Baffled liquid tanks have bulkheads in them with holes that let the liquid flow through. The baffles help to control the forward and backward liquid surge. Side-to-side surge can still occur. This can cause a roll over.

Baffled liquid tanks have bulkheads in them with holes that let the liquid flow through. The baffles help to control the forward and backward liquid surge.

You should brake in a way that will keep your vehicle in a straight line and allow you to turn if it becomes necessary. You can use the "controlled braking" method or the "stab braking" method.

Slow down before curves, then accelerate slightly through the curve. The posted speed for a curve may be too fast for a tank vehicle.

Never drive or load a tank vehicle with open valves or manhole covers.

Since different liquids expand by different amounts, they require different amounts of outage. You must know the outage requirement when hauling liquids in bulk.

Because of the high center of gravity and the surge of the liquid, you must start, slow down, and stop very smoothly. Also, make smooth turns and lane changes.

A full tank of dense liquid (such as some acids) may exceed legal weight limits. For that reason, you may often only partially fill tanks with heavy liquids. The amount of liquid to load into a tank depends on: the amount the liquid will expand in transit, the weight of the liquid, and the legal weight limits

If for any reason you get stuck on the tracks, get out of the vehicle and away from the tracks. Check signposts or signal housing at the crossing for emergency notification information. Call 911 or another emergency number. Give the location of the crossing using all identifiable landmarks, especially the DOT number, if posted.

You placard your vehicle to warn everyone around you that you are transporting hazardous materials. Therefore, you must have placards on all four sides of your vehicle.

Don't roll back when you start. You may hit someone behind you. If you have a manual transmission vehicle, partly engage the clutch before you take your right foot off the brake. Put on the parking brake whenever necessary to keep from rolling back. Release the parking brake only when you have applied enough engine power to keep from rolling back.

Liquids expand as they warm and you must leave room for the expanding liquid. This is called "outage." Since different liquids expand by different amounts, they require different amounts of outage.

You should always be able to stop within the distance you can see ahead. Fog, rain, or other conditions may require that you slowdown to be able to stop in the distance you can see. At night, you can't see as far with low beams as you can with high beams. When you must use low beams, slow down.

Empty tank vehicles may take longer to stop than full ones.

Baffles slow front to back surge in tankers but have little effect on side to side surge.

Some liquid tanks are divided into several smaller tanks by bulkheads.

Liquid surge results from movement of the liquid in partially filled tanks. This movement can have bad effects on handling. When the wave hits the end or sides of the tank, it tends to push the truck in the direction the wave is moving.

A tank endorsement is required for certain vehicles that transport liquids or gases. The liquid or gas does not have to be a hazardous material.

Don't put too much weight on the front or rear of the vehicle.

The use of brakes on a long and/or steep downgrade is only a supplement to the braking effect of the engine. Once the vehicle is in the proper low gear, the following are the proper braking techniques: apply the brakes just hard enough to feel a definite slowdown, when your speed has been reduced to approximately five mph below your "safe" speed then release the brakes, when your speed has increased to your "safe" speed, repeat.