CHAPTER 13

HANDLING EMERGENCIES

CHAPTER 13

HANDLING EMERGENCIES•13.1 VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONS•13.2 DRIVER ERRORS•13.3 ROADWAY HAZARDS•13.4 COLLISIONS

TIRE FAILURE

BLOWOUT:when a tire has a sudden loss of air

pressure.•Grip wheel firmly•Ease off accelerator, do not brake!•Check traffic, gain control•Drive off slowly, brake gently•Turn on flasher, stop in safe location

CHANGING THE TIRE

•Park on level ground, shift to park and turn on hazards•Set parking brake•Block wheel diagonally opposite flat tire•Ask passengers to get out•Spare tire, jack, and lug wrench•Position jack under vehicle•Jack up part way, flat tire should touch the ground•Remove wheel cover, loosen lug nuts•Jack up until tire is off ground•Remove lug nuts and wheel•Put spare on•Tighten lug nuts•Lower to ground, tighten lug nuts again

TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE•Pump brake pedal•Downshift•Gradually apply parking brake•Search for open zone

BRAKE FADE•When brakes overheat and lose their effectiveness•Stop the vehicle and let the brakes cool off

ACCELERATOR MALFUNCTIONS

BROKEN SPRINGS•Accelerator pedal will be flat on the floor•Shift to neutral•Hazards•Brake safely off the road

ACCELERATOR MALFUNCTIONS

STUCK ACCELERATOR•Kick side of accelerator to try and free it•Apply brake•Choose escape path•Shift to neutral•Turn off ignition once off the roadway

ENGINE FAILURE•Shift to neutral•Move out of traffic•Try to restart engine while moving•Raise hood and flashers on

FLOODED ENGINE

•Hold accelerator to floor while starting•Turn ignition and hold for a few seconds•Try again in a few more seconds

OVERHEATED ENGINE

•Turn off air conditioner•Turn on heater•During stops shift to neutral•If temp light stay hot, move off road, stop car and raise hood

TOTAL STEERING FAILURE

•Use horn and flashers•Stop quickly and safely•Use p-brake “on-off-on-off”•Shift to lower gear

POWER STEERING FAILURE•Occurs when engine dies•When steering fluid is low•When drive belt slips or brakes•Steering still works but you must use more force

LOSS OF VISION

HOOD FLIES UP•Slouch down, look trough crack under hood•Or roll down window look where you are going•Turn on hazards, pump brakes•Slow down, drive out of traffic

LOSS OF VISION

HEADLIGHTS FAIL•Turn on right signal to light escape path•Immediately slow down and stop•Try dimmer switch, parking lights, and hazards•Move to safe location

LOSS OF VISION

SPLASHED WINDSHEILD•Snow, slush, water, mud•Turn on wipers immediately•Slow gradually maintain path until regain sight

VEHICLE FIRE

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE•Steer off turn off car•Passengers 100 feet away•If fire is large - Do not try to put fire out•If fire is small use A-B-C extinguisher

VEHICLE FIRE

PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FIRE•Usually caused by careless match use or smoking•Pull off and extinguish

STALLS ON RAILROAD TRACKS

•Try and restart if no train is coming•Passengers out•Shift to neutral and push off tracks•If train is coming, move away in direction train is coming

DRIVER ERRORSDRIVING OFF THE ROAD•When front wheel leaves edge of roadway•Many fatal collisions because drivers brake and suddenly return to roadway

OFF ROAD RECOVERY•Hold wheel firmly, let up on accelerator, do not brake fast!•Straddle roadway•Select place where shoulder is close to roadway level•Signal mirrors and blindspot•Steer sharply and counter steer quickly to straighten

EMERGENCY SWERVING•Last second means of avoiding a collision•Only when braking will not prevent collision•Speeds over 30MPH you can usually swerve in less distance than you needed to stop

STOP VS. SWERVE DECISION

•Must be sure open zones•Must know your speed and vehicle abilities

EXECUTING EMERGENCY SWERVE

•Identify escape path•Grip wheel firmly as you steer•Use same rhythmic motion to steer and counter steer

HOW SHARPLY TO SWERVE

•Speed and distance•As speed increases the less time you have

ROADWAY HAZARDSPOTHOLES•Avoid them if possible•If not slow down to prevent tire damage•Try and predict where it will be the most shallow

ROADWAY HAZARDSSHARP CURVES•Brake gently as you enter•Half way through look ahead and start to accelerate gently

ROADWAY HAZARDSOBJECTS ON THE ROAD•Check traffic•Decide whether to straddle or swerve around object•Drive over an object only as a last resort•You may not know what is inside and object!

VEHICLE IN DEEP WATER•OPEN WINDOW THAT IS MOST OUT OF WATER•UNFASTEN BELTS AND CHECK PASSENGERS•EXIT PROMPTLY THROUGH OPEN WINDOW•IF WINDOWS ARE STUCK WAIT UNTIL PRESSURE EQUALIZES AND THEN OPEN DOOR

COLLISIONSMINIMIZING EFFECTS OF COLLISION•NEVER GIVE UP, KEEP CONTROL OF YOUR VEHICLE•STEER FOR SOMETHING SOFT•IF CHANCE FOR ANOTHER COLLISION, GET EVERYBODY OUT AND SAFELY AWAY

HEAD ON COLLISIONS•BRAKE HARD BUT DO NOT LOCK UP TIRES•BLOW HORN AND FLASH LIGHTS•STEER RIGHT TOWARD SHOULDER, DO NOT STEER LEFT!

SIDE-IMPACT COLLISIONS

•BRAKE OR ACCELERATE QUICKLY, WHICH EVER LESSEN IMPACT INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT•BLOW HORN•CHANGE LANES OR SWERVE AWAY FROM IMPACT•BE AWARE OF TRAFFIC AROUND YOU

REAR-END COLLISIONS•FLASH BRAKE LIGHTS•CHECK FOR OPEN ZONES•IF INTERSECTION IS CLEAR ACCELERATE TO GIVE SPACE•IF UNAVOIDABLE, RELEASE BRAKES JUST BEFORE IMPACT TO LESSEN

IF YOU HAVE COLLISION•STOP IMMEDIATELY•AID TO INJURED, NEVER MOVE UNLESS THERE IS THREAT OF ANOTHER COLLISION•PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE•SEND FOR POLICE•EXCHANGE INFORMATION

ADDITIONAL STEPS•RECORD WITNESSES NAMES AND ADDRESSES•GIVE POLICE JUST FACTS•FILE NECESSARY REPORTS