Your vehicle breaks down on the right shoulder of an Oregon freeway. Your hazard lights are on, and you decide to wait outside the vehicle. Where does the Oregon Driver Manual tell you to wait?
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A.
Walking ahead along the shoulder toward the next exit to find help.
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B.
Beside the vehicle on the traffic side, where approaching drivers can see you.
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C.
At the rear of the vehicle, near the lane, waving traffic to move over.
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D.
On the far side of the vehicle, so the vehicle is between you and the traffic lane. Correct
The answer is "On the far side of the vehicle, so the vehicle is between you and the traffic lane."
The manual recommends staying in or near your vehicle on the side away from traffic when possible; on a right shoulder that is the passenger side, not the driver's side. Your hazard lights handle the warning of approaching drivers, and the manual separately calls walking a freeway dangerous. Choice B tempts drivers who confuse being visible to traffic with being safe from it, but the hazard lights already do the warning without putting a body between the car and the lane.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. Walking ahead along the shoulder toward the next exit to find help.
The manual tells you to stay in or near the vehicle and separately warns that walking along a freeway is dangerous. This answer treats a freeway shoulder like a city street, where walking to the nearest business for help is a reasonable move.
B. Beside the vehicle on the traffic side, where approaching drivers can see you.
The traffic side is the most exposed position on the shoulder, and the manual sends you to the side away from traffic when possible. This answer confuses being visible to drivers with being safe from them, forgetting that the hazard lights already do the warning work the manual assigns them.
C. At the rear of the vehicle, near the lane, waving traffic to move over.
Standing at the rear near the lane puts you closer to moving traffic than any other position offered, and the manual gives the warning job to your hazard lights. This answer borrows the instinct to direct traffic around a hazard, which is patrol-car work with lights running, not a stranded driver's role.
This question tests your knowledge of Emergencies in Oregon. Source: Oregon Driver Manual, "Freeway Driving, Vehicle Trouble," p.35..
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