Driver’s Education Class

Special Driving SituationsPrepared by Nansei Hansen

Contents

3,4 Parts of a car 31-35 Traffic Accidents

5 Moving Emergency Vehicle 36 Online links

6 What are Emergency Vehicles? 37 Travel Lane (pix)

7 What you should do 38 Intersection (pix)

8 What you should not do 39 Tow Truck (pix)

9 What’s a stationary emergency vehicle?

10,11 Move-over law

12-15 When Stopped by a Police officer

15-30 Driving Emergencies

Parts of a Car

,13,141 license plate 9 dashboard

2 headlights 10 steering wheel

3 battery 11 ignition

4 hood 12 brake

5 windshield 13 accelerator/gas pedal

6 trunk 14 seat belt

7 gas tank 15 car seat

8 tire 16 side view mirror

MOVING EMERGENCY VEHICLE

What are Emergency Vehicles?

Other emergency vehicles (tow trucks, highway maintenance trucks, etc,.) that are using a siren and/or emergency flashing lights

Fire engines Police cars

Ambulances

2) What you SHOULD do…when an emergency vehicle using a siren and/or emergency flashing lights is coming from any direction:

• Always yield the right-of-way to the emergency vehicles

• Pull your car as close as possible to the right side of the road.

• Check your mirrors (rear and side view mirrors) and find a safe place to pull over to the right

3) What you SHOULD NOT dowhen an emergency vehicle using a siren and/or emergency flashing lights is coming from any direction:

1. Don’t pull over your car to the left.2. Don’t slam on your brakes.3. Don’t stop suddenly.4. Don’t stop in the middle of an intersection5. Don’t follow closer than 300 feet (7 cars@ 12 feet

long each) behind an emergency vehicle

What’s a stationary emergency vehicle?

A stationary emergency vehicle is an emergency response vehicle which has stopped

• Parked fire trucks• Parked police cars• Parked disaster vehicles (highway maintenance

vehicles such as tow trucks, ramp trucks, etc)

Move-over law

When you are approaching a stationary vehicle with flashing lights, you must

1.Reduce your speed to a responsible and safe speed.

2.Keep one lane open between your vehicle and the stopped emergency vehicle if possible (on a highway)

3.Always be ready to stop when necessary.

Move-Over-Law

When Stopped by a Police officer

1. What you should do:• Turn on your right turn signal, and pull over to

the right side of the road.• Put the car in park, and turn off the engine.• Stay in the vehicle. • If it’s dark, leave your headlights on and put

the interior overhead light on.

When stopped by a Police Officer

2. What you should do:• Roll down your window as the officer walks

toward you• Have your license and registration ready and

give them to the officer when instructed • Keep your hands in plain sight and tell your passengers to do the same• Always be polite to the police officer

When Stopped by a Police Officer

What you SHOULD NOT do:• Don’t ignore the officer’s signal• Don’t stop your vehicle in an intersection• Don’t stop your vehicle in front of a driveway• Don’t stop your vehicle in a travel lane • Don’t get out of the car unless the police officer

tells you• Don’t present your license and registration in a

wallet or holder

Driving Emergencies1. Skidding2. Running off the pavement3. Flat tire, blowout, or wheel loss4. Brake failure5. Stuck gas pedal6. Vehicle approaching head on7. Headlight failure8. Stalling on railroad tracks9. Breakdowns10. Car catches fire11. Vehicle drives into water12. Driving through tunnels

1. Skidding

Skidding

• Slowly remove your foot from the gas pedal and shift into neutral

• Don’t hit the brakes• Turn your steering wheel in the direction of

the skid

2. Running off the pavement

• Hold the steering wheel tightly• Slowly remove your foot from the gas pedal.• Gently apply the brake to reduce your speed

slowly• Check for the traffic behind you• Steer gently back onto the road

3. Flat tire, blowout, or wheel loss

• Grip the steering wheel tightly• Slowly remove your foot from the gas pedal• Gently apply the brakes• Don’t use the brake until you have the vehicle

under control.• Pull your car off the road as soon as it’s safe.

