Hazard Perception, Emergencies, and Skid Control
What this domain tests
This domain asks how you spot hazards early and respond to emergencies without making them worse. It covers brake failure, tire blowouts, fires, and skid recovery.
Core rules
- Use a search-and-response habit: scan, identify, predict, decide, and execute. Look for escape routes before you need them.
- If brakes fail, downshift, use the parking brake gradually, and look for an escape ramp. Do not pump the brake pedal on a failed air system.
- For a tire blowout, hold the steering wheel firmly, keep the vehicle straight, and avoid hard braking until control is restored.
- For a rear-wheel skid, stop braking and steer in the direction you want the vehicle to go. For a front-wheel skid, release the brake and steer toward your path.
Worked example
The rear of a tractor-trailer slides to the right on ice. The driver should release the brake, steer right to align the vehicle, and avoid a hard counter-steer. Overcorrecting to the left can cause a second skid in the opposite direction.
Traps
Slamming the brakes during a skid, overcorrecting, and jumping from a moving vehicle are dangerous. A fire requires stopping, shutting off the engine, and evacuating rather than opening the hood fully.