Driving Emergencies

Safe handling of driving emergencies requires special skills and knowledge.

Running off the road:

If your vehicle drifts onto the shoulder or if you’re forced off the road:

• Stay calm
• Remove your foot from the accelerator
• Check your mirror to make sure your lane is clear
• Look up the middle of your lane to ease back onto the road

Tire Blowouts:

A tire blowout can cause your vehicle to lose control. Do the following for a safe recovery:

• Grip the wheel firmly
• Remove your foot from the accelerator to slow down
• Signal and look for a safe place to pull off the road
• When you are under control and you have slowed down gently apply the brakes to stop your vehicle

Accelerator sticks to floorboard:

Press your foot firmly against the pedal and release. If this does not free the pedal

• Shift your vehicle into neutral
• Apply the brakes
• Pull off the road and stop. Once stopped, shift into park

Brake failure:

Quickly pump the brake pedal 7-8 times to see if you can build up enough pressure to stop the vehicle. If this does not work:

• Shift into a lower gear
• Use your parking brake to stop the vehicle

Steering failure:

If you suddenly lose steering:

• Ease off of the accelerator
• If you vehicle holds the lane, slow down and lightly apply the brakes
• If your vehicle is heading off the road or towards a another vehicle apply the brakes using maximum pressure

Author, Rich Heinrich,

Master Instructor, Emeritus