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 TIRE FAILURE

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 ERRORS DRIVING 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

Speed and distance As speed increases the less time you have HOW SHARPLY TO SWERVE Speed and distance As speed increases the less time you have

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

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

ROADWAY HAZARDS OBJECTS 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

COLLISIONS MINIMIZING 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

INSURING THE VEHICLE Every state has financial responsibility laws. Requires you to prove that you can pay for damage that you might cause

KINDS OF INSURANCE

LIABILITY INSURANCE Protects the driver who caused the collision. Provides compensation for a harm or wrong to a third party

BODILY INJURY INSURANCE Covers the driver who is at fault against claims Claims for injuries to other people

PROPERTY DAMAGE INSURANCE Protects the driver who is at fault against claims for damages to another person’s property, up to specified limits

MEDICAL PAYMENT INSURANCE Pays medical and funeral expenses for bodily injuries sustained by occupants in the insured vehicle

NO-FAULT INSURANCE In some states, people can recover losses and expenses from their own insurance company regardless of who is at fault

COLLISION INSURANCE Provides coverage to pay the costs of repair or replacement of your vehicle

COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE Pays for damage to your vehicle for reasons other than collisions

UNINSURED AND UNDERINSURED MOTORIST Protects you if you are hit by another driver who has too little or no insurance.

INSURANCE RATES DRIVING RECORD AGE MILES DRIVEN GENDER MARITAL STATUS TYPE OF VEHICLE WHERE DRIVER LIVES DRIVER’S CLAIM RECORD

PREMIUMS The amount you agree to pay each month/quarter/year for insurance coverage

DEDUCTABLE: A set amount that you agree to pay in the event of a claim before the insurance company pays the difference. HIGHER DEDUCTABLE = LOWER PREMIUM LOWER DEDUCTABLE = HIGHER PREMIUM

GOOD GRADES NO CLAIMS OR CONVICTIONS FOR THREE YEARS SAFETY FEATURES REDUCED PREMIUMS GOOD GRADES NO CLAIMS OR CONVICTIONS FOR THREE YEARS SAFETY FEATURES

ASSIGNED RISK INSURNACE Drivers who have had their insurance cancelled due to poor driving record Extremely high premium for several years

Mr. A’s Insurance Property Damage Liability 10,000 Bodily Injury Liability 30,000 per person/60,000 MAX Medical Payments 30,000/60,000 MAX Collision 20,000/ 500 deductible How much will Mr. A’s Insurance pay for Ms. B’s Hospital Bills? How Much Will Mr. A pay? How much will Mr. A’s insurance pay for damages to Ms. B’s Car? How much will Mr. A pay? How much will insurance pay for Mr. A’s injuries? How much will Mr. A pay? How much will insurance pay for damages to Mr. A’s car? How much will Mr. A pay? Mrs. B Hospital Bills $34,000 Damage to Car $5,500 Mr. A Caused a Collision Hospital Bills $22,000 Damage to Car $6,000