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Iowa driving lesson · Weather & Emergencies

Equipment failure emergencies

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

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Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Weather & Emergencies
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
62

Equipment can fail no matter how careful you are. If you know the steps in advance, you can keep an emergency from turning into a crash.

If a tire suddenly goes flat:

  • Hold the steering wheel tightly and keep the vehicle going straight
  • Slow down gradually—take your foot off the gas and brake lightly
  • Don't stop on the road if at all possible; pull off to a safe place
Handbook p. 62 ↗

Know the rule

A front tire blowout jerks the car violently toward the side with the flat. Don't overcorrect: straighten the car, then gradually move to the right shoulder as soon as possible.

Handbook p. 62 ↗

If your headlights suddenly go out:

  • Try the headlight switch a few times
  • Try turning on your high beams
  • If they stay off, turn on emergency flashers, turn signals, or fog lights
  • Pull off the road as soon as possible
Handbook p. 62 ↗

If the engine stalls while driving:

  • Keep a strong grip—the wheel is hard to turn, but you can turn it
  • Pull off the road—the brakes still work, but you must push very hard
Handbook p. 62 ↗

If the gas pedal sticks:

  • Keep your eyes on the road
  • Quickly shift to neutral
  • Pull off the road when safe
  • Turn off the engine after stopping
Handbook p. 62 ↗

If your brakes stop working:

  • Pump the brake pedal several times—this often builds enough pressure to stop
  • If not, engage the parking brake slowly so the rear wheels don't lock; release it if you skid
  • If not, shift to lower gears, find a safe place to slow to a stop, and get off the road
Handbook p. 62 ↗

Know the rule

Do not drive without brakes.

Handbook p. 62 ↗

Know the rule

On vehicles with a steering lock system, never remove the key or let passengers touch it while driving—the steering wheel will lock and you could lose control.

Handbook p. 62 ↗

Put it into practice

On the highway your accelerator sticks and the car keeps speeding up. Keep your eyes on the road, shift to neutral, steer off the road when it's safe, and turn off the engine once stopped.

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 gas pedal sticks and the engine won't slow down, what is the correct first response?
  1. Turn off the engine while still moving fast
  2. Pump the gas pedal repeatedly
  3. Steer sharply to the shoulder without slowing first
  4. Keep your eyes on the road and quickly shift to neutral

Answer: Keep your eyes on the road and quickly shift to neutral

For a stuck gas pedal, keep your eyes on the road and quickly shift to neutral before pulling off the road.

Handbook p. 62 ↗
If your brakes fail completely and pumping the pedal doesn't help, what should you try next?
  1. The parking brake, engaged slowly
  2. Shift directly into park while moving
  3. Turn off the engine immediately at speed
  4. Remove your foot from all pedals and coast

Answer: The parking brake, engaged slowly

After pumping the brake pedal fails, try the parking brake, engaging it slowly to avoid locking the rear wheels.

Handbook p. 62 ↗
What happens if you remove your key while driving a vehicle with a steering lock system?
  1. Nothing happens until the car is parked
  2. The steering wheel will lock
  3. The brakes automatically engage
  4. The transmission shifts to park

Answer: The steering wheel will lock

Removing the key while driving can engage the steering lock, potentially causing loss of control and a crash.

Handbook p. 62 ↗
What should you do first if your tire suddenly goes flat?
  1. Brake as hard as possible immediately
  2. Turn sharply toward the shoulder
  3. Hold the wheel tightly and keep the car going straight
  4. Accelerate to reach an exit quickly

Answer: Hold the wheel tightly and keep the car going straight

Hold the steering wheel tightly and keep the vehicle going straight if a tire goes flat.

Handbook p. 62 ↗
What should you try first if your headlights suddenly go out?
  1. The high beams
  2. The emergency flashers
  3. The fog lights
  4. The headlight switch a few times

Answer: The headlight switch a few times

Try the headlight switch a few times first if your headlights suddenly go out.

Handbook p. 62 ↗
If a front tire blows out, you should be careful not to overcorrect while steering back onto course.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: True

The manual warns not to overcorrect after a front tire blowout, which can jerk the car toward the flat side.

Handbook p. 62 ↗
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