4. Brake failure

• Work your way to the lowest gear• 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 and pedestrians.

5. Stuck gas pedal

• Put your car in neutral• Press the brake pedal to slow down.• Try to free the gas pedal with your foot• If the gas pedal doesn’t release, reapply the

brake• Keep your eyes on the road.• Pull your vehicle to the side of the road and

stop.

6. Vehicle approaching head-on

If a vehicle is driving toward you head-on in your lane:

Slow down and pull to the right.• Sound your horn to alert the other driver.

7. Headlight failure

If your headlights go out:

• Turn on your parking lights, emergency flashers, or turn signal

• Try the headlight switch a few times• Pull off the road as quickly as possible• Leave your emergency flashers on

8.Stalling on Railroad TracksIf your vehicle stalls on the railroad tracks:• Get everyone out of the vehicle• Move as far from the tracks as you can

You don’t know if a train is coming:• Roll down the window or open the door and listen for

a train• Try to start your engine• Shift to neutral and try to push the vehicle off the

tracks• Call the police immediately

9.Breakdowns

• Move your vehicle to the side of the road• On a highway, move your vehicle far from the

travel lane• Turn on your emergency warning lights

(flashers)• At night, turn on your vehicle’s Interior lights• Tie a white cloth to your antenna or door handle

10.Car catches fire

• Pull off the road• Turn off the ignition• Move away from the vehicle.• Call the fire department, emergency services,

or the police

11.Vehicle drives into water• Unfasten your safety belt• Escape through a window• If you have power windows, open them quickly• Do not open a door

IF your vehicle sinks before you can get out:• Climb into the rear seat. An air pocket may form

there• When the vehicle settles, take a deep breath and

escape through the window Video

12. Driving through tunnels

1. If you are in an accident or a disabled vehicle:

• Pull to the side of the road• Activate your hazard flashing lights• Call 911• Stay in your vehicle if it’s safe to do so• Wait for emergency personnel to help

Driving through tunnels

2. When entering a tunnel

• Turn on headlights• Obey all signs and signals• Listen to the radio for traffic updates• Do not enter if you notice smoke near the

entrance• Maintain a safe driving distance• Hazardous materials are prohibited, including

propane

Driving through tunnels

3. In heavy traffic

• Listen to the radio for updates• Keep a safe distance from other vehicles• Note the location of emergency exits• Follow the instructions of MassDOT officials state police, and message signs

Driving through tunnels4. If there’s a fire:

• Stop, turn off the engine, and exit your vehicle• Leave your key in your vehicle• Leave your stuff in your vehicle• Call 911• Exit at the nearest tunnel exit/entrance

13.Traffic Accidents

If you are involved in an accident with property damage:

• Move your vehicle off the road• Exchange name, address, driver’s license

number, vehicle registration and insurance information with other driver.

• If you damaged a parked vehicle or other property, you must notify local police

Traffic Accidents

Within 5 days of the crash, you must file an accident report with:

• The RMV • Local police department

You must report any crash with $ 1,000 or more of property damage

Traffic Accidents

Accident involving injuries:• Check to see if anyone is injured• Call the police and request an ambulance • Exchange name, address, driver’s license

number, vehicle registration, and insurance information with other drivers

• Notify the RMV and the local police department (death or $1000 or more of property damage)

• Notify your insurance company

14. Emergency first aid tips

• Don’t move an injured person• Check to see if the person is breathing• If not, begin perfuming CPR (if you know how)• If the person is bleeding, put pressure directly

on the wound (protect yourself from exposure to blood)• Cover the injured person with a blanket or

coat

Traffic Accident

• If you witness an accident:1.If there’re police and/or emergency vehicles 2.there, don’t stop or slow down to see.

If there’re no police or emergency vehicles:1.Park your car off the road2.Turn on your emergency flashlights3.Call the police

Useful Links

• Driving Ed Game<https://driversed.com/games/drivers-ed-

game.aspx>• Mass Registry of Vehicle <http://www.massrmv.com/>

Travel Lane

Intersection

Tow Truck