1. Chapter 15
Handling Emergency

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

3. Emergency Situations Tire blowout Brake failure
Accelerator malfunctions
Engine failure
Hood flies up
Driving off road
Avoiding objects in the roadway

4. 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

5. Brake Failure Pump brake pedal Downshift
Apply park brake with steady pressure
If car skids, release park brake

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. Compact Spare Tire
A compact spare should only be used to get your car to a station to fix your flat.

11. 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

12. Engine Failure If engine fails to start Raise the hood
Leave hazards flashing
Set up warning devices
Call or go get help

13. This can become an emergency only if you PANIC.
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.

14. 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

15. Vehicle Fire Can be Dangerous
Quickly steer off the safe open area
Driver + Passengers move 100 feet away
Do not try to put out the fire
Leave hood closed

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. Someone following too close
Increase your following distance

24. 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

25. 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

26. Accident Procedure Stop Immediately, Aid the injured
Move to the side of road
Do not leave vehicle where it blocks traffic
Turn off ignition
Aid the injured
Prevent further damage (place flares or reflectors 100ft in front and behind)
Send for Police
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