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New Mexico driving lesson · Emergencies & Collisions

Handling vehicle emergencies

A 3-minute lesson from the New Mexico 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
Emergencies & Collisions
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
34, 35

Every driver eventually faces an emergency. Following the maintenance schedule in your owner's manual greatly reduces the chance of a breakdown. If something fails anyway, knowing the steps in order lets you act instead of panic.

Brake failure, in order:

  • Pump the brake pedal several times; this often builds enough pressure to stop
  • If not, use the parking brake: pull it slowly so the rear wheels don't lock; release it if you skid
  • If that fails, shift to lower gears and look for a safe place to slow and stop off the road
Handbook p. 34 ↗

Know the rule

Do not drive a vehicle without brakes.

Handbook p. 34 ↗

Tire blowout:

  • Hold the wheel tightly and keep the vehicle going straight
  • Slow down gradually: foot off the gas, brake lightly
  • Don't stop on the road if at all possible; pull off in a safe place
Handbook p. 34 ↗

Power (engine) failure:

  • Keep a strong grip; steering may be hard to turn, but you can turn it
  • Pull off the road; brakes still work but you may need to push very hard
Handbook p. 34 ↗

Headlight failure:

  • Try the headlight switch a few times
  • If that fails, use emergency flashers, turn signals or fog lights if you have them
  • Pull off the road as soon as possible
Handbook p. 34 ↗

Gas pedal sticks (engine keeps speeding up):

  • Keep your eyes on the road
  • Quickly shift to neutral
  • Pull off the road when safe
  • Turn off the engine
Handbook p. 34 ↗

Put it into practice

Your brake pedal suddenly sinks to the floor on a downhill street. Pump it several times. If that fails, pull the parking brake slowly, ready to release it if you skid, and downshift while steering to a safe spot off the road.

Put it into practice

On the interstate your front tire blows. Grip the wheel, keep straight, lift off the gas, brake lightly and ease onto the shoulder. Don't brake hard.

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 brakes fail, what should you try first?
  1. Turn off the engine immediately
  2. Pump the brake pedal several times
  3. Shift straight to the lowest gear
  4. Pull the parking brake hard

Answer: Pump the brake pedal several times

Pump the brake pedal several times — this often builds up enough pressure to stop.

Handbook p. 34 ↗
If pumping the brakes doesn't work, what should you try next?
  1. Shift to a lower gear first
  2. Turn off the ignition immediately
  3. Shift into neutral and coast
  4. Pull the parking brake slowly

Answer: Pull the parking brake slowly

If pumping the pedal doesn't work, use the parking brake, pulling slowly to avoid locking the rear wheels.

Handbook p. 34 ↗
If a tire suddenly blows out, what should you do with the steering wheel?
  1. Turn sharply toward the shoulder
  2. Hold it tightly and keep going straight
  3. Loosen your grip and let it center
  4. Steer toward the side of the flat tire

Answer: Hold it tightly and keep going straight

Hold the steering wheel tightly and keep the vehicle going straight after a blowout.

Handbook p. 34 ↗
After a tire blowout, how should you slow down?
  1. Pull the parking brake sharply
  2. Ease off the gas, brake lightly
  3. Brake hard immediately
  4. Downshift repeatedly without braking

Answer: Ease off the gas, brake lightly

Slow down gradually: take your foot off the gas pedal and use the brakes lightly.

Handbook p. 34 ↗
If your engine dies while driving, what should you expect about the steering?
  1. It will only work if you restart the engine first
  2. It becomes easier to turn than normal
  3. It will lock completely and cannot be turned
  4. Harder to turn, but still possible

Answer: Harder to turn, but still possible

The steering may be difficult to turn if the engine dies, but you can still turn it.

Handbook p. 34 ↗
If the gas pedal sticks and the engine keeps accelerating, what's the first thing you should do?
  1. Shift quickly to neutral
  2. Turn off the engine
  3. Pump the gas pedal repeatedly
  4. Brake hard and hold it

Answer: Shift quickly to neutral

If the gas pedal sticks, quickly shift to neutral, then pull off the road and turn off the engine.

Handbook p. 34 ↗
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