Driving emergencies — Alabama Permit Test

There is one basic rule for all driving emergencies: think before you act; an instinctive reaction, such as slamming on the brakes in a skid, may be the wrong one.

Panic makes people do the first thing that comes to mind, which often makes it worse.

There is one basic rule that applies in all driving situations, and especially in emergency situations - THINK BEFORE YOU ACT.

After a blowout, hold the steering wheel tightly, steer straight and ease up on the accelerator; do not brake until the vehicle is under control.

Braking hard on a blown tire can pull the car sharply to one side.

To regain control, hold tightly to the steering wheel, steer straight and ease up on the accelerator.

Under-inflation is one of the most common reasons for blowouts, and a thumping sound from a bulge in the tire may warn you of one coming.

A soft tire flexes and heats until it fails.

Under-inflation is one of the most common reasons for blowouts.

If your steering fails, ease up on the accelerator but do not brake; braking or shifting may throw the vehicle off balance, but as it slows you may brake very gently.

A sudden change in speed can upset a car you cannot steer.

If you suddenly lose control of your steering and the wheel no longer responds to your turning movements, ease up on the accelerator, but do not brake.

If your brake pedal suddenly sinks to the floor, try pumping it to build up pressure; if that fails, use the emergency or parking brake gently, and shift to a lower gear to let the engine slow you.

Pumping may restore pressure, and the parking brake and engine are your backups.

Brake failure: If your brake pedal suddenly sinks all the way to the floor, try pumping the pedal to build up the pressure.

If your wheels drift onto the shoulder, do not swerve back onto the pavement; stay on the shoulder, reduce speed, and then turn gently back on.

Jerking the wheel to get back on can flip the car or send it across the road.

Instead, stay on the shoulder and reduce speed.

If a car comes toward you in your lane, pull to the right and slow down, sound your horn, and flash your lights at night; do not turn into the left lane.

The other driver may wake up and swerve back into their own lane, right into you.

If you see a car coming toward you in your lane, pull to the right and slow down.

If a car passing you cannot finish because of oncoming traffic, slow down to let it move ahead if the pass can be completed; if it must drop back, speed up to leave room behind you.

You can help prevent a head-on crash by giving the passing car a gap.

If the passing car is at a point where the pass can be completed with your help, slow your speed to allow the driver to move ahead of you quickly.

If your car stalls on railroad tracks and a train is coming, abandon the vehicle and walk quickly alongside the tracks in the direction of the approaching train, so you are not struck by debris.

Debris flies forward in the direction the train is going.

If you cannot get the car off the tracks, and a train is approaching, abandon the vehicle, and quickly walk alongside the tracks in the direction of the approaching train so that you will not be struck by debris when the vehicle is hit.

If your car plunges into deep water but does not sink, escape immediately through a window; opening a door lets water in faster.

A window lets you out without flooding the car all at once.

Immersion: If your car plunges into deep water BUT DOES NOT SINK, immediately escape through a window.

If smoke comes from under the hood, get off the road and turn off the ignition; if no extinguisher is available, smother the fire with dirt or sand, never water, because burning gasoline floats on it.

Water spreads a gasoline fire instead of putting it out.

If no fire extinguisher is available, use dirt or sand to smother the fire.

If steam comes from under the hood, your cooling system is boiling: pull to the side, turn off the engine, and do not open the radiator cap.

Opening a boiling radiator can spray scalding water on you.

DO NOT OPEN THE RADIATOR CAP.

If your headlights fail, try your parking lights and turn signals; on a dark, deserted road, slow down and keep on the pavement until you can safely move onto the shoulder.

Other lights on the car may give you enough light to get off the road safely.

Headlight failure: If your headlights suddenly fail, try your parking lights and directional signals—one of the two may work and give you enough light to guide you as you leave the road.

If your wipers fail in blinding rain or snow, or your hood flies open, slow down, roll down your side window and put your head out to see ahead, then move off the highway.

Looking out the side window gives you a view while you get off the road.

If your wipers suddenly fail in blinding rain or snow, slow down, roll down your side window, and put your head out so that you can see ahead.

If your accelerator pedal sticks, you may free it by hooking your toe under it and lifting; if not, turn off the engine to slow the vehicle, knowing power steering and brakes will lose their assistance.

Turning off the engine stops the car from speeding up, even though steering gets heavier.

Stuck accelerator pedal: If your accelerator pedal sticks, you may be able to free it by hooking your toe under the pedal and attempting to raise it.

You can help prevent overheating in slow traffic by shifting into neutral and briefly racing the engine during stops, which speeds up the fan and water pump.

More air and coolant moving through the engine carries off the heat.

Overheating: You can help prevent overheating in slow-moving traffic by shifting into neutral and racing the engine briefly during stops.

What is the one basic rule for driving emergencies?

Think before you act. Panic makes people do the first thing that comes to mind, which often makes it worse. Alabama Driver Manual, p.73: “There is one basic rule that applies in all driving situations, and especially in emergency situations - THINK BEFORE YOU ACT.”