Chapter 13- Emergency Situations

7. What should you do if you enter a curve too fast?

Brake firmly if you are not yet in the curve. Brake gently if you have already entered the curve. Accelerate gently about halfway through the curve to help stabilize the vehicle.

6. How could you minimize vehicle damage from potholes?

Drive carefully around the pothole. Stay in your own lane. When it is unavoidable, drive slowly through the pothole.

8. How do you avoid or minimize head-on, side-impact, and rear-end collisions?

Head-On collisions: Maintain control. Slow without stopping, honk horn, flash headlights, move right. Side-Impact Collision: Brake or accelerate. Honk horn, change lanes or swerve away from impact. Rear- End Collision: Flash brake lights. Move forward if clear, release brakes just before impact, then quickly reapply.

4. If your vehicle runs off the roadway, how should you return it to the roadway?

Hold the steering wheel firmly and steer straight toward your target. Remove your foot from the accelerator and brake gently to 5 or 10 mph. Straddle the roadway as you gain control of your vehicle. Check traffic and signal to indicate you are reentering traffic. Steer sharply left until the right front wheels come back on the roadway edge. Immediately countersteer and center your vehicle in your lane. Cancel the signal and adjust speed to traffic flow.

10. What are the follow-up steps you should take after a collision?

Record information about witnesses to the collision, give accurate facts to the police, see a doctor if you are injured, and file necessary reports.

9. What are the immediate steps you should take if a collision occurs?

Stop, aid the injured, prevent further damage to vehicles, call the police, and exchange pertinent information.

5. When should you use an emergency swerve?

Swerve in an emergency only when you cannot prevent a collision by stepping down hard on the brakes.

1. What actions should you take if a tire blows out?

When a tire blows out, you need to gain control of your vehicle without braking. You need to drive off the roadway slowly, turn on hazard flashers, and find a safe place to stop.

3. What should you do if your accelerator malfunctions?

When the accelerator malfunctions, you should quickly shift the car into NEUTRAL and apply the brakes. Move to an escape path that leads to an open zone. Turn off the engine once you are off the roadway.

2. What are the proper steps to follow if the brakes fail?

When your brakes fail, you need to pump the brake three or four times, downshift into lower gears, apply the parking brake, and search for an open zone.