Driver's License Test Prep
Florida Practice Emergencies

Your engine catches fire and you cannot put it out with a portable extinguisher. What does the Florida manual warn you never to do?

  1. A.
    Leave the vehicle if you cannot extinguish the fire
  2. B.
    Call 911 before you exit the vehicle
  3. C.
    Attempt to extinguish a small fire with a portable extinguisher
  4. D.
    Apply water to a gasoline or diesel fire Correct
The Why

The answer is "Apply water to a gasoline or diesel fire"

The manual says never apply water to a gasoline or diesel fire; if you cannot extinguish it, get away from the vehicle because the fumes are toxic and an explosion is possible. Choice C looks banned to drivers who read the scenario's failed extinguisher attempt as the prohibition itself, inferring the manual must forbid a second try. The manual permits a portable extinguisher on a small fire, though, and the "never" applies only to water.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. Leave the vehicle if you cannot extinguish the fire

The manual explicitly directs you to get away from the vehicle if you cannot put out the fire. This answer carries over the breakdowns rule that keeps a driver with a disabled vehicle, missing that the fire section reverses it because fumes are toxic and an explosion is possible.

B. Call 911 before you exit the vehicle

The manual's first numbered step is to exit the vehicle, and only then call 911 for assistance. This answer follows the everyday habit of dialing 911 first in an emergency instead of getting clear of the vehicle before making the call.

C. Attempt to extinguish a small fire with a portable extinguisher

The manual permits this when the fire is small and you have a portable extinguisher. This answer reads the manual's conditional permission to fight a small fire as if it were a prohibition once the first attempt has failed.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Emergencies in Florida. Source: Florida Driver Manual, "Handling Emergencies - Fire," p.79..

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