Oklahoma driving lesson · Driving Tips and Emergencies
Carbon monoxide, trips and your emergency kit
A 3-minute lesson from the Oklahoma course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Carbon monoxide from your engine can kill you, and you can't see, smell or taste it. Knowing the warning signs, and preparing before a long trip, keeps a bad situation from becoming a deadly one.
Know the rule
Carbon monoxide is most likely to leak into your car when the heater is running, when the exhaust system isn't working properly, or in heavy traffic when you breathe other cars' exhaust. A faulty exhaust can leak fumes into the back seat, where children may be sitting or sleeping.
If you notice symptoms, pull off the road, park, turn off the motor and open the windows. Relax or get out and walk around. A passenger overcome by carbon monoxide may need artificial respiration or medical attention.
Before a vacation or business trip out of state, make sure you have a physical copy of your vehicle insurance and registration in the vehicle, as Oklahoma law requires.
Oklahoma has more than 750 troopers, 2,481,432 licensed drivers and over 111,994 miles of roads, shared by 3.8 million registered vehicles and 96,632 motorcycles.
Stuck in stop-and-go traffic with the heater on, your passenger says she's dizzy and her lips look blue. Pull off the road, park, turn off the engine and open the windows. Get out and walk around, and get medical help if she doesn't recover.
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.
Which of these is a symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning listed in the manual?
Your ears start ringing
You feel unusually energetic
Your hands start sweating
Your forehead tightens
Answer: Your forehead tightens
Listed symptoms include drowsiness, dizziness, blue-tinted skin/lips, and forehead tightening.