Your vehicle has broken down on the shoulder of an Oregon freeway. The handbook recommends staying in or near the vehicle. On which side?
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A.
On the side of the vehicle facing traffic, so drivers can see you.
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B.
On the side of the vehicle facing away from traffic. Correct
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C.
Inside the vehicle on the driver's side.
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D.
At the rear of the vehicle, nearest the traffic lane, so you can wave drivers around.
The answer is "On the side of the vehicle facing away from traffic."
If you have vehicle trouble on a freeway, move to the right shoulder or emergency stopping area and turn on your hazard lights. Then stay in or near your vehicle on the side away from traffic; on a right shoulder, that is typically the passenger side. The hazard lights do the warning. Standing on the traffic side, whether to be seen or to wave drivers around, puts you in the most dangerous position.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. On the side of the vehicle facing traffic, so drivers can see you.
The traffic side is the most dangerous place to stand; the handbook directs you to the side away from traffic. Misreading: Confuses being visible to drivers with being safe; the manual prioritizes putting the vehicle between you and traffic, not making you visible to it.
C. Inside the vehicle on the driver's side.
Staying in the vehicle is acceptable, but the rule is to stay on the side AWAY from traffic; on a right shoulder that is the passenger side, not the driver's side. Misreading: Treats 'stay in the vehicle' as the whole rule and ignores the 'side away from traffic' qualifier that governs where in or beside the vehicle to be.
D. At the rear of the vehicle, nearest the traffic lane, so you can wave drivers around.
Stepping toward the traffic lane to direct drivers puts you in the most dangerous spot. The manual assigns the warning job to your hazard lights and places you on the side away from traffic. Misreading: Treats the duty to warn other drivers as requiring you to stand near the traffic lane and signal them, when the manual says hazard lights do the warning and you stay on the side away from traffic.
This question tests your knowledge of Emergencies in Oregon. Source: Oregon Driver Manual, "Lane Travel - Freeway Driving - Vehicle Trouble," p.35..
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