Special Safety Considerations and Hazardous Conditions
Hazardous conditions
The exam tests winter, fog, wind, heat, mountain, and night driving decisions. The common rule is to reduce speed and increase space before conditions worsen.
Core rules
- On ice or snow, brake gently, steer smoothly, and allow extra following distance. Use chains when required and check bridges and shaded areas for ice.
- In fog, use low beams, not high beams. Slow down, increase distance, and avoid stopping in the travel lane.
- In high winds, grip the wheel firmly, reduce speed, and watch for blown debris and lane drift.
- On mountain grades, downshift before the descent and use engine braking. Do not ride the brakes or coast in neutral.
- In heat, check tires and engine temperature. Never leave students unattended in a bus.
A driver descends a long grade and smells hot brakes. Reasoning: the brakes are overheating. The driver should pull off at a safe place, set the parking brake, and let the brakes cool. Continuing to ride the brakes worsens fade. The correct technique is a lower gear before the next descent, not neutral coasting.
Traps that cost marks
Using high beams in fog, coasting downhill in neutral, using the parking brake as a service brake, and leaving students on board during a heat stop. The exam expects condition-specific speed and gear choices, not just general caution.