Truck Safety Regulations Quiz

Warning Devices

• Warning flags, flares, and approved warnings must be visible from a distance of 500 feet.

Truck Speed Limits

• Maximum legal speed limit for trucks over 8,000 pounds on a two-lane roadway is 70 mph.

Vehicle Dimensions

• Maximum width for most vehicles is 8 feet.
• Maximum height for all vehicles, including loads, is 13 feet 6 inches.

Weight Limits

• Maximum weight for a single axle is 20,000 pounds.
• Maximum weight for a tandem axle is 34,000 pounds.
• Maximum weight for a five-axle combination is 80,000 pounds.

Lighting Requirements

• For vehicles longer than 25 feet or wider than 80 inches, two yellow (or amber) lights must be mounted on the upper front corners (visible for 500 feet), three red lights on the rear in a horizontal line (visible for 500 feet), and reflectors as specified for identification.

Overweight Vehicles

• Overweight vehicles must stop in a safe area until part of the load is removed or adjusted.
• Arrest threshold is 2,000 pounds for excess weight and drops to 1,000 pounds for vehicles over 80,000 pounds.

Braking Techniques

• On long downhill grades, brakes should be applied until speed drops to about 5 mph below safe speed, then released; this process should be repeated to maintain control.

Towing Regulations

• The drawbar for towing must withstand the weight of the towed vehicle and not exceed 15 feet in length.
• Drawbars are required for towing on controlled-access roadways, and two safety chains or cables must connect the vehicles to prevent detachment.
• Passengers are prohibited from occupying towed vehicles on public highways.

Vehicle Length Limits

• Maximum length for second division vehicles is 42 feet, with exceptions for transporting objects that cannot be easily taken apart (length may reach 80 feet for these objects).