Driver's License Test Prep
Florida Practice Emergencies

Your gas pedal jams while you are driving. According to the Florida manual, what is the very first action you take?

  1. A.
    Shift the transmission into neutral
  2. B.
    Take your foot off the gas pedal Correct
  3. C.
    Press hard on the brake pedal and hold it
  4. D.
    Shut off the engine immediately
The Why

The answer is "Take your foot off the gas pedal"

The manual lists 'take your foot off the gas pedal' as step one; only after that do you shift to neutral or press the clutch. Choice A is the trap because drivers who remember the shift-to-neutral step often remember it as the first step, since it is the one that actually cuts power to the wheels.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. Shift the transmission into neutral

Shifting to neutral is step two, not step one. This answer names the step that most directly cuts power to the wheels as the first step, rather than the simpler check the manual leads with.

C. Press hard on the brake pedal and hold it

The manual says to press, not slam, the brakes, and only after you have taken your foot off the gas and shifted out of gear. This answer carries over the ABS emergency-stop instruction and applies it to a jammed pedal, where hard braking against a running engine is much less effective.

D. Shut off the engine immediately

The manual warns you not to shut off the engine unless earlier steps fail, because you will lose the ability to steer. This answer reaches for the biggest 'off switch' the car has, without knowing that killing the engine also kills power steering.

The Rule

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

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