27. Why are emergency measures and preparedness very critical?

• If you think about emergencies and plan for them before they happen, you will be less likely to panic and will know what to do if they do occur
• Motorists have been seriously injured or even killed when attending to vehicle malfunctions such as flat tires, out of gas and other equipment problems on and off of roadways.

28. What are the things you can do to help prevent accidents

• Ensure that your vehicle is properly maintained
• Maintain adequate tire pressure and tread
• Be sure your vehicle has a sufficient amount of fuel
• If you do experience a vehicle malfunction, please pull off the road as far as possible or exit the freeway completely if possible.
• If you are off to the side of the road and need help, please stay in your vehicle as much as possible and keep walking on the road to a minimum.  This opens the door of opportunity for injury or even death
• Use your cell phone to call the local dispatch if you need assistance.
• If you do not have access to a cell phone, leave the hood of your car up and your hazard lights on. This will advise the traveling public that you need assistance
• Inform family members or other persons when to expect you at your destination
• Have an emergency kit in the trunk of your vehicle with blankets, extra food and water, to sustain you and your family

29. What should you do in the event of a tire blowout?

• Do not slam on the brakes
• Let your car roll so that you can steer more easily. 
• Hold the wheel tightly and slowly apply your brakes
• When you have slowed down enough, pull all the way off the road.
• Pick a level spot if possible, turn on your emergency flashers and change the tire.

30. What shoud you do in the event your brake fails?

• Try to get some brake pressure by pumping the brake pedal
• Shift to a lower gear to help slow down the car
• Try to slow down and stop by using your parking brake
• If you still cannot stop and are going downhill, try to drive into heavy bushes, snow, or a sandbank

31. What is hydroplane?

• Hydroplaning occurs when your front tires start to ride on water instead of the road.
• Your car can start hydroplaning at 35 mph.

32. What are the road conditions that can cause your car to skid?

• A wet road during and after rainfall
• On snowy and ice road
• Dusty or road full of sand

33. What should you do if your car starts skidding?

• Slow down to a speed at which you can control the car
• Slowly take your foot off the gas pedal
• If your rear wheel skid to the right, turn your front wheels to the right
• If the rear wheels skid to left, turn your front wheels to left
• Do not steer  too far, as that will make the car skid in the other direction
• Do not slam on your brakes
• Once your car regains traction, straighten out your wheels

34. What should you do if your car happened to stall on the Highway?

• Turn on your emergency flashers immediately
• Move your car off the road as soon as you can
• If your car is near a traffic lane or where it is hard to be seen, get everyone out and away from the car
• Use flares to warn other drivers (if you have any with you)

35. What should you do in the event of headlight failure?

• Slow down and get off the road
• Use your flares or other emergency warning devices to warn other drivers
• Check the terminals on the battery to see if they are loose
• Never drive at night without headlights

 

 
Handling Vehicle Malfunctions