Chapter 15

Handling Emergency

Reducing Emergencies

• Proper maintenance can prevent most vehicle malfunctions. Examples: checking wear on tires and brakes with scraping sounds

Emergency Situations

• Tire blowout

• Brake failure

• Accelerator malfunctions

• Engine failure

• Hood flies up

• Driving off road

• Avoiding objects in the roadway

Tire Blowout

• Grip the steering wheel firmly

• Do not brake. Ease up on the accelerator

• Check the traffic as you gain control of car

• Signal and drive off the road slowly. Brake gently

• Turn on hazards

Brake Failure• Pump brake pedal

• Downshift

• Apply park brake with steady pressure– If car skids, release park brake

Accelerator Sticks

Use right foot to unhang the pedal– Kick the side of the pedal or put foot

underneath and lift

Shift the car to neutral or depress the clutch

Slow the car by braking

Signal and pull off the road

This technique should also be used to deal with cruise control malfunction

Flat Tire

• Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel

• Maintain a straight course

• Step off the brake. Keep control of vehicle

• When car is under control, look for a place to pull off

Changing a Flat Tire• Park on level area, away from traffic

• Put vehicle in park and turn on hazards

• Set the park brake

• Block wheel diagonally opposite the flat

• Passengers get out of vehicle

• Take out jack, spare tire and lug wrench

Changing Flat Tire• Assemble jack• Jack up vehicle partway and loosen lugs• Jack up tire off ground and remove lugs• Remove flat tire• Mount spare and tighten lug nuts• Lower vehicle and remove jack• Use lug wrench and tighten lugs• Leave the wheel cover off to remind you to fix

your tire• Put wheel cover, flat, and equipment in trunk

Compact Spare Tire

• A compact spare should only be used to get your car to a station to fix your flat.

Engine Failure

If your engine stops suddenly:

• Shift to neutral when engine first stops

• Begin moving out of traffic

• Turn on hazards, do not brake

• Restart the engine while moving, if car starts shift in drive and proceed

• If it does not start and retry

Engine Failure

• If engine fails to start– Raise the hood– Leave hazards flashing– Set up warning devices– Call or go get help

Off Road Recovery

This can become an emergency only if you PANIC.

• Hold the steering wheel firmly.

• Let off accelerator.

• Don’t apply brake

• Gently ease the car back on the road.

Hood Flies Up

• Slouch down in your seat and look through the crack below the open hood

• If you can not see, roll down your window and look in the direction you are driving

• Turn on hazards and pump brakes to warn driver behind you

• Slow down and find a safe place to pull off

Vehicle Fire

• Can be Dangerous– Quickly steer off the roadway @ safe open

area– Driver + Passengers move 100 feet away– Do not try to put out the fire– Leave hood closed

Small Engine Fire

• If you have a A-B-C type extinguisher and the fire is small enough to control– Use gloves of rag to protect your hands– Turn you head and open hood carefully– Direct the extinguisher on the fire– Never try to disconnect battery or work on the

car while it is still hot

Animals in the Roadway• Swerving to avoid an animal might result

in losing control of the vehicle

• Do not panic. If you can safely avoid missing it. Do so

• If it is small, it may be necessary to hit the animal

Pot Holes

• Drive carefully around or straddle

• Stay in your own lane and check your front zones

• If you must drive through a pothole, slow down to avoid tire damage

• Decide to steer around, brake, straddle, or drive over the object. It depends on the traffic

Minimize the Effects of a Collision

• Keep control of your vehicle

• Change your speed or direction to lessen the impact

• Steer for something soft

• Move away from the crash

Head on Collision Threat

• Maintain control

• Brake hard without locking brakes to lessen the impact

• Blow your horn or flash your lights

• Steer right toward the shoulder

• Prepare to drive off the road

Rear-end Collision Threats

• Flash your brake lights early

• As vehicle nears, check front zone for open space

• If intersection is clear, move forward

• If intersection is not clear, turn right

• If collision is unavoidable, release your brakes to soften the impact and brake after the collision

Good drive Habits

• Maintain a 3 second following distance

• Stopping so you can see the tires of the vehicle ahead of you

• Cover going through intersections- cuts down on reaction time

Someone following too close

• Increase your following distance

Side-Impact Collision Threats

• Brake or accelerate quickly. Do what you can to lessen the impact

• Blow horn to alert other driver

• Change lanes or swerve away from impact

Deep Water

• Do not drive through deep water. Find an alternate route

• If you go into deep water:– Open window– Unfasten seat belts– Exit through open window

Accident Procedure

1. Stop Immediately, 1. Move to the side of road2. Do not leave vehicle where it blocks traffic3. Turn off ignition

2. Aid the injured3. Prevent further damage (place flares or reflectors

100ft in front and behind)

4. Send for Police5. Exchange Information