Emergency Procedures and Incident Response
Breakdowns and emergencies
If your vehicle breaks down, move it off the carriageway if possible, switch on hazard lights, and place a warning triangle behind the vehicle where required. Occupants should wait in a safe place away from traffic. If a tyre bursts, hold the wheel firmly, ease off the accelerator, and steer to a safe stop; do not brake hard.
Brake or steering failure
With brake failure, pump the brake, use engine braking by selecting lower gears, and use the handbrake gently. With steering failure, slow down gradually and avoid sudden braking. In all cases, warn other road users and stop as soon as safely possible.
At an incident
Stop, switch off engines, warn other traffic, and call emergency services. Do not move an injured person unless there is immediate danger (such as fire). Give first aid within your training. Exchange details and report the incident to the police where required by law. Do not leave the scene of an incident involving injury.
Traps in questions
A frequent trap is braking hard after a tyre burst, which can cause loss of control. Another is moving an injured casualty unnecessarily. Questions may also test that you must not leave the scene, and that hazard lights and warning triangles are for warning, not for parking illegally.
Rule of thumb
"Hold steady, slow gently, warn others, call for help."
Worked example
A front tyre bursts at speed. You grip the wheel firmly, ease off the accelerator, keep the vehicle straight, and let it slow before steering gently to the shoulder. Only then do you brake to a full stop and switch on hazard lights.
Alcohol, Drugs and Fitness to Drive
The law and effects
Alcohol and drugs impair judgement, reaction time, coordination, and vision - the very skills driving demands. Even small amounts increase risk. Zimbabwe law sets legal limits for alcohol in the blood and breath; exceeding them is an offence, and driving while impaired by drugs is also an offence. Refusing a lawful test can itself be an offence.
Fitness to drive
Do not drive when tired, ill, or taking medication that causes drowsiness. Check medicine labels; many cold, allergy, and pain medicines warn against driving. Fatigue is a major cause of crashes; the only cure is rest, not coffee or fresh air. If you feel sleepy, stop in a safe place and rest.
Prescription and recreational drugs
Some prescription drugs impair driving even when taken as directed. Ask a pharmacist or doctor if unsure. Recreational drugs are illegal and dangerous on the road. Combining alcohol with drugs or fatigue multiplies impairment.
Traps in questions
A frequent trap is assuming a small drink is safe or that coffee sobers you up - it does not. Another is thinking prescription medicine is always safe to drive on. Questions may also test that the safest choice is not to drive at all after drinking, regardless of any limit, and that fatigue cannot be "pushed through."
Rule of thumb
"If you have been drinking or feel drowsy, do not drive - arrange another way home."
Worked example
After two drinks at a function, a driver feels "fine" and considers driving a short distance. The safe and lawful answer is not to drive: impairment begins below the point where you feel affected, and the only reliable plan is a designated driver, public transport, or waiting long enough with rest.