- Check brakes at top of hill.
- Do a traffic check and gain control of the vehicle at the crest of a grade by reducing speed and avoid descending the grade at a high rate of speed.
- Shift the vehicle to a lower gear. In hilly or mountainous areas, use the same gear (or one gear lower) going downhill as used going uphill.
- Maintain a steady speed, keep right, monitor traffic behind, beside and in front of the vehicle.
- Depress the brake pedal to reduce speed. Bring speed down to approximately 5 mph under what is safe to travel for the hill. Release the brake and brake again when speed increases to the safe traveling speed. An equipment or brake failure may require emergency measures in stopping. Use a runaway truck ramp or try your emergency/parking brake. Shift into the lower gear, and check brakes BEFORE descending the hill. The best way to avoid emergencies is to do a thorough pre-trip at the start of the day.