Your right wheels drop off the pavement onto the shoulder. What does the Florida manual tell you to do with the steering wheel?
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A.
Turn the wheel sharply left to get back on the pavement
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B.
Let go of the wheel briefly so the tires straighten themselves
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C.
Hold the wheel firmly and steer in a straight line Correct
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D.
Slam the brakes and steer toward the shoulder
The answer is "Hold the wheel firmly and steer in a straight line"
The manual says to hold the wheel firmly and steer in a straight line, then brake lightly before turning back onto the pavement at a slow speed. Choice A is the trap: the reflex to jerk the wheel back toward the pavement is exactly the overcorrection the manual warns can cause a rollover crash or steer the car into oncoming traffic.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. Turn the wheel sharply left to get back on the pavement
A sharp turn back onto the pavement is exactly the overcorrection the manual warns can cause a rollover crash or steer you into oncoming traffic. This answer acts on the reflex to get back on the road immediately instead of holding a straight line until traffic and the shoulder ahead are clear.
B. Let go of the wheel briefly so the tires straighten themselves
The manual says to hold the wheel firmly, not release it. This answer trusts the folk story that older cars with heavy manual steering will self-center on the tires, which the manual never sanctions as a recovery step.
D. Slam the brakes and steer toward the shoulder
The manual says to brake lightly, not slam the brakes, and to steer in a straight line rather than further off the pavement. This answer pairs the panic-brake reflex with a swerve deeper onto the shoulder, when the manual asks for restraint on both.
This question tests your knowledge of Emergencies in Florida. Source: Florida Driver Manual, "Handling Emergencies: Right Wheels Off Pavement," p.79..
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