Hazard Perception and Emergency Response
Hazard perception questions show a developing situation and ask what you do first. The scoring rewards early observation and stable, predictable control - not dramatic swerving.
Reading a hazard
- Separate static hazards (junction, blind crest, parked trucks, roadworks) from dynamic ones (pedestrian stepping out, car reversing, motorcycle filtering).
- Ask "what if?" continuously: what if that car pulls out, what if that load falls, what if the light changes.
- Always hold an escape route: a gap, a hard shoulder, or a lower speed that buys time.
Emergency actions
- Tyre blowout: grip firmly, keep straight, ease off the accelerator, let the vehicle slow, then move gently to the shoulder. No hard braking.
- Brake failure: downshift, use retarder and engine brake, pump the pedal once, use a runaway lane or rising ground, and apply the parking brake progressively.
- Jackknife: release the brakes to let the drive wheels roll again and steer into the skid, then stop gently.
- Breakdown: hazard lights, reflective triangle behind the vehicle (well back on a fast road), high-visibility vest, passengers away from the carriageway, call 911.
Worked example
At 90 km/h a front tyre bursts on a loaded truck and the wheel drags left. Reasoning: the instinct to brake hard would pull the vehicle into oncoming traffic. Hold the wheel with both hands, keep the truck straight, lift off the accelerator, let the speed fall, indicate, and leave the road gently once control is confirmed.
Traps that cost marks
Swerving before braking; stopping in a live lane to inspect damage; forgetting the warning triangle and vest.