers shall not require or permit a driver to violate the radar detector provisions

Thank You!