Blowout and power failure — Delaware Permit Test

Blowout and power failure on the Delaware permit test — 4 rules, each with the reason behind it and a question on it while it is fresh.

The rules

If a tire suddenly goes flat, Delaware's manual says to hold the steering wheel tightly and keep the vehicle going straight.

A blowout tugs the wheel hard toward the flat side, and a loose grip lets the car swerve.

Hold the steering wheel tightly and keep the vehicle going straight.
Delaware Driver Manual, p.137

After a blowout, Delaware's manual says to slow down gradually, taking your foot off the gas and braking lightly, and not stop on the road if at all possible.

Hard braking on a flat tire can pull the car out of the lane.

Slow down gradually. Take your foot off the gas pedal and use the brakes lightly.
Delaware Driver Manual, p.137

If the engine dies while you are driving, Delaware's manual says the steering wheel may be hard to turn, but you can turn it; keep a strong grip and pull off the roadway.

A driver who thinks the steering is gone may freeze instead of steering to the shoulder.

Be aware that the steering wheel may be difficult to turn, but you can turn it.
Delaware Driver Manual, p.137

If the engine dies, Delaware's manual says the brakes should still work, but you may have to push very hard on the pedal.

A driver who presses the pedal gently and feels little may think the brakes are gone.

The brakes should still work, but you may have to push very hard on the brake pedal.
Delaware Driver Manual, p.137

On the test

What should you do with the steering wheel during a blowout?

Hold it tightly and keep going straight. A blowout tugs the wheel hard toward the flat side, and a loose grip lets the car swerve. Delaware Driver Manual, p.137: “Hold the steering wheel tightly and keep the vehicle going straight.”

How this works

Most practice tests hand you a bank of questions and leave the manual somewhere else. This one puts them together.

You read one law and the reason behind it, then answer a question on that law while it is still fresh. Get it right and you move on; get it wrong and you have found the gap while it is cheap to fix, not on the morning of the exam.

Learning one rule at a time, and proving it immediately, is what turns a manual you skimmed into something you actually know — and it makes studying feel like getting somewhere rather than like waiting to find out.

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Where these come from

Every rule here is checked against Delaware Driver Manual, published by the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles, and against the state code itself. Last checked 2026-10-05.