Emergency Stopping with HazMat

Just like an accident, an emergency stop is something that nobody plans for. A car cuts in. A deer zigs when it should’ve zagged. Traffic freezes. Some sort of chaos occurs ahead, and suddenly, you’re surfing a wave of kinetic energy that has to be quickly dissipated.

When you’re pulling hazmat, an emergency stop isn’t just about not hitting something. It’s about not becoming something – a fire, a ruptured vessel, a spill.

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First Truth: HazMat Changes the Stakes

If you’re hauling cryogenics, propane, ammonia, LNG — you’re not just stopping a truck. You’re stopping a mobile containment system.

A hard stop can:

• Shift weight violently – looking at you, half a tank of CO2
• Break traction – jackknife risk
• Increase rollover risk – soft-shoulder avoidance maneuvers
• Turn a near miss into a spill event – unstoppable force, meet immovable object

Your job is always the same: Stop safely, stay upright, keep it contained.

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Brake Like a Professional, Not Like a Panic Button

Emergencies happen quickly. But panic braking is how you lock wheels and lose control.

Do this instead:

• Firm, controlled brake pressure
• Stay straight — don’t jerk the wheel
• Let ABS do its job
• Do not pump the brakes in an ABS-equipped truck
• Keep both hands where they belong

The goal isn’t the shortest stop. It’s the safest stop you can still steer through.

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Swerving

Most rollovers don’t start with brakes. They start with a last-second decision point. With hazmat, dodging can flip the whole story over, but sometimes that might be the only option.

If you're forced to choose between:

• A straight-line controlled stop
• A violent swerve

It really depends on what will absorb all of that kinetic energy.

• A straight-lined hard-braking event - The ideal situation for emergency braking is to use only the braking system with no other avoidance measures being taken.
• Rapid Avoidance - If you crest a hill or round a curve and discover stopped traffic or a stalled vehicle, there can be just enough time to make a decision. To brake or change direction to avoid a collision, that is the question. It is a bad spot to be in.

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Space Is Your Emergency System

The best emergency stop is the one you never have to make.

Your real safety equipment is:

• Following distance
• Speed discipline
• Eyes up

If you're pulling hazmat, you do not get to drive like traffic. You drive like a consequence.

Give yourself room. Room buys time. Time buys options.

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After the Stop: Don’t Rush the Next Step

Once you’re stopped:

• Stay parked until you've assessed
• Set brakes
• Check mirrors and surroundings
• Place your safety markers - 10ft, 100ft, 100ft (49CFR 392.22)
• Look for leaks, vapor, and abnormal sounds
• Notify dispatch/emergency response if anything seems off

A clean stop doesn’t always mean everything is good. Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, treat it like it is.

Remember, the best emergency stop is the one you never have to make.

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