Emergencies
What emergency supplies should you always keep in your vehicle?
• First aid kit
• Approved warning devices like reflective triangles
• Booster cables
• Non-perishable food and drink
• Jack and an inflated spare tire
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Towrope
• Headlight bulbs
If one of your tires goes flat while you're driving, follow these steps:
1 Do not apply the brakes right away.
2 Take your foot off the gas pedal and allow the engine to slow you down.
3 Hold the steering wheel with a firm grip, keeping the vehicle on a straight course. Look and steer in the direction you want to go.
4 When you have control of your vehicle and you have reduced your speed, gently push the brake pedal with steady pressure.
5 Move to the emergency stopping lane or the edge of the road. Park in a safe place.
6 Turn on your hazard lights. Always check and maintain all four tires and the spare.
If you accidently drive off of the road, follow these steps for recovery:
1 Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel.
2 Do not try to steer the vehicle back onto the road immediately.
3 Take your foot off the gas pedal to reduce your speed.
4 Avoid braking. If you need to brake, use gradual pressure to keep control.
5 When you are able, turn on your signal light and emergency flasher to warn others.
6 Check for traffic and signal before you begin to steer the vehicle back onto the road.
7 Steer back onto the road slowly and move into the proper travel lane.
8 Return to normal driving and control your speed.
If you notice your car has a mechanical problem while you are driving, what should you do?
- If possible, change lanes and park safely in the emergency lane.
- If the vehicle is left in a potentially dangerous location, turn on your hazard lights.
- Raise your hood, if it is safe. Then move away from vehicle.
- When it is safe, place your reflective triangles behind your vehicle, about 10 to 20 metres (33 to 66 feet) apart.
What are ABS brakes?
An anti-lock braking system (ABS) allows you to steer while braking, and prevents your wheels from locking.
What is hydroplaining?
When your tires lose contact with the road surface due to wet conditions.
True or false: Do not stop on a bridge or in a tunnel.
True
How do you brake your vehicle if you have ABS brakes?
1 Apply a steady firm pressure to the brake pedal.
2 Do not pump or release the brake pedal.
3 Look and steer in the direction you want to go.
When you drive through smoke and fog, use
____-beam headlights.
Low beam
True or false: Do not repair your vehicle on crowded or fast-moving roadways.
True
How do you brake your vehicle if you don't have ABS brakes?
1 Press firmly on the brake pedal to the point just before the wheels lock (threshold braking).
2 If the wheels lock, release the brake pedal slightly to regain steering control.
3 Press the brake pedal firmly again, without locking the wheels.
4 Look and steer in the direction you want the front of the vehicle to go.
In the winter, what extra emergency supplies should you have in your vehicle?
• Blankets and extra warm clothing
• Sand, road salt, or cat litter
• Shovel
• Heat source such as a candle in a container and matches
• Ice scraper and snowbrush
• Tire chains
What are the signs that you may have a flat tire while you're driving?
You may feel the vehicle begin to pull and vibrate through the steering wheel.
If this air leak is not sealed, the tire will go flat. When a front tire is flat, the vehicle will pull strongly in the direction of the flat.
A flat rear tire may make your vehicle move from side to side.
It can be harder to steer.
What can cause your vehicle to skid?
• Drive too quickly on poor road conditions like ice, snow, rain, mud, sand, or gravel
• Turn the steering wheel too sharply
• Turn the steering wheel too much for your speed
• Accelerate too quickly
• Brake too firmly
Use your ____-beam headlights when you are following within 150 metres of another vehicle.
Low beam