Spokane Driving School Module 7 By: Kami Kaspar Traction & Skidding Emergency Situations Visibility

Section 1 ~ Conditions of the Road: Snow & ice reduce the traction between your tires & the road surface. Reduced traction makes it more difficult to control the movement of your vehicle. Other elements that cause the car to skid are rain & gravel. Loss of traction and skidding can occur on asphalt even when the road is dry if they are banked the whole way.

Section 2 ~ Conditions of the Vehicle: A skid can occur with good or poorly inflated tires. A skid can also be caused by brakes that are not evenly compressed, which can cause the vehicle to be pulled one way or another. This same problem can happen when the front tires are out of alignment.

Section 3 ~ Actions of the Driver: Enter curves or turns at moderate speed to reduce the chances of a skid. The chances of skidding can be reduced if care is taken when driving on roads covered with hazards; ice, rain, snow, oil, water or other materials that tend to reduce the road surface traction.

Section 3 ~ Continued: Acceleration or deceleration should not be used in order to minimize the chances of skidding. In other words, to avoid skids, avoid sudden changes in vehicle velocity or direction when driving on slippery surfaces. Avoid panic stops and hard braking or quick starts when on hazardous surfaces.

Section 4 ~ Hydroplaning: Hydroplaning occurs on wet roads when the speed of the vehicle is enough to cause the vehicle to “ride up” on the water on the roadway much like a set of skis. As long as the vehicle speed is not too fast, tires with good traction will tend to “grip” the roadway surface, thereby providing traction.

Section 4 ~ Continued: If you are driving and finding yourself partially or fully hydroplaning, let up on the accelerator and allow the vehicle to slow down without braking. Tires with good tread & proper inflation, and slower speed when water on the roadway is heavy are two of the best ways to avoid or prevent hydroplaning.

Emergency Situation #1: You are traveling mph when your vehicle coughs, sputters, & quits running.

1. How would you react? * Shift to neutral. * SMOG to the right side of the road. * Try to restart the engine once you are in neutral.

2. How can you warn other drivers of your problem? *Emergency Flashers & putting the hood of your car up. 3. When stalled on the roadway, what are some ways to obtain assistance? *Use your cell phone to call someone to help you.

4. Suppose the only way you can move your car is to tow it. What considerations & procedures should you follow when towing? * Call your insurance company to see how much towing they cover & what towing business you should use.

Emergency Situation #2: Your engine light comes on when you are driving 40mph.

What is the possible problem? There could be something wrong with your engine…it could be overheating or loosing coolant. What would you do at this point? SMOG, pull off the road, check under the hood, take it to your mechanic if you can’t find anything wrong. It’s usually o.k. to drive about 50 miles with your “check engine” light on.

Emergency Situation #3: The hood of your car flies open while you are driving. What do you notice about the man driving this vehicle?

What is the possible problem? The hood latch has either broken or come undone. What would you do at this point? Bend down & look through the opening under the hood. SMOG & pull off the road as quickly & safely as possible. Close the hood securely!

Emergency Situation #4: As you approach a downgrade (downhill), your brake lights come on and your brake pedal becomes soft to the push!

What is the possible problem? You are loosing your brakes! How would you handle this situation? 1. Pump your brakes to see if you can get them working. 2. Downshift. 3. Slowly pull up on the parking brake. 4. SMOG off the road.

Emergency Situation #5: You are driving over 50 mph on a two- lane road. As you drive by an oncoming truck, a large piece of blue plastic attaches to your windshield wiper.

How would you handle this problem? 1. Turn on your wipers to see if that will make the plastic come off. 2. SMOG to the side of the road & take the plastic off yourself.

Emergency Situation #6: You are completing a right turn from an intersection. You have the car up to speed and it continues to go faster after releasing the accelerator!

What is the problem? Your accelerator is broken or stuck! How would you handle this situation? 1. Try to lift the gas pedal with your foot. 2. Apply the brakes. 3. Choose an escape route & begin to head there. 4. Shift to neutral. 5. Turn off the ignition once you are safely off of the road.

How to deal with Reduced Visibility : Vehicle windows~ Keep your windows clean & clear so that you can always use the IPDE system effectively. Sun Glare~ Be sure to use sunglasses & the sun visor. Having your headlights on during the day will unable other vehicles to see you better.

More on Reduced Visibility: Fog~ use low beam headlights, your “brights” could reflect particles in the fog & make it more difficult to see. Drive under the speed limit, go slow enough to maintain a 12 sec. line of sight in front of you. Rain & Snow~ use your wipers, low beam headlights, defrost, & only go as fast as you still have good traction. Do not go the posted speed limit.

Should you be scared of strong winds while driving? *YES!!! Be a very cautious driver when it is windy out. Extreme winds can carry your car into another lane or off the road. Drive slowly or get off the road and wait for strong winds to pass.