roadwise.Open study app

Georgia driving lesson · Safety Guidelines

Vehicle emergencies

A 3-minute lesson from the Georgia course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

Study this lesson in the app Back to the course
Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Safety Guidelines
Checkpoint questions
3
Source pages
40, 42

Emergencies happen fast: your wheels drop off the pavement, a tire blows, the brakes fail. In almost every case the key is to stay calm, keep steering, and slow down gradually instead of making sudden moves.

If your vehicle leaves the roadway:

  • Don't panic, and take your foot off the accelerator
  • Grip the wheel tightly and be ready for sudden shocks
  • Don't hit the brake pedal suddenly and hard; brake carefully
  • Don't jerk the wheel back; overcorrecting can cause a skid, a flip or a crossover
  • Slow down, check traffic, find a safe place and merge back; stop fully first if needed
Handbook p. 40 ↗

Tire blow-out:

  • Don't panic; brake lightly only if necessary and safe
  • Grip the wheel firmly and take your foot off the accelerator to roll to a stop
  • Don't move to the shoulder until the car has slowed greatly
  • If the car swerves onto the shoulder, don't try to get back on; let it coast to a stop
Handbook p. 40 ↗

Brakes fail:

  • Shift to a lower gear
  • Use the parking brake
  • Rub a tire on the curb
  • Look for a safe area to slow to a stop
Handbook p. 42 ↗

Accelerator jammed:

  • Slap the pedal with your foot
  • Shift to neutral
  • Concentrate on steering
  • Use the brakes
  • Turn off the ignition (not to lock)
Handbook p. 42 ↗

Wet brakes:

  • After driving through deep water, test the brakes lightly; they may pull or not hold
  • Dry them by driving slowly in low gear while applying the brakes lightly
Handbook p. 42 ↗

Small vehicle fire:

  • Apply mud, dirt, dust or snow; check the ditch for water
  • Use a hub cap to carry water to wet apparel
  • Loosen dirt with a tire tool to throw on the fire
Handbook p. 42 ↗

Put it into practice

At 50 mph your right wheels drop off the pavement edge. Ease off the gas, hold the wheel firmly, and don't yank it back. Once you've slowed and traffic is clear, steer smoothly back onto the road.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

If your vehicle leaves the roadway, what is the recommended first response?
  1. Apply the brakes as hard as possible right away
  2. Immediately jerk the wheel back onto the pavement
  3. Stay calm and ease off the gas
  4. Accelerate to regain traction quickly

Answer: Stay calm and ease off the gas

The guidelines say not to panic and to take your foot off the accelerator first, rather than braking hard or overcorrecting.

Handbook p. 40 ↗
Why does the handbook warn against 'jerking the wheel' to return to the pavement after leaving the roadway?
  1. You may skid, flip, or cross lanes
  2. It can engage the steering lock
  3. It will damage your tires permanently
  4. It strains the power steering pump

Answer: You may skid, flip, or cross lanes

Overcompensating by jerking the wheel back onto the roadway can cause loss of control, skidding, or flipping.

Handbook p. 40 ↗
What should you do to prevent tire blow-out related loss of control if your tire suddenly ruptures?
  1. Grip the wheel, ease off, and roll to a stop
  2. Immediately slam on the brakes
  3. Steer sharply toward the shoulder right away
  4. Accelerate to maintain momentum

Answer: Grip the wheel, ease off, and roll to a stop

For a tire blow-out, grasp the wheel firmly, ease off the accelerator, and let the vehicle roll to a stop.

Handbook p. 40 ↗
Take the lesson checkpoint in the app

More in Safety Guidelines

All Georgia lessons