Driver's License Test Prep
California Practice Emergencies

You have a tire blowout at highway speed. What does the manual tell you to do with the accelerator?

  1. A.
    Press the accelerator harder to keep your speed
  2. B.
    Remove your foot from the accelerator quickly
  3. C.
    Gradually release the accelerator Correct
The Why

The answer is "Gradually release the accelerator"

The manual says to gradually release the accelerator so the vehicle can slow without upsetting its balance, and it warns against sudden braking or abrupt lifting off the pedal. Choice B reads 'remove your foot' as the whole instruction and skips the word 'gradually' the manual added on purpose.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. Press the accelerator harder to keep your speed

Pressing harder invites the loss of control the manual warns about; the rule is to hold speed only if safe, not to add throttle. This answer reads 'maintain your vehicle speed if possible' as a directive to press harder rather than as permission to hold speed.

B. Remove your foot from the accelerator quickly

'Abruptly removing your foot from the accelerator' is what the manual names as a cause of losing control. This answer reads 'remove your foot' as the whole instruction and drops the 'gradually' the manual added.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Emergencies in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Tire Blowouts," p.68..

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