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

Author

Frankie Fopiano

Instructor and Office Administrator

Frankie works and karaoke's in Las Vegas but his out-of-doors-heart is still out East. Born in Boston, Frankie loves the snow and mountains. As an avid snowboarder, Frankie has never seen a snow day he didn't LOVE! A graduate from…Read More

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