This course concludes with a discussion of proper handling of emergency and accident situations, and Virginia's financial responsibility laws.

Soft Shoulders in Emergencies

In an emergency, drivers may use the shoulders of the roadway as an escape. With that in mind, be aware of the condition of the road's shoulder while you drive. Shoulders may be soft, rough, or littered with bottles, old tires, or other debris.

In an emergency, if you are forced off of the road onto the shoulder, be prepared for reduced traction. You will probably have to slow down substantially to maintain control of your vehicle once you enter the shoulder.

Braking with two wheels on the shoulder and two wheels on the road will result in unequal traction which may cause your car to skid. The road's surface will probably be higher than the shoulder which will cause steering difficulties or loss of vehicle control while you are attempting to steer your vehicle back onto the road.

Drop Offs Instead of Shoulders

Mountain driving presents special challenges, and you may not have the liberty of using the shoulder as an escape if you need one. Drive more slowly in the mountains. If there is a drop-off instead of a shoulder, you should drive as close to the road's center line as possible.

Bad Pavement

Watch out for uneven pavement and potholes caused by road construction or deterioration of the road. Hitting a patch of uneven pavement can cause your car's handling to become erratic or damage your tires. Hold the steering wheel firmly and identify a path of travel that will minimize your exposure to the poor road condition. Do not jerk your car sideways out of rough terrain, as that may cause a steering failure or severely damage your tires.

Roads under construction or being resurfaced may not have yellow lines marking the center of the road. If that is the case, watch out for oncoming traffic and keep to the right of your side of the road.

Handling Equipment Failure

The last step in your becoming a successful defensive driver is knowing how to handle the unexpected. Mechanical failure and environmental hazards are part of driving, and you must be prepared to handle them.

Brake Failure

If your brakes suddenly fail:

• The first thing you should do is downshift into a low gear. Unless you have anti-lock brakes(ABS), pump the brake pedal hard and fast to build up brake fluid pressure. If you have ABS, you should never pump the brake.
• Apply the parking brake as a last resort, but be ready to release it if the car begins to skid.
• Remember, if you can still steer the vehicle, steer carefully off the road into bushes or something soft.
• Sound the horn and flash your lights to warn other drivers that you have a problem.
• When you no longer need to change your direction you can switch off your ignition.
• Finally, after you have stopped, call for help. Do not attempt to drive the car to a garage.

Tire Blowout

If your tires fail:

• Pump the brakes gently (unless they are ABS), but do not brake hard.
• Concentrate on maintaining control of your vehicle.
• Steer straight ahead and continue to brake gently. A front tire blowout may cause the car to pull towards the blown tire. A rear tire blowout may cause the car to swerve or fishtail.
• When you are able to do so safely, pull the car off the road.

"Handling Equipment Failure" Continued . . .

Power Steering Failure

If your engine dies, causing your power steering to fail:

• Grip the steering wheel hard with both hands and carefully guide the car to the side of the road.
• You may have to push your brake pedal hard to stop your car if you have power brakes.
• Once you have stopped, restart your engine (if it's possible) and proceed with caution.

Headlight Failure

If your headlights suddenly go out:

• First, try your dimmer switch. Often that will turn them back on again.
• Try the headlight switch a few times. If that does not work, use your parking lights, emergency flashers, or turn signals.
• Pull off the road as soon as you can and leave the emergency flashers on so that other cars can see you.

Hood Latch Failure

If you are driving and the hood of your car flies open:

• Slow down.
• Try to look underneath the hood so you can see.
• If that is not possible, put your head out the window and look around the hood.
• Use the painted center line or lane markings as a guide.
• As soon as possible, pull off the road and put your emergency flasher lights on, then deal with the problem.

Stuck Gas Pedal

If your gas pedal gets stuck down:

• Try to "unstick it" by placing the toe of your right foot under the pedal and pulling up. If that doesn't work:
  1. Keep your eyes on the road while first shifting into neutral, then applying the brakes.
  2. Look for a way out of traffic.
  3. Try to warn other drivers by flashing your emergency lights.
  4. Drive the car safely off of the road.
  5. When you no longer need to change your direction, turn off the engine.

Stuck in Snow or Mud

If your car gets stuck in snow or mud:

• Shift the car into low gear and keep the front wheels straight.
• Gently step on the gas pedal.
• To avoid spinning the wheels, drive forward as far as possible then, shift into reverse and drive back as far as possible.
• Shift to low again and go forward, rocking the car back and forth.
• Keep repeating this motion until the car is free of the snow or mud.

You can put boards and tree branches under your wheels in deep mud or snow to get traction. Never do this while the tires are spinning - it could be quite dangerous.

Carrying chains in your vehicle is wise - you can avoid getting stuck if you put them on your tires before you drive in snow or mud.

Steering Wheel Locking Device

Make sure that you never turn your vehicle's ignition to the "lock" position while the vehicle is still in motion. This can cause the steering wheel to lock if you try to turn the wheel and you may lose control of the vehicle as a result.