HANDLING

EMERGENCIES AND
BREAKDOWNS
Driver Education Program
Driving Emergencies
• You may need to steer left and right a
In few times situation,
emergency until you get important
it is very your carto think clearly and don’t panic. You
completely
often under
have only control.
a short time to react.

Skidding
You should handle a skid the same front- and
rear-wheel drive vehicles:
• Slowly remove your foot from the gas pedal
and shift into neutral.
• Don’t hit the brakes. You will make the skid
worse.
• Turn your steering wheel in the direction of
the skid. If your rear tires are skidding to the
left, turn your steering wheel left. If they are
sliding right, steer right.
Running Off the Pavement
If you drive off the pavement and onto the shoulder of the road:
• Hold the steering wheel tightly and slowly remove your foot from the gas
pedal.
• Gently apply the brake to reduce you speed.
• Check for traffic behind you, then steer gently back onto the road.
Flat Tire, Blowout, or Wheel Loss
• Grip the steering when tightly and slowly
remove your foot from the gas pedal.
• Gently apply the braes.
• If you begin to skid, turn the steering wheel in
the direction of the skid.
• Gently straighten the car. Don’t use the brake
until you have the vehicle under control.
• Pull your car off the road as soon as it is
safe.
Brake Failure
If your vehicle has antilock brakes and the brakes fail to respond when you are
fully pressing the brake pedal, you should do the following:
• Downshift to a lower gear, and work your way down to the lowest gear, if
necessary.
• Apply the parking brake gently. Hold the brake release in case your vehicle
starts to skid.
• If you cannot slow your vehicle, sound your horn and flash your lights to
warn drivers or pedestrians around you.
If your vehicle does not have antilock brakes, you should pump the brake pedal
several times rapidly to build up brake fluid pressure. Do not pump antilock
brakes.
You can determinate what type of brakes you have by checking the indicator on
your dashboard or checking your vehicle’s user manual.
Stuck
Headlight Gas Pedal
Failure
If your vehicle stalls on railroad tracks and a train
• If Put
your your car
headlights in neutral
suddenly andgopress out: the brake
is NOT coming:
••pedal
Turn
Roll on
to slow
downyour down.
parking
your window lights, emergency
or open your door and
• Try to free the gas
flashes, pedal with your food.
listen fororaturn signal.
train.
• • IfTrythethe gas pedal doesn’t
headlight switch a release,
few times.reapply
• If your vehicle won’t start, shift to neutral and try
the
• Pull brakes.
off the
to push the road
vehicleas off
quickly as possible
the tracks.
• Keep and your eyes
leave on the road.
emergency flashers on.from the tracks,
• If you cannot move your vehicle
• When safe, pull your vehicle to the side of
call the
Stalling ontoll free Emergency
Railroad Tracks Notification System
the road and bring it to a stop.
(ENS)
If your number
vehicle stallsthat
on is located
railroad in the
tracks andmiddle
a trainof
Vehicle the Approaching
is coming: cross buck orHead on the On metal box near the
If• a Get
vehicle
grade is driving
crossing.
everyone toward
outGive
of the you
thevehicle head
railroad on in
dispatcher
IMMEDIATELY the
yourand lane:
DOT grade
move ascrossing
far from the locatortracksnumber
as youthat
can.is also
• • Slow
To down
on avoid
the andBe
sign.
being pull toby
sure
hit the right.
towreckage,
specify that runa in
vehicle
a 45is
• Sound on the
degree your horn away
tracks
angle to and
alertfrom the other
follow the thedriver.
dispatcher’s
tracks in the
instructions.
direction that the train is coming, then
immediately call 911.
Breakdowns Car Catches Fire
• Move your vehicle to the side of Iftheyou road.
see smoke coming from under your
Never park on a hill or a curve where othershood:
vehicle’s
cannot see you. If you cannot get your vehicle
• Pull off the road, turn off the ignition, and
off the pavement, get all passengers out of theaway from the vehicle.
move
vehicle and off the road. • Call the fire department or emergency
On a If highway with sinks
your vehicle a breakdown
before you lanecan orgeta out, climb into the rear seat. An
services.
shoulder, move you
air pocket mayvehicle
from as far from
there. When thethe
travel
vehicle settles, take a unless
deep breath
lane as you can. Do not stand near
•theDo not
travel try to fight the fire you have
and escape through a window. an extinguisher.
lane o in the breakdown lane.
• Vehicle
Turn onDrives
your into Water warning lights. At
emergency
If night,
your caralsodrives
turn oninto
yourwater:
vehicle’s interior lights.
• • Tie a whiteyour
Unfasten clothsafety
to yourbeltantenna or doodle
and escape through
handle
window. (use a red cloth when it’s snowing).
• • IfIf you
you have
have flares
power or reflectiveopen
windows, signs,themplace
quickly
them
before 200 feetcauses
water in frontthen
of and behind
to stop your
working.
• vehicle
Do nottoopenwarn other drivers.
a door. This would cause water to
rush in and your vehicle could flip over.
 !
Driving
If there’sThrough
a fire: Tunnels
If• you are turn
Stop, in a off
crash
theorengine,
a disabled
and vehicle
exit
is inyour
a tunnel:
vehicle. Please remember:
• • Pull to theemergency
To help side of thepersonnel,
road, if youleave
can.
• Activate your hazard flashing lights.
Fire and smoke can kill you.
your keys in the vehicle.
• • Call Save your life, not your car.
For 911
yourand followleave
safety, instructions.
your stuff in
• Stay in your vehicle if it is safe to do so.
the vehicle.
• • Wait
Call for emergency personnel for help.
911.
• Follow the instructions of the Fire
Department, State Police,
MassDOR officials, and message
signs.
• Exit at the nearest tunnel entrance,
unless directed otherwise.
• Help others, if you can.
If Crashes
you are involved
InvolvinginInjuriesa Crash
When
• Checkyou’re to involved
see if in a crash,
anyone is even a small one, you must stop your vehicle.
injured.
Never Emergency
leave the First of
scene Aida Tips
crash. It’s against the law. You could be charged with
• Call the police and request an ambulance or EMTs,
• Don’t move an injured person unless absolutely necessary. If you if necessary.
a •“hitIfand run” violation.
possible, movesomeone
your vehicle off theofroad.
Property must
Damage move Only because a life-threatening situation, fully
• Exchange
support name,
the person’s address,
head and driver’s
spine. license number, vehicle
• Move your vehicle off the road, if possible.
registration,
• Check toand seeinsurance
if the information
person is with anyone
breathing. If who person
the is injured is and
not and
• Exchange names, address, driver’s license number, vehicle registration,
withbreathing
any otherand driversyou involved.
are You in
certified must show your driver’s
cardiopulmonary license
resuscitation
insurance
and(CPR), information
registration, if askedwithto.all drivers or property owners who are involved.
You must showbegin
your performing
driver’s CPR immediately.
license and registration, if asked to.both the
• Within five
• If the persondays of the crash,
is vehicle
bleeding, you must
put file
pressurea crash report
directly with
on the wound.
• If damaged a parked or other property, you must try to locate the
RMV and
Maintain the local
pressure police
until department.
help arrives, You must report any crash that
owner
caused to repot
injury the or crash
death or notify
or that the local police.
caused $1,000 or to more of property
• Cover the injured person with a blanket
• Within five days of the crash, you must file a crash report with both or coat provide warmth
the RMV
damage.
andlocal
prevent shock.
and the police
• Notify your insurance department.
company. You must report any crash with $1,000 or
more of property damage.
• If you’ve injured a cat, dog, or any other animal, notify the local police and, if
possible, the animal’s owner.
If You Witness a Crash
If you drive by a crash and there are police and emergency vehicles there, use good
judgment. Reduce your speed and drive carefully. Look out for people and equipment
in the road. Do not stop or slow down do “sightsee”. This is dangerous and will cause
a traffic problem.
If you see a crash and there are no police or emergency vehicles:
• Park your car off the road. Turn on your emergency flashers to warn other drivers.
• Check to see if anyone is injured.
• If you have a cellular phone, call the police. If you don’t have a cellular phone, tell
the next person who stops with a phone to call the police, or try to flag down a
passing vehicle and ask the driver to get help.
• If anyone has flares, emergency triangles, or reflectors, put them 200 feet or more
in front of and behind the crash to warn other drivers.
• Follow the emergency first aid tips.
• If possible, move all vehicles involved in the crash to the side of the road.
• Turn off the ignition of all vehicles involved in the crash